Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-11-13
ONE WAY TO BOOM VERMONT.
THE VERMONT PLAN.

used her abandoned farms, and endeav-
ored TO secure desirable immigrants to
occupy them.
An attempt has been made to collect
statistics regarding her manufacturing
and mining interests, developed and
undeveloped. This failed through the
failure of the parties to whom blanks
were sent to fill out and return.
Our abandoned farms have been adj
vertised, by means of the newspapers.
throughout the United States free of
cost to the State, through the efforts of
the Commissioner. This advertising
would have cost the State, had il been
done in the usual way, more than $780,
900, and it cannot fail TO do Vermont
great good in the end.
The facts brought out were not flat
tering TO our State and it is not sur
prising that some emphatic objections
were made to advertising the fact that
we had so many vacant farms.
But does it remove the evil to ignore
facts Ii man is sick he must take
measures to secure relief, or, if the dis
ease is serious, he win die; Just so
with the State.
"Misery likes company" is an old
proyerb, and the advertising of Yer
mont's abandoned farms, and the dis
cussion arising therefrom has disclosed
the fact that all the Eastern and Mid
die States have abandoned farms. Some
are worse off, even, than Vermont.
As result of the Commission some
6S Swedes have been induced to come
and settle on vacant farms in Whining
ton. Dover, Weston and other towns.
A widespread interest has been a
wakened and attention called TO the ag-
ricultural resources Of the State. The
work of Com Valentine has cost the
State about $4,000 per year. including
salaries, expenses for printing, etc.
The methods he has employed are so
well understood that we need only to
refer to them in this connection.
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PLAN.
One year later the New Hampshire
Legislature passed law almost identi-
cal with the Act Of 1888, Aug. 1889, |
n. J. Batchelder, a practical business
man, was appointed Com. Of Agricul-
tue and Immigration by Gov Good /
ell, and at once began his work.
lie prepared and sent ont Aug. p, |
1889, brief, explicit circular letter
addressed TO the several selectmen Of |
that State, ASKING:
l.. For their cooperation and assist
ance in re-populating the abandoned |
farms of New Hampshire.
?. For the name and address of the
owner of each abandoned farm on
which were buildings that could be
made at small cost to afford COM
.ortable home.
3. For the estimated acreage of all
abandoned farms in their respective
owns.
4. For the name and address of each
occupied farm for sale.
>. For the name and address Of the
,wner of each hotel or farm house that
would take summer boarders.
Although this law like our law, did
lot require the selectmcn to make in
.estigation and answer these questions.
eplies were received from PIP towns,
# which 5S reported no abandoned
arms and l54 reported a total of 1912
.bandoned farms, much larger num-
'er than reported in Vermont.
The number of occupied farms for ;
ale was very small. Blanks were inn I
nediately sent to the address of the ]
wner OF each farm, also to the owner
f each occupied farm for sale.
These blanks asked the following |
uestions u
Location IL own of! c
Acres in woodland!
Acres in pasturage?
Acres in uiiage or meadow?
Total acreage:
Size of house i
Size of Ell? +
Number of rooms.
Size of barn!
Is there cellar under barn! ?
What other buildings!
How is farm fenced.
What is water supply! a
What number of grated fruit trees ? :.
Name and distance to nearest rail-
'ad station?
Name and distance TO nearest II. @. h
Why abandoned: Il
Price of farm.
What amount cash required and
hat terms and interest on balance. =
The owner made statement that the d
lswers to above questions were true o.
the best of his knowledge, and agreed
sell said farm at said price and on :,
id terms if taken within one year and