The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-06-17

Witness making n tour up the Con-
necticut valley writes as follows:
AS we pass through Northapmton
on the right may be seen in the dis
lance the noble pile Of buildings which
constitute Amherst College To Mr.
Williston the College is indebted for
two of the most prominent of the
buildings-the Observatory and Stu
dents Hall; besides this, he has erect
ed and endowed, at his sole expense,
an Academy, and built Church in his
native place, Easthampton Mr. w. is
also one of the largest contributors TO
the benevolent institutions of the
country. Commencing life as farmer,
with very limited means, actuated solely
by desire to contribute money to the
cause of benevolence and religion. Mr..
W. began the manufacture of cloth
covered buttons, as the produce of his
farm could only be exchanged ut the
stores for goods. At first he intended
only earning few dollars by this
means for benevolent purposes, but by
the ingenious invention and applica-
ton of machinery he soon found him
self engaged in profitable manufac-
ture. After a few years, he erected
large buildings for his business. and
has gradually extended, until now he
IS the largest manufacturer in the
United States and completes success
fully with foreign trade. He gives
employment to hundreds of families,
and has a thriving village grown up
about him. The more his wealth has
increased, the larger his benefactions.
He has educated young men and wo-
men; cared for the widow and orphan,
and assisted the unfortunate. All his
wealth and his means of usefulness are
the direct result of desire to contrib
ute to the cause of beneyolence, which
led HIM to commence on a limited
scale the manufacture which has been
for many years pre-eminently success
full AS East Hampton has been built
up by buttons, st. Johnsbury owes its
prosperity to the scale manufacture.
This village, which derives its remar-
kable name from st John, the French
consul, during the revolution, is purely
New England, the proverbial air OF
neatness, freshness and industry, being
nowhere more strongly marked than
in this locality. The cottages of the
work-people are neatly painted, sur
rounded with well cultivated gardens
and shrubbery; water-works supply
water for every house, and fountains
in the gardens. On every hand are
indications of thrift, taste and refine
ment; churches and schools abound
/ Nature has done much forthis village
but art and taste render it one of the
I most charming places in Vermont. II
4 dates its rise from the commencement
1 pf the scale manufatuTe of 1880 Mr.
q Fairbanks at this time was engaged il
4 preparing hemp for market, and to fa-
cilitate the operation of weighing it
invented the famous platform scale
BY his mechanical genius, step by steI
the scale has been perfected, until il
has now worldwide reputation anG
may be found in all quarters of the
globe. 300 men are constantly EN-
ployed ; they are uneaqualled for then
skill and intelligence. The annual pro
! duce of their labor is over half a mill
ion dollars. The foundation, of thil
prosperity of st. Johnsbury is due tx
{ the Christian influence and exampl,
of the Messrs. Fairbanks. Thei
) wealth is devoted to the cause of relig
J ion and benevolence every goot
cause receives their aid and counter
, ance. To their foreman who had beer
in their employ for twenty-five year
, they have recently given O house an,
3 lot valued at $4,000. The influence
} of the employers operates upon thei
r men, and their relations to each othe
a are of the most happy character
=, These two examples which have Sc
lected to illustrated New Englan,
character are by no means rare, The,
= serve to show that the basis of tn
> prosperity of New England lies in tn
q earnest religious principles of her peo
! pie. i do not suppose that all NeN
Q England manufacturers are Williston
. or Fairbanks; but it appears TO m
that much of the prosperity, which
q evident to one who travels through tina
/ portion of the u s., is due to the re
: ligion of her people, joined to spiri
. of industry and enterprise inherite
E from their fathers. b.