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1893 Bethel Journal |
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1893 Table of Contents
Major News of ‘93
1893 was a year of a national “panic”. There are occasional references to business slowdowns in the 1893 news such as at Rumford Fall and Locke’s Mills. The closing of Parker’s furniture store in the Cole Block may have been tied to the general feeling that money was short. By some estimates, it was the worst financial crisis to hit the U.S. up to that date.
The Bethel Journals were compiled by Donald G. Bennett, Bethel, Maine
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1893 News Summary
Bethel area news in early 1893: New Oxford County buildings and re-located seat of government, the Chicago World’s Fair and a new school building for Bethel village. The Chicago World’s Fair attracted many
January: Debate on county buildings continued, R.J. Virgin had nearly finished his new saw mill in South Bethel. More news of Rumford Falls development.
February: Rebuilt Methodist Church was dedicated. Heavy snow storm covered the area during February 20, 21 and 22.
March: Voters approved new county buildings. First town meeting in Odeon Hall. New school for Bethel village.
April: Eber Clough passed away. New school lot on High Street purchased from John M. Philbrook.
The Cole Block: The Cole’s two largest tenants closed their businesses and vacated the building. The building and nearby house was put up for sale. In August the property was put up for auction but did not sell. Elmer Cole married Emma Parker, went to Washington and then returned. In October “Elmer D. Cole and wife will go to Washington this week to live. Some of their household goods will be moved to Portland for further shipment by boat. He has received a good offer to engage in the jewelry business there. His business reverses make it necessary for him to make this move, which he regrets. He and his brother Fred have dissolved their partnership.” In December, the Cole Block ownership was transferred to the Bethel Savings Bank. Less than robust economic times and no real increase in Bethel population may have caused the young men to fail in their enterprise. Ironically, Dana Philbrook who had moved into his new house on Mechanic Street in November was burned out in mid-December. He moved his salvaged jewelry stock into one of the Cole Block’s vacant stores.
The Money Shortage: Except for the chair factory, spool and dowel mills seemed to be running only infrequently or were shut down until they received more orders. News from Rumford Falls spoke of money stringencies and slowing of what had been a boom-time building experience. More than the usual number of stories of large numbers of tramps appeared in the news. In September, this comment appeared: “The outlook in lumbering is gloomy and but little will be done in this vicinity unless the business outlook improves.”
Other Important News:
The corn canning factory, new butter factory and of course the trotting races and Bethel fair were high points of the year in town—the fair drew horsemen and trotters from all over western Maine.
In July 1893, Moses A. Mason sold his landmark Mayville farm to Charles Ryerson of Upton. Mason left Bethel for a trip to the world’s fair.
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The Bethel Journals |