The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-08-09
THE MAD RIVER VALLEY.
WAYSTDE NOTES or A LEISURE
JAUNT THROUGH That
FERTILE TALE.

New Industries at Moretown and Waits
field that Add Materially to Business
Life in Those yiiIages-Random Jottings
on Men and Things.
Whether on business or pleasure trip,
or the two combined, no more delightful
drive can be found in the state than over
the twenty miles that stretch down the
Winooski to Middlesex and up the valley
OF the Mad river to Watsfeld A repre-
sentative of the WATCHMAN took advantage
OF an off day last week to make this trip and
to look leisurely over some OF the new in
dustries that have, during the present sum-
mer, given decided impetus to business in
that locality
THE HAY CROP.
A halt was made at the trim, well-kept
farm house OF Russell Sawyer, treasurer of
the town of Moretown, and one OF the reli-
able, substantial farmers of that section.
In answer to the question whether the hay
crop just harvested was of average guam
tty, Mr.. Sawyer replied that he had lived
there for over twenty years, and never, dur
ing that time, had he cut more hay than he
had the present season. His growing crops
are looking finely, Notwithstanding the dis
astrous hail storm in June, and an air of
general thrift is plainly discernible on every
hand.
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
As is well known to the jewellers in that
locality the water power of Moretown is of
the best, and, while it has been utilized to
some extent for many years. some important
and thriving industries have been located
there of late, among them the mills of Trip,
Tenant & Co. Warren and J. b. Tenant
are residents of Short Falls, n. H., in the
town of EPSON, where the latter is post
master About three years ago they pur.
chased the site on which their mill now
stands, erected the building and equipped
it with tirst-class machinery. They manu-
facture clapboards, flooring and bedstead
frames, the waste of which is converted into
chair stock. They also own and run a steam
clapboard mill on the hill about four miles
from Moretown village. About three mil
lion feet of lnmber are consumed annually
by this firm. The lumber is loaded near
Montpelier Junction-about one hundred
cars annually-and the firm does a business
amounting to over $4,000 year, Twenty
five men are employed the year round, and
many more during the winter season. o. A.
Harrington is the foreman in charge of the
mill at Moretown village, and j. w. Taylor
the book-keeper and general manager.
THE MoRETowN CREAMERY.
A visit to the new creamery at Moretown
showed that while it is hardly more than an
experiment at present, having been put in
operation in June last, its success is as
sured. G. f. Eddy, the manager, was out
of town when the reporter was there, but
Frank Sawyer, the foreman, courteously
was erected by a stock company, and the
machinery was put in by Mr.. Eddy. The
building is equipped with DeLaval sepa-
rator, churn and butter worker of large
capacity, and a Mosely & Stoddard centrif-
ugal milk tester. AT present twenty-three
farmers take their milk to this creamery, an
average of 900 gallons a day. About two
hundred pounds of butter are made daily,
which is mostly shipped to Providence, r. 1.
WARDS SHOPS AND MILLS.
The name of H. o. Ward has long been
identified with the business interests of
Moretown and that part of Washington
county drained by the Mad river. Mr.. Ward
was in Massachusetts last week, but j.
w. Bates, his foreman, courteously devoted
his time while the newspaper man was
there to showing him over the mills, and
submitted good-naturedly to any amount of
pumping. In addition to the large business
done by Mr.. Ward at his own saw-mills,
clapboard mills, grist mills and box shop,
he has contracted for the years stock of
coarse lumber and clapboards that three
large mills in Fayston can produce, and be-
sides is obliged to buy considerable outside
to fill his orders. The product of all his
mills is loaded at Mddlesex, seven miles
distant, an average of eighteen carloads a
month the year through. Mr.. Ward also
deals largely in flour and feed of all kinds,
doing business of 100000 year. He has
thirty men on his pay rolls, and during the
winter, while stocking up, employs small
army of choppers and teamsters. Mr.. Ward
ships his lumber to all the New England
states but principally 10 Massachusetts and
New Hampshire. He owns large tracts Of
wood land in louisville and on Moretown
mountain, enough to supply his mills for
many years to come.
CHAT WITH MoRETowN's POSTMASTER
call on merchant G. NJ. Fletcher, post
master of Moretown for the past twenty
years, found him as smiling and prosperous
as though j. w. Taylor, his successor in
office, had not already received his appoint
ment and was in daily expectation of his
glad to see it than 1 SHALL" said Mr..
Fletcher For the past twenty years
have been tied down here seven days in a
week, and shall feel really relieved when the
office is off my hands and moved out of my
store. When / took the Office it was worth
| $40 year, now it is worth $500; but even
now there is not enough in it to pay for
hiring any extra help, and ] am not bit
sorry to lose it," Mr.. Fletcher evidently
meant what he said and as he passed out a
| box of " Massasots " the reporter remarked
ON the fertility and general thrifty appear
| ance OF the country roundabout. Eyes, "
said Mr.. Fletcher, " / have seen something
of the world, and / have challenged good
many people to name place in New Eng
land where the general average Of farm
pullulngs Is so ROOu, ana inc farmers SC
prosperous, thrifty and comfortable as in
this valley. That challenge has never been
accepted. They keep asking the question
| Does farming pay?' but if it doesn't pay in
Mad River valley, how is it we have such
an air of prosperity, that is not put on, a.
we have?" The scribe had no desire to con
tradict Mr. Fletcher. Actual observation
would compel any candid person to endorse
what he said.
| PARKER's CHAIR-sToCK MANUFACToRY.
Among the other new industries in More
town worthy of mention is the chair-stocl
mandatory of George F. Parker. Mr.
Parker began in small way, but has bull
up good business. Owing to low waite
just now, his shop is not running, but h,
has orders ahead that will keep him bus!
for some time.
JUDGE JONES AND HIS FARM.
While driving toward Waitsfield tn
WATCHMAN representative refined up to thu
door of the spacious farm house of Judg
G. K. Jones and was given a bluff but cor
dial greeting, characteristic both Of the in
dependent farmer and the gentleman tina
he is. Judge Jones has one of the fines
farms In the valley, and is equally at HON
tending his sleek herd of Jerseys and di
recting the work on his broad acres, or as
sisting the Judge of Washington count