Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-21
Wood stock.

According to notice given last week,
we organized the family, packed the
supplies" gave general orders to the
"home guards" and started for five
days trip to the Thousand Islands,
with our brethren of the press, their
"sisters, and their cousins, and their
aunts." We had a very pleasant
ride over the Woodstock and the Cen
tral Vermont railroads, which nobody
should miss at this season of the year.
Arriving at St. Adams all safe, with
the small boy on the "lead," We took
quarters for the night at the "Wel-
don," the biggest and best house in
the place, where we commenced the
task of getting the dust and dirt of
four counties with several small towns
thrown lin, off lis. 1t was difficult
Job, and seemed as if it was driven in
with sand-blast. Our better half was
very particular, but we told her it would
all come oft with time, like the measles.
After taking a Whit or two from a
7. d., brought along for the occasion,
on the veranda of our room-editors
can't afford 25 cent cigars and keep
the family larder all right-we saun-
tered down into the office where we
were greeted by several of our brethren
of the press from the different parts of
the State. and also, by Uncle Asa
Barron of White Mountain fame
St. Adams is quite burg, has many
fine public and private buildings, but
she needs "Village Improvement
Society" very much. The party was
treated to music, ETC., during the even
ing. Wednesday morning the party,
numbering about seventy, struck for
the depot, Icy the way one of the finest
in the State, to take the Ogdensburg &
Lake Champlain r. r., through
Rouse's Point, Malone, and towns of
lesser note, to the city of Ogdensburg
on the St. Lawrence river, $50 miles
distant. Two special cars, trimmed
with ever greens and labeled eyer
mont Press Association" were fur
nished by the management of the
Central Vermont, for this trip. This
road is now run by the Central. AT
Ogdensburg the party pat up at the
"Seymour House, fine house, and we
take it to be Democratic house from
the name. This is a city of 10000
inhabitants. 1t is beautifully laid out,
well planted with maple trees and is
called the "Maple City," 1t has a
L. S. Custom House and Post Office,
a new Opera-House and City Hall,
the finest we ever saw, costing $780,
900, six fine churches, two daily pa
pers, &C., &c. Here the party en-
barked on the steamer Lotus" for
Alexandria Bay, about 40 miles distant.
This was a delightfulvoyage with sails,
islands and cities in view all the time.
After four hours ride we landed at
the "Thousand Island House," in the
Bay, which will compare favorably in
size and style with any house in the
White Mountain regions, and is kept
by Mr.. r. H. Southgate, who under
stands his business, and made our stay
of nearly two days, very agreeable
There is quite village, on the main
land, in the town of Alexandria, n. Y.
bookkeeping, boating, fishing and
hunting, and pleasure-seeking are the
principal industries some farming. -
The Island and the "Crossman
are the two largest house here. The
"Islaud' house was FIRST opened for
travel July 18th, 1878. Gen. Grant
spent the season of 1872 here. This
is a delightful summer resort-in fact
the Venice of America-and is be-
coming more popular and more ex-
tensively patronized the more it is
known. In the hottest season the
thermometer Is never over 80 here,
and fish and game abound. Thursday
afternoon the party went on board the
steam yacht "Island Wanderer for a
pleasure trip among the islands. The
first thing that ATTRACTED our attention
was fat man addressing the party,
and we got nearer to him so we could
hear and see. He looked as if he had lust
escaped from a side show to circus, and
we should think he would not weigh less
than 800 pounds His name is T.. f.
Babbage, but better known as the
"Phat Boy" We took him for the
Captain of the boat at first, until we
heard him say that he was instructed
by the Central Vt. II. r. folks to char.
tel the boat and pilot the party on this
occasion. Well, Fatty did it up brown,
and what he don't know about the St.
Lawrence river, is of little or no &C.
count. 1t is said there are 1000 is.
lands here; there must be some mis-.
take; we are inclined to think there
ore double that number. They vary