THE PORTLAND TRANSCIPT, January 11, 1868

                                                      MATTERS IN MAINE
          Our brethren of the press are well represented in the State Legislature, both in
     character and numbers. The following editors are members; John I. Stevens of the
     Kennebec Journal, Nelson Dingley, Jr., of the Lewiston Journal, N. A. Foster of the
     Portland Daily Press and William M. Rust of the Belfast Age.-Mr. Nash, Assistant
     Clerk, is editor of the Hallowell Gazette.
          The Military Asylum at Togas, near Augusta, caught fire from a  defect in the
     flue of the furnace, on Sunday evening and was entirely destroyed. The sick and
     all the inmates were cared for at Augusta. Major Cutter, who is at the head of the
    Asylum is quite sick in Augusta. The buildings was a very large and costly one,
    and the loss must be heavy. The Lewiston Journal say the soldiers rekindled the
    fire after it was once extinguished, broke into the dispensary stores, got beastly
    drunk and fought among themselves, and one of them was frozen to death.
          Schooner Palmerston of St. John, New Brunswick, ran ashore on Squirrel
     Island near Wiscasset, on the night of the 24th ult., and took fire from the cabin
     stoves and was burned; hull a total loss, rigging partly saved. The mate E. Levy
     of Tremont, Me., and seaman Martin and Malier, of New Brunswick, were lost.
          Simmons' bronze statue of the Soldier is to be unveiled in the public park at
     Lewiston at an early day. Governor Chamberlain has been invited to be present
     and participate in the exercises. This is the first bronze statue owned in Maine.
          Contribution amounting to about $600.00 have been raised in Augusta for
     the benefit of Mrs. R. A. Scholes who lost by the recent fire everything in the
     world upon which she relied for the support of herself and four young children.
          The Maine Standard has passed into the hands of Messer. Eben F. Pillsbury
     and William E. Smith. It is a handsomely printed and ably conducted sheet.
          Six or eight State Constables paid Gardiner a visit on New Year's day, and
     stirred up quite an excitement. They made some seizures but were roughly
     handled at Mr. Maher's store.
          Mr. Crosby, President of the Senate and Mr. Woodman, Speaker of the House,
     are cousins and natives of New Hampshire, and were classmates in Bowdoin
     College.
              A baby show was recently held at North Leeds at which there was a
     lively attendance of twenty babies, and considerable music.-"Mrs. Sylvester's
     twins" got the premium.
          The Eastport Sentinel says the store of John B. Pearce was entered by thieves
     on the night of the 24th ult., who carried off about fifty dollars worth of gold.
          Johnny Longfellow has again broken out of Ellsworth  jail, and again been
     captured.