St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-30
Letter From Kansas.

lHt SilttiS. HtNf are Cb anu IIO Ittl
wide and the avenues are 1870. | be
ficVe Washington is the only other
city in the Union with streets as wide.
Some question the advisability of hay
ing any except the principal business
streets So very wide, claiming that it
gives the more quiet streets Il strag-
Cling, spread out appearance. Proba-
bly, this will he noticed less as the trees
get larger and the small dwellings give
place to larger ones. All dwelling
houses are set back from the street, and
trees and flower beds are in almost ev-
cry yard. This must give the place Il
very pretty appearance in summer.
| The streets run north and south and
are named after the Presidents, Quin-
cy being used to save Il repetition of
Adams, and Clay substituted for Pierce.
They have got as far as Lincoln, and if
the city continues To grow us fast as it
has done, | am afraid the stock of
names will give ont though if Guiteau
is acquitted perhaps other ''cranks''
may he encouraged to act under Gin
SpiIations,n and in consequence the
presidential office may change hands
oftcncr than under the old fashioned
rule established in l776. Through the
busiest part of the city the avenues
are intcrSperscd, every fourth street
being an avenue, Kansas, Topeka,
Western and Grand; but Kansas is
the avenue. The cross streets run east
and west, and are numbered.
Many parts of the city bear the i'm
press of newness. The houses are
small and not very nice. But time
will remedy this. Already the more
desirable locations are being bought
up at advanced prices, and handsome
and costly residences are being erected
upon them. These are usually oi
brick, though some are of wood
Judge -- built very fine brick
house last year. 1t was expected that
it would take year to finish the in
I side. A small part of the house was
finished and the family moved in, when
their only child was taken sick and
died. The work was stopped then
and has never been resumed. Rents
are high and rented houses not very
desirable, so that every one seem,
anxious to build. Many of the poorer
kclass build according.to their means, of
ten not finishing much inside, intend
ing, as their means increase, to enlarg,
4 many small houses seen in the new
parts of the city. Almost every one
r moves in as soon as possible, without
d waiting for the timber and mortar tC
+ dry as it ought. Some believe this to
d he the cause of so many deaths 10y
diphtheIia. The victims are mostly
children, and in almost every case
have heard mentioned, the remark wa,
; made, "They had but just moved int,
: their new house when the child (ol
!. children, as the case might be,) sicken
: ed and died.
The public buildings are all built o
i limestone, of different shades and va
: rietirS that used for schools and othe
r common buildings is used in its rougl
J. state, while for the state house an,
t some of the churches it is nicely finish
. ed. Dwelling houses are sometime
1 plaStered outside the stone. The frs
l. Congregational church has just com
d plcted new building which they nov
a occupy, though it is not yet furnishe,
70 as it should he. The church though
d best to pay some of the heavy debt he
e. fore any more expense was incurred
II not being so fortunate as the sam
church i'll st. Johnsbury, In havin
5 liberal patrons to build so nice
a. church and bear so large part of til
r. expense. hope st. Johnsbury peopl
: appreciate how highly they are favor
"a ed in having a family in their mids
who possess the means and inclinatio
to do so much for them. The MethO
M dists here are just finishing a large
and more imposing edilice than tn
Is other. Opposite the Methodist, a littl
ia Swedenborgian church has been bui
ne ne this summer. 1t is perfect Oddity
re- colors and style. That reminds me
little Swiss cottage which excites
- great deal of comment. Some are lon
i'll their praises, while more dislike i
1t certainly looks out of place in til
heart of a city. The school building
are numerous, nearly every princip;
street having one. Then there
m. Bethany college for young ladie
in Washburn college for both sexes, an
~. kindergarten for the little ones. Sun
"a. at ner school was built last year for IL
OF colored children. Great iDdignatio
was felt by some of the negroes b,
fol cause a separate school building W;
ad provided for their children, thong
b they had white teachers. A missiC
an school has been established in Tenne
~ see town for the smaller scholar
There are several large negro settl
for ments in town. One, on the nor
md side, is made up of Mississippian
ms iii. a.. 1,,-..lle.,.. =. D. -.
in NhiiS 'ho ""'i'iS III IchhesSee low
! are, with the exception of three fam
lies, all from Tennessee. This settl
ment contains over 2O0 families and