The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-08-01

INDUSTRIES or rrBDEnnrRr.

at the West, where towns and cities
grow up ina very few Years, I was sur
priscd to find that all ilic manufacturing
industries that formerly placed Middle
bury IN the front ranks of cntcrprising
towns of the state were extinct, and the
old pioneers Of enterprise had passed
away and no one left here TO fill tbcir
places. The truth is, the spirit of enter
prise should not be permitted to die out
in town that has so many natural adj
vantages rs this town possesses. AS
stood looking over the railing as of
yorc, watching the current of the stream
as il glidcd uselcssly over the falls, ii
brought TO my mind the time when the
head-gates were all open, with scarcely
water enough TO turn the ponderous
wheels that gave employment TO the
hundreds of busy hands employed in
the cotton and wooden mills here. Now
| observe the hcad-gates are closed and
all is still as n scpulchrc of the dead.
The strolling, vicious, useless, uncm-
ploycd boys of the place seem to take
pleasure i'll breaking out the windows
and otherwise disfiguring the premises,
until men who are seeking for place
to do business, turn away with n shud-
der, and leave a place whose citizens
seem TO be so dead to their own vital
interests. On inquiry find that real
estate, in and about your town, is re-
markably low, and houses arc empty,
and large numbers of men arc going
about the streets unemployed, which
was not the case when the mills were
in operation. Let one successful bust
ness firm start Il business that would
bring fifty or n hundred families into
the town, and ii would be felt in the
whole business body, and go out into
the cNtrcmitics of the towns about. 1t
is short-sighted policy that thinks q
few stores and college will ever make
n prosperous, thriving town.
Middlebury has natural advantages
possessed by but few towns in the state,
and yet they seem to be as useless MS If
located in the wastes of Siberia. wish
| could say word that would arouse
the citizens to sense Of their cWn best
interests. ] notice that other towns,
without the advantages of water power,
lsee TO ii that manufacturing is oncour-
jagged, and tlus Burlington and Rutland
are constantly receiving acccSsions, so
that their old limits are oversteppcd
and parts Of llcir villages that we're
wastes and Hnrroductive pastures arc
now centres of business lie and pros
pcriiv. Encourage industry, is ihe motto
OF all western towns, and 50 far rs they
pursue that course, success IS sure Ia
follow. ] took mp the Rutland paper
The other day aud saw an article headed
Glow to make toNn-rrOw.' ] read
il and was SO much pleased with il that
take Tie Liberty Of copying il, hoping
thot il i0cV stimulate Your citizens to
Immediately enter npon system that
viii ensure success, and produce happi-
ness and thrift throughout the whole
cOiGnmlitV:--
The citizens Of Utica, n. Y. have or
ergcucally set TO work 80 help tine
growth of the community by naugu-
rating measures TO extend and diVersi-
f. its manufactures. The verdict OF
Utica is that this is The only course oren
to maintain Us trade and hold M its
failing real estate. An association has
been formed for the sympathetic fur
thcrancc OF these objects. The fellow
lowing IS the first article Of the consii-
miiou
This association shall be entitled The
Utica manufacturing and Mercantile as
ISOLATION. Ns'obicct shall be to extend
and encourage all kinds OF manufactur-
ing and other business interests In and
about the city Of Utica.
Any citizens of iica interested in its
growth aud prosperity is eligible for
mem ership; such citizens may become
mcfhbcrs oa - before tie first dav of
August, 1870, Icy signing this consiitu-
ton and by paying TO the treasurer the
initiation fee of five dollars.
'The Utica Herald comments on this
industrial movement as follows:
It tica must inquire what are the az
ticlcs which will be in demand in the
immediate future. Few are the wares
and fabrics which cannot be made here
as chcaply as anywhere else in the
world. We need not only the vast
schemes which will call for hundreds
of thousands of dollars, but ouite ms
much will General benefit be Gained
from the multiplication of many smaller
shops for making anything which peo-
pie use ana which the markets will 6uv.
The indirect profits OF money spcnt at
home are 10 every owner of real estate,
to every merchant, TO every business
man, quite sufficient to pay for the more
pared with assurances which are so Of
ten ial,fcd by The result in the sDocn-
laiions which are commended so Warm-
~ by persons VINO get percentage for
promoting them. The iBquiry should
cover the whole field, from the small
wares OF Connecticut, and the heaviest
machinery, 10 the finest fabrics and fur
nllurc and objects OF art which delight
the eye or snbscrvc taste or comfort.
Tue men who can make things are in
NiIed to the front. The neC hauic inst
now Will be listened 10 respectfully If
he can tell how q dollar can be kept
busy safely with good promise of even
moderate earnings. The inventor who
can fashion more cheaply and with
economy of labor anything which the
community wants, viii find helpers
quite anxious FOX an alliance with him.
Utica is o sensible city 10 move in this
matter. How many thousands of dol
lars richer Vermont would be to-day if
her leading towns, instead of bonding
themselves up 10 their eyes foI little
side railroads, that, successful or I'M
successful, would only diminish the
trade OF these towns, had offered liberal
inducements IN tile way of-Iooal sub
scriptions 10 iuGucc manufacturers to
settle among them, or had literally
helped those already in existence to
further extend their lines Of gro Nth.
Several years ago, when Burlington
bonded i'aelt $4,000 for the Burning
ton and Lamoille railroad. Judge Wales
| proposed that if Burlington desired to
make an investment that would really
help the business Of the town 10 new
growth a liberal subscription to secure
The establishment o a large manufac-
turing business, employing several
hundred hands, would be far preferable
to bonding for n railroad that took
country traders. from Burlington bv
putting them in perfect railroad conncc-
ton with Boston. In other words,
Judge Wales urged TIE same policy
that Rutland adopted when she wisely
raised subscription to secure the scale