Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-07-26
Vermont Editors and Publishers As
ISOLATION.

Vermont Editors and Publishers As
ISOLATION.
The annual meeting Of this association
was held at Burlington last week, and an
excursion and good social time enjoyed as
arranged by the executive committee.
The business meeting was held in the
ladies parlor Of the American House on
Wednesday evening, but through some
misunderstanding in the executive COM
mittee no address or poem was provided
as has usually been the case. Sixteen new
members were added to the association,
and the following list of officers were elect
ed for the ensuing year: President, A. N.
Swain; vice presidents, G. G. Benedict,
l.. o. Greene, G. NJ. Chase; recording
secretary, D. Webster Dixon; correspond
ing secretary, D. NJ. Camp; treasurer. c
NJ. Stone; executive committee, G, G.
Benedict, A. II. futile, W. D. McMasters.
Mr.. Benedict, Mr.. Greene and Mr.. Davis
we're made a committee on revising the
roll, and their report which recommended
the dropping several names of those who
had died or left the state or the profession,
was adopted. Various matters which in
terested the craft were discussed.
A vote of thanks to the various rail
roads, the Champlain transportation COM
pany, the proprietors of the Van Ness and
American hotels in Burlington and the
Lake View House at Ausable, w. II. Lane
and Son, and VIM. Harper, omnibus and
stage proprietor, for courtesies rendered,
and the Sherman military band for fine
concert and serenade was passed, which
concluded the business work Of the associ-
alton.
The excursion which the executive com.
mittee had arranged for this year was to
and through the noted Ausable Chasm.
This wonderful natural curiosity was
reached from Burlington by the steamer
Williams (which the agent, o. w. Barney,
courteously placed at the disposal of the
party to Port Kent, from whence we were
conveyed by half dozen four.horse
coaches to the Lake View House, about
four miles distant, which ovcrlooks tho
chasm.
Directly on our arrival, the party which
embraced about thirty gentlemen, mem
bers of the association, with their ladies'
more than sixty in all-left the hotel, and
by the steep and numerous flights Of stairs
descended into the chssm, This wonder
full and beautiful freak Of nature-a chasm
through the stratifed rock which rises in
perpendicular, receding or over-hanging
walls on either side, from $50 to 200 feet.
Through this gorge runs the Ausabe river,
now in placid pools nearly or quite hum
bred feet in breadth, and again rushing
through rocky gate not more than a
dozen feet in width. The water has worn
tho stratified rock into curious and fantas.
tic shapes. which often requires a pretty
vivid imagination to discover a remark
able likeness to the objects for which they
are named, and along the chasm, some
times on the bed rock beside the water.
and sometimes along narrow shelves Of
rock or scaffolds high up the sides of the
rocky walls we wound along, crossing the
stream several times by bridges thrown
across at various heights above the water,
till we had traversed perhaps nearly or
quite mile. Here we came to the spot
where boats were taken for the remainder
of the journey. These were strong, wide
boats to hold dozen or fifteen persons,
manned by two boatmen with paddles
who guided them safely through The
calmer waters, and the first rapids which
were not very strong or turbulent. After
passing these we stopped in a beautiful
pool, under the shadow of rocky wall
till the experienced guide came back to
take us down the "big rapids" and the re-
mainder Of the journey. On approaching
these last rapids the sensation WAS a novel
one; it was stream with down grade
the water was comparatively smooth but
very rapid, and looked like a chance to
slide down hill. We observed there was
no laughter and not any conversation tc
speak of while shooting these rapids
Soon after we reached the lower end the
chasm where, after sharp scramble ~
the bank, we took carriages for the hotel
where we did justice to a substantial din
ner, which some of the later comels hat
scarcely time to do before the coachc
were at the door for return to the steam
er for Burlington, where we arrived abou
o'clock-a pretty tired, but well satisie
crowd.
From here the various members of tn
party went their ways, some leaving b.
the evening trains for their homes, som
staying over night to visit, and other
from the eastern part of the state extend
ing their excursion up the lake in tn
morning to Maquam bay, and home By til
p. & o. the same evening, Altogether
very pleasant meeting aud AN enioynb
trip.
Our readers will remember that we In,
hardly been able to see the oppression At
especial hardship, which some have :
persistently claimed that the farmers hay
been and arc being made the victims q
We think the farmers of the present d;
know very little OF the hardshps to Whit
the farmers of fifty years ago were su
looted.
Turnip seed of the white, fiat yaric
sown from July 20 to August 1, will ma