Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-12-30
A Finished Village.


A Finished Village.
Sag Harbor, near the eastern end OF
Long Island, says newspaper writer, il
II finished village. IT stopped growing Il
quarter OF u century ago. The more Ell
terprising young men 60 West. The
girls stay Mt home and grow into old
maids. A glance on Sunday at the con-
gregations in the village reveals only n
male head here and there in forest OF
bonnets. Well-to-do widows are numer-
Gus, but they are old. The principal
ripple on the surface of every day life is
MI occasional fire. The burning of some
old barn or shed is II fortunate event.
Then they haul out the same three old
engines used forty years ago. Genera
tons in turn have manned those brakes.
Generally NIL three break down after half
an hours pumping Ephraim Byram,
the skilled and wonderful village me-
chanic, who once made n planetarium and
any number of clocks, including the one
now over the New York city hall, has
been half supported by work done from
decade to decade on those three engines
Everybody goes to fire in Sag Harbor.
People meet and shake hands Mt the fire
who haven't seen each other before for
months. If it is big barn and prom
Uses big blaze, the women rush to their
dressing-rooms to give their dresses, bon
nets and hair becoming set before they
venture in the glare. Next day the uni
versal inquiry is {: odd you so to the
fire last night ?" For week nfterward
they tell each other where they were and
what they were doing when the fire
broke out.
Things to talk about do not die quickly
out of peoples remembrance in Sag
Harbor as in n great city. Gossip keeps
there long time. They pickle it for
winter use. Now, some ten years ago.
Methodist minister was stationed there,
who had mania for moving churches
He moved the church wherever he was
settled. If he could do no, better he
slowed it around and made it front some
other way If there was steeple he'd
take it down. If there was no steeple
he'd put one up. He was a favorite with
Methodist carpenters and masons. The
Sag Harbor Methodist church stood Oh n
hill commanding beautiful view OF the
harbor. All those wooded bluffs, prom
olito,ies, inlets and islands-Hogneck,
Shelter island, Moshamuck, Big Gull
and Little Gull islands, Barcelona point,
and in the fer distance Gardeners bay
and GARDENERS island were in full view.
But this locomotive minister had not
been settled long ere he slid the church
down the hill into the center of the vii
lage. This made trouble in the congre-
cation. 1t was split into church movers
and anti-church movers. The anti-church
movers seeded and joined the Presby-
terians. And to-day they are talking
over that moving III as spirited way as
ever. The topic is just as good as new.
They know how to economize and hus-
band their quarrels in Sag Harbor.
A few years ago another minister, of
musical and operate tastes, went there.
He drilled his choir in the oratorio Of
"The Creation" cpd put it on the eccle-
siastical stage. They do say he borrow
ed the church vestments Of the Episco-
pal minister to exc out the costumes nee
essary, and the Episcopal minister lent
them. 1t made great deal of talk, and
ut length the trustees and deacons Of the
society intimated that the salary was for
sermons--aot for oratorios-and opera
languished. This topic is as fresh and
good MS ever in Sag Harbor.
The railroad reached Sag Harbor about
five OF six years ago. They talked about
building it in 1916. Generations OF the
leading men of the place went down to
their graves talking about the building
of that branch road thirty miles i'll
length. Then much of the communion
ton with New York was by the sloOps.
Those sloop cooks made famous chow
der. Passage was a dollar; meals on
board one shilling; time, two days.
But the railroad when it was built
was expected to revolutionize Sag Har-
Dor. Two generations revealed, in an
ticipation of its coming. 1t arrived too
late-after the whaleships were all sold,
after kerosene had usurped whale oil,
after the last harpoon had been cast from
Sag Harbor whaleboat. The little
shed termed depot stands on waste Of
empty cellars, vacant lots, tumbledowa
cooper shops and deserted buildings.
This was once the most stirring spot in
the village. Twenty ships refittng ut
the wharf two large hotels facing each
other a dozen cooper shops turning out
oil casks, half score of blacksmith
shops, and for the rest stores, sailors,
farmers wagons, fast horses and fancy
buggies were some of the features of
this spot thirty odd years ago. Now
there is only heard the ripple of the,,waves
washing over piles black and rotting,
marking the site of former wharves.