The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-12-27

Something More About So. Johnsbury.

GAtcuclUus
Something More About So. JoAnsbury.
St. Johnsbury is built on a plateau nearly
surrounded by the Presumpscot and the
Sleeper rivers which meet here; here also the
Moose river flows into the Presumpscot This
plateau of several hundred acres in extent is
about 200 feet higher than the rivers; beyond
these again rise on every side high bluffs COM
pletely encircling the town. st. Johnsbury
contains 1900 inhabitants and is very pretty
town, the buildings generally being of an agree
able fashion of architecture, and the streets
and yards abouuding in shade trees. The
houses and grounds of the various members of
the Fairbanks family are models of elegance
and taste. Most of the houses and the hotels
and stores have the best appointments of
water and gas, which latter also supplies street
lamps. The court house and the finest stores
have been built by the Fairbanks under con-
tract, their capital and command of materials
affording them superior advantages for so do
ing. Conspicuous features of this town whose
growth, inspired by the same spirit, is contem-
porary with the expansion of the vast manufac-
tory which sustans it is
THE ATHENEUM,
the gift of Horace Fairbanks to the town. 1t is
brick building designed with the same admirable
taste and with the same solidity and thorough
ness of construction that characterizes the
architecture of the finer buildings Of this town.
A reading room, well supplied with newspapers
and magazines, opens into the library fitted
with alcoves both ia the main room and n the
There are at present in the library 5000 books,
also the gift of Mr.. Fairbanks; they are judic-
iously selected and are elegantly and substan-
TALLY bound. The octagonal extension of the
building opening from the library is the pic
ture gallery lighted through the dome, and on
entering the room the spectator sees opposite
almost occupying the whole opposite side Of
the octagon, Bierstadt's great masterpiece, the
"Domes of the Yo Semitic in an admirable
light. My sensation Of delight at encounter
ing unexpectedly this great painting in Yer
mont village were at first, L confess, oyerpow-
cred by that of astonishment There are other
paintings of the highest order-29 in all--two
of them furnished by citizens, the rest. as also
a number of volumes of engravings, presented
by Mr.. Fairbanks, whose full length portrait
adorns the walls.
Thaddeus Fairbanks, Sir Thaddeus, (for he
was knighted after the Vienna Exposition by
the Emperor Joseph of Austria) is now the
only surviving member of the old firm; by him
was presented to the town
THE ACADEMY,
which is a model of school architecture The
Academyproper, which was completed last
year, is a building so SO feet, ground plan,
built in the Norman-gothic style of architec-
ture and cost $4,000. A flight of granite steps
leads to each front entrance of the building,
roof is adorued with turrets, and from the
main tower a spire rises to the height of 127
feet from the ground.
Within. the ample basement 18 feet high,
contains gymnasium, coal and store rooms,
janitors room, wash and water closets and
bathing apparatus The first floor has, besides
entrance and stairway halls, the PRINCIPALS Of
fee, four recitation rooms, chemical laborato-
ry, philosophical room and wardrobes. On the
second floor are two class rooms, a ch apel (also
used for genesal study and class room) and
two smaller rooms. TIE third floor has hall
easily seating 1000 persons. and two recitation
rooms. The whole building is heated by steam,
lighted by gas and well supplied with water
South Hall, erected recently at an expense of
$36,OOO, is fine, brick structure, four stories
| in height, contains sixty rooms and is appro-
priated to residence of teachers and students
There are also an Academy boarding house and
a club house where students, who SO choose.
may board.
There are three department of this school,
the classical, the English and Scientific, and
the Teachers Normal The average attend
ance is about 25O students, and, in spite of the
recent date of the school as enlaged to its pres
ent dimensions, under the management of the
principal, Rev. Homer 7. Fuller, and full
board of assistant instruc ors, it is effectively
fulfilling its mission of usefulness.
There are two newspapers published in st.
Johnsbury, both weekles the Vermont Far
mer paper devoted exclusively to toagriculture,
edited by Royal Cummings, and appearing
Fridays, and The Caledoniau, Republican in
politics, Mr.. @. NJ. Stone, editor and proprietor.
The Caledonian has an admirably arranged
page of local and county news, and is a fresh,
lively Sheet an excellent example of county
newspaper.
There are in St. Johnsbury the following
churches:-The North and the South Congrega-
tonal, the Free Baptist, the Calvinist Baptist,
the Advent Christian, the Methodist Episcopal,
the Church of the Messiah, Universalist, the
Roman Catholic. OF Benevolent societies-the
st. Patrick Benefit Society, Catholic Church of
ST. John, the Baptist Society, the Young Mems
Christian Association. OF secret societies, Cal
edonia Lodge No. g. Independent Order OF Odl
Fellows; Moose River Encampment; Pas
sumpsic Lodge No. q, American Free and Ac-
cepted Masons; Baswell Chapter No. IL, Royal
Arch Masons; Palestine Commandery No 5,
Knights Templar; Eagle Temple No 1, Tenn
plars of Honor aud Temperance, Council De-
partment; Harmony Lodge No. IL, l. o. ofG.
T.; Olive Branch Lodge No. 4, Daughters of
Rebekah.
There are two hotels in the town, the Avenue
House and the St. Johnsbury. OF the former
I cannot write, knowing nothing about it. The
st. Johnsbury is pleasantly situated on the
plateau in the business center of the town, has
an excellent table. and is generally a clean,
we'll kept hotel, with many of the modern con-
veniences, including gas and hot and cold
baths.
From its situation in respect to drainage and
pare, clear air, st. Johnsbury is very pretty
as we'll as beautiful town, The people, as L
found them during a stay in the town of day
and half are refined, intelligent and hospita-
ble, having toward Portland peculiarly friend
ly feeling. With the summer months it Is to be
hoped, and is IL almostcertain that pleasure
excursions over the Portland and Ogdensburg
road will bring them into more intimate
acquaintanceship with the psople of the Nat
ural Seaport.