Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-12-22
wiIIianstomn Then and Now.


wonder. When we listen with deep in
terest to the tales of the native inhabi-
tants who have passed more than three
score years and ten in this place, and
learn from their experience the condi-
tion of things in former days and COM
pare that condition with the present
growing state of affairs, we are led TO
exclaim "mirabile dictu."
In early days the population of this
village was but handful to-day hum
dreds of people constitute the inhabi-
tants OF this prosperous town. AT an
early date only one rudely constructed
stere was in existence to-day there
are two large dry goods establishments
with a general line of merchandise.
In former years there was no druggist,
no ieweler, no hardware dealer, no
butcher, no milliner, no dressmaker,
no barber, carpenter, painter, mason
nor liveryman and, in fact, there were
but very few of the industries and en-
terprises that are in existence now to-
day we are in possession of them all.
No man, woman nor child needs to go
away with business undone for lack of
supplies or of ready haLds to minister
to their wants. Now our new and
modern hotel and various boarding
houses are filed with busy, hungry men,
whose incomes warrant fair living.
Formerly but one blacksmith was need
ed here, but to-day we have large and
well stocked shops with one or more
men employed in each.
Once when man expected to make
repairs on his buildings, perhaps in the
way of shingling, his first efforts had to
be made from six to twelve months
in advance of the contemplated
repairs, in order to get the timber from
the forest, bolt, rive and shave by
hand the requisite number of so-called
shingles bnt at the present day the
logs can be hauled to powerful shin
gle-machine (that is a novelty indeed)
which, skillfully operated by Messrs.
Lynde & Cheneys force of help, can
turn out shingles as fast as they can be
loaded and carried away.
Our town has always been, distin
guished for its good morals. Religious
services have been, and are now sacred
ly observed. On Main St. are found
the church buildings with their lofty
towers pointing heavenward and with
their bells hanging therein, ready to
summon the good people to their long
accustomed places of worship.
In the very early days of our village,
a small apartment accommodated those
who assembled to transact public busi-
ness, but nearly forty years ago, more
spacious place was required as the
voters gradually increased in number,
and well constructed townhouse was
built on Main st. but the recent rap
id growth of the village demanded still
more room and, by vote of the town,
this building underwent a change the
past summer, which gives more room
beneath the hall.
At one time circumstances almost
made a jail, or lookup, for the lawless
ones a necessity and measures were, in
part, taken to provide such a place, but
since that especially critical period, a
jail has, practically, been useless in our
midst for everything seems to move
in quiet, peaceful manner. As a
rule, rapidly growing town, and
railway town, has an unwholesome ele-
ment in its society, but in our case it
is far different ard when we speak OF
our granite workers, we applaud them
for quiet, pleasant and industrious
class of men, to whom we owe share
of our growth and advancement. Ifl
no stumbling-block is thrown in the way
of business. these boys win stay, and
we may expect greater change than
has yet taken place in Williamstown.
Although large number of firms are
established here inthe granite business,
with polishing apparatus equal to the
emergency, with mammoth piles OF un-