Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-10-05
West Rutland.
ITS PAST, PRESENT AND PROSPECTIVE
HISTORY.


HISTORY.
Fifteen years ago I purchased rude
spot in the central psrt of the Village of
West Rutland, and erected house, too
much isolated from other buildings, as I
then thought, in place where the rich
est marble deposit in the world exists.
Yet the marbls interests. then in its in
fancy, accounts in a measure for the
"seedy appearance" of West Rutland at
that time. Yet ever hopeful for the fu-
ture and especially for this particular
spot, 1 trusted that where the hedge and
the briar grew and held sway, new and
beautiful residences and cultivated gar
dens would indicate and supply an i'm
perative demand, created by a marble
business, destined to reach in resources,
as it does to-day, million of dollars an
nually The growth then of West Rut-
land has been imperative, neeessitated by
the sure and hidden treasures found
within its limits, for no capitalists, save
the lamented Barnes, has eyer spent one
dollar to beautify or adorn the place in
any public sense. 1t is true that private
residences have secured some attention,
but far less than circumstances aud time
demand. Public spirit and public enter
prise are strangers, in measure, where
wealth has been so wonderfully lavished.
At the time of which [ speak there
were comparatively but few houses upon
Main street of this thriving village, most
of which were sntiquated specimens,
planted in earth and shingled to the
gronnd, giving more the appearance of an
Indian village, upon some lone Prairie,
than New England town, the richest in
the State. As we go back in memory over
the fifteen yesrs, and view her condition
and appearance with that of to-day, the
contrast is very great, yet not wonderful
or unexpected to some. Some three or
four stores then accommodated all who
desired to trade here. Now there are 10,
including two drug stores, all doing
lively business. Hardly dozen dwell
ings marked the outlines of Main street,
which is now nearly mile in length,
and no building lots for sale. Depot
street, laid ont and built eighteen years
ago, through swamp, Is fast filling up
with stores and dwellings. Within this
time there has been fine hotel erected,
and depot, large and commodious, for
which we are indebted to the late VIM.
F. Barnes, Esq, the pioneer of the marble
interests of Rutland and vicinity, and the
bone and sinnew of every public enter
prise. His place cannot soon be filled.
Within the past few years there has
been built six extensive steam mills for
saving II arble aud one for saving lumber,
most OF which are in successful operation
to-day. The largest of these is that of
Messrs Sheldons' & Slason although the
Rutland Marble Company are erecting an
addition to their present mill, which viii,
with the old mill make one nearly, if not
quite, as large as that of Sheldons' & Sla-
son. The marble interest is here repre-
sented in its various relations; monumen-
tai work, mantle work and sculpture, are
all executed in fine style, finding ready
markets in all parts of the globe. If q
Raphael could not here find food for
thought, Powers or a Mead could here
find material upon which to weld the
grander anticipation of genius.
Then few spans of horses were sufi-
cient to transport the products of the
quarries to Hydeville for saving. Now
several trains day leave for the different
mills situated in different parts of the
country, and to the wholesale and retail
dealers located in every part of the repub-
lie and in Europe. Twenty-Five years
ago, perhaps, q dozen men might be seen
in rude way clearing away the debris
and cutting marble.
Whilst the working force of to-day
numbers a thousand men, to take from
this semmingly iDexhaustable mine a
million of wealth in marble annually.
There is but little outside the marble
interest to compel the increase of West
Rutland, the msst of her population in
the immediate vicinity of the village are
laboring men in moderate circumstances,
but to those alone, almost, are we indebted
for the present prosperous condition of
our village. Our rich men are not noted
as enterprising men, in public sense IA
thing very essential to the prosperity OF
any place. But enterprising for self
guarding their thousands with a tenfold
interest, believing doubtless Ia Ia scrip.
ture) " that he who does not provide for
his own is worse than an infdel." We,
therefore, see that the prosperity and
growth of West Rutland has not been
fostered by the fstherly hand of wealth,
except as impelled by the marble interest.
Outside issues and interests have taken
birth in foreign soil, and how much of
what should have been planted here is
fruiting in the West and elsewhere, we
may gnesa, but cannot tell. NJ.
BASE BALL AT NoRTHFIELD.-A match
game of base ball was played at North
field on the 23d inst, between the Nor
wich University base ball club and the
Maooopoa ho az haH II g .abapo,, II