The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-08-27
More About Chelsea.

Mr.. Editor.-We sincerely hope the vener-
able E. H. Kibourne, who shook out his sails
so deliberately on Chelsea a short time since,
will find better place to die in than that
sleepy, rotten old town" From his represen-
tation a stranger would think that the town
had just gone into state Of decay, both NOR
ally and physically. There is nothing bad about
the place being century old. Chelsea does
not pretend TO blow and puff like manufac-
turing place, where the whirr Of the machinery
Is heard from morn till night; it is just clean,
neat, coy farmers village, where the people
from the cities are coming more and more every
season, and as strangers come to the place they
are almost invariably heard to remark "What
pretty village you have herel" Mr.. Kill
bourne represents the place as degenerating
into absolute nothiDgness. Now when the
present Is superior to the past, surely there Is
not downward tendency. While in the future
it may sink into oblivion and be covered with
miles Of cinders, like Pompeii of old, that time
is not yet What is it that gives Mr.. Kilbourne
the impression we are sinking, wasting,
dying? 1t cannot be our dwellings, for
though there are not many of modern archi-
lecture, they are most of them In good repair,
and look as fresh as OF yore. Is 1t our churches
that help to draw the veil over the vision? 1t
cannot be- for they will compare favorably with
any In the state. Is 1t our school-house?-that
changed last year from the old shell of the past
twenty years to large commodious building
finished in every respect. 1t cannot be our
cemetery, for, beautifully situated on the hill
side above the village, he will find Highland
cemetery Hastily arranged, enlarged, and
gateway equal to those in places which
boast OF booming. The situation Is pro-
nounced by visitors one of the pleasantest
seen. Was 1t In our fire Department. Possibly
there was q fire extinguisher in those flourish
ing days Of the town, but we do not remember
any such until last season, when fire district
was laid out, and a fine hook and ladder equip
ment purchased. Is 1t our highways, bridges
or walks? These are all in usual repair, and
road machine was purchased this spring, at a
cost of S250-one OF the first in this Vicinity
Can II be our stores, when they are better fur
nshed and keep twice the stock of goods they
did forty years ago, in those grand old staging
times when the best man In town WAS he who
when he was full OF old bourbon, and not tip
over? Is 1t our transportation? All, 1t may be
this. We regret the railroad does not thread
our town, but our line of coaches Is excellent,
as good as any In the state We have daily
mails from the north, south and west; connec-
ton by telegraph from the south and by tele-
phone east and west; 30 we are not quite Sc
cluded-not as much 30 as in the past,
but more 80 than we hope to be In the future.
Yet Mr.. Kilbourne seems to think We are struck
with dry rot and from his version a stranger
would almost think one could NOW shrubbery
in the middle Of our streets and peel moss
years old from our principa buildings. II this
is so, do you think repairs and improvements
would go on from season to season. Now IL
seems TO us II we had such neat, coy little
place as this, to drop down in among friends