The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-04-30
Letter from Vermont.

AeSScE AtOIu VerHO0Ss
ST JoHNsBURY, VT.,.April "a, 1873.
To the Editor of the Columbia PHeni4:
The earliest honor which Young Aune.
RIGA in these parts learns to bestow upon
South Carolina, is, that there IL grown
the plump kerneled grain, out ioi wfIch
the savory rice puddings, so dear to
childhood, are made. TO export the
bulk of Carolina rice and sea island cot
ton, is glory enough for one oity, even if
it is not all the business desirable. The
advantages Of your State in an agricul
tural direction are great, since you can
raise side by side with the wheat Of the
North, the olive. sugar-cane and orange
of the South. Your farming year IL all
the year round.
With Us, where SHOWS bury US up for
five or six months per annum, manufac-
lures are especially indicated az the most
favorable occupation. 10 the lot of this
town it has fallen, by great good fortune,
to be the seat of ono of the most remark
able manufactures, and of it's kind the
largest in tho world, viz: the Fairbanks
platform scales and weighing machines,
of all varieties. 700 able bodied meu
find constant occupation in the works,
and they, with their families, constitute
no small part of our whole population.
The body of workers., with the aid of an
immense series of mechanisms and of
steam and er-power, turned out, last
year, about $4,000 scales, of 800 different
varieties. OF these, 5000 were on for
eign standards, for use among foreign
nations. The wide diffusion of these
scales ia one Of the most remarkable in
cidents in their history. This market is
on every grand division and every con-
siderable island of the earth. They have
penetrated countries long before the Gu
voys of the Government, and havo gone
further than any of the ''great travel
ers." For the demands of this universal
diffusion, they are built on the standards
and marked with the symbols of all ma
tions. In contrast with the even balance
and the steel-yard, which, upon this in
vention, in 1880, they displaced, and
upon which it WAS the task of half an
hour to weigh load of hay, these scales
measure out grain by the 5000 bushels
per hour, weigh railway trains, aciMout
stopping. on their way to market; weigh
propellers and canal boats freighted to
tho gun-waie with heavy merchandise,
and daily weigh millions of packages of
merchandise in countless shops, mills,
warehouses, and wherever men buy and
sell-and all this with instant prompti-
tude, without trouble or labor, and with
an accuracy that has passed into pro-
verb. and made these celebrated me-
chanisms, wherever used, the standard.
The Messrs. airbanks, our fellow -citi-
IONS, have not forgotten that the great
resources placed in their hands by their
wonderful success in business, have q
higher use than to minister to their own
advancement, luxury or qualification.
Like that eminent man, Governor Fair
banks, their father, the sons, the present
managers of the business, employ their
great wealth for the public benefit with
lavish land. Hon. Horace Fairbanks
has expended 100000 for beautiful
public library and art gallery, which are
made free of use to every citizen. Thad-
deus Fairbanks, likewise, the inventor
OF the scales. still surviving in fresh
and venerable old age. has just laid out
$50, 900 for school buildings for the
town. Gas works, water works. and
other public improvements, further at
test their liberality. The company have
built great number Of houses for their
workmen-pretty, roomy dwellings, with
space for yard and garden. and rent them
~ 'ciy ~" PIiCo. Lucy euCouldBe tue
hands to buy homes. SO as to fix them in
the town and mako them citizens, not
roaming Operatives" Consequently,
no better body of workmen ever were
got together. We hear nothing Of strikes,
or under pay, or tyranny, or Labor re-
FORM" or "eight-hour systems," here
The Messrs. Fair banks prove daily that
it pays to be just and generous to the
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whose only resource and defence are his
hands and skill. G..
Some daring Fra Diavolo has been
stirring up great excitement in Sor.
rento, by kidnapping an elderly ricl,
lady, of the suite Of the Russian Empress.
who recently visited that village. The
unfortunate lady was 80 imprudent as to
make solitary visit to tho oreat ooroe