The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-09-19
THOSE ABANDONED FARMS.

-LleutenuHI u. DuTh CHuHut6T' W. rum
Leslie.
THOSE ABANDONED FARMS.
rive give below, a circular from the
Industrial Bureau, which not only tells
the story of the abandoned lands of our
State but has been called out by the
flood of letters poured in upon the Com
missioner. 1t will be read with great
interest, and answers many questions.
ED.
1t is deemed best to issue from this
office this statement, in answer to the
many letters of inquiry relative to the
unoccupied lands of Vermont.
The letter to the Town Listers, under
date of Aug. 9Th, relating to this subject,
seemed to excite much interest through
this and neighboring States, and the
Commissioner sees no better way to
answer the numerous inquiries for in
formation, than to quote some OF the
communications received from town
listers, and other prominent men, who
have made the subject q study, and
whose opinions ought to have much
weight.
A letter from the town of Reading,
Windsor County, says: II can safely
say that four thousand acres can be pur-
chased in this town alone, adjoining,
and of this amount about one-halt are
in farms of from seventy to two hun
bred acres, and several with buildings,
many ofthem occupied, which could be
bought for from SO to 81 per acre. The
remaining one-half are lands which
formerly comprised good farms, but
with buildings now gone, and fast grow
ing 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 civilization. Such
lands can be purchased from one dollar
to two dollars per acre" For further
information write to E. w. Goddard
lister, South Reading, Vermont.
From Chelsea, the county seat Of
Orange County, gentleman writes: 81
know of some farms that can be bought
at from 50 to So per acre, and rumol
tells me of one farm of 200 acres which
can be bought for 800, with fair build.
ings and good soil'-'grass lodged l.
as administrator, have just sold one
farm of 80 acres, good land and passa'
BILE buildings, for $3.50; another farm o.
300 acres-good soil and good building;
for SllOO, because there were no buy
ers to pay more" Other information
will be given Ono doubt by addressing
E. N. Bacon. Chelsea.
From Vershire, in the same county
comes the following information: 90
will say that in the south part of oul
town, and in the towns of Stratford anC
Chelsea, there are.from IS to 40 farms
contlguoussor nearly so, abandoned anC
unoccupied, Many Of these farms have
fair set of buildings on them, ant
others could be made comfortable with
small outley. As to the price OF these
lands or farms, think, without doubt
they could be bought of the different
owners for sum not to exceed So (1Yt
dollars per acre in any case, and at con
siderably less for most of the land. W.
have many other abandoned farms, II
different parts of our town, with gooC
buildings on them, that could be bought
for SIS or less per acre. All of this lane
was once occupied by thrifty and pros
porous farmers. The cause of this state
of things is simply this: OF the people
who once occupied these farms, some
have died, others have gone west and tc
the cities, and NONE came to fill theil
places.n The reader is referred to E
b. Fuller, Town Clerk, Vershire, fol
further particulars.
A gentleman in Jamaica, Windham
County, has compiled list and descrip.
ton of farms in that town, from which
is taken the following examples: "Q..
A O. . cni,. hr1il1innu
sugar orchard, plenty of wood and tim
Der, has been one of the best in town
listed at $50. Co. A farm of 1876 acres
good buildings, sugar orchard, fruit
orchards, in good state of cultivation
listed at 800. 81 Another of 80 acres
with good buildings, vacant only one
year. Timber enough on this farm tc
pay for it. a. % acres listed 1925
with good buildings, vacant one year
o. 81 acres, good buildings, sugar ant
fruit Orchards, listed at $700-a Igoot
farm. co. 80 acres, listed at S765. Thi:
is a good farm in high state ofcultiva
tion-must be sold. a. 1855 acres-thC
finest location in town-has got to be
sold" For further particulars write tC
+. L. Sprague, Jamaica.
A gentleman in Essex County writes
"In the town of Norton are 10000 acres
of good farming land, and once stand
ing on a considerable portion wa:
spruce and hard wood timber, now
taken off. This land is selling for 81
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 Norton
Mills, will give further information.
The EsSeU County Herald of Island
Pond, says: "There are in this county
three unorganized townships and three
large cores of land, in which there are
probably all told, not more than fifteen
or twenty families. They are: