St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-11-04

Gulf road. The latter Is only complet-
ed south as far as the town, but will
be running through to Memphis proba-
bly, in go. There is considerable man
ufacturing here already, the largest
cotton mill west of the Mississippi be-
ing one of its industries. 1t is also the
centre of trade and business for all this
section of country, which is fine farm
ing regiOn-wheat, corn, cattle and
hogs being the principal products, al
though there is considerable fruit
grown and some attention paid to the
dairy. Some of the farms within few
miles of town are valued as high as
$50 an acre. Eastern men will go far
Their west than this for cheap lands.
But Springfield will be known in the
future mainly as the seat of Drury Col
lege-a New England institution out
in this great West. 1t has at present
three permanent buildings, and more
coming. Fairbanks Hall, used as a
dormitory for young ladies, large
brick building, is the most conspicuous
upon the College grounds. Then there
is a smaller brick structure known as
the preparatory building, in which at
ried on, and the fine new stone Chapel,
now in course of erection. 1t has a
full corps of professors and teachers,
with President n. j. Morrison at the
head, and is doing a grand work for
the development of the Southwest
both educatiOnally and religiously. Its
students look like those at Dartmouth
and Amherst, and even the Indians
among them would hardly be recOgniz-
ed as such unless particular attention
was directed to them. st. JOhnsbury
has large interest i'll this college, for
it was her son, Mr.. Charles Fairbanks,
of Nice, France-who gave the princi-
pal building, in memory of his son
Walter, who died in early manhood.
Before | reached Springfield | asked
a man why Drury College was located
in this far-away country. He replied,
because it was needed here. That an
swer comprehends it. In coming
across this vast state-larger than all
New England, l presume, though |
have not the figures before me-
thought of Bishop Heber's hymn, (if it
was the Bishop's), "There's Wilderness
in Gods mercy like the Wilderness of
sea-" There's a evidences" in this
country like the Wilderness of the sea.
Here | sit o-day in Drury College,
1900 miles from Dartmouth and our
own state University, and yet am not
half way to the Golden Gate Academy,
another New England institution, and
presided over by a native of st. Johns
bury. But | must not prolong this
letter. l intended simply to testify
how this leaven of New England push
and principle was spanning this CONT
nent. We mourn that our young men
and women leave New England, and
that our hill towns are drying up-but
it is the salvation of the country. This
great West would be another land and
far less promising one, if it were
not largely moulded by New England
thought brought here in those very
young men and women we so much re-
greet to lose.
Quite a number of VermOnters are
found in Springfield, as they are found
everywhere. We almost unexpectedly
met Charles w. Thrasher, Esq, and
family. Mr.. Thrasher was born in New
Hampshire, but his bOyhOod was spent
in Windsor county, VT. Mrs. Thrash
er will be kindly remembered by st.
JOhnsbury people as Miss Mia Grow,
daughter of Silas Grow, who died there
some years ago. Mr.. Thrasher is a
leading lawyer of this city. On Satur-
day evening there was a little gather
ing of st. Johnsbury people in this far
off southern town, and the friends of
Lang Syne were not forgotten though
very, very far away.
The meeting of the state association
of Congregational churches was held
here yesterday, and quite a number of
Eastern men who had been in attend
ance upon the meeting of the Ameri-
can Board at st. Louis, came down.
Among others | noticed Revs. c. NJ.
SOuthgate of Dedham; j. C. Cutler of
Auburndale, formerly principal of st.
Johnsbury Academy NJ. H. Harring-
ton of st. Johnsbury, now of Kidder,
Mo-; N. F. CObleigh of McIndoes
DIR. Furber of Newton Center, who
preached at the South church in Au-
gust, as many will remember-and
many more. A dinner was given the
association and visiting friends mt Fair
banks Hall, where some 200 people sat
down to bountiful spread. Some go
on to Arkansas and Indian Territory
this week, the rest return East.
c. NJ. S.
Our New York Letter.