﻿M7 



MAINE. 



MAnra. 



a«s 



of the nDpttor the deoMtmeot b now pUoed within the limit of the 

 CniTanity Academy of Bcnnc*. 



{Jtictionnairt dt la France; Anmiairt fomr fAn 1853; Qfieial 

 Paptrt.) 



HAIKE, tbo moat Dortheni of the United State* of North Amenea, 

 extend* between 43' and 47° 80' K. lat, and between 66° 62' and 

 71° 6' W. long. It ii bounded E. by the Britiah colony of New Bnina- 

 wick; N. and N.W. by that of Lower Canada; W. bytheatataof 

 New Hampshire ; and S. by the Atlantic Ocean. The itate, which ia 

 of very irregular form, has an area of about 35,000 square miles, or 

 about 3600 square milea lai-ger than that of Scotland. Ilie popula'iou 

 in 1850 was 538,169, or 16-66 to the sqnare mile. The inhitMtanta 

 being all free, the federal represeotatire population is the same as tha 

 entire population in 1S50; this according to the present ratio of 

 tvpresentation entitles the state to send 6 repreaentatiTes to Congress. 

 To the Senate, like each of the other states, Maine sends two members. 



Coatl-litu, Surfact.—Tbe coast-line extends in a straight line 230 

 miles, but following its windings it is above 900 miles long. It is 

 gi«aUy broken, and in the north-eastern part is skirted by numerous 

 jiil.niU generally small, but some of considerable size, inhabited and 

 ooltivated. The southern portion, as far north as Casoo Day, is rather 

 high, but comparatively free from rocks and islands. Casco Bay 

 extsnda from south-west to north-east 20 miles, with a mean width of 

 ftva miles, and is landlocked by a chain of islands, the largest of which 

 an the Oreat Qebrag and Sebascodegan. Along the bay are several 

 good harbours. So far the coast trends from south-south-west to 

 north-north-east. Between Casoo Bay and Penobscot Bay the coast of 

 the mainland nins nearly east and west; but numerous long peninsulas 

 ■tretch out from it southward into the sea, and are divided from each 

 other by narrow and deep indentations, which form excellent harbours. 

 These bays contain numerous small islands. Penobscot Ba^ extends 

 from St. George's Point (41° N. lat.) and tlio Fox Islands, tlurty miles 

 northward, to the mouth of the Penobscot Uiver, nearly in a northern 

 direction. It contains numerous wooded islands, some of which are 

 considerable, aa Long Island, which is fifteen miles long, and from two 

 to three miles wide, Fox, Deer, and Haut islands. The remainder of 

 the ooast-lina, from Penobaoot Bay to Passamaquoddy Bay, resembles 

 the oosst west of Penobscot Bay, consisting of an alternation of pro- 

 nontoriea and indentations; but the promontories are commonly 

 wider, and the inlets do not run so far into the maiuland. The most 

 extensive bays are Frenchman's Bay and Uachias Bay. Frenchman's 

 Bay is formod on the west side by the extensive island called Mount 

 Desert laland. The approach to this coast, which runs from the south 

 of west to the north of east, is aluo rendered difficult by numerous 

 xoda and amall islands. 'Though the firost along this shore is very 

 intanae in winter, uid the numerous islands favour the formation of 

 ioe, the harbours are commonly open all the year round, the strength 

 of the tide, which rises from 24 to 40 feet, preventing their being 

 eloaed up. 



The surface of the state is mostly hilly, except along the shore, 

 which is flat and sandy; but it is only in the north-western and 

 noitham districts that the hills rise to any great altitude. This northern 

 and north-western region is full of high hills and mountains, of which 

 the highest, Mount Kathodin, between the east and west branches of 

 the FsoolMcot River, rises to 5380 feet. The other lofty heights are 

 the Bald mountains weat of Moosehead UJce, Mounts Saddleback, 

 Abraham, and Bigelow, and the Sugar Loaf mountains on the west of 

 the Walloostook. These hills and mountains, though mostly isohited, 

 occupy perhaps one-fourth of the region, and about a* much is occupied 

 by the lakes. The lowest part of this region is probably from 600 to 

 700 feet above the surface of the sea ; and few settlements have been 

 formed in it> except in the valley of the Androecoggin, at the southern 

 •xtnmity, when the hills are of moderate elevation. This region 

 oooupies more than one-fifth of the area of the state. 



Between this region and the ooaat is the hilly region, which is well 

 diaioad by numerous rivers with- a rapid oourseb Swamps are here of 

 ran oocorrence and of moderate extent, except along the banks of the 

 Matawamkeag, wb*r* they occupy a apace fil^ miles in length. 



Hfdrografkt, CbatetMRica/toiw.— Maine is in everjr part abundantly 

 provided with streams, rivulets, or lakes. It is estimated that above 

 a tenth of the surface is covered with water. The rivers in the 

 •outhsm district hare a short oootssl The principal ore the Pisca- 

 t*4iua [New HAiirsuiRx], the Saco, andthePresiunacot,or Casco. The 

 two latter rise ou the southern and weatam deolivity of the White 

 MouBUtas in New Uampshire, the Saoo running about 90 miles and 

 tka Pwsnmsoot about 60 miUs. The Presumsoot tnverws a large lake 

 aJUd Sebago Pood, and falls into Casoo Bay, a short distanoe north 

 ft Pottlaod. In the northern part of the state is the WsUoostook, or 

 Main 8t John, the ehief branch of the St John's Uiver. It rises in 

 g uWOT st county, and flows at first north and then north-east to its 

 ■naliistins with the Bt Francis at the northern boundary of the state. 

 The miited river, under the name of the SU John, flowing at first 

 •aat and then aouth-east, fcrms the boundaij of the atats to 67° 49' 

 W. loi^, whan it anten the province of New Brdvswick, to which 

 the iiiiiiainrtsr of its ooune belongs. 



Baat of Oaaeo Bqr is a deep indentation which receives two oonsi- 

 dstable tivsrs, the Andraao o gg i n and the Ksonebec. The .il ndro$coggin 

 ia forawd by the ooofluMM* M two imaU strsaaos in the north-eastern 



part of New Hampshbe, and enters Mauie about 44° 15' N. lat It 

 then flows for some distanoe in a generally eastcrd direction, but near 

 the town of Jay turns south and afterwards south-east, when it passes 

 over the Pejepskeag Falls, and Joins the Kennebec at Meriy Meeting 

 Bay, 16 miles from the sea. The Kenntbec rises in several branches 

 on the eastern declivity of the mountain-raiigo which separates Maine 

 from Canada : these brancliea, some uf which have a course of 40 miles, 

 unite in Moose-Head Lake, a shoet of water about 30 miles long from 

 north to south, with a breadth varying from 5 to 20 miles. From 

 the south-western side "f *^\'-' 1'ike the Kennebec issues in a large 

 stream, and the gener.^ of the remainder of its course is to 



the south, but with coi. .cviatious to the west and east, until 



it reaches the mouth of the Androscoggin, after a course of about 180 

 miles. Though their courses are much obstruoted by falls and shoals, 

 both of these rivers are of great importance in the transportation of 

 lumber. The tide sscends to August^ 50 miles from the sea; steamera 

 of light draught and small vessels ascend to Augusta. Kennebec Bay, 

 in which the Audroscoggin and the Kenuobeo unite, stretches more 

 than 20 miles farther south, being formed by the long peninsula of 

 Pbippsbury ou the west, and by numerous islands on the east 



The upper branches of Penohicot liiver are numerous. All the 

 waters which descend from the southern declivity of the high land 

 which forms the southern border of the St John's River, between 

 68° and 70° W. long., flow down to the Penobscot The western or 

 principal branch U formed by several mountain-streams uniting ia 

 Chesuncook Lake, from the southern extremity of which it iosucs, 

 flowing eastward to Pemadnmcook Lake, after leaving which it unites 

 with the north branch and the Matawamkeag, two large rivers which 

 come from the north. The united stream flows in a south-western 

 course to its juuction with the Piscataquis River, a large stream which 

 Mis into it from the west The remainder of its course is a little to 

 the west of south, and it falls iuto Peuobscot Bay after a course of 

 about 300 miles. The tides roach up to Bangor, CO miles from the 

 sea. Penobscot River ia more navigable than the other rivers of 

 Maine, as no obstruction occurs for 20 miles above Bangor, except its 

 rapid current, and it is much used for the transport of lumber. 



From Penobscot Bay to that of Passamaquoddy, a distance of 100 

 milea alooi; the margin of the ocean, no large river empties itself iuto 

 the sea. The last remarkable river is the i^. Croi-x, or Scoodic, which 

 forms the boundary-line in this part between the United States of 

 North America and the British colony of New Brunswick. Its farthest 

 sources ore a number of lakes, curving from north to east and extending 

 in length about 40 miles; they are known as the Qrand or Chiputuati- 

 cook Lake. The river issuing from the last of this series of lakes runs 

 southward until it unites with the outlet of another series called the 

 Scoodic lakes. Hence its course is to the south-east, but with some 

 considerable bends. It enters Passamaquoddy Bay after a course of 

 al>out 100 miles. Passamaquoddy Bay is of a very irregular form, 

 extending upwards of 20 mUes from the mouth of the St Croix River 

 to Quoddy Point ; on the side of Maine it forms a bay of considerable 

 extent, called Kopscook Bay. 



The asstuaries of the above rivers, with the deep inlets and har- 

 bours, form the natural lines of communication belonging to the stkte. 

 The only canal of any magnitude is the Cumberland and Oxford Canal, 

 which connects Portland with Sebago Pond ; it has 25 looks, and i> 

 20} miles long; but by an additional look is connected with Saco 

 River, and wiUi Brandy and Long Ponds, giving a navigable length of 

 over 50 miles. 



The carriage-roads aro generally well laid out and well maintained. 

 The railways are extensive and important : above 460 miles are com- 

 pleted, and a great additional length is in progress or projected. The 

 most important completed line is the Qraud Trunk, originally called 

 the Atlantic and St Lawrence, which was finished in 1853, and forms 

 a continuous line from Montreal in Canada to Portland in Casoo Bay, 

 Maine, a distance of 292 milee : of this railway the Maine portion, 

 149 miles long, is known as the Portland District railway, and has a 

 branch from Mechamio Fklls to Buckfield, 13 miles. Three other 

 lines of railway meet or terminate at Portland : the Portland, Saoo, 

 and Portsmouth, 62 miles long, which runs to Portsmouth, New 

 Hampshire, and unites Portland with Boston ; a connected line called 

 the Portland and Kennebec, which is completed to Augusta, 60 miles, 

 with a branch 9 miles long to Bath; and the York and Cumberland 

 railway, which is open to Saco River, 18 milea. The other linos in 

 this state aro— the Androscoggin Junction, 20 miles, connecting 

 Androscoggin and Livermore; the Androscoggin and Kennebec, a 

 broad-gauge line, from Danville to Waterville, 56 miles ; the Bangor 

 and Piscataqua, from Bangor to Old Town, 12 miles; the Calais uid 

 Baring, uniting the places so named, 6 miles ; and the Franklin, from 

 Machias Port to WhitneyviUe, 9 miles. 



Geology, Mineralogy, ic. — The Urger part of the rocks of the state 

 is of the Igneous and Paleeozoio formations. Igneous rocks, eruptive 

 and metamorphic, occupy the greater part of the western and southern 

 sides, and they appear in the Silurian districts about the middle of 

 the state. Much of the north-western mountain region is granitic ; 

 Mount Kathodin and other of the loftier summits iu the neighbour- 

 hood of Moosehead Lake, and the St Jobn liiver, are of granite; and 

 it occurs laigely about Augusta and elsewhere towards the south. 

 Trap-dyke* are very widely distributed; porphyries, mica, and talcoee 



