Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-03-04

ulaIiea 10 DOtn lihnOllle anu W loOOsk
rivers.
There are two small villages, one a
South Woodbury., the other at the Center
The one called South, contains about twent
dwelling houses, saw and grist mill, las
factory, machine shop, carriage, sash an,
blinds, two blacksmiths, two shoe, and on
trimmer's shop, postoiiice, two stores,
company Of musicians, who have goo,
reputation as such, an agency for sellinI
liquors a school house and a church. A
the Center is a less number of dwellings
with a store, tavern or public house, post
Office, saw mill, shop for turning fork
handles, school house and town house, wher,
the town business is done. Population il
1900, twenty-three; 1920, four hundrot
and thirty.tvo; 1870 nine hundred anC
two. There are sixty.6ve towns in tn,
State with a less grand list, and eighty-si,
with a less number of inhabitants thar
Woodbury.. And lastly, but not the leas
object we have, is a mountain, running tn,
entire length Of our territory, which hal
been famous battle-ground for deer.
Among those who visited this mountain
sixty years ago, was an Indian Of the St
Francis tribe, who passed by the appella
tion Of CAPTAIN JoE. lie made some dis
coveries that be was never willing to dis
close to the day Of his death. One of oul
townsmen stated that, being out with Cap
tain Joe, hunting, he asked the Tndiar
where he got bis lead for balls. He re-
piled, On this mountain--that he cut it of
from a ledge, and melted his balls from The
ore. The neighbor further said that a,
the Indians, when passing through town
usually followed the old Emore path, be
thought the ore must be near it. The said
path is visible in many places in town tC
this Gay. Jabcz Town, giving credit to the
reports Of this section of the town, bought
lot Of land through which this path wal
made, and spent considerable time ant
money in digging ore, some of which was
sent to an Assayer, in Boston, who pro.
uounced it valuable in silver; but Mr.
Town died before any more discoveries were
made.
Rumor has long story about this En-
chqmed Mountain, as It is called by some
One man. who bought share in this min.
cral region, used to visit it often, prospect.
ing for the silver and lead treasure supposed
to exist He reports strange noises and
great commotion Of the elements, increasing
until he dare not 90 there alone. Another
proprietor died with a full belief of the hid.
den treasures existence, from personal OBJ.
seryation 10 the action of mineral rods, etc
1t is stated that the surveyors compass
would not traverse in this region, and that
he got lost in the woods when surveying
the township. Parties have been hunting
Tor the treasure for several years past at
times, always Disgusting themselves as hunt.
u'ts 6u.aac, ~uV nave maze some uls
coveries; but each, for reasons best known
to themselves, chose to keep dark about the
location. One hunter of some note, fel-
low townsman, said that he found, as he
supposed, the long-sought treasure, just at
night, and describes it as a mass of shining
dust, soft to the touch, and OF such bril-.
liancy as to be seen quite distance. I'm
willing to leave any traces or evidence that
he had been there, he shot three balls into
birch tree and left The next day he
went to examine the spot, and the tree was
not to be found. He made several attempts
after to find the tree, but with no better
success. Others have told like story ot
finding remarkable spot at one time, but
never afterward. 1t seems strange to u,
that hunter, as well acquainted with the
woods, and this mountain especially, as th'
one we name, could not find the place again
| If he had shot three balls into bear, anC
left her lying on the spot where she received
the balls, dead, ninety-nine out of one hun
dred Of his acquaintance would bet thei
whole pile that he would 20 direct to tn,
place where he stood when he discharged
his rifle There is class Of persons, OF /
visionary turn Of mind, who believe in en-
ohantment--that things are moved mys
teriously-but we do not belong to tha
class: yet we do believe there is some i'm
portance to be attached to these statements
which will some time be unfolded
That there is valuable ore in our noun
tains, is beyond doubt. Slate has bee
discovered, which, from the specimens seer
promises we'll if company could be forme
with capital enough to commence business
This slate is west Of the summit Of til
mountain, close to the proposed rail rout
from Montpelier to Hardwick. Ifthis roa
should be built, slate could be delivere
from this as cheap as from any quarry
the State. If capitalists should see fit
: occupy some Of our many sites for mant
factures with water-power, which are a
exempt from floods, having large reservoir
for holding surplus water, and the geologi
] should discover what now lies hidden
t our mountain, the business of Woodbur
e would scarcely be surpassed by any oth'
! town in the State. n.
e Woodbury., February 20, 1874.
5 The gloomy accounts of destitute
b. among the laboring classes in New Yor
should warn persons in search of emplo
D ment to avoid this and other great citis
" There is a surplus Of unskilled labor in Il
f centres Of population, where the expens
of living always trench closely on Il
c means of subsistence. Although it mi
n not be always desirable or necessary (
}. people out of employment to {" Go West
d yet they will do WE'LL so far as possible
4, avoi1 cuall,n, he ,n.,bo.a nf tkoaa NJ q