The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1866-12-20
Correspondence Of the JefEersonian.
HOME, Pa, Dec. 1866.

eyes and looked for them as | walked up
the main street of the village. | saw a
little change, but not what my expectation
had pictured to my mind. 1t is true,
they have a town-clock which, by the
way, speaks out the hour in tones some
what louder than a common eow-bell. In
thiS respect, Milford as ahead Of Strouds-
burg, but for good buildings and more Of
them, the latter place is far in the lead
Both places are pleasantly situated, and
have equal natural facilities for becoming
prosperous towns and though the spirit
of enterprise is far below what it should
be in both places, yet Stroudsburg, man
ifestly, here takes the lead also.
DIR. Halliday is a man worth having
in any place. He has done nobly in setting
an example to the Milford people, but his
public spirit has only very slightly 4" lcav-
cned" that mass which seems to have been
too long baked to be raised by such a
process. After decorating his own home,
he led off in brushing up the street on
which he lives, contributing largely in
building and repairing churches, &c. =
During the last summer, he took upon
himself, unassisted, to move, cit up and
repsint the old academy building, fencing
and Identifying the grounds. After he
had done all this, the people had a strug
gle to build little out-building, costing
few dollars, on the same ground!
Mr.. Evi S. Decker, the County Super
intcndent, has good school, with Ell
cient teachers, in this academy, but his
services are not appreciated as they
should be. What is there speaks better
for any village than good schools well
supported? What is it but old fogyism
that impedes the light of letters and him
ders the full spread Of literature in many
an Old settled place in our country? Where
good schools are well supported, we will
find everything else that goes to make a
happy and prosperous people. Just like
some in other places, there are those in
Milford who, though they have not seen
many years, yet have outlived their own
usefulness. The tel0 are the salt of
the place, and to these would we give
credit for what has been done in Milford
to beautify and render it an attractive
place to live in.
After all | didn't see, [ spent day
pleasantly at Milford, and fell into that
marching column Of which I was both
captain and private, and, after two hours
march, reached Port Jeryis. THIS place
has life in it, and the consequence is it
naores. The few old Eogies who chanced
to be born here, and who held land here
before the rail road was made, have all
been run over. crippled and left harmless
in the rear. Considering the pentup To-
cation Of Port Jervis, it is in most -four
ishirg condition. IF it was surrounded
by rich farming district, like Newton,
it would soon become large inland city
Evon new its population outnumbers
Niddlctown, which had much the best
start. Two or three churches are IL pro
cess Of erection, good schools are found
here, Libraries, lyceums and = and = the
Republicans are IN the majority All
these are little auxiliaries which / like.
Te show what stuff some of the Port
Jer'is men are made Of, | shall relate a
little experience, which, though not in-
tended for my ear, heard, and it pleased
me. On the first evening of my arrival,
/ was standing in "a dry-goods store when
the proprietor jokiDgly asked gentle
man - who had the appearance Of being
one who worked for living = what ne
could show him that he would like to
have, when he observed he did not have
the green-backs. To this proprietor said
he did not need them, when 10. ] observ.
ed, that be had been ia Port Jervis but
six months, and though he brought fam
ily with him, and had but seventy five
cents in his pocket then, yet he started
business on that capital, and he had not
asked or accepted cne cent of credit since
he cane there, and never would. He
stated that it went rough at first, that
he brought barrel Of potatoes with him,
and he and bis family lived on these alone
until he was able to pay for loaf Of bread
He said that he was doing well in the town
in which he previously lived, and had accu
mulated, honestly several thousand dollars,
was not satisfied with this, but staked it
all in one Of the late Specifications of the
day aud lost it all at throw! Disguised
yvfth l. -