Gazetteer of the State of Maine With Numerous Illustrations, by Geo. J. Varney

BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY B. B. RUSSELL, 57 CORNHILL. 1882. Public domain image from

88    GAZETTEER    OF MAINE.

water-power is furnished by B M’s Brook, which enters the Kennebec
at this place, and from a fall of 15 feet in the Kennebec, which forms
the head of the tide. The volume of water passing the fall, as measured
in 1866, was 175,000 cubie feet per minute for the mean run through
the summer.

The Freeman’s National Bank, in this city, has a capital stock of
$100,000. The capital of the Granite National Bank is $150,000.
Augusta Savings Bank at the commencement of the fiscal year of 1880,
held in deposits and profits, $2,877,529,41. The Kennebec Savings
Bank held at the same time $334,644,73.

Several newspapers and weekly journals are published at Augusta.
Of these, the “Maine Farmer,” “Gospel Banner,” and “Kennebec
Journal” are the oldest, and each is excellent in its department. The last
has also a daily edition throughout the year. The two first are neutral in
politics, the latter republican. The “ Home Farm ” is a new eight page
paper, devoted, as its name indicates, to the improvement and profit of
the home and farm. It is an attractive sheet for a small price, and
is published weekly by Boardman and Owen. The leading democratic
paper is the “New Age.” Others are the popular “People’s Literary
Companion,” published weekly by E. C. Allen & Co., and devoted chief-
ly to stories; the “ Illustrated Family Herald,” which has some very good
points,—published monthly by True & Co.; the “Fireside Visitor,” a
pleasing paper for the winter evenings, another monthly, published by
P.O. Vickery; the “ Illustrated Monthly,” and “Illustrated Family Mag-
azine,”—published monthly by Shaw & Co.,—both excellent in their way.
The “Maine Farmer’s Almanac” is now published here by Chas. E. Nash.

The public buildings of Augusta are tbe State House, an imposing
edifice of white granite, on a commanding site; the State Insane
Asylum, the county court-house and the jail, both of granite,—the
latter of an elegant architecture. Among the handsome private build-
ings are St. Catherine’s Hall (the building of the Episcopal School), the
Augusta House, Granite Block, Meionaon Hall, and several notable
private dwelling-houses. The finest business edifices in the city are
those constituting the publishing establishment of E. C. Allen &
Co., illustrations of which are given. The main building is hand-
some and very substantially built. Its ground dimensions are 65 by 53
feet. The addition—completed a few months since—is of equal size
and height. It is constructed of granite, brick and iron, the walls being
two feet thick. Though over 100 tons of rapid machinery are
in it, yet scarcely the slightest tremor can be perceived. Each story is
supplied with a fire apparatus, and sufficient water can be instantly
turned on to extinguish any fire that can originate in the building. A
steam elevator runs from the bottom to the top capable of carrying a
load of five tons from the first floor to the sixth story in thirty seconds.
The buildings contain sixteen presses; seven of which are Hoe’s largest
and most rapid machines, being capable of printing over five tons of
paper daily. In these buildings are also composing rooms, a bindery and
a superior electrotype foundery. The machinery is run by three engines,
one of which is a Corliss machine weighing some 50,000 pounds, and
costing $10,000. The cost of the buildings and machinery has been about
$300,000. Nearly 500 persons are employed in connection with this
establishment. The steam whistle upon the top of the extension, which
calls the employes to their labor and releases them from it, is sounded