The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-01-28
Letter from Hartland,
HARTLAND, VT, January, 1885.


Mr. EditOr:-I sit down to write you, ac-
cording to promise. Hartland is a farming
town, with very little manufacturing indus
try. BY the first state census-that of 1871
it contained population OF over sixteen
hundred, heading the list of towns in Wind
sor county, as Woodstock Windsor, Spring
field, Hartford, and all other towns in this
county had then less number of inhabi-
tants. And here permit me to state that by
the census of l79l-the first taken after Yer
mont became a member of the Union-Guil-
ford contained the largest population in the
state, Bennington standing second and
SALISBURY third. Guilford has experienced
a regular diminution Of its population at
every decade since, while Bennington has
largely gained, and SALISBURY, like Hart
land has barely held its own. Hartland
has now just about the number OF inhabi-
tants it had ninety years ago, although 1t
has risen at times to nearly or quite two
thousand. This is one OF the best farming
towns in the eastern part OF the state, and Is
reported as having the least waste land OF
any town in Windsor county. 1t could once
boast of having one of the ablest, if not the
ablest, lawyer in the county or state. l re-
fer to Isaac n. Cushman, who was giant
among giants-for in his day they had giants
intellectually among the legal profession.
Where are they now? / asked of a retired
manufacturer of Hartland, now about ninety
years old, if he remembered Isaac n. Cush-
man? Eyes" he replied, "he was big
enough to be president of the United States"
The retired manufacturer referred to il Mr..
Sturtevant, father of WILDER r.. Sturtevant,
| the postmaster and thriving merchant
| here, and who is also town clerk During
| the few days have been spending here Wis.,
iting, the subject of railroads has come
under discussion. The Connecticut River
| corporation, whose headquarters and lead
! ing managers are in Springfield, Mass, has
of late years been seized with an ambition
| to control the entire Connecticut valley. 1t
| first gained possession of the Sullivan rail-
road between Bellows Falls and Windsor;
subsequently of the Vermont Valley road
between Brattleboro and Bellows Falls, and
within the past six months 1t has possessed
| itself of a controlling interest in the Pas
sumpsic railroad. il now has its eye on that
part Of the Central Vermont road between
Windsor and White River junction, while
still clinging to its long-cherished hope OF
| gaining possession of that link in the Con-
| necticut River line lying between Brattle-
| boro and South Vernon, now controlled by
the Central Vermont. 1t Is reported that,
failing to possess these important links in
the chain of its ambition, IL threatens TO
build a new road on the New HaInshire side
of the river. 1t has already made Il survey
| of the ground. But it Is reminded that the
Central Vermont has had before 1t a survey
OF the Vermont side OF the river between
Windsor and Bellows Falls, and Is ready To
meet IL on it's own method OF warfare, II war
il is determined to wage. The Massachu-
sets managers have doubtless already found
that they have big job on their hands in
their attempt to get ahead OF Governor John
Gregory Smith, whom Vanderbilt has re-
! Gently declared the ablest railway manager