Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-02-11
Western Vermont n 1851.

Western Vermont IN 1907.
DESCRIPTION OF AN ESGLIsu TRAVELLER
The following interesting description of
Western Vermont, given by Edward Angus
tns Kendall, ESD an English traveller, who
passed through Vermont several times in
$50, and 1893, is sent 10y contributor TO the
ST Adams Messenger. from which we copy
it:
The Green Mountains divide Vermont into
two parts, of which in the Southern part the
respective inhabitants almost regard each
other as foreigners. Their intercourse is
small The farmer on the east has no need
Of the farmer on the west, and he does not
even pass his door on his road to market.
The produce of the east side Of the mountain
descends the Connecticut or is carried east
ward across the country, in both cases to the
Boston market; but the produce of the west
side is exported either TO the Hudson River or
to the st. Lawrence. In ordinary tunes,
Hudson River affords the more profitable
trade, except in the articles of masts and
lumber. for which there is no sale whatever
but at Quebec. At the con juncture in which
| visited the country, trade was on a differ
ent footing. 1t had come into the head of
the Government Of the nited Sta:es, to in
volve in common and instant ruin all the
greater powers of Europe by means OF an in
PRODUCTION of IFS own commerce and the
sacrifice of its own resources, and under the
pressure of this event not only all Vermont
but all New York and Massachusetts, began
10 send their pork, potash and specie to Mon
trcal and even the CarOlinas and Georgia to
despatch their cotton in the same direction
The northwest paris of Vermont, there
fore, were a scene of great commercial ac
tivily. Intelligence OF the laying on OF the en-
largo reached Vermont while was on the
east side OF the mountains.
Rutland is the county seal of the most pop
ulous county in Vermont, and All accent TO
the inn at which put up is the court house.
In 1900 the county, called the county OF
Rutland, contained %, s.33 inhabitants and
at the same date the entire population of
Vermont amounted to lJ4, $50.
The town of Burlington has been chosen
for the seat Of the University Of Vermont, an
institution yet in the feebleness Of the curli-
est infancy, but which has, nevertheless,
sixty students, and has this year conferred
degrees upon three candidates. From the
first erection of the existing government,
tract of land was reserved in every town in
corpOrutrd for the benefit of a future univer-
sity, the property OF the tracts so re-
served, containing in the whole thirty-eight
Thousand acres; but the advance OF the coun-
try in population and agriculture is not yet
sufficient 10 render the property productive.
Much, however, has been done by private
subscription.
The University possesses handsome col
lege edliee of red brick, built on an emInence
10
stands reaching about two miles from the
shore and having an elevation of little less
than four hundred feet above the level of the
water The building is hundred and sixty
feet in length and in the centre is seventy
five feet in depth. Tn the wings lis depth is
only forty five. Ii contains forty-cisht lodg-
ing rooms and six public rooms, disposed ON
fnur stories
Students have been boarding at tie low
nricr of 81 a,ner week and for tuition they
ARE only CHARGED St2 per annum the whole
ryncns, nf four years of COLLEGE r,Iuc,iinn is
cstimnted ot 500
Amon.r th, lrnrfnctors of this institution
is to br recorded ih. Rev. DIR. Samuel vii
li,ns already mentioned ms the author Of the
History of Vermont. This gentleman has
for some time employed his talents in deliver
inv lectures in natural philosophy. and in
fnrwar,iintr I'm. nrppress of the | nllrrsitN in
This ,lenortment of science The pbilasonhi-
cal Ier,urc room contains n small annarnius
nur,IasrI with tbe sum nf $50 which was
raised bv substitution and which DIR. Vii
li,ms eyncp,led in In. most fru.al manner.
n,Inittin, notb;n,r in fnrei.,r mouufsciur,
Which chill in ,ny manner h. made nj home
,nJ n,th;nr nf hr,ss that couId he made of
VOL On IN. ceiling The same gentleman
Los rxccutr,I q nl,rrt.rirm will. n rnliu4 of
fnurtrrr feet and a half. and of which the
ground is washed of sky blue color pr
Williams has now left the University. at
which the only officers are a president. "A
tutor and - lecturer i'm chlrllrgery and anat
omv
The VILLAGE of BurIiurtOu ia below the col
lcrr ON I'm. bor,Irr of the lake but the land.
cr,n brrr has from tifty 10 sixty feet eleya-
ton. Part Of the houses form u square. on
The east siL,. Of which IL IA county court
hnua,. anil an the remaining three are shops
uf rnlniry merchants and aItitlcrrs. and some
,rentcrl houses inhabited by LAWYERS and
others. TN the south side is a printing office,
nj which is printed the county nrwsnapcr
, rhc Vermont S.HhHtN. The appearance
of the village is particularly flourish
ing. hut the whole population of the village
and town together ~ small. In the wear
1900 il contained only SIS inhabitants. and
OF its cams la IL. regarded rs still in forest
II fact which occurred in 1896 may afford
same nr,nf Within The village is the c6un-
tv rnpl. and the limits. 40 called. of the gaol