Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-09-09
From the Long ISLANDER.
GblMPSES AT THE GREEN NOUN
TAINS

FRIEND SuEPARb:-I said in n former
letter that this place, apart from the Canital
of the State, was Of little importance-in a
business way meant more particularly. And
yet, as centre commanding the trade of a
wide rural region, very considerable business
is done here. There are score or more Of
well sustained stores and trade shops. several
hotels, an extensive bakery, Touring ostab-
lishment that supplies large part of the
state, and other establishments worthy of
note on the record Of industry and enter
prise. The Touring mills, embracing cooper
shops, &c. is the most prominent business
enterprise in this rcgion--they arc the prop
eriy of Mr. james r. Langdon, son Of the late
James II. Langdon, one Of the early settlers
Of Montpelier and for a long period one of
the most prominent, influential and popular
men in the State. The mills get their power
from the Onion River. | have seen four
(three secular and one religious) papers is
sued here more there may be. ! doubt not.
The place has two banks aud two insurance
companies, Catholic, an Episcopal, Meth
odist, and a Congregational Church-what
others ! know not-and a gas works which is
profitable to all concerned.
The new Capitol. of Barre granite, erected
in place Of the old structure, burned down a
few years since is in some respects noble
edifce. The Assembly and Senate Chambers.
though Of less size than ours at ALBANY. arc
finer in design and construction. Outwardlv
the building shows incongruites Of style and
want Of proportion. There was a strong
effort made to get the Capitol removed TO
Burlington, but il failed, very properly as
think But the Montpelier folk have had 10
put their hands deep in their pockets, in the
way of paying for the new State House. as a
&c l,. trI 4
the Capitol noblor structure for its pur-
pose. and as related to deeper interests Of
the community, is the new Union School
House, of which / spoke in a former letter
For the use Of a consolidation Of four COM
mon school districts, a stately building Of
brick, iron and granite has been reared on
commanding site, with some thirteen acres of
ground attached. the whole costing So. 800.
Besides grad lecture room, occupying the
whole of the upper story, the house has very
similar accommodations 20 our own. and will
be made ample TO the needs Of 500 TO 600
scholars. The school is graded in its depart
ments Vermont knows the value of popular
. intelligence, and is not niggardy in her sup
port Of public education.
There arc number Of wealthy people resi-
! dent here who do little or no business, but
t. nothing like the exclusive classes Of some
' places ! could name. who fancy it none of
b their business TO even look civillv al peopls
poorer than themselves. Society is mellow
. and intelligent and good manners and NOR
=, ais rate quite as high i'm Montpelier as bank
IL stock One of the speculative exctemcnts
of the place is the pearl fishing ia the Onion
River. first suggested by the finding Of pearls
in the clans of the Passac. Tho Onion
River clam is Of the same species, showing
quite mo,hcr-of-pearl coating on the inside.
% and a number OF very fine pearls have
. been found here. The fishing is, Of course.
open 10 every one. have tried my hand at
~, II with poor success found some of the
pin-hcad size Mr. Mead, icwoller, showed
=. me some of fine color aud brilliant quite as
large as an average marrowfat pea. Some
have been found as large as a good sized bull
a. let Not more than dozen miles from here
IN virgin gold is found ia the bed of a brook SO
OF pure 10 be worth S22 per ounce. The
nc finding OF il IS very slow process and gold
Is hunting will not De likely TO supcrsede cheese
IL making on the score of proft--in Vermont.
s. The best wealth uf this geographically small
q. but morally great State lies in the industry.
Is the intelligence. tho sturdy morality and
It. universal Independence Of its people. Til
r. ling what would to a Long Islander or Gem
Ike trail New Yorker seem most sterile soil, the
BIT farmers Of Vermont are a model Of thriit-as
amply uIul'u ,'' inc oa'''e Oh me Us ioI the
NJ o'''t 81 I'gu0u' .'" Is'uy' now as o' u'0'
Politically, Vermont stands where she stood
nc in the Revolufiop s.ernlv hostile "a slavor,
" that is her Ronpblican majority, stand.
- there, and WILL | trust. until the foulest o.
blots is wiped from the oscutcheon Of the
~ Republic. In the near election, she will vim
dictate her faith in the spirit Of the Declare
ice ton of Independence, according to its mos
Ter literal sense, by again repudiatng Democ
he racy that every day libels its own name, and
Id. in so far as it can, crucihes freedom. Tn
ac- party Of freedom are confident and ready 70
he the State struggle. and Vermont may be saiel
The set in the prospective pyramid Of am OPposi
ton that is destined God grant, to take pos