The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1879-12-18
CONTEMPORARIES.

ALh lohh NiTft bcCs lUtnI ictS'
Mr. Edifori
In previous letter wrote about
things 10 general / now call attention
TO some things in particular. and first
the growth Of this city. Within the
lifetime OF many Of our citizens, say
within sixty years. the city has grown
from considerable less thar 100000 in
habitants to more than 1,l00, 900.
Sixty years ago the length OF the city
was about a mile il is now about eight
miles or as far as IT is from Manchester
to Arlington. In the meantime Brook.
Ign and Jersey City have become large
cities They, with other towns immed-
lately across the two rivers but really
part Of New York, make an aggregate
OF nearly 1000. 900. or more than six
times as many people as are contained
in the whole state OF Vermont. Ny
fret idea Of city was received mere
than sixty years ago when for the frat
time | went as boy to Troy. Never
can forget that visit. / had never
seen any place larger than Manchester
and that was large enough for me. |
thought that to become a merchant in
Manchester Village. or store-keeper Is
we then called that kind Of ork, was
about the grandest. thing anybody
could ever reach. Imagine, II you can,
my wonder and amazement when my
Older brother drove into the upper end
OF Troy with q load OF Vermont marble.
| was perehed on top OF the load and
bad good view Of everything. /
looked one side aud the other and
wondered how there could be so many
houses. To be sure poured out a
stream Of questions and observations
which elected not = little laughter at
my expense. When wc came iarther
into the city where the houses aud
stores fairly touched each other ! was
completely dumbiouuded aud kept
qaiei until saw IN great biz letters on
large house Vermont Hotel. Az
soon as ! saw the sign ! called out to
ny brother There is our tavern O. 40,
said be. Yes it is, | replied don't you
see the namey tell you that ID where
we are to stop with that he laughed
aud switched the old horses and on we
weut much to my Disgust. But since
that day have seen many cities and
have become used 20 them but it took
me years TO get il out Of my head that
Manchester was not great place.
Another thing J would speak Of is the
enormous increase Of wealth and
wealthy people When boy, man
worth from $4,000 10 $40. 600 was
called rich. and 60 be was he had all
he needed and that makes anyone rich.
/ remember il vas said that Joseph
Barr and Squire Demiag were the two
richest men ia 81 The region round
about Indeed. did not think there
was any richer man Ia the world; how
could there be anybody richer 7 |
looked At them With awe aud tried to
imagine how they felt. CO being told
once by my father that Mr.. Burr vas
piob4b J worth mote than $780, 900 /
eOuldnl take il in. ut times have
greatly changed. Nov, man Is hard
II called rich unless be is worth mil
lions Within comparatively short
time ten men have died In this city
leaving estates fron 10000. 900 TO
over tleo. 900. 900 each. Il attracts
bot little attention to zee announced 10
The morning paper thai Mr.. 90 and 90
10 dead and leaves an estate Ct one or
lvo millions IL IL nos estimated that
We bAse mote than cue hundred
psrsoas 10 this city worth from 81 900. :
900 10 over 500. 0o0. 600 each. l,n =
remarkable fact that The founders q
searly 81 ihe great iortases Of this city
were poor boys % poor yoang nen
when they came here. The present
Asgors are rich By inhsriiasee. bat