FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 8 1 



expressed it : "Lands have passed rapidly from hand to hand — 

 fortunes have been acquired as if by magic." 



Maine was beginning to see the dawn of a new day so far as 

 its agricultural development was concerned. Its possibilities for 

 farming were recognized, and knowledge was being widely dis- 

 seminated of the value of the rich lands of Aroostook for tillage 

 purposes. In earlier times there was a deep seated prejudice 

 among Massachusetts people against the District of Maine. 

 Several causes had contributed to this. There were the results 

 following the war of 1812, the embargo, and the difficulty of 

 communication on account of the lack of roads. Added to this 

 a succession of cold seasons was followed by the phenomenal 

 cold summer of 1816, and it was generally the belief that the 

 District, especially the eastern section, was unfitted for the 

 raising of crops. The entire District was thinly settled, as is 

 illustrated by the fact that in 1820, when Maine was admitted 

 to the Union, Penobscot county, now so rich and prosperous, 

 had only about 1,200 population. 



Following the separation state roads were built up the Penob- 

 scot, and 1828 the general government built the Military road 

 through to Houlton. The tide of immigration turned towards 

 the east. A succession of favorable seasons demonstrated that 

 wheat, potatoes and other crops could be raised as well here as 

 in other parts of New England. Aroostook county was coming 

 into great favor and it was being generally regarded as the 

 favored spot of New England. State roads were opened from 

 the tide waters of the St. Croix to Houlton, up the Aroostook 

 river, through the valley of the Kennebec to the head waters 

 of the Du Loup in Canada. Many branch roads were built by 

 public and private enterprise. 



It naturally happened that those who owned timber lands 

 begun to realize large profits from them. In the meantime 

 lumber in other states had become exhausted, and the price of 

 pine timber stumpage went with one bound from $4 to $5 a 

 thousand. Maine was looked upon as the only place from which 

 to secure white pine, and those who held lands with this valu- 

 able timber upon it came rapidly into wealth. There, however, 

 was an end of this speculative fever, and a reaction set in which 



