Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-09-26
THE ABANDONED FARMS. "

1t is deemed best 10 issue from this
Office this statement, in answer to the
many letters of inquiry relative to the
unoccupied lands in Vermont.
The letter to the town listers under
date of Aug. 9TH, relating to this sub
ject seemed to excite much interest
through this and neighboring states,
and the commissioner sees no better
way to answer the numerous inquiries
for information, than TO quote some of
the communications received from the
town listers and other prominent men
who have made the subject a study
and whose opinions ought to have
much weight. A letter from the town
of Reading, Windsor Co., says: Il
can safely say that 1000 acres can be
purchased in this town alone, adjoin-
ing, and of this amount about one
half is in farms Of from 10 to 200
acres and several with buildings,
many of them occupied, which could
be bought from S3 to - per acre.
The remaining one-half are lands
which formerly comprised good farms,
but with buildings now gone and fast
growing up to timber. Some of this
land is used for pasturage and on
other portions the fences are not kept
up, leaving old cellar holes and miles
of stone walls to testify to former civ
ilization. Such lands can be pur-
chased from 81 to S2 per acre" For
further information write to Il. w.
Goddard. lister, South Reading, VT
From Chelsea, the county seat OF
Orange county, a gentleman writes;
Il know Of some farms that can be
bought at from 50 TO S5 per acre and
rumor tells me of one farm of 200
acres which can be bought for SlO0,
with fair buildings and good soil,
grass lodged l, as administrator,
have just sold one farm of so acres,
good land and passable buildings, for
$3.50; another farm of 800 acres good
soil and good buildings for SllO0,
because there were no buyers to pay
more" Other information will be
given (no doubt by addressing Z. n.
Bacon. Chelsea.
From Vershire in the same county,
comes the following information. Il
will say that in the south part OF our
town. and in the towns of STAFFORD
and Chelsea, there are from 30 to 40
farms contiguous, or nearly so. aban-
doned and unoccupied. Many of these
farms have a fair SET Of buildings on
them and others could be made COM
Portable with small outlay As to
the price of these lands or farms, l
think without doubt they could be
bought Of the different owners for a
sum not to exceed S5 per acre in any
case. and at considerably less formost
of the land. We have many other
abandoned farms in different parts of
our town, with good buildings on
them that could be bought for S5 or
less per acre. All of this land was
once occupied by thrifty and prosper
ous farmers The cause of this state
of things is simply this: OF the peo-
pie who once occupied these farms
some have died others have gone
West and to the cities and none came
to fill their places The reader is
referred to Il. B. Fuller, town clerk,
Vershire for further particulars.
A gentleman in Jamaica, Wndham
county. has compiled a list and de
scription of farms in that town from
which is taken the following exam
pies: "q.) A farm of 200 acres, fair
buildings. good sugar orchard. plenty
of wood and timber, has been one Of
the best in town, listed at $50 (2)
A farm of 1876 acres, good buildings,
sugar orchard. fruit orchards, IN a
GOOD state of ofcultivation. listed at 500,
t3) Another of so acres with good
buildings. vacant only one year, TIM
Der enough on this farm to pay for 1t.
IA Twenty-Five acres, listed az S225,
with good buildings, vacant one year.
.(5.) Ninety-seven acres. good bulld-
inrs. sugar and fruit orchards, listed
at S7OOoa good farm. l6) Ninety
acres. listed at S765, this is good
farm in a high state of cultivation
must be sold. (7) One hundred and
fifty-fve acres the finest location IN
tOwn-haS got 10 De sOlu. roi Ah
ther particulars write to FL. Sprague
que of Jamaica.
A gentleman in Essex county writes
In the town of Norton are 20,OOO
acres of good farming land, and once
standing on considerable portion
were spruce and hard wood timber,n now
taken of. This land is selling for 50
per acre. The soil is blue clay-not
sandy-some parts are stony, but the
stones are small and easily removed.
/ have heard different men say that
there is no better land for farming In
the state" Magnus E. Nelson OF Nor
ton Mills, will give further informa-
ton. ;,
The Essex County Herald OF Island
Pond. saws: There are In this coun-
~ three unorganized townships and
three large cores of land, in which
there are probably, all told, not more
than Is or 20 families. They are:
Averill. containing 01l6 acres
7 - 27254