THE PORTLAND TRANSCRIPT, July 17, 1869

                                                                 CITY ITEMS
                                                           Glances About Town

          On Thursday week the houses of Elijah Cartland and Amos Peaslee, just across
     Derring's bridge in Westbrook, were nearly destroyed by a fire which originated in
     Cartland's house; both houses were occupied by two families, and those in the
     Cartland house saved little of their goods, some of the inhabitants barely escaping
     with their lives; Cartland was insure $2,800 on his house and Peaslee $1000.
          Suburban gardens are now affording a generous yield of strawberries, judging
     by the box of beauties sent us by our friend T. B. Cook; his garden at Woodford's
    Corner show the results of high cultivation.
          A race to come off on the 25th inst., has been agreed upon between the boat
     Hoosier, to be pulled by P. McGlinchy and T. Hopkins,  and the boat Shark to be
     pulled by J. H. Littlejohn and W. Shea; course from Brown's wharf to Great
     Western, stake $40.00 a side.
          On Wednesday evening of last week a burglar broke into the house of J. H.
     Hamlen, Esq., No. 53 Park Street, and stole quantity of valuable sliver plate.
          Joseph Hall, Esq., of this city is preparing a genealogical and biographical
     history of the Hall family.
          Dr. Lees, the distinguished temperance advocate of England, is now on a visit
      to our city, the guest of General Neal Dow.
          The brick work on the front of High Street Church has been commenced; and
     the work is going rapidly forward, the silver plate placed under the corner stone
     of the church at the time it was laid by Governor Parris in 1831, has been found;
     it will receive additions and be placed under the corner stone of the new church.
          The steamer Ella, Captain Mitchell, is proving a great accommodation to
     island goers, she now makes Sunday trips for the accommodation of those who
     wish to attend church in the city.
          The contributions of our churches for the benefit of the Widow's Wood Society
     amounts to $1,982.98.
          Rev. E. R. Keyes supplies the pulpit of the New Jerusalem Society during the
     absence of Rev. Mr. Hayden on his summer vacation.
          On Wednesday week a little son of Robert Burrows fell from the sea  wall, near
      Curtis' ship yard, and was drowned.
          In the death of Christopher Wright, Esq., in his 88th year, our city has lost one of
      its oldest, and most upright citizens.
          The body of James Thompson of Ragged Island, Nova Scotia, who was drowned
     in our harbor a few weeks since, was found on Saturday floating on the water, and
     delivered to his friends for burial on Peak's Island.