The Portland daily press., 1871-09-23
NissiscO Valley.
SPECTATOR.

IIissisco Valley.
To the Editor of the Press
The Portland railroad, leaving the valley of
the Lamo1lle, passes through narrow mount
ain gateway into the valley of the Mssisco, the
Vermont Kingdom of butter" Dairying on
a great scale took origin in the State in this
region. and here m ore widely than elsewhere
has displaced other industries.
FLETCHER
Lies upon the Black river, a tributary of the
Missisco. Gifts $4,000 acres, Il, 800 are covered
with timber. Sales of produce, in 1870 so tons
butter, 5 tons cheese, Is tons pork and hogs,
1000 bushels potatoes, $50 cattle, besides
horses, sheep and wool. Yearly sugar crop IS
tons. "The railroad will double production III
two years" Exclusive of the above there
were LAST year, 60 tons inward freight and Is
tons outward. Population, 1868; valuation,
1898 600; stock in the Portland railroad 81 900.
FAIRFAX
On the west, will do part of its business
over the Portland road. A beautiful farming
town; "a razor can be drawn through its soil
without dulling it, testified an early settler
Population, 1,94S; valuation, $5Ss, 900. TWEEN
tg-three dealers; eleven manufacturers of leath-
er, woolens, iron castings, etc.
FAIRFIELD
Is next to Fletcher on the railroad, a large,
rich town, nearly all cultivated, though u, 200
acres are still in woods, including a heavy
growth of cedar. In 1870, 225 tons of butter
were sold; SO tons cheese, So tons pork and
hogs, l, 800 bushels potatoes, 20 horses, 400
sheep, 200 cattle, and some wool. There were
of inward freight, 2S9 tons; of outward, 81 tons,
not including the above sales There are five
dealers. and several manufacturers of leather,
lumber, etc. Population, 1898; valuation
Sl9S 000 Distance to Boston, go miles, and Z
miles by road; to Portland, 2O5 miles. p &
o. stock, $4S yOoO
BAKERSFIELD
On the east touches rail at Fairfield. 1t has
nearly 10000 acres of timber lands; 100, 900
feet of lumber, only. cut yearly. now. Last
year were sold 81 to butter, l 2 tons cheese,
oil tons pork aud hogs, 1000 bushels potatoes,
400 sheep, 500 cattle, besides Lulu pounus each
of wool and hops. Inward freight, 300 tons;
outward, 80 tons, exclusive of the above pro-
ducts. Maple sugar and poultry sold in large
quantities. Population, ,4O4; valuation, $439,-
900. P. & o. stock, $40. 600.
MONTGOMERY
With its great dairy production, and its lum-
Der, will be nearest the Portland road at Fair
field. A picturesque town with a wall of
N ountains on thu east. Four de alers, and ten
manufacturers of leather, lumber, butter and
cheese tubs and boxes, etc. Population, ,42S;
valuation, $349 900.
RICHFoRD
North of Montgomery can in part be drawn
upon by the Portland road for business. 1t is
three-fourths cultivated, the rest timbered;
strong in hay on the intervales, in pastures on
the hills. Abundant water-power on the Mis-
ssco river and smaller streams. Grey lime is
burned Thirteen dealers; six manufacturers
of leather, butter-tubs, etc. Population, l, 481
valuation, 1857 900.
BERKSHIRE
On the Canada line is to be added to the
foregoing; population, 1909; valuation, $685.
900. Strong in its farms, and heavy in its
product of butter, cheese, pork, cattle and
sugar. Six merchants. Considerable leather
manufactured.
These details, Mr.. Editor, thus condensed to |
skeleton bulk, will not be entertaining reading,
doubtless but they show what the country is,
what it does even without railroads, and how |
poses Statistic with this, forego descriptions |
of beautiful scenery, of charming villages and |
broad areas of fertile lands, which make this to |
the eye of the traveller almost land of en- |
chantment.
ADDENDA.
To former letters, the following facts since |
secured, should be added. Woodbury., which /
comes to the Portland road at Hardwic sells /
Of merchandise $4,000 yearly; OF manufactures |
81 600; also 100 tons live stock 80 tons butter,
10 tons sugar, 70 tons potatoes, which last will
Increase greatly with easier access to market.
Stowe sells 100000 of merchandise, and $780,
700 OF leather, wool, lumber and bark. Peach |
tm, which will touch the rail at Danvlle, sells |
100000 of merchandise, also $50, 600 of manu-
actures, horse and hand rakes, lumber, furni
are, etc. 100000 feet of lumber, 80 tons su-
.ar, 20 tons butter, are the average yearly sale.
The town is only. two thirds cleared the rest |
covered with scores of millions oflumber An
ncient and prosperous school is here, the |
lima mater of Thad Stevens, Oliver johnson,
lad other notabilties.
BUSINESS WITH PORTLAND
Your correspondent is " ell aware of the DO.
ition taken by few persons, that this produc-
i've region OF Northern Vermont will not |
rade with Portland, Notwithstanding its COM
'lratlve proximity, because Portland cannot
AXE its products. 1t is true the city of Port
and cannot consume these products. But
Cortland with its tributary country in Maine
"a consume no small part of sthem. Every
Ound of surplus cheese in Northern Vermont |
wanted in Maine. The State does not make |
IN per cent. of its own consumption. A sin
lie Portland Commercial-streeth house sells |
10000 lbs. per annum of cheese made out of |
ne State. Vermont cheese now goes to Bos- |
pa and thence is spread all over Maine.
ZANE wants every pound of pork northern
ermoht can spare. She can afford to pay
III Nermonter more for his product than he ;
"" ie"lzes IN Boston. Boston now buys il
no sells IL 10 Maine traders, making a proft
'uyefs VIII gladly pay cent a pound more
Or hVermont pork than for western - On
Y they know it to be genuine.
The single firm above mentioned sell ooo
arrels of pork yearly. There is a market for
large amount of butter, likewise, in Portland
nd Maine. Large quantities OF it are brought
from the outside, now, every year. AL the
the factories of Maine. One Portland |
Duse sells % 900 yearly, though this is side
after in their business.
But it is not necessary that Portland should
'nSurae these products at all. Bangor does {
VI consume the 400, 900 bushels of potatoes
outeu In upon her from the back country t
,o fo", VIII not be able to consume 1.-THE of i
~ ioou material w |