The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-02-08
BEssRRoOK.
An Irish Temperance Town ana It's Pros
pcrltr.

Woo 1DcahA0Ohr a. eAAQ MOANM VI AAOlnuuf
q celebrated linen manufactory. The
product of its looms may be found all
over tho world, while every interna-
tional exposition of industry has hon
ored its contributions with the highest
prizes and declarations Of approval.
The founder Of this immense business
is George Richardson, one Of heavens
nobility, an unassuming Quaker or
member of the Society of Friends.
From his youth George Richardson
was brought up in the linen trade, but
his present colossal establishment was
commenced by him in the year 1854,
and it has kept on growing and improv-
ing ever since, until il now gives en-
ployment to 5000 hands, pays out
weekly $35, 600 in wages, burns annually
10000 tons of coal, and weaves into its
exquisite fabrics every year 81, 900, 600
worth of raw material With inexpressi-
bic astonishment and delight we ex-
amined some of these beautiful produc-
tions, forgetting as we looked upon
them that they were articles of every
day utility, and thinking of them only
as works of art-howers and ferns as
delicate and graceful as though they
were scattered over the material into
which they were woven.
On one set of table linen a buffalo
hunt was depicted with as much vigor
and accuracy as though it were drawn
on canvas. On another set, designed
for the French market, the whole series
of Fontaine's fables was most delight
fully portrayed. But what most of all
challenged our admiration was table
cloth of immense proportions into which
the shuttle had deftly wrought a mag
nihcent representation of VIM. PENIS
contract with the American Indians.
Over the heads of the figures appeared,
woven in ornamental letters, this in
scription: ''The only treaty never rati-
fed by an OATH" Underneath, woven
in similar manner, appeared the COM
pletion of the legend: "The only treaty
that was never broke en-"
We suggested the presentation of this
superb table-cloth to the State of Penn
sylvania. Having been disappointed in
obtaining PENIS body for enshrinement
in their new city hall in Philadelphia,
such gift might soothe the vexation
they felt at the refusal of the British
authorities to part with the relics of
the Quaker statesman. The proposal
was quite cordially entertained. l ex-
pect that some day the Keystone State
will gratefully remember the obligation
she is under to a wandering Methodist
preacher fer one of her most beautiful
specimens of household goods.
We wandered through this immense
establishment, marked its lofty walls
of cbiseled granite, the complete ar
rangement of its several departments,
the skill and accuracy with which every
detail of this vast business was carried
on, and learned the power and value Of
intelligent organization as we never
before perceived it. We looked into
the faces of the men in charge of the
various sections of the establishment
and read in their countenances re-
pose of character, an expression of
sobriety and intelligence which plainly
showed that they brought more to their
business than mere mechanical skill
that they knew how to serve God as
we'll as the corporations by which they
were employed. The operatives gener-
ally looked healthy and contented, and
appeared to enjoy their work.
Around this great establishment lies
the beautiful village of Bessbrook, in
habited mainly by the workers in the
mills; its streets we'll laid out, wide
and clean; fountains of the purest
water gushing up in every square and at
almost every corner; tasteful cottages
built with brick and stone, of varied
form and color; hardly house without
its patch of greensward and flower gar.
den; every house occupied, and new
blocks in course of erection, more elab.
orat5 and ornate than any of the earlier
structures. We saw fine large churches
of the various leading denominations
Friends, Epis copalians, Presbyterians,
Methodists and Roman Catholics; ele.
giant school buildings, ard throngs oi
children romping around them; a nice
library building and free reading room,
a we'll arranged dispensary and savings
bank.
We are informed that the dispensary
was supported by light tax on the
earnings of every employe, and this tax
not only secured medicine and medical
attendance, but also half pay for every
invalid belonging to the firm so long as
he was unable to work. The savings
bank was well supported, some opera,
tives being depositors to the amount OF
from 81, 800 to $4,000 We saw one oil
the largest dairies in the land. where
milk and butter of the best quality are
furnished to the villagers just at the
cost of production. Some things found
in profuse abundance in almost every
Other loeqlikv ara uffarlv 1ackipo IN
Bessbrook-no idlers, no loafers, no
policemen while the country at large is
held at the point of the bayonet), no
drunkards. All these are lacking be.
cause there are no rum shops.
No rumseller or rumdrinker can find
any place in Bessbrook; they are kept
ont of it as strictly as a wolf is kept
from a sheepfold. And in this single
fact we have the most obvious cause OF
its marvellous prosperity. Mr.. Richard.