Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-09-19

romantic than paper-pulp mills, and o
thriving American village Of the nine
teenth century. ..
Still romance has welded its wand
over this scene, as may be known If the
files of the London Annual Register OF
the last century are consulted.
In this standard and authentic record
of current events and discoveries may
be found description of this gorge
written in the la tier part of the eight
eenth century by the Rev. Samuel Pet
ers, also the author of the Blue Laws of
Connecticut. If the legends of the
Rhine contain anything more remarka-
bic, they are not chronicled by Frois-
sart or sung by Tloubadors.
Probably the credulity of scientific
magazine was never more thoroughly
imposed upon than by the following de-
scription of Bellows Falls as given by
this most veracious historian :
1.-TWO hundred miles from the Sound
is a narrow of FIVE yards only, formed
by two shelving mountains of solid rock
whose tops intercept the clouds. Through
this chasm are compelled to pass all the
waters which in time of foods bury the
northern country. Above, the river
spreads twenty-four miles wide, and for
FIVE or six weeks ships of war might sail
over lands that afterward produce the
greatest crops of hay and grain in all
America. People who can bear the
sigut, the groans, the tremblings and
surly motion of the water, as trees and
ice rush through this awful passage, view
with astonishment one of the greatest
phenomenons of nature. Here water is
consolidated without frost, by pressure,
by swifLness, between the pinching, stur-
dy rocks, to such a degree of induration
that no iron crow can be forced into it.
Here iron, lead and cork have one COM
mon weight; here steady as time and
harder than marble, the stream passes
irresistible if not swift as lightning the
electric fire rends trees in pieces with no
greater ease than does this mighty wa
ter"
So much for the scientific faith of the
eighteenth century. If Englishmen be-
lieved the Rev. Peters when he wrote
geography it is not strange they trusted
him when he asserted that Connecticut
mothers chastised their babies for crying
on the Sabbath.
We hope our readers have not been
so shocked as to withhold confidence
from our statements of the remarkable
growth and brilliant prospects of this
town as seat of manufactures.
The constant surprise of visitor here
is that the water-power afforded by the
Connecticut, as it rushes through this
gorge-falling 80 feet in a quarter of
mile-has not long ago been wholly
utilized, and that a Lowell or a Law
renee is not crowded between these hills.
Yankee cuteness for once has certainly
been at fault. Water-power is the dow
ry of New England. 1t has no other
source of wealth save ice and
granite. 1t is no exaggeration to affirm |
that nature concentrated here the high |
est possible advantages in this respect. |
A dam oe only 450 feet in length, divi-
ded into three sections by the projection
of rock, and therefore not only strong
but easily repaired in case of damage, |
turns the waters into a canal, by which |
they fall fifty feet into the river below.
The supply is nearly, if not quite, as
great and as unfailing as that of the
while the fall admits of |
double and even triple use of the same
water.
Strange to say, that Cntil three years
ago only the smallest fraction of this
power was used. At that time the priv
lege came under the control of Mr. w.
A. Russell, the well-known manufacture
sr of paper, who rebuilt the dam, and
erected extensive paper and pulp works,
now in full operation. Since this i'm
oortant movement an entire revolution
n the business of the place has reward
I'd the efforts of this bold and shrewd
capitalist. The population has greatly
increased. A large number of houses
have been built, and the value of real
and landed estate has advanced to a
degree. A large and admira-
bly, appointed hotel has been built this
season, which if it has not the rare ad-
vantage of the situation belonging to
.he Island House, has every other posi-
Die to hotel. Thrift and new life ey-
anywhere is manifest. We have never
'een village combining so great natu-
-al beauty and so universal signs of pros
perity and good taste. This prosperity
s due in great measure to the erection
If the Russell paper mills and the improv-
nent made by the Water-power Compa-
ny. Still, but slight part of the pow
,r is used Four-fifths of the water flows
through the gorge. delighting the pas
ing tourist and making delicious melo-
ly for the sleeper at night, but calling
or the capitalist TO turn this wasted