Page 24. MAINE COASTAL NEWS September 2010 Beals Island Reminiscences Continued from Page 23.


up in the head of the dock. Papa’s (Lad Simmons) smack “Thelma” was built beside the shop Harold Gower had]


As I go around the shore in my reminiscing I am recalling several places that were frequented by kids. Osmond’s wharf had tanks in the building in which there would be some very ripe bait. We possibly could find there some smoked herring sticks for making kites. The area between Osmond’s and Jerome’s wharves was known as the dock. There was a ways to the left as you went down on Jerome’s wharf. There is a boat on the ways in the photo. The dock was a good place to swim when the tide was up. We used to gather on Jerome’s wharf to play group games, such as Red Rover, May I ?, and Simon Says. You could go the full length of that wharf on the stringers and ballast beds. The end of the wharf was built over the hulk of the vessel “Neptune”, so we used to go and look at what was left of her when the tide was down. When the tide was just right we could push my rowboat through a place from one side to the other. Vessels bringing cord wood and other things would come in and unload. Vessels also loaded salt cod that was processed there and took it to market to the west’ard. Northerly past Harold (“Cracker”) Gower’s boat shop was Uncle Lewie Woodward’s wharf, and I learned to swim in the landing there. Dad’s wharf was where I spent a lot of time. I played there, swam, fished, and worked there. Some of us baited trawls there, and on Jerome’s wharf, when it was haking season. It was not unheard of to get a herring in the side of the head when baiting trawls. Dad had a gasoline pump on the wharf, and candy and supplies in the building. His lobster car was moored


off the shore, northerly from Grammie Rose’s (Woodward) house. I spent a lot of time at her house and playing in the barn. And, I spent a lot of time on the car buying lobsters. Easterly from Grammie’s house were the Shelter Woods where we played for hours on end. In the winter we would chop fresh water ice on the rocks below the woods, for making homemade icecream. Our beach below our home was a good place to play, including batting rocks into the water. Between our breakwater and past Uriah’s wharf, and on to Perio’s Point were wonderful places for sailing boats and playing under the shore. The wharf at the end of Perio’s Point, and the store at the head of the wharf, probably were owned by Beals Cooperative at the time of the picture. That complex was built by Grampie “Will” Beal (F. W. Beal), my great grandfather.


One feature of Beals that is symbolic of the town and shows clearly in the photograph is the network of paths. The paths were well-worn ways to walk to one place from another. Paths usually traversed private properties, and generally no one seemed to mind that. Interestingly, the access routes to the Schoolhouse were more paths than roads. Paths often brought you close to people’s doors. It was perfectly acceptable to walk into a home without knocking. Beals is a networked community of folks who have concern for each other and who give help in time of need.


The next time you see a copy of John Riley’s 1940s photograph of Beals and Alley’s Bay I hope these reminiscences bring back pleasant memories, if you are old enough. If you were born after this period, or if you’ve become familiar with Beals since, this will give you insight into the time and place where growing up was our privilege.


I n t e r n a t i o n a l M a r i t i m e L i b r a r y Help Save All Facets of Maritime History


The International Maritime Library (IML) is a non-profit tax-deductible organization dedicated to the collection and preservation of all maritime information, such as books, periodicals, documents, personal papers and photographs and then computerizing it for ease of reference. Those interested will have access to the reference materials and the databases created from them, either on-site at IML or via the website. Presently, there is no facility dedicated to collecting and researching all the written maritime works, past and present, published around the globe. IML will fill this immense void by collecting published and personal works, and computerizing it. IML’s collections and computerized works will assist maritime academic institutions, businesses and the public allowing them quick access to information with the touch of a button. With the technological advances in today’s world, the maritime industry is well behind in what is available via computers. There have been thousands of maritime books and periodicals published throughout history, which presently cannot be referenced. Those looking for current or historical information spend hundreds hours, and may never locate that obscure piece of information. IML will change this by creating a single source for all maritime information.


ON-GOING PROJECTS INCLUDE:


Transcribing maritime articles from: Maine Industrial Journal (1880 to 1918); Bangor Whig & Courier (1836-1899); Republican Journal (1829 to present); and various others including Eastern Argus (Portland), Bath Daily Times, Eastport Sentiniel, Ellsworth American, New Bedford Mercury, Salem Gazette and Boston Evening Transcript.


Databasing - List of Merchant Vessels, 1867 to 1990s. Sail completed, Steamers (1867 to 1903) will be finished end of 2009


Transcribing Appleby's Ship Records for Maine and the WPA Ship Documents, especially ones not published. Passamaquoddy Complete and presently working on Bath.


Also, there are over 800 periodicals published in the maritime world and not one library holds a quarter of them. IML will bridge this problem by collecting and comput- erizing them for future use by researchers and the general public. There is a massive amount of work to be done to accomplish these goals, which should have been started 150 years ago!


To make this happen we need financial support, please help us do more! For more information please call (207) 223-8846.


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Admiral of the Fleet$1,000.00 Admiral


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The International Maritime Library, P.O. Box 710, Winterport, Maine 04496 Dedicated to the Preservation of Maritime Writings


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