Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-05-14

PEOPLE.
Correspondence Of The PHDSIH.l
BRooKFIEID Mo, April 2G, 1880
Mr. Editor: Stopping for few days in
this town and finding here several persons
well known in Windham County, it has oc-
Cured to me that description Of the place
might interest that portion of your readers
who have friends in this locality. Brookield
is on the line of the Hannibal aud st. Joseph
railroad, about half way across the STATE, and
very nearly equi.distant between Hannibal on
the east and st. Joseph on the west. 1t is
the most important town in northern Missouri,
being an organized city with about 5000 in
habitants. Its streets are wide and regularly
laid out, running with the four points of the
compass at equal distances from each other.
It's sidewalks are of plank, some Of which are
beginning to be in dilapidated condition
and need to be replaced with brick or con
crete, which will doubtless soon be done.
Notwithstanding the place has had its birth
since the late rebellion, having been laid out
by the owners Of the railroad, its growth has
been so rapid as to make it already the most
important town on the road between Kansas
and Illinois 1t has a large railroad round
house and repair shop in which large
number of hands are constantly employed,
with reasonable probability Of the entire
railroad shops now located at st. Joseph be-
ing removed to this place. Here are three
good hotels, the largest Of them being fully
equal to the Brooks House at Brattleboro.
It has five neat, though small. churches, be.
longing respectively to the Congregational
Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal and Cath
olic denominations. Your correspondent at
tended the Congregational church yesterday
and found there an audience Of about 80 be-
ing instructed in sacred things by Rev. Mr..
Plumb, brother of pastor of one of the Con
gregational churches in Boston. This church
has two worthy doacons. one being son of
the late Dea d. d. Rand Of Townshend, and
the other is Dea Franklin, formerly from
Jamaica. A school building far ahead of any
in Wndham County, excepting the Academy
at SaXtous River, has in it six different schools
the higher department being taught by and
all being under the superintendent Of, Mr.
Hugh Campbell from Putney, VT. Mr..
Campbell is very popular in the position
which he fills. Here are two individual
banks which already doing a large and
paying business. The city has five law firms.
which number will soon bc largely increased
if, as is now supposed will be the case. the
county seat is removed from it, present loca-
ton to this city. There are five doctors rep
resenting the allopathic and homeopathic
schools of practice, among whom we stopped
mil oil Frt. H. If 1. l..
from Townshend, who is well known and
kindly remembered in Windham County.
The many friends of DR.. Ellis will be glad to
know that his residence il pleasantly located
in the city, while his Office is one of the best
and most centrally located on Main street
Although DIR. Ellis has been here but few
months, he already seems to be very popular
and has an extensive practice. There are
three weekly papers published in the town,
all of them being well patronized. Your cor
respondent called upon the editor of the Ga
zette, to-day, and WAS very courteously and
kindly received.
very large per cent of the inhabitants of
the city are Eastern people, mostly from the
New England States aud New York Among
the business men Of the place we find this
class well represented in the three meat mark
cts, three drug stores, grain buyers, cattle
dealers, two marble shops, and the usual
number Of dry goods, boot and shoe, grocery
and other stores The city hall will readily
seat 500 or more persons. Among the car
penters We find Mr.. James Ford, formerly Of
Fayetteville, who married while there
dRghter of Mr.. Wakefield former proprie-
tor Of one of the hotels The land on which
the city is built, well as most of that in this
entire section of the country, formerly be-
longed to the Hannibal Il st. Joseph railroad
the United States Government having aided
the road by ceding to the State of Missouri
for the road each alternate section of all pre-
viously unoccupied lands for fifteen miles on
either side of the road through the entire
State. Much of this land, even in this i'm
mediate vicinity, is yet unsold and can now
be bought within ten miles of Brookfield for
$500 to S7.20 per acre, and is as productive
as any land in the Mississippi valley. I'm
proved farms within three miles, and in plain
sight of the city, can be bought for S2j to $50
per acre, every inch Of which can be plowed,
and which are more productive than any Con-
necticut meadows. Fifty to 10 bushels of
corn are easily raised per acre, 30 bushels of
wheat, and about the same of rye or barley,
while the oat crop averages fully 10 bushels
Apples, peaches, pears and all small fruits
grow in great abundance, and find a ready
market at good prices.
The country is slightly rolling, yet no hills,
A sufficient amount of lime rock for cellar
walls, underpinning stone and building pur-
poses is found on Yellow creek, in the limits
OF the township, about two miles east of the
city. Wood is not abundant, but is found
along the creeks in considerable quantities.
| Good hickory and oak wood sells in the city
for 81 per cord. Water is easily obtained by
! digging from ten to thirty feet. Many of the
families get supply of water by conducting
the water from the roofs through spouts to
cisterns, in which it keeps cool and nice.
Most of the farmers dig basins on their farms
about six feet deep and thirty feet across, in
which water from the frequent showers usual
| ly collects in sufficient quantities to supply
the wants of stock, the ground being of such
a clayey nature as to retain all water running
into such basins until used or eyaporated.
The mildness of the climate, the fertility OF
the SOIL the good roads, the churches, the
schools and the general intelligence of the
people already here, with many other attrac-
tions, render this locality peculiarly attract
i've to all seeking homes in the West.
$. d. W.