Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-01-03
Letter from New Hampshire.
KHENE, N. H., Dec. "a, 1857.

the world, how it was formed, its size and
shape, as l necessary preliminary to SO
important in undertaking. So in giving
you an account of political and other
affairs in this State, / propose to say a
few words about the beautiful and thriv-
ing town d Keene, destined to become,
at no distant day, city. The village Of
Keene has long been famous for its pleas
ant location, the regularity and neatness
of its streets, and its well constructed
houses. Ithas always possessed an unusu-
ally large hare of wealth but it is only
within some dozen years that it could
boast of its activity and enterprise. Much
ofthcneatness and beauty of the villageis
largely attributable to the numerousintel-
ligentmechalics residing within its limits.
The building and successful management
of the Cheshire Railroad, and the Access
SION of many valuable mechanics which
die road has brought to the place, have
hggven great impetus to its recent growth
and prosperity, In the centre Of an old
asld intelligent COUNTY, where all the pub
lie business is transacted-whero all the
| courts and conventions are huldenAbfess-
ell with one of the best systems Of graded
schools in the State, Keene is becoming
more and more the centre of population
and business in South Western New
! Hampshire. The village has nearly
doubled in thelast fifteen or twenty years,
and now contains about 4, 900 inhabitants,
while the population Of the whole town
is not less than 5000. There have been
not far from fifty dwellings erected in
the village during the past season. With
in the past eight years large public
| library has been established, and the
streets lighted with gas. The public is
/ now agitated on the subject of supplying
the place with water from pond some
two miles distant. There are now seven
Hplaces of public religious worship. The
fEpisoopalians have recently erected a
Tchurch edifce of stone at cost of some
$4,000, it being one of the finest and
most substantial in the State, while the
I first Congregational society has enlarged
Hand remodelled its temple, so that for
kbeauty of proportions and elegance Of
finnish, it has few, if any, superiors in the
\ country. The Unitarians are now en-,
/ larging and remodelling their house at a
cost of about $4,000, and the Metho
dists are energetically at work for the pur
pose of commencing large and beautiful
house of brick, next spring. A course
of public lectures is soon to be inaugur
ated to aid this enterprise. But thu
most important of recent Improvement
is the building Of n new steam mill fo
manufacturing doors, sash, blinds, furni
..--~, &c. >. in place of the old one destrovet
| by fire last sunifnur. Ine main buildin.
is of brick, PA feet in length and so feet il
| width, and is fire proof 1t is built by tn
Keene Steam Power Company, at cos
I of some S40,000-this sum covering tn
. cost of the new Office and engine house
also of brick and fire proof. Messr
MINIS & CRossFIELD, the proprietors Q
the old establishment, put in all the ma
! chinery and lease the buildings. TIL
machinery will probably be in operation
early this winter, and will employ abou
: 100 men.
The Cheshire Railroad Company
now completing its report for the yea
ending ON the first of December. Fror
this we learn that its gross earnings fc
: 1867 have been 1888, 1899 again:
1866, 1864 for 1866, exhibiting gal
of S32,O63,55. The number of passer
gers carried over the road during tn
past year, is 100, 500, against III 1856 fc
the preceding year. The freight carrie
during the year amounts to 225,52 ton
!, against 223, 725 tons during the previol
year Notwithstanding S64, 900 paid 0
account of the new machine shops an
;. the new semi-circular engine house, an
:. all other expenses and interest, the il
crease Of the net earnings of the road f
the year Just closed are s24,35S,S
i while the entire net earnings for 1856
!; are $SS,797,1 As against s64,443,27 Fl
J 1866. Nor has the track of the roa
been neglected. About 10000 new ii
I have been put in during the year, viii
1,26 tons Of new iron have been laid
about "a miles, or nearly one half of Il
, track of the road having. been new
laid, the past two years. / doubt if al
New England railroad can show bett
l management than the Cheshire, und
= President MURDOCH and Superintende
> STEWART, who are aided by very ei
$ cient corps of officers.
= The two new buildings recently ere,
ed by the company deserve speci
mention. The new machine shops CO
: stitutc brick building, Ais feet Ion
i IL. HI Il n 70