The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-07-27
AMONG THE GREEN MOUNTAINS.
MONTPELIER, VIZ, July 90, 1871.

morning Tor This place, coming through Low
ell, Manchester, Concord, and other interest
ing places, and arriving here late in the after
noon. From Concord we came over the
Northern railroads. route that has always
been a favorite with the White Mountain
| tourists, and road that receives good pat
ronage. Passengers by this route are carried
through Enfield and Canaan, well known as
being the headquarters Of that portion of our
population designated as Shakers. The road
crosses the Connecticut river at White River
Junction, where the White Mountain tourist
changes cars, taking the Pasumsc road to
Littleton. Our route lay through the valley Of
the White river, with the Green Mountains
looming up on either side, presenting beautiful
views to those of our party who never looked
upon the green hills before.
No material change has taken place in the
business aspect of this place during the past
five years. Some new buildings have been
added, but the slight change is hardly notice
able. The State House, the first building
that attracts the eye of the stranger upon
stepping from the cars, is one of the finest in
the country, though perhaps not as large as
some others. This building was finished in
1858, believe is built Of marble, and is sur
rounded on three sides by beautiful grounds,
while rocky bluff rises abruptly in the rear.
On entering the State House one sees on the
right of the door magnificent statue, in Yer.
mont marble, Of Ethan Allen. The statue
represents him as he stood at the gates of
Ticonderoga, demanding it's surrender Gin the
name of the Great Jehovah and the Continen-
tai Congress-" The work is the first public
effort of the. talented young American artist,
Larkin G. Mead, aud was executed in 1861.
We remember calling upon Mead while at
work upon this splendid statue at his home
in Brattleboro, this State, and found him
hard at work in an old shed upon an immense
block of rough marble that was soon to eIe-
vate his name to the highest pinnacle as an
artist of rare merit.
The interior of the State House is fitted up
something like the State Houses of our west
ern states, only, Rutland marble being easier
of access here has been more freely used. II
one could remember all the amusing incidents
that have transpired in the hall he could
manufacture most interesting letter. I re-
member but one, which was the subject of q
funny illustration in Harper's Weekly at the
time, and caused a loud smile all over the
country. One Of the State Senators, Hon.
Hugh Henry, during heated debate upon
some important question, noticed several
mysterious signs and motions between the
opposition members, and remarked My
hearing may be tride defective, but my eye
sight is as good as it ever was" That even.
ing while gathered around the tea table al
the Pavilion Hotel, he was observed to work
diligently fer quarter of an hour in Che vair
attempt to peel fried cake, which he had
mistaken for baked potato. The illustrated
papers at the time represented him seated al
the table, and underneath was printed the
aboye quotation.
With the exception of Woodstock, think
Montpelier is the finest town in the State
has many fine residences, and the streets are
all we'll laid out and nicely shaded. The bust
ness of the town is all carried on within q
small space-all the stores, banks, etc, being
huddled together in one portion of the place
On our journey up through the State to this
place we passed through Bethel, fine, bust
ness like little village, near which, on
Locust creek, the gold fever is still raging
slightly. Several parties are earning pretty
fair day wages washing for gold in the creek
but will probably never get immensely rich
by the operation. The farms in that neigh
borhood, arc for the most part stood upon
edge-giving the farmer great deal of land
to the acre, and it is no unusual thing to see
farmers here that are worth "piles of rocks
literally. A western man once quantity re-
marked that the farms in this vicinity were
80 rocky that the farmer had to hold hi
sheep by the hind legs and let them Craze in
the crevices.
Woodstock, some eighteen miles south O.
Bethel, is the most beautiful village in the
State, full of business, and if situated in one
of our western states, would have been q
fourishing city years ago. This is the coun
ty seat of Windsor county, has fine fail
ground, large wooden factory. an ancient me
dical college, and was once the home of the
celebrated "sculpist . Hiram Powers. His
brother, 4" DIR. Tom" has been for years re
cognized as the &C father of Woodstock" and
as he is temperance man of the first water
he takes good care that his "children " are
imbued with first class temperance principles
from their cradle. People living in the town
gravely informed me that at one Tina,
so strong was Woodstock on the temperance
question, grocers were prohibited from sell
ing vinegar and pepper-sauee, but won't
vouch for the truth of the statement. The
late Hon. Jacob Collamer, ex-Postmaster
General, lived and died in this place. At the
| time of his death he was u 2. Senator from