The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-09-04

manned faithful TO Tie whg name md il Of the
only three counties In Massachusetts, that always
elected wing Senators during the days OF the Coali-
ton. The free sellers are comparatively few in
Berkshire but strong enough to hold the balance
Of power at important elections Were the coalition
as perfect there AZ it is in some other counties il
would win great victories. The jealousy Of the two
branches Of that b,5y have hitherto prevented II
from doing its perfect work among the hills. The
future may sec its action guided by more Of that
discretion which Is one OF the means Of victory.
Berkshire has a respectable age. The county. dates
from 176I, when 1t was Incorporated; but settle
ments had been made within its limits many years
earlier and several Of its towns had regular polt
cal existence century ago. The oldest town is
Sheffield, which was incorporated in 1893. Stock
bridge dates from 1889. Several other important
towns were incorporated previous to the revolution
Pittsfeld, Williamstown, Lenex, Egremont I'D
Lanesborougb, being of the number. Lenox is the
shire town, and was Incorporated in l767. II Ia
beautiful town, and is beautifully situated 1.-The gem
and its setting being in what artists call keep
ing Its attractions have been great in the eyes
OF some very great people. Fanny Kemble used to
open up to the eyes OF the unsophsticated natives
practical illustrations of the strong minded wo.
man. until she had turned the heads OF whole
schools of the pretiest girls that ever perlled the
souls OF men, and whose presence in the antedilu-
Wan world would have formed an nanswerable de-
fence for the human loves Of the angels for other
and farer angels. A not less eccentric genius who
honored Lenox with his presence for some time,
was Mr.. Hawthorne. He went there after Gen.
Taylor had served him as King Richard served
the Duke Of Buckingbam-cut his head off The
men Of Lenox never knew what to make of time.
wherein they resemble the rest of mankind who have
been equally unsuccessful Lenox is said to have been
mond, as the town Of Richmond, Of which Leuox
WAS formerly portion was from his title. At Will
Jamestown is Williams College, named from Colonel
Ephraim Williams, Ioted soldier Of colo lial times,
vaff NNf f,n btscI,u tnfa
free school. This school was opened in 1871, and
has since risen to collegiate rank, having received
considerable assistance from the State and from in
diyiduals Lee was incorporated in lit and named
in honor OF Charles Lee then considered to be the
ablest officer in the Revolutionary army, his laures
not having then been withered by the heats Of Mon
mouth. ENTHUSIASTICALLY called Jericho-was
Incorporated in l776 and took Its designation from
John Hancock, who that year headed the sgners Of
the Declaration of independence. Two years later
Adams was incorporated and named from Samuel
Adams, who was SO intimately connected with Han
cock. Dalton was named after Tristram Dalton, in
1854, be being then Speaker of the House Of Repre-
sentatves and afterwards first Massachusetts, United
States Senator Otis took that name in $780, in ho-
nor nor Of Harrison Gray Otis, having previously been
called London. Pitsfeld was called after William
Pitt, in 176l, he being then at the height Of his
fame. The original name of Windsor was Gagebo-
rough, from General Gage WHO was the royal Gov
ernor OF Massachusetts, when it was Incorporated in
I'LL. In IT'S the name was changed to Windsor.
The population Of Berkshire. in 1920, was IS 500;
n ls40 40, Ss2; in 1850, 4s 937 There are thirty
one towns; Of these, the most rapid increase was
made by Adams, which assembled from $3.50 to $50
inhabitants. Lee, Pittsfeld, Williamstown, Sheffield
and Great Darlington also made respectable add
tons to their population. Clarksburg, Dalton,
Egremont Hancock, Mount Washington, New Ash
the same time, declined in the number of their in
habitants. The other towns made some small in
crease, in each case.
The State valuation of 1910 showed the property
IF rtohtr ~ hat oh had
in 1850 to SIT 197 607 The largest increase was In
the case of Pttsfeld, which from 81 O65 OO8 to
$2,660, 744 so; the smallest, that of New Ashford
which was s74,993 in 1910, and $99,966 in 1850.
Adams was valued, in 1840 at $773 $780, and in 1850
at 81 7244S4. Great Darlington rose from $625 l25
to 81 2S8l76 Lee from $474 ,76l to $685. 800; Shelf
field from 1851 ,sS2 to 81 las; Stockbridge from
$469 ,427 to $733s7l 40; Williamstown, from s547-
$5l6,5s6 so. Every town made some gain, and
Boston Corner, which seems to have made no re-
turns, was doomed to have increas0 more
than so per cent The towns whin ~ in
people were by no means behind in adding to
their wealth, fact which l have had occasion to
note in the case OF some other counties. Thus,
Stockbridge lost about ne-seventh of her inhabi-
tants, and increased her wealth some sixty per cent
Hancock lost a fifth Of her people, and added more
than oDetenth to her property. Egremont expe-
rienced small loss in men, ano made large gain
in money. So it was with Dalton, Carksburg
Peru and Mount Washington.
Berkshire has produced her full share Of eminent
men, and seems to be especially favored by distin
guished persons from abroad. Some OF these latter
have already been mentioned Among them are
Herman Melville, who, if be would understand to
write about the things of this world, would be as
popular as Dickens, but whose later orks such
as neither gods men, nor columns can tolerate.
He lives at Pittseld and has beautiful place there.
Dr. Holmes, the poet and the wit, is another Pitts
| field landed proprietOr and Nathan Appleton has
place there. Il is scarcely necessary to say that
vel Wh ~ suc m IN nd WI was
his colleague in the Constitutional Convention, also
resides there. The Sedgwicks, who historical
family, and who were so before they came here, are
| Of Berkshire. Miss Sedgwick is native of Stock
| bridge. Mr.. Bryant is sometimes spoken of as a
Berkshire man. but enormously, as he was born at
| Cummngton, in Hampshire county.
The agricultural character of Berkshire is very
high. The land is rough and billy to a very great
extent but that which is rich and productive is Of
the very first kind. The principal productions in
1850 were, Indian corn, ,94s bushels; oats,
3l2,6ll do. rye, 53,54s do. wheat, s74 do; hay,
70995 TONS pot atocs, about 400 900 bushels: fruit,
| about 225 600 do. The amount of frewood cut must
be large, find in the returns for 1916 that it then
| exceeded 1000 cords and some towns made no re-
turns The value OF TIL. wood was some $50 900.
Sheffield and Great Darlington produced the largest
amounts of Indian the former % $50 bushels and
the latter % G3l Pittsfed produced s,345 bushels
and Stockbridge and Williamstown almost as much
each. Sheffield and Great Darlington also lead in
oats, though the Wild article is not understood to
flourish in either of them In rye, too, they lead,
Sheffield being considerably ahead. Lenox, Pitts
field, and Hinsdale are the best wheat towns, and
handsomely increased the amount Of their proluc-
tions between ls45 and 1850. Pittsfeld made the
most hay in 1850 being $500 tons: but Sheffield
was close at her heels producing 1854 tons. Adams
comes next, and is followed in order by Great Bar
liDgton, Willamstown, Beckett. Sandisfed, and
| Windsor.
This county is famous for the amount and excel.
lence of IFS butter and cheese In 1916 the amount
of butter made according to official returns, was
| million pounds: of cheese, 100000 lbs. Both
amounts were probably not little below the exact
TRUTH and considerable additions must be made to
them to get at the present rate of production. Pro-
badly each amount should be doubled. In the year
named Sheffield was the largest butter making town,
we're Pittsfeld and New Marlborough Adams was
first in the production of cheese-374,57s The next
was the little town OF Cheshire which manufactured
343 900 lbs. II in this town that was made the
famous mammoth cheese that was presented to
President Jefferson. ON NcY Yc2r's daY. 1902 and