The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1893-09-15


general In the army OF the Potomac, tina
Ieit proud of his soldiers 1t was "Uncle job
Sedgwlck."
PRIVATE PETER s. CHASE.
20. l. I'd Reg't. VT. Vols.
FOR FoRTY-sEvEN YEARS
In bratiieb0r0 TrAde-How Business Used
70 pe Misunderstanding "Reminiscences
Of Old BratllebOro- Suggests Il by the Re,
tirement of Dea. 9. #. Thompson.
SUNDAY Republican Correspondence
Inc thompson business was established In
its present location In 1885 by Nathan B.
Williston, who had been in the same business
some or 10 years before In u small wooden
building standing about on the present site OF
tne episcopal church grounds, and just north
OF Capt. Lords tavern, which then stood on
, the site OF the town hall. Thompson came
here lad Of 10 from Salem, Ct, being son
OF Rev. Charles Thompson Of that place. He
arrived at midnight April /, 1916, most of the
trip being made BY stage, The Connecticut
River railroad then only running to Chicopee.
He entered at once upon bis duties as clerk
for Wli'ston & Tyler, his father having
agreed that be should work for the firm until
only 800 the last year, with board included.
It was the practice In those days for boy to
be bound out for a term Of years and for bis
earnings to 20 to bis father, but IN this case
the father waived bis rights, there being little
margin left after paying for the young mans
clothing. Thompson was the only clerk for
many years, sweeping the store, selling goods
and keeping the books. A variety Of things
were kept In stock for several years, includ-
ing hard ware, drugs and medicines, paints
and oils. a full stock Of groceries and dye
stuffs. The hardest of the clerks work was
the handling OF dye.w00ds, the firm frequent.
" buying logw0od by the cargo, which was
worse to handle than our poorest and rough.
est wood, and no gloves were allowable. This
and other woods were ground by a mill
owned by the firm, and barreled ready for
sale to various wooden mills, from which, In |
many Instances, cloths were received 10 re- |
turn. These were In turn taken to Boston to
be sold. These NOolen mills. by the way to.
gether with others In Cheshire county. were
finally bought up by James Fisk, In the inter-
est OF Jordan, Marsh & Co. who, foreseeing
the storm OF civil war and It's ultimate de-
mands. found ia them profitable invest
ment.
Mr.. Thompson has stayed in the same store
continuously as clerk, partner and principal
until now, period of over Al years. He
was admitted to the firm IN 1858, and married
Miss Elizabeth G. Cune, daughter of the late
Charles Cune, in 1854. A large part of The
hardware sold when Mr.. Thompson began
here was imported by the firm itself. New
every thing is sf>AGsrican manufacture, and
fully equal In quality to the English. They
firm OF Williston Il Tyler brought the irst|
1000 carriage bolts into town to sell. They
were bought by Mr.. Tyler IN Boston, but Mr..
Williston had no faith that they would sell.
For while he was right, for the smiths OIL
that time had an idea that If carriage bolts
were sold In the stores part of their business
would be gone. Bolts which today sell for $1|
q hundred then sold for four or five times
that: In those days the merchant went to|
market every four or six weeks, money in|
hand, and bought his goods, thing that Is
rarely. none today. The stores then were|
securely protected, the windows being cover
ed with outside shutters, and It was not con-
side,ed just the thing to display your stock
ID the window on Sunday. Stores were
lighted for several years after 1916 with cam
phere lamps. Tallow candles were Invariably
used In lanterns. The first kerosene oil USED
was Downers OF Boston,. which came In
sbout 1923. and retailed from 81 to $125|
Der gallon. Stores we're kept open every
week night till 0 O'Clock or later. Common
abor by men WAS 81 per day, and of women
or house work 81 to 1925 per week, includ-
ns washngs. Such was the condition OF
htngs here less than half century ago.
The old DR.. Grau first introduced the prac-
Ice OF putting up medicine BY. prescription
q Rra&1 IN We Thompson had bis con.
lls-ace in the kzatlon of these formulas.
he soda fonniS v Williston ETyler's
tore was a crude 3ffair compaFe1 With some
the more moderI1 fountains, but the late |
)r. Washburn Of Vernon used to say Of the |
oda produced frolb the old fountain that bis |
hroat always seenfed q yard long,it tasted 30
God.
The changes that have taken place In town |
'ithin the period of Mr.. Thompson'e busi-
ess career wonld afford very interesting
hapter. When no came here there was but
single street on Cemetery hill, with four or
We small houses, the slightly plateau with its
retty homes OF today then being partially
'vered with pine forest. Where the depot
ow stands was ledge of rocks reaching as
n north and east as the present bridge.
here was no Flat street proper, but only an
)eH roadway to the Frost house, and the
lrifty little hamlet known today as Estey-
lie, was devoted to farming purposes. Wal.
ere not laid out at that time. Walnut street
as part OF farm and was opened some
me In the sos. Edward kirkland, one of
e towns foremost men, and Mr.. Williston
vned for many years the pasture land
rough which Terrace, Tyler and North
reefs were subsequently built, the loo Atty
ing known as Toad hill. Western avenue
ID then but four or five houses along its
hole length. Main street with the rest has
en- Transformed In the period, the Amel-
n house being about the only building to
tain lis identity. Mr.. Thompson has q
vid recollection OF the struggle that was /
ade to get the pc ling place and the town (
u fiom the west to the east village, and the
most successful r, sistance made by the
eemed Samuel Clark to its final re-
oval. The population at that time was
\ MI |
'rdner q. Hall aud Calvin Townsley (
IRE the principal movers In public affairs
IN. On the corner Of Main ana Elliot
eets and where the Vermont nationsl bank
" stands. John r. Blake had a fine res
nee with ample grounds surrounding 1t. 1t (
g through the efforts of young Thompson,
:. J. NJ. C0megys and Ben X. Chase that
hcient subscriptions were secured to trans
m barren plain Of sand into one OF the
st attractive parks In the state. which Is
own to day IS the village common. Most
the trees which adorn this beautiful spot
re set out By these young enthusiasts,
lie the elms which nearly arch Oak street,
re put there by Thompson and young {
End from New York. There were but :
ee buildings ON the south side Of Elliot k
BET from the corner to whit was then the
pel Of the Congregational church, which
Y Il made over into the building owned by
rick Il Boyden. Ga the corner, where (
Peoples bank now stands, there was
al II by 20 office with large open lot all {
und 1t, built BY Lirkiu g Mead for his {
upancy. 1t was later used for millinery
re, until James Fisk, Sr.. built the Revere {
lse on its site about 1850. In those days
Hunt house, now owned by Col. Hooker, +
! the only brick bui'ding In this vicinity.
was considered the finest house In Yer
ut. 1t changed hands . number Of times
one-fourth Its present value. while the
dsome residence of B. ID. Harris was sold
ucti0n back 10 the sos. when 1t was ned
another, for third Of its value today.
se cIses Illustrate In o m ,ssure, the 3
nge In vaIustions within period Of less B