National Republican., 1881-07-20
NEAR THE BORDER.
THE PRETTY TOWN OF ST. ALBANs.
Noted and Attractive PLACE Close to the Canadian
Llne--A Description Of the Toun-The Sur
rounding Country-The Presi-
dents Expected Visit.
.clll cnrresrnndcnce nfrnr Rrrrrt1cAxi

bans Raid" when n band of confederate robbers
spoiled the town. Later, in 1867 and 1870, the
Fcnians made ST. Albaus their headquarters, and
now II Is one Of the places the President intended
visiting when he started on his disastrous tour
that ended so tragicaly. lie was to address the
" National Institute OF Instruction" that held It's
meetings here last woek-a successful and inter
csing session except the gloom cast over II by the
terrible news from Washington. ST. Albans
is ono Of tho most important places
in Northern Vermont being the prin-
cipal butter market. millions of pounds Of but
ter and cheese being shipped from here nunu-
ally The Offices Of the Central Vermont Railroad
and the ten or twelve roads It controls are here
II has u steel rolling.mill, employing FIVE hundred
men. an extensive iron foundry, n shirt. factory
that promises to be the largest and most complete
in New England and to employ about eight hun
drcd hands, the slcam laundry connected employ
ing one hundred and twenty-five hands The lat.
ter is under the management Of and owned by q
once Dcpartmen, clerk in Washington, at which
the clcrker may pick upa little and act as if there
was some IuiI for better things in him after all.
The principal street 60.
Is rwo MILES LONG.
and the place is nearly that distance lp width, and
has perhaps six thousand inhabitants There arc
more than twenty miles Of sidewalks. The school
buildings cos-onc, $4,000 the other, $1,000, aud
the public schools are maintained at n cost Of
$4,000 year There arc two public libraries, five
| fine churches with pulpits well filled, a county
courthouse. and six hotels, with experienced pro-
prictors. Such, in brief Is st. Albans adding the
usual statistics OF water works gas and fire de-
| parment Enough for the practical, no nonsense
| reader. But there Is something more-something
my inexperienced pen faltcrs oyer-something
beside commerce and trade and manufactures.
| They, 10 go right at IT, are the mountains, hills
fields, streams, and forest sky, air clouds sunsets
and last and greatest of them all, the lake-dreams
all of poetry painting, and song
THE VILLAGE Is NEITHER MORE NOR LESS
lovely than many another New England village
Main street is a broad avenue more than two miles
long in the centre of which clustered the bust
| ness blocks, and bordered by noble naples and
Gins, nearly centuryold. other beautiful streets
run at right angles or parallel Herewith, all
denscy shaded the leafy branches frequently
meeting over the roadway. Here are homesteads
| whose rooitrecs have sheltered generations with
sweet and bitter heart.lessons; houses glossy with
fresh paint and little cottages with green blinds,
many places pretentious in grounds and decora-
tons, all neat and thrifty. From the surrounding
hills one gazes upon a forest rather than busy
town, so completely is 1t cmbowered in trees
BUSY TowN hut wITHAL REsrFUL
and he0lthful. There are mills, but they seem far
away, like the mist that lies in the valley of river
factories without the whir Of wheels and the dis
tressing cnng of machinery. The musical cang of
the Afternoon air; also is the catter of the now
ing machine, the voices of men in the haying
fields, and now and then the sharpening of the
scythe In the good old. fashioned way. One Is
wakened at dawn by the noisy concert OF the birds
and TO draw the quilts closely the shoulders
against the fresh air and for anothernap Once a
rweek the town awakes and finds at an early hour
the streets lined, crowded with vehicles of every
description for It is market or "butter" day, and
sharp bargains made, new tubs bought, on
every rond recessional--if may use so high a
church word-and the village fslls asleep appar-
emily, for another week
THE Park USED To DE CALLED THE "oREEN."
The forofathers, with commendcble thoughtful-
ness, have made II grove. The boys have always
had famous times here. On every Saturday night
an excellent band from pretty stand give to an
appreclntive public q delightful concert. Around
the park are the business blocks and public build.
ings and churches. All and ALL 81. Adams is a nice
place, with none disagrceable dwelling here
that they cannot be borne with Christian fortitudc
with no miser in its borders so grasping not t.
draw on his money bags with alacrity at the ap
peal of actual distress, be II upon neighbor o.
stranger. All are sharp critics as long as q man
can hold his own, but when misfortune come
there Is spontaneous outpouring of good ant
good words. How could 1t be otherwise when the,
breathe air that If 1t does not come from heaven,
blown from the hills that almost touch the skies?
If ST. ALBANs Is ATTRACTIVE
all the roads-made for useful puTposes--that leat
out of 1t delightful, whether 1t be those lead
ing over the hills to the east that to the bay anC
along the Magnam shore for n dozen or more miles
with the well-kept farms on one hand, and on tn
other the groves of cedar, elm, maple, beech
and birch, through whose interviewer branche
fash the waters OF the lake. AS the light bugg
{ spins and whirls over the hard, smooth roadwa
formed on n slate ledge-the reader must ilnis
| this. qlaya nnt tho thnrp 10 n in
descrlbable charm in the romantic hills and dale
I and grassy slopes and uplands that form back
] ground TO an undescribable picture, and the be
holder ga2es from some breezy peak over the broa
a interval of meadow land and shadowy grow,
grand forest, shining stream, the broad lake she,
1 ofsilver,
: REFLEcTING SKY AND CLOUD
# and innumerable islands beyond all the Adiron
n dacks piled mountain high-twenty thirty, fort!
miles away to the west-the forest unbrokei
sweeping into blue ether away OFF 10 the north
west, and further to the north the mountains an
:, spires of Montreal. He fingers, forgetful OF tn
}. world, entranced until the sunset touches tn
J scene and twilight deepens, and with pang h
v turns away and passes down under deep shadow
q of the trees. His soul has absorbed the grander
: and an everlasting peace seem his. Such, In bre
d Is ST. Abans-such its surroundings. In the a
: there is vitality and ioyousness that on
: must breath to appreciate and easy Of acce'
IS by rail, river, ana lake. Many who are longin
= for pure air and pleasant place might com
n There are good hotels, good teaJs goo
=. boats, good fishing good water. and g5fd thing
r. TO cat good company TO cheer; kind hCrts every
n where TO meet them and many things woul
write about II space want Of it did not forbid
10 such as Hathaway's Point, the picnic ground
y SIMPSONS Lake View House, Belleyiew, AID
y Hill, Magnam Shore, H!ghgac Springs, and Mis-
II sissiquoi Park. II The REPUBLICAN can crowd tn
c. IN will write about these If agreeable, as well
OF Arthur and Wheelers birthplaces, either with
n dozen miles of this place, the former in Fairfield
franklin County, and the latter in Fairfax, san
II county. There Is no Fairfield County, Mr. REPUl
80 LlcAE. See back number
Of GREEN MOUNTAIN BOY.
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