Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-03-19
Wide Awake Chelsea.

A few days more than month ago there
appeared in these columns an article in re-
| gard to the natural advantages OF Chelsea
as place for manufacturing purposes, and
| also the fact of there being an abundance
of plumbago and granite awaiting devel-
opment. OF course some wiseacres shook
their heads and said nothing of conse-
quence would be accomplished, but never
| theless, in spite of all obstacles in the way,
and the shortness of time that has elapsed,
great deal has been done by the Citizens
| Industrial Committee to make brighter
business outlook for the town. A mill
| privilege has been secured, and a stock
company organized with cash capital of
| S20,000 with the whole amount already sub
| scribed. gentleman who now manages
large boot and shoe factory in Mass, has
been engaged to take charge OF the shoe
factory in Chelsea as soon as the building
is completed and machinery in place.
Just south OF Chelsea is large deposit of
granite, some believing it to be as great if
not greater than that at Barre. A large
portion of the property in which this gran
| tie deposit is located has changed hands
during the past four weeks, and the out
look is that during the coming summer
several quarries will be opened. One firm
has already said that several thousand dol
lars will be expended in opening up their
property in the near future. The enthu-
siasm developed in starting theshoe facto-
nv has been so general that other business
projects are talked of as probable, though
the discussion has not reached that point
where anything definite can be stated in
regard to them at present. The citizens at
large are congratulating each other at the
promise of an increase of population with
its consequent business activity, and bet
ter home market A citizens meeting has
been called for o'clock Saturday after
noon, Mar. 21st, at which time report OF
the Citizens Committee will be made, and
the preliminary organization OF the Shoe
Co. will be completed. The duties OF the
present members of the Citizens Commit
tee will cease with their report at this
meeting, but If thought best at that time
the permanent organization OF a Citizens
Industrial Committee will be perfected.
rive have here, as well as in the case Of
South Royalton, an illustration of what a
little business energy and organization
will accomplish. The people of Chelsea
are showing us that the way to do thing
is to take right hold and do it. We have
been told, over and over again, that manu-
features tend to large towns and cities, but
Massachusetts,, Conn, Rhode Island and
the southern portions OF New Hampshire
and sections OF New York, as well as some
other sections of the country are dotted
with manufacturing villages. We may
not reasonably expect to see towns like
Pullman, or some Others, grow up here with
millions in the plant, but there is scarcely
a village in the State that might not have
some kind of manufacturing establish
ment that would bring good class of peo-
pie and offer a market for home products.
Another thing, it seems to us that every
community in this state should be favored
with a creamery or a cheese factory. Most
farmers seeking new homes are influenced
in their purchase By the proximity of such
an institution. Chelsea might take this
into consideration. Chelsea took hold in
the right way by advertising its resourcrs.
Let other towns take hold in the same way
and good results cannot fail to follow
Ed