Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-11-03
From the Aurora (m9 Herald.
Vermont wanderin Is.
CLoyERDALE, WOODSTOCK, VT, /
July 3lst, 1876.

Nt
We left Aurora the 25th inst. for our
old home among the hills of Vermont
1t was our good fortune to run across
engineer Riddle, wife and sister, who
were on their way east.
Our friends left us at Schenectady. |
They were en- route to the White Noun.
tains in New Hampshire, via Boston,
while we kept on through Troy to North
Adams. The first intimation we had OF
our approach to Hoosac Tunnel was the
lighting of the lamps. All aboard
hurry up now shouts the conductor
(they rush things awfully on this line,
and away We go-bang, into the tunnel.
On the train speeds through the dark
ness, for full twenty minutes, to the 9TH
er end. The tunnel is FIVE miles long,
and at some places one thousand feet be-
low the surface. 1t is hard for us to de-
eide which is the most wonderful, Sus-
pension Bridge or Hoosac Tunnel and
both are specimens of American enter.
prise. At Greenfield we were thirty min
utes late, and would have to wait six
hours for the next passenger train. We
couldn't stand that, so we rode as far as
Brattleboro on freight-tramp fashion,
you know, only we had permission. We
still had few hours to spare, and pro-
ceeded to improve them. Making few
inquiries of an old gentleman, we chanc-
ed to let out our place of residence.
" Come in here-glad to see you! " al.
most shouted the gentleman, catching
US by the hand and pulling US towards
the house. He proved to be E. B. Camp
bell, father of Mrs Higgins. wife Of
Higgins, of the firm of Lawrence
& Higgins, Aurora. Through his kind
ness we visited the Fisk monument, the
Estey organ works, etc. Then we went
by the organ works. There are eight
buildings, one hundred feet by forty, and
forty feet apart, three stories high. They
employ six hundred men, md turn out
seven hundred organs per month. Brat.
tleboro contains six thousand inhabi-
tants, nine churches, the State insane
asylum, and shops without number, and
some very beautiful residences.
We left our friend about six p. M, for
Bellows Falls, where brother resides.
We found business suffering somewhat
from the universal hard times, but not
so much as in most places. Six years
ago Bellows Falls was little village of
about six hundred inhabitants, with
scarcely any business at all. Now it has
more than double that number, five pa.
per mills, watch-key factory, and 8
large number of shops, foundries and
stores. There are five churches and one
of the finest schools in the State. Bel
lows Falls is the terminus of the Ches,
hire, Vermont Valley, Central Vermont
and Rutland Railroads, though the last
three are controlled by the Central Yer
mont. The scenery is bold and roman
tic. just east of the village, on the
New Hampshire side, Mount Kilburr
rises one thousand feet, and west the
foot hills of the Green Mountains ris,
one after another, each range beins
higher than the preceding one. Tn,
falls or rapids, fall about forty-two fee
through wild gorge, and in some places
the great Connecticut is contracted intc
rapids hardly twenty feet wide On {
rock in the gorge are specimens of In
dian sculpture which are well worthy O
notice.
| Saturday we started for our final des
tination-Wo Woodstock. The river above
Bellows Falls was full Of floating logs
We were informed that there were about
three million feet in all. The river
forms an excellent highway for busines:
like this. From White River juno
tiou to Woodstock, fourteen miles dis
tant, we passed over the new railroad.
The leading railroad men in this section
pronounce it the easiest running road
they ever saw, and as far as our ex
perience goes, we fully agree with them
Ihesuryeyor, Mr.. Doten, and contractor
Thompson, cannot be praised too highly
for their skill. Standing on the plat
form We had splendid view of the ia.
nous Quechee Gulf or canon, which is
about one half mile long, two hundred
feet span, (and the bridge including ap.
proaches, 2S0 feet), and one hundred and
sixty-three feet deep. Over this chasm
the Woodstock railway passes. There
is but one higher bridge in the country,
with theexception Of Suspension Bridge.
Down at the bottom flows the Otta Que
chez, in some places scarcely sixteen feet
wide, yet this river is capable of run
ming large mills and factories. One can
imagine how deep and swift il must be
IN tho ,,nIf