Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-06-24
vermontsr. in the we.t....No. 2.


About eight miles south of Minneapolis We
found Abel Wilson, who removed from West
Putney about 26 years since, very pleasantly
situated ON q farm of 275 acres, with excel
lent buildings, and surrounded with all the
comforts and many Of the luxuries of life.
His farm shows very plainly the benefit of
stock raising instead Of the continuous wheat
cropping so largely practiced in Minnesota.
He took from Vermont some choice speoi-
mems of Spanish Merino sheep, and his flock
has several times since been replenished from
the best of Vermont stock and his POO sheep
and lambs bear ample testimony TO the profit
and wisdom Of raising the choicest kinds Of
stock and keeping it well housed aud bounti-
fully fed. He is the great sheep man Of that
region, and his sheep know his voice and are
glad to follow him. He keeps some o COWS,
and finds ready market for his butter, the
year round, at 80 cents per pound. He has
five choice horses, and a herd of young cattle
that evidently don't belong to Pharaoh's lean
kline. And he has obeyed ST. Pauls iniuno-
tion "Owe no man anything" Farms in
the vicinity sell readily at from $50 to $50
per acre Mr.. Wilson calls his worth 800.
The farm he left in West Putney, with all 9th.
ers near it, has been turned into pasture land.
The one where he now lives he paid between
four and Ave dollars per acre for, with only
ten acres broken and no buildings but board
shanty. Mr.. Wilson gives a warm welcome
to his Vermont friends at his Western home,
and his excellent better-half says, Come"
Wayland $. Goodhue paid US a visit while
we were stopping with A. F. Kelly and at
his earnest solicitation we accompanied him
to his home in Saltwater, MINI. Mr. Good
hue, on leaving his home in Westminster
West, was placed under the training of H. f.
Baker of Putney, where for many years he
enjoyed the confidence and respect Of all who
came in contact with him. Some twenty
years since, he removed to Polo, ILL.,, taking
with him. rs his wife, the eldest daughter Of
Mr.. Baker, and followed by the kndest wish
es OF large circle OF friends to his western
home, which was made as pleasant as home
can be, far away from kindred and early as
sociations, by countless tokens of parental
care and afection-a home soon made desc
late by the Destroying Angel, who bore away
wife and child in his cold embrace. While
residing at Polo, Mr. Goodhue was largely in
terested in the manufacture and sale of the
st. Paul Harvester, and was for many years
its travelling agent and one of the large own
ers of its stock. Some three years since, he
retired from active management of this COM
pany (though still retaining connection as one
Of its directors and holding $50, 900 of its
stock, and was elected secretary of a large
company engaged in the manufacture Of farm
ing implements at Saltwater, with a paid-up
capital of $3.50, 600 and an accumulated capi-
tai Of 800, 600. They yearly turn out about
1000 threshers, that sell on an average for
about 5000 Last year the company cleared
$50, 900. They employ about ESQ men, one
third of whom are convicts, for whose labor
they pay the state a. cents per day. Mr.
Goodhue owns $40, 600 of stock in this COM
pany, and has a salary OF $25OO. Saltwater
is one of tie older cities of Minnesota, located
81 ('roiv rivar q "a
Unlike most western cities, its site is very un-
even and broken. From some of its bluffs
the scenery is grand.
l find that am writing long letter, butt
cannot close without saying a word about A.
+. Kelly and family, TO whom we are indebt-
ed for much that has made our stay SO pleas
ant in this most beautiful city of the West.
Mr. Kelly came to Minneapolis about eight
years since, a stranger, and opened loan Of
flee at No. Johnston's block, with man by
the name Of Lewis. Their partnership ceased
nearly year since Mr.. Kelly retaining the
business and taking his brother, l.. E., as a
partner. The firm have loaned about 81 800
900, all on tirst-class mortgages at from eight
to ten per cent, and have not los, one dollar
in bad investments Mr. Kelly has $50, 600
invested in real estate for himself mostly in
the city, which to-day would sell at q large
advance upon cost. The house in which he
lives and the one adjoining which cost him
Sll, 900 some six years ago, he was recently
offered SIG, 900 for. While we were there he
sold place purchased about three years since
for Sl7OO, aud which has been rented for Sl3
per month since he owned it, for S3OjO cash.
Minneapolis has become the first city north
west of Chicago, and will soon be the great
shipping depot of flour and lumber for many
states east and south. 1t now has a larger
number of handsome residences and business
blocks than any city Of its age that have
seen, and there are now over 700 in process
Of erection. New England may well feel
proud of its share in building up and sustain
ing this city. Mr.. Kelly is largely indebted
for his cautious business management to the
same source as is Mr.. GoOdhue-namely, his
father-in.law, Mr.. Baker, who bade farew ell
to earth in this pleasant home which he had
selected for those dear to him. In their pros
perity they have not forgotten their old Yer
mont friends and associates, and few possess
the faculty they have for welcoming and en-
tertaining visitors.
In closing this hastily written history of
some Of my early associates, | am happy TO
be able to add that they have not made the
accumulation Of wealth their sole object Mr..
Wilson, living in wholly agricultural COM
munity, has contributed largely toward the
erection of Baptist meeting. house there,
buDDOFt~
ing the minister, and gives literally for the
maintenance of good morals in the communi-
ty in which he lives. During the past winter
he has suffered severely from the effects of
cancerous humor and rheumatism; but he
hopes to be fully restored to health again.
Mr.. Goodhue has always contributed literally
to promote the cause Of religion and morality;
he has been superintendent of the Congrega-
tional Sunday school for the past three years,
and takes a lively interest in training the
young. l am glad to state here, that, of the
$50 convicts employed in his establishment,
not one graduated from a Sunday school
Mr.. Kelly is a liberal contributor to the sup
port and efficiency OF Congregational church
and a mission connected with it; and, not
withstanding this church devise liberal things,
they have a way of abusing their minister un-
known at the east. A short time since they
settled a new minister, and, not finding a
house for him to rent, they purchased one for
$1,000, furnished it throughout, and gave him
a deed of it
The wheat prospect in Minnesota is very
good, but the crop will be rather late The
corn crop in Illinois is very backward on ac-
count Of the late spring and dry weather un-
til ten days since; then One-quarter of it is
covered with water or has been for several
days. and large part is too wet to cultivate.
Winter wheat in Illinois and Michigan is not
very promising; growth small and heads
short. Yours L. b. CAMPBELL.
The semi-annual meeting of the State
Medical Society will be held at Vergennes
June 30th and July LIST.
st. Johnsbury has settled with the Holly
company of Lockport, N. Y, for infringe
ment of patent in the system of water works,