The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-01-11
Edi oriAl CoIrespondencs.
st. JoHNsBURY.

/ While OH a resent visit 10 this place the
thought occurred TO me that a brief de-
seripuon Of II might be interesting TO the
reader of the JOURNAL, for, though IN
the same state, II is such round about
way to get here from ManchesteE.. that as
far as practical intercourse Is concerned
they are almost as far apart as Greenland
and Patagonia.
Sc Johusbury Is a lively business town
of about 5000 inhabitants, situated on the
Passumpsic river, forty miles noeth OF
White River Junction on the Connecticut
& Passumpsie Il yer Railroad and at the
point where the new Portland aud Og-
densburg Railroad is already completed
aud running to Hardwick thirty miles
west of st. Johnsbury, aud nearly com.
pleted TO West Concord, ten miles east.
The road will be opened from Swanton
across the state TO the Connecticut next
season. This road will run through the
famous Wiley notch in the White Noun
tains, and when completed will be one OF
the shortest aud best routes from the
west TO the Atlantic. 1t will also be OF
great local value to st. Johnsbury by
bringing TO Il the trade of Lamoille and
Essex counties which now mostly goes in
other directions. st. Johnsbury is com
posed ofthree or four villages, connected
together by continuous streets. First Is
the "Plain" or old village, situated on
level, sandy plateau which affords beaui-
full building lots. The court house,
churches, academy, atheneum aud many
of the stores are situated on the plain.
Half mile to the southwest on Sleeper
river is Fairbanks village, where the cele-
brated scale mandatory IL located
Half mile to the east of the plain, down
by the river Il Railroad street, which has
mostly been built up within the past
five wears aud to which much Of the busi-
ness IS rapidly centering. Hafa mile mp
the river TO the north Is Paddock village
where there are fyuuderies and other
manufactures and across the river to the
east Is Elyyille where the hoe and fork
works Of Ely, Balch & Co., are located.
The scale manuiactory j. the most i'm.
portant business of the place and gives
employment to large number Of hands
varying from five to seven hundred. The
business was started more than forts
ears ago, the original inventor, Mr.
Thaddeus Fairbanks, being still alive and
an active partner IN the business. Mr.
7 Fairbanks was then engaged IN raising
hemp for market which was weighed by
the Uld balance process. The incouve-
ience of this method suggested an i'm.
provement to the fertile brain Of Mr.
! Fairbanks and the world renowned
Fairbanks platform scale Is the result
The Fairbanks found i very hard .art.
I ing In the business aud al one time were
compelled to call on their neghbor. for
assistance, which wss freely bestowed aud
has since been generously rewarded The
work was commenced on the principle
. thal hat &. worth doing At al Is worth
doing well and no imperfect piece Of
work vas ever allowed to leave the shops.
Asa result the Fairbanks scales are the
Acknowledged standard, not only 10 this
country bat ia every other where weigh
ing il done, and their scales arc marked
With the languAge aud method Of weigh
Ing Of every civilized uaIion in The world
The Grm Al preseu, !. composed o. Thad-
deus Fairbanks and Horace and Franklin
Fairbanks, sons oflhe iaic Governor Fair
bai Ks. They ali have 6ne residences. and
hsve done mneh toward. Improving abd
beAaiif, Ing the village. Sir. Horace Fsir.
bAiks ha. jaH completed apd given 10
the yilisge the Atheneum. which coal
nesrly $1,000 sud Il ile beet 6nished
publie bnilding IL The state Il contains
a select library of sJo9 volumes abd s
reading room supplied with sil ,he best
payers Ahd msgtaiuss Mr.. Fairbanks