A brief history of the Bangor Fire department from the beginnings to 1890. Contains advertisements and illustrations. "The history of Bangor's Fire Department is rich in deeds of daring and endurance; full of emulation and zeal to place them-selves at the front; prolific in the social amenities and tokens of good fellowship existing among the "boys"; marked, here and there, in the days of the old volunteer department by personal encounters, sometimes rising to the magnitude of battles, between whole bodies of men; contests for superiority of engines, or for speed in running with the hose reel; and excursions, balls, banquets, trumpet presentations, and a thousand and one other things interesting to firemen, so that within the space which this little book affords, it would not be possible to give even an epitome of it. It has been the aim, however, of the compiler to give important facts with reference to the origin and growth of the Department and the result is now before you."

In this historical and statistical review of the commercial and manufacturing interests of this section, it has been our purpose in as thorough a manner as was possible justly to describe those enterprises which have contributed so largely during the last half century to its material advancement. History plainly shows that many large cities have owed their prosperity and growth chiefly to advantages of situation, great influx of foreign peoples, and similar causes. Of Bangor and the other towns in this section it is pre-eminently true that the genius and efforts of her own people, by the single process of internal development, have brought success, which has rendered her name famous throughout the land.

The City of Bangor now has a resident population of about twenty thousand. Yet as the shire town of a county embracing some seventy-five thousand inhabitants; as the trade center and shipping point for a large and rich agricultural section and for many thriving industrial communities; as a point of convergence for numerous important railway and steamship lines, and a consequent tarrying place for great numbers of tourists, sportsmen and commercial travelers; these together with the busy commerce of its port, the metropolitan character of its hotels and the compactness of its business section, give to the city a much more populous appearance than the above figures would indicate.

Introduction: It has been our endeavor in these pages, to depict the scenes and incidents occuring at home, during the Rebellion, rather than the giving of a minute description of the varied experiences of the thousands, who marched away from Eastern Maine, at their Country's call. We lay no claim to high literary merit, simply placing before you, in condensed form, the facts; believing that as the memories of the older readers are quickened, and the younger generation learn of the experiences of fathers and mothers, in their efforts to preserve the Union, all will find something of deep interest.--R.H. Stanley, Geo. O. Hall.

Bangor, the "Queen City of the East," is situated in lat. 44° 40' N., and long. 68° W., at the head of ship navigation on the Penobscot, the largest river of Maine, about thirty miles from its entrance into the bay of the same name, and some sixty miles from the sea. It is distant N. E. from Boston nearly 250 miles, by rail, and W. from St. John, New Brunswick, a little more than 200 miles; the distance from either of these points by water is about the same as by land. It is reached from the West by day and night trains from Boston and Portland, and by a line of first-class passenger steamers making daily trips each way between Boston and Bangor during the summer months, and from two to four trips weekly the remainder of the year. Two trains daily, to and from Bangor, furnish Eastern connections with St. John, Halifax and all important points in the Maritime Provinces.

Bangor is delightfully situated. It is intersected by the Kenduskeag stream, on either side of which are sunny hills covered with lovely homes. The business portion of the town is located on the low land bordering the stream and fronting the broad Penobscot River. The streets throughout the city are lined with magnificent shade-trees, the elm predominating. Elegant residences abound, and well-kept lawns and beautiful gardens are the rule rather than the exception.

A listing of the members of the city councils and common councils of Bangor, Maine, from 1834 to 1882, as well as mayors for the same time period.

"Biographical notices of the founders of more than fifty of the most prominent and noteworthy enterprises in the city, with a concise and reliable account of their rise, progress and present status."--On cover.