The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-07-24

more particularly when at rest on the
,abbath. Two hundred and fifty Italians e
re employed on the work, separated I
nto three gangs and living in as many S
Ough and quickly constructed shanties.
Their do their work steadily and faith
ully il not intelligently during the week.
sunday is their day and it is given over
% all sorts of occupations and amuse- c
nents. The supply store situated just
lround the bend from the bridge is the {
,enter Of attraction ON that day. Bread,
and ginger ale are the products I
sold and they are carried away by John ]
md his brethren in quantities large and
small. A cotton handkerchief not at all
TOO clean is the usual substitute for a
basket and John stuffs his bread under
his arm and wraps his macaroni in his
as unconcernedly as IL
mother soil were less abundant in his
surroundings. Near the store
are several rude huts, some made OF
dried boughs. some of cast away boards
and otherwise useless sheet iron. An
old building that stands near by also fur
nishes q housing place for a score or so.
On this particular Sunday afternoon
when the writer made his observations
there were plenty of curious groups to
see. Seated before an old oil barrel was
the scribe of the party. He was not
more intelligent looking than his com
rades but he was reputed to be a splen-
did writer and he was turning an honest
penny by the use of his art. Near him,
on stone, sat an old man who was hav-
ing letter written presumably to friends
at home. In front of the building a
characteristic John was seated on log, |
viewing with evident interest the advent
of strangers in camp. Further up the
road was the shoemaker, mending boot
industriously while all around him were |
groups of men playing earnestly at a
curious game of cards. There were some
dark faces and they changed shade |
more ugly as the strangers paused to
look on. Inside the building was the
barber, plying his trade. 1t was not n
fashionably furnished barber shop but
the business seemed to be good. At the
bottom the Italians were not essentially
different from other men. Some were
curious, some were courteous so far as
their limited vocabulary would let them
be and some were ugly and sulky and re-
sented evidently the curiosity OF the
strangers. They were an interesting lot
to see with their foreign faces, their
bright black eyes, their ornaments and
earrings, and their strange sounding Ian
guage with its touch of ancient music.
No more prosperous village than Reads
boro can be found in all New England,
and, what is better, there is reason for
that prosperity, which insures its con-
tinuance and steady increase. Surround
ed OH every side by the most beautiful of
scenery, provided by the Deerfield River
with magnificent water power, with
growing industries and good railroad
facilities the town cannot fail to continue
for many years in the steady growth that
has changed it during the past six years
so that it resembles i'll no particular the
quiet little village of half dozen years
ago. With the advent of the Newton
Brothers, the building of the dam and
the erection of the Pulp mill a new era
was inaugurated for Readsboro. The
impetus was felt on every hand and new
industries began to spring up and with
every new industry came added pOpula
ton and added business opportunities.
Soon after the building of the Pulp mill,
the Metal Edge Box Company put up a
good sized mill and gave employment to
a largo number of workers. The com
pany has the largest paper machine in
the country and is doing prosperous
business. The Readsboro Chair Factory
is another of the enterprises that has
added to the growth of
this enterprising town. More than one
hundred hands are employed in'the fac
tory and a quantity of work is put out to
be done in the vicinity. A few years ago
d. J. Barber of North Adams bought the
tannery at Readsboro and with his char
acteristic energy and ability set about
charging its facilities, with result that
has added materially to the well being of
the town. L. j. Bullock is quitting up a
splendid new building on the site of the
old one before the fire of year or so
ago. The building is to be three stories
in height and will accommodate two
good stores on the ground floor. The
second floor will be fitted up for offices
and will provide rooms that have been
badly needed for some time. The entire
upper story will be used as a hall, fitted
with ante-rooms and everything neces-
sary to make it a suitable meeting place
for lodges and other organizations. On
the grounds adjacent to this building the
foundations are already laid for fine
new Baptist church.
The village itself has not been behind
the rest in feeling the impulse of progress
and the safety and comfort of the inhab-
itants have been materially increased by
the excellent water works that have been
lately put in. Natural advantages and
beautiful scenery, together with good
fishing, have not failed to attract the
summer vacationist but there is another
thing that is going to attract them more
and that is the excellent hotel run by
Tyler Goodell. Mr.. GOOdell is keeping
a first class hotel as the writer has rea-
son to know, and he will be able to ac-
cOmmodate the increasing trade at Reads
borO as well as the occasional pleasure
seeker who may be inclined to enjoy for
while the cool air and rugged scenery
of this busy mountain village. With the
extension of the railroad timber lands of
no mean order will be opened up and an
other impetus is sure to follow from this
added resource. Altogether the town is
in more than prosperous condition and
bids fair to be no small factor in the
business of this section of the country.
Four miles below ReadsborO is the lit
tie village of Monroe Bridge that has
grown up around the paper mill built a
few years ago by the Ramage Paper Co.
Like ReadsborO, Monroe Bridge is the
creation of supurb water power and the
mill that is situated beside the dam is
run on the most improved methods and is
turning out perfect work in its only par
ticular branch of the paper business.
One hundred and fifty hands are en-
ployed in the mill and quite busy little
village is growing up about the mill.
James Ramage, who believes he ought to
share the prosperity of his business with
the operatives, is about to build fine
hall to be used as a public library and
reading room for the hands at the mill.
The village boasts of one store which
has recently been purchased from its
original owner by Chas. II. Goodell Of
ZylOnite.
Altogether there is no moro beautiful
region for many hundreds of miles
around than that which lies on either
side of the Deerfield River and that it is
destined to become more and more prom
inent from business standpoint is no
less certain nor can prettier half days
trip be found than ride up aud back
again on the humorous but valuable lit
tie narrow guage Hoosac Tunnel & Will
mington road.
Hooaick.
A. IA II .,