Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-04-23
Our Village.

its. seem to look on its prosperity with rath-
or a jealous eye, especially if such results are
to be obtained at an expense to them of some
increase of tax, or, at least, to regard it a
matter in which they have no manner of III
terest or concern. This is a short-sighted
view of the case ard serious error, can
be easily shown, and perhaps no more salts
factory way can be readily found than by
glancing at some of the villages in our State,
noting their growth, with its direction, and
the means which have secured the results.
Going south from Montpelier, we soon find
Randolph. Twenty years ago West Randolph
was busy little village, just starting into
life, with a saw and grist mill and couple,
or so, of stores. Being the natural outlet to
the railroad for considerable territory, it
grew quite rapidly for few years ia a bust
ness way without adding materially to It's
population or wealth. Within ten years,
however, its growth has been more rapid
substantial mauufactur es have come in, and
sash, door, and blind factories, tub factory,
and an extensive furniture mandatory have
given to its business and population an I'M
petus unfeIt before.
Next but one below is Royalton, village
of earlier settlement than Randolph, with an
Academy quite respectfully endowed; yet
without manufactures of any kind, 1t has
mild favor of general decay, and seems in
Rip Van Wrinkles twenty years nap. Hart
ford comes soon below, and White River
Village, with chair, fork, shovel, and car
rage shops, saw, grist, and plaster mills,
box factory and paint shop, huns like
hive, and up and down the river banks are
dotted those little cottages, wholly or partly
finished, which tell where the working man
is making for himself home.
A little lower comes Windsor, with the
curse of State institution, which when a
town once gets, it is apt to think it needs
nothing more to insure is prosperity, and
with the exception of the United States Court
House, and Post Office, has known little Of
growth or change in twenty years.
Not far from Windsor is Woodstock
Iyirg inland twelve miles from the railroad,
yet busy and growing. A wooden mill and
tlnuery, with sash, blind. and carriage shops
give positive life and growth to that, which
else would SOON be draine1 OF all vltl'ity by
the more favorably located towns about.
Springfield. similarly located, though near
er to the raiiroat is q similar to WI,
bleGding the wnirr and CHATTER Of ma
chinery with the music of her water fuis.
Iron works, clildren's cabs, hooks and eyes
clothes pins, etc, all give employment t.
men, who with their families must b. lel and
clothed.
Over in New Hampshire on the Connect
cat river, CIarem)Dt, with her thousands Of
spadles, her plp3r mills, mlchine Ships,
fouudry, &; is striking exlmpls OF rapid
village growth while still above, L3blnoa,
with the large furniture shops and iron
works, shows the same growth in less r dc
gree, and is now about erecting Il large no
tel to supply a want for accomm )datlons,
not as a means Of promoting its growth; AMI
will soon leave far behind hef sister town Of
Hanover with venerable classic halls, which
having met her wants, supplied the current
demand. will exist as she is till some new e.e'
men5 stimulates ID new growth, or some
unforeseen an1 improbable dtsIster 10 It's
school shall doom her to decay On cur side
of the river above, stand in striking contrast
NeWbury and st. JOhnsbury. The first with
her noted school, shows decrease oil busI
ness in the period of ten years between our
first and last visits, while ST. J1hn5bury, ~
ing its start and subsequent growth largely
to the Messrs. Fairbanks, has ably seconded
that great industry by other manufactures o
the kinds already named, and is now one OF oul
important towns while Lynionvllle, LITTLE
above, which eight years ago was without sin
gle building, is now from the location there o
the railroad shops, promising village with
hotels, churches, stores, &C., which mus
follow to supply the demand labor creates.
On the other side of the State, S.. Adams
owes much less of its importance and growth
to the fact of having probably the most
costly hotel in the State, (and which never
has, we believe, proved a profitable invest
ment for either prophet Ors or keepers up to
the presently than to its railroad shops,
iron and car works.
The advantages which Burlington derived
in old stage times in a mercantile way from
her location on the lake, was lost to her whei
the railroads brought lake and ocean alik
to our doors, and now her immense lumbe
and manufacturing interest is her chieles
source of wealth and growth. Vergennes
utilizing her water power, and bids fair
become city in something else than in name
while the factories where they make fabric
and things help Middebury far more in il
business life than the factory where the
make scholars.
At Brandon the Howe Scale works are L.
Gated, which Col. Sprague, the courteou
president of the company, lately told us, wa
now furnishing the bread for fourteen hur
dred mouths, and the capacity Of the comp
ny's works is to become doubled the con
ing summer, to Try to meet the demand IL
these scales.
Rutland is known for her marble whereye
art is known, much to her material prof
wliIe the railroad shops ably secon
TIE demand for labor, which has given Ru
land so enviable a growth, while Ludlow
Chester Bennington, aud Brattleblro, sho'
like results from similar causes, and point I'll
same lesson.
Villages are never accidents, or their growt
spontaneous. They spring into being, exis
flourish or decay in accordance VITA up
versal law, which may be simply stated, ;
something TO do and somebody to do it. 10
a,os n N th;s anpIv to Mnntnelier and IN ~