The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-07-04

y
rather slow. In 1910, seventysix years after
the commencement OF its corporate existence,
IL had 1870 inhabitants. Shortly amer that
time, it commenced that rapid increase which
has made it one Of the most noted places in
Worcester county, with rank second only to that
Of Worcester city. In 1850 the population 009
and the lowest estimate makes the present number
OF its inhabitants 500 while by most it put down
was ILL., which has since been greatly increased; Of
shops, 80; Of warehouses and stores, AZ; of barns
406; aud of all other buildings Of the value OF twenty
dollars and upwards, 7S. The amount Of money at
interest was $685. value OF bank aud insurance
stock, s76 $50; shares in bridges, canals, turnpkes
and railroads. $44 1879 amount of every person .
stock in trade, $2lS, 692. Considerable additions
must be made to these several items in order to get
a close approximation TO the present condition Of
the town. which, for the last three years, has grown
with amazing rapdity
The chief cause of the change Of the character of
Ftchburg is to be found in the construction of
railroads, whereby she has obtained prompt,
cheap and quick access to many markets for the
sale Of the results of her manufacturing industry her
facilities for manufacturing being very great 1t IL
about eleven years ago that the Boston and Fitch
burg Railroad was commenced. The grant OF q
charter for the construction Of this railroad met with
vehement opposition from other railroad companies
all OF which seem to think that they are bound to
have monopoly throughout the whole country. The
opposition was even ferocious in its character and
would have proved successful but for what may be
called the heroical exert0ns Of Mr. Croker, OF
Fitchburg which turned the scale in favor OF the ne
enterprise. 1t was a more difficult task TO get
the stock taken and along the whole line there was
but little confidence in the of the undertaking;
vet in 1915 Just after the completion of the road its
stock sold at $780, and difficult to be had at even
that price, and its dividends were ten per cent per
annun, for some time. This was under the presi-
dency Of Mr.. Crocker; but when that gentleman re-
tired from the management Of the comp Affairs,
a change soon commenced, and there Is no saying
where will stop, it has been so very steady aud so
r1xv ltxri1n alG nnp
per cent with what is called steady downward ten
dency and that person would be looked upon as an
idiot, or an incurable mailman, who should De de-
teced in giving above $40 per share for stock IN the
crazy concern. This is the result of bad manage
meLt-for the sources of great profits are far more
abundant now than they were eight years ago
making directors of men who attend to their duties
in other way except to pass themselves and fanl-
lies gratuitously over the road and in looking for
financial skill and business capacity in large tax
bill and big belly. Fitchburg has nothing to do
with this Encouragement, which is as odious to her
as it is to every other place having any connection
with the road. 1t would have been better for all
concerned. were she at the head of the company.
The host of railroads above Fitchburg, in various
directions have proved as beneficial to this town
and to the travelling and business public generally,
as they have been destructive to the fortunes ofpretty
much all who had anything to do with them in their
early days. The success Of the Ftchburg road, the
mere idea of which was laughed at by the whole
monied world, and considered to be very good joke,
succeeded the Others were pronounced to be splendid
opportunities for investments for loose capira-which
certainly did run away very swiftly, AFTER II mad
paid over to either of these jobs. Great fortunes
were reduced to skeletons, completeness became ln-
competent to support their possessOrs and even the
smallest shareholders were made poorer still because
people had fallen into that most common OF all com.
mon-place bluDders, the m;staking the reverse OF
wrong Tor right. Yet nothing can be clearer than
at the outset, these undertakings were perfectly
honest in their character. They did not become
'.jobs until it was demonstrated that somebody was
to be cheated and swlndled, and each "big fish was
determined that it should not be himself, and pre-
pared TO appear in the character of shark. But this
eating process, when voraciously entered upon, is
sometimes very injurious to people. 1t was 80 in
the present case and the sharks were themselves
hooked out of the Of speculation in not few in
stances instead Of pulling others into 1t for their own
especial eating. The sympathy that they have re-
ceived has all been thrown away, for it was mere
question Of eating or being eaten. AS the poet
says
peak of riccness when there's chance for wreck
The captain said as ladies' writhed rhsir neck
To see the Dying dol pnin flap the deck
''If 20 down they gently sup;
We dine Vi on them if we taul them up.
Wise men applsud us when eat the eaters,
As the devil laughs when keen folks cheat the cheaters
Besides the road to Boston, which connects with
many other roads, and the Vermont and Massachu
road which connects with the roads above there
i railroad from Fitchburg to Sterling, where it
falls into the Nashua and Worcester road. The
and 81 Oh as few towns possess.
The manufacturing business of Fitchburg is 50 ex
tensive and various in its character, that must
devote separate letter to account OF it. OF its
agriculture but little need be said for it does not
profess TO be farming place, though even in that
mode OF industry it is highly respectable. OF In
dian it raised 1888 bushels in 1850, showing
an increase Of than 5000 bushels since ls45;
oats, 1868 bushels, being an increase Of I755
bushels; wheat, 79l Bushels being falling of of 277
bushels; rye, 653 bushels, the decrease being 2Il
bushels; barley, 1907 bushels, which shows a small
decrease in FIVE years. tons OF hay BIS an increase
Of 227 tons; pounds of hops 900, which is not ma
terially different from the amount in 1915. The
number OF bushels of potatoes was abont 20 900 in
$50. Fruit is abnndantly produced. Milk, butter,
cheese and honey are sold in considerable quantities
and so are vegetables Of various kinds. The acres
OF meadow land are 1884; Of pasturage, 6,0l4; Of
woodland. 2,6s5; of unimproved land AL; of land
covered with water, 1885, The number Of horses
owned here is above 400; Of oxen, about $50; Of
cows over 70O of steers and heifers above 400; and
there are some sheep and swine, though the number
Of either is not large. Many thousand cords Of wood
are annually disposed Of.
CHARLES lie CHAUvg.