Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1892-03-10
VERMONT LOOKING UP.
SOME OF THE CHANGES WROUGHT
IN THE YEAR 1891.

Article Worthy of Careful Reading, and
then Decide to Invest Your Money at
Home-Number of Farms Sold.
For the year 1891 Vermont claims a
full share Of the prosperity and progress
which has come TO our whole country.
Probably no year of her history, in re-
cent times, has shown so great progress
in the way of building up new enter
prises and extending the operations of
those already established. The board
of agriculture has recently taken a few
statistics, gathered from reports made to
the board by the clerks of the several
towns, relative to the transactions in
farm property and the establishment of
new manufacturing. Reports have been
received from 220 towns. A full report
would undoubtedly increase considerably
some of the results found, as few of
the towns that it has been impossible to
get reports from, were among the largest
In the state. The reports received show
that 1854 farms have been sold during
the year, of this number 252 were of the
class known as unoccupied farms. In
most cases the purchasers of these I'M
occupied lands were persons who wanted
them for homes. A good feeling is re-
ported as prevailing among the farmers
and slight increase in price of real es-
tate is generally claimed. The sales
made have been quite general through
out the state, the number sold in each
county being: Windsor, 2SS; Orange,
2lS; Washington, 1879; Windham, 16S;
Orleans, 1853; Franklin, 1870; Addison,
1879; Caledonia, 1876; Rutland, 90; Chit
tenden, "a; Lamoille, 81; Bennington,
Sc; Essex. 46; Grand Isle, 2.
The town of Barnard leads the list
with sale of 50 farms of which "a were
of the unoccupied class. In many local
tiles it is claimed that the purchasers of
the farms are young men of the town, in
other localities it is found to be young
men who have for little while tried
farming in the new west and returned to
find in Vermont what they had sought
for elsewhere, the best place to secure
home and surround themselves and fam
lilies with the greatest number of advan-
tages at the least expense. The follow
ing extract from letter from a man in
Breckenridge, Minnesota, is a fair sample
of many received within the past few
months. Itiliustrates both the ignorance
in regard to Vermont and the feeling for
their own country. Under date of Feb
ruary 3 he says: 6 want to learn about
Vermont. Is it too cold to raise wheat,
corn and beans? Is it very rocky and
billy? Is the land badly exhausted and
run down? Please send me the pamphlet
issued by YOUR board as | would like to
this miserable prairie country and want
to get into more attractive place." The
fact that Vermont can raise wheat, corn
q nd hQ0nC &c xUo11 q nthpr
adapted to her latitude, and place her
record in all at or very near the head, is
coming to be understood, and the fact is
bringing customers for all farming land
that is for sale.
The reports to the board show that
$74l, 900 of capital has been invested
in new manufacturing plants during
the year 1891. This does not include
the working capital required to conduct
the business. There has also been quite
large investment of capital in extend
ing manufactures already established
that is not here included. The new
plants were giving employment Janu-
airy to 2197 persons. In view of the
fact that since 1850 the census reports
credit us with an increase of population
of less than 10000, the large increase
the past year which must come from
employing this additional number of
persons makes pleasant and striking
contrast. These new industries have
been scattered through the entire state
and the range of products has covered
wide field. The leading branch of man
facture has been in the line of wood
products. The following towns have
put in new plants under this head: Bis
toll, Panton, Lincoln, Arlington, Lyn-
don, Searsburg, Burlington, Canaan,
Guildhall, Lunenburg, Swanton, West
field, Barton, Benson, Mendon, Claren-
don, Chittenden, Fayston, Moretown,
Marshfield, Waitsfield, Warren, Berk-
shire, Nottingham, Vernon, Stratton,
Springfield, Baidgewater, Plymouth and
Weston. These plants vary in capital
invested and help employed from $1,000
with one or two men to $4,000 with 100
employees. The total investment in this
line of manufacture is $2l4 800 and 500
persons employed. Factories for the
manufacture Of shoes have been built at
Burlington, Bethel, Royalton and Chel-
sea representing an investment of $780,
600 and employing 425 persons. New
granite quarries or shops have been
started in Hardwick, Burlington, Mont
pelier and Calais, $4,000 of CAPT al in
slate works at Poultney and Fair Haven
with an investment of $4,000 and 155
workmen; new Marble company at
Swanton with $4,000 capital; new
creameries or cheese factories have been
built at Bridport, Danville, Lyndon,
Guildhall, Vernon, Thetford, Sharon,
Barnard and Reading, representing
$2s, 900 invested. MOrristoWn has
$4,000 tannery and a company for the
manufacture of boot heels with $50 900
capital; a button factory has been built
at Stockbridge and $4,000 invested; at
Newport factory for the manufacture
of overalls and shirts with capital of
$4,000.
Another feature of the year not
coming within the line of either manu-
facture or agriculture, has been the
building of several fine hotels intended,
largely, to accommodate summer travel.
Salisbury, Castleton, Woodstock and
Chester have built during the past year
and invested about $500, 900 in this way.
In the building up of new manufac-
lures Burlington takes the lead and re-
ports an enyestment of S155, 900 and $50
noreoua omnlOved All tho mauufac-