The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-09-19
VERMONT TO THE FRONT.
LOOKING THE SITUATION CANDIDLY
IN THE FACE.

BiOner of Industrial lnterests.-COrdlh
Answers to Leading Quesitions.-The
Press Potent Factor for Good.-Inter
esting Particulars.
The BANNER has for several months
published article after article from the
press of the state and from editorial
pens outside our commonwealth, giving
many phases of opinion upon the sug,,
Restion of coloniziDg our Abandoned
farms" with Swedes. Some of these
opinions have contained more or less OF
argument for or against the proposal.
Meantime the Industrial Bureau has,
moved quietly on projecting its plans
and gathering invaluable: information,
In common with several others we have
been quite anxious to print all the i'm
portatt information possible that has
accumulated with the Commissioner,
and to this end an interview has been
sought and obtained, the summary OF
which will be found below. Those
familiar with our columns will readily
formulate the questions which called
out these facts, and we give them in a
connected form to save space. The
meters discussed are Of vital interest to
all those who take an interest in the de-
velopment OF Vermont's resources, and
we are sure that the apologetic first two
paragraphs, while they explain, from
the Commissioner standpoint, rea-
son for frank speaking, are not essential
to introduce the subject-matter of the
interview. The Commissioner said, sub
stantIally:
Being among those who believe it to
be best, in matters relating to the gener-
al welfare, to take the public into ones
confidence, and freely make known such
facts as are clearly of public interest,
am glad to give to the press any aud all
information pertaining to the labors of
the Commissioner OF Industrial interests
in Vermont.
To be sure, the final report will not
possess the fresh, newsy features which
might characterize it, we're the bureau
conducted on another, and not unusual
plan but experience has thus far shown
that the course pursued is the best.
The discussion caused by the letter to
our Listers, relating to the possible col
onization of good class of immigrants
on our unoccupied lands, has called at
tentioD, in many quarters, to the cheap
and good farms, with dwellings ready
for occupancy, which are scattered over
our State. The bureau is flooded with
letters from within and from with
out the state, asking fo- information
concerning them, with view ofacquir-
ing homes among our hills and valleys,
near church and school. 1t has been
found necessary to issue circular, CIV
ing location OF such lands. and the names
of parties to whom to write for further
information. This circular, however,
gives but a limited idea Of the extent
and availability of our abandoned farms.
The word abandoned" is used advised
ly, for, when farms once successfully
cultivated by sturdy yeomen occupying
comfortable dwellings, are now given up
to weeds and incroaching forests, with
the houses and barns standing empty,
windows broken and roofiess perhaps,
# there is any word other than "aband
oned" which will give an idea of the des
olation existing, the Commissioner
does not know what that word is. The
Legislature did wisely in using the
dreaded word, in the act creating the
Bureau.
Those Directing to the word "abar-
doned," should have stood with the CON-
missioner and four others last week, on
an elevation in the northeast corner Of
Bennington County, and looked oyer in
to the town of Mt. Tabor in Rutland
County, and Weston in Windsor County.
Fifteen unoccupied houses on as many
uncultivated farms, still showing signs
of former fertility, were in view, with
more than as many barns and outhouses,
These farms were all contiguous, and as
many others were hld from sight by
maple groves, and 10 the valley Of a.
branch of the West River. A tract of
more than four square miles was here
spread out, fenced, and with dwelling
houses and barns, without single in
habitant,
Windsor and Windham counties, near.
ly to the Connecticut River, lies farm
after farm, unoccupied and abandoned.
In Peru and Landgrove, to the west and
south, the same conditIcn prevails,
1t cannot now be said how many farm
there are in Vermont, with empty build
ings, but 1t is safe to say that they will
number thousands, and there are other
thousands with buildings gone, and Gel
lar holes marking their sites.
The cause of this is not now under
discussion; we are simply stating facts.
Our State has natural advantages in
its marble, granite, and slate quarrles,
forests, water power, and manufactures,
in ite rich soil and sweet pastures, ready,
as in the past, to produce abundance Of
grain and vegetables, the best of butter,
and the fieetest of horses, The reverse
side is not confined to Vermont, but is
shared by her sister states OF the east,
and should not discourage us in our ex-
pectaiion of bright future, for we be-
kaf haH ar nj r.
cupied, and her old prestige as an agri-
cultural state, is to be restored.
Whether this is in the near or remote
future, depends upon our citizens. 1t
is believed by the observing that Ver-
mont's days of rapid development are
near at hand, but TO ignore the fact OF
farms abandoned, is but TO delay the
day of their repopulatioD.
II is a matter of surprise that citizens
of supposed intelligence should, in the
face of facts lately published, deny that
there are abandoned farms in Vermont
A mistake is made in thus doubling the
intelligence Of our people. If such gen.
tlemen do not know Of the facts, mod
esty should dictate reserve in making
positive assertions, even at the risk OF
losing passing cheer.
Within seven miles of the hourishing
village of Brattleboro, commences an
area of abandoned" farms, and the
view from the elevation looking into Mt.
Tabor, can be duplicated many times in
WIndham County. Marlboro, Halifax,
Newfane, Guilford, Wardsboro, Town
shend Jamaica, land indeed, almost every
town IN Windham County, reports nu'
merous abandoned" farms, and lands
unoccupied, productive lands too, which
can be bought from three to five dollars
per acre. 1t is safe to say that these
farms and lands represented more than
10000 acres in Windham County alone,
and when we consider that other cOun-
ties report equal and greater amounts
the aggregation is simply astonishing
1t is frankly admitted that there was nc
conception of the state Of things which
investigation has disclosed. There il
believed to he q remedy, and the sooner
the facts are looked candidly in the face
the eooDer the remedy will be found.
F,om the first, the aid OF the presi
was expected, and it has been generous
Iy given. The press OF this, and Other
states, has treated the subject with greaI
candor. and in a manner to advance th'
interests of our Eastern states. Crit
cisma have been valuable, and common
dations gratifying, The first we invit'
and the last we are thankful for, moi
personally, but as representing bureau
which we hope will be the means OF &C
complishing much cool IN our State,
In this connection, | would add, tina
the opinion OF any writer should hav.
little weight, who sees political plot,
"a deep laid scheme" "the foot print
of the boss," in the suggestion OF tn
possibility If increasing the tillers OF tn