Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-07-23
Fer the Standard
I Ut
Railroad.

'&A0-Ao SN'NA' . 5Oo~1 41N%A'J PACNSo 'AHooe
our Rail Road, some of them written by
B. H., and some by R. R., and then Or
leans had to put in a piece.
Well, this is all well enough; I want
the Railroad, and l like to see people think
| talk about it and if they rave and scold
and don't care, for had rather bear them
do that than get to sleep over it; there
is more hope they will do something
It is dull time with me now. 1 got my
hoeing all done up, the boys and ground
up the scythes last week, and was ealcu-
lating to have begun haying on Monday,
but it is rain, rain and nothing but rain.
So thought l would try and see if l
couldent write piece about the railroad
as well as others. These fellerS who've
been writing l guess is all great larnt
men, but I don't care for that. [ don't
believe but what I can get off something
in my old farmer stile that will hit some
where.
l was a goodeal tickled about the pie
ces writ by B. H, who 1 should guess
was one of those lawyers who has been
fighting the railroad. He made me
think of my old rooster, who, when he
was young, seemed to lack something
about his head; and he didn't improve
any as he growed older. 'Tother day
my rooster met my neighbor Smiths and
they had a battle, and mine got the ad-
vantage and drove Smiths off. Now
the way he performed then want slow
I tell you. He strutted round and
scratched about among the hens, flew up
on to the fence, tapped his wings and
crowed enough to split his sides open.
But his luck turned, he and Smiths
rooster had another set to, and mine got
most confoundedly licked. He just made
out to crawl home with his comb and gills
all picked to pieces, and he looked as
though he felt putty sore. 1 shouldn't
much wonder if B. II. in his crowings,
should come out putty much as my old
rooster did.
Inever thought it best for a man to
boiler before he got out of the woods.
But about the railroad, I have been
thinking it over. I own farm on Black
river and about twenty years ago kind
er got the western fever, and thought /
would sell out and try the west. I tried
to sell my farm and the most 1 could get
offered for it was one thousand dollars,
and of this I could only get 5000 down,
"a horse they called $50 and $40 in
cash, the remainder I was to take in
yearly payments of 800 each, half cash
and half stock.
Wife didn't want should sell, said
she had lived a good many years, had
good neighbors and had got attached to
them and the place.
So I gave it up, as I most always do,
when the old woman puts in hard, and I
kept my farm.
/ Now 1 can take for the same farm
three thousand dollars (S3O0O) and have
my cash when l give the deeds. About
that time I had a few tubs of butter to
sell, so 1 took it up to the Common, Of
fered il at both stores and the most
could get offered for it was II cents a
pound and take half money and half
goods. I had little money to make out
and so I had to let it 90 at that price.
though I thought it rather hard. But
last fall sold the same sort Of butter for
/ % cents a pound and took my cash when
left the butter. was just as bad of
in what I bought, for every bushel Of
good salt that bought had to give from
s to 9 shillings a bushel for, now car
buy just as good for 80 to 60 cents.
I used to talk to the merchants ant
ask them why they put on such plaguey
high prices, and the excuse was they hac
to go to Boston twice a year TO buy goods
this cost them thirty dollars to make
each trip they had to buy mostly OF
Credit and of course give more for thei
goods, then came the freights and they
had to pay thirty dollars ton for freight
then they had to trust out their good
and wait eternally for the pay. Nov
Mr.. Editor what has made all this differ
ence between twenty years ago and now
I don't know what to lay it to, unless
is the railroads, for l have noticed tina
as the railroad kept hitching along u
:, nearer to US, first to Concord, then +
White River, then to WelIs River, the
to St. Johnsbury, and at last to Barton
that there has been more inquiry 70
u farms, and that | could sell for more an
buy for less every time the railroad cam
a hitch nearer, and any one can sec tn