Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-06-03
An Editor Out of Doors.

pIISIHS NlIldSo III ouO hClS hoOilh :
county of Essex in prosperous con-
dition. 1t was in 1858 that the Grand
Trunk railroad, which was pushing
forward its work in reaching Portland
from Montreal, or Montreal from
Portland, first broke ground at the
'sPond.' The site where the village
now stands was a wilderness, and
there were only a few farms scattered
about the eastern part of the town of
Brighton The railroad authorities
decided to make this the ''half way
place." as it was by actual measure,
between the two great terminals
above mentioned. Large depots,
railroad buildings and siding facili-
ties were provided, big hotel was
projected, and a new and thriving
village was started. The almost un-
limited and unbroken forests in all
directions invited the lumberman to
erect his mills, and the largest mill
in this section was erected at the
Pond with all the facilities for doing,
as it did do, an immense business.
| The Grand Trunk was a thoroughly
built and equipped road, and was
really the grand tqu1abc line at that
time. From the time of it's compile
ton till the present it has been a very
important road. Buildings sprang up
rapidly, mills were built in different
directions, the lands were cleared up
to considerable extent and thriving
and active town soon stood beside the
beautiful pond, or, more properly,
lake, known as Island Pond. The
Stewart House was soon erected, then
and now, one of the best country ho-
tells, and this made the resting place
of large numbers who stopped over
night from the trains, and the dining
place Of those who were travelling by
this popular through route. On the
terrace or high lands, in the north of
the village, large number of costly
and pleasant dwellings and some bus
mess places have been erected, while
the plain south and west of the de-
pots has been pretty well covered
with streets, business blocks and res
licences. Streets have stretched away
in other directions, and the village
has become the largest and most i'm
portant in the county. There are
four churches: Methodist, Congrega-
tionalist, Episcopal and Catholic.
There are two hotels, large number
of stores, a large lumber mill and
other manufacturing establishments.
The ESseD County Herald is published
here with good Job office in connee-
s.z-zs.zs>v.d BRO. Bishop OF the Hefdtd
is keeping abreast the times in the
character of his journal. Some new
dwellings are going up, and the work
of repairs and improvement is going
on. A very large block $50 by 80
on the ground), three stories high, is
being built for business purposes.
This will be finished, on the ground
floor, into three good stores and will
contain large public hall. The
second story will be finished into
offices, and the upper story will con-
tain Masonic and Odd Fellows hall.
This is an important customs port
and the services of four OF more men
are had in looking after this entire
pot. We witnessed the services of
the O.. A. r. Post, Memorial Day.
There was large gathering, in which
the Post, the band, choir and large
number of people from the town and
vicinity were present. The Post is
quite large and is composed of very
worthy body of men. 1t is well Off
cered, was out in uniforms-or in
blue, with uniform hats, badges, etc.
A strong relief corps has been form
ed and both organizations are in good
working order. The village band,
chiefly composed of young musicians,
played very finely and headed the
procession, which marched to the
cemetery where the exercises were
held. A choir in which are some
first-class singers sang pieces suited
to the occasion. The procession re-
turned TO the vestry of the M. E.
church, where good dinner had been
provided by the Corps. We visited
our friend E. A. Bemis, who is doing
a good stroke of farming on the
meadows in the west part of the
town. Mr.. Bemis has herd of full
blood Jersey cows which are proba-
bly, the best in that whole section.
We note great Improvement in the
farms and the farm buildings on the
upper Clyde; the meadow is being
cleared up and widened out; the
fields are smoothed up, and large
barns have been built on many farms.
We took the overland route home by
way of the new road which has been
built from Mill Brook, Westmore, to
Lang's mills in Charleston. This is
shorter but in some places a very
lofty route. There is considerable
clearing up of new farms and build
ing of new farm buildings in this part
of Westmore. Much of the land is
good, and though, till of late, almost
wilderness, it will soon be an i'm
portant farming section. Whoever
travels in any direction is this county
will note Improvements in farm build
ings, in the condition of the tillage
lands, and, we believe, in the amount
of crops grown. Certainly we are