The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-07-11
4 BIT OF COLONIAL u1sroRY.
Dover, N. H.. June 2e. 's5.

Dover, N. H., June 26, '95.
ED. GAZETTE
/ When I made my pilgrimage to this Pars
of Uncle Sans domain. some two years and |
half ago. tho country wore very different |
aspect to what it does at the present time. |
Then old mother earth was clothed 10 her |
bridal garments of spotless white. while all
about, on every hand, was dsselation and
/ decay. The trees ware stripped of their
foliage, aud the lonesome wind moansd
drearily among the leaflsas branches; the
little birds, that but short time before had
made those branches mslodious with their
tuneful voices, had spread their downy
wings and betaken themselves to more
genial cline; the beautiful lakes and river
were clad in their 10y armor, thus forming
barrier between themselves and tae chilly
blasts of winter; even the festive bull-froG
had ceased his dismal croaking. and all na.
ture seemed hushed as if in anticipation OF
some dire calamity; while now the trees are
all in leaf, the ittlo birds have returned, the
lakes and rivers have thrown off their armor
of ice, and the before. mentioned frog, perch.
| ing hinsalf upon the spreading leaf of the
fragrant water lily, croaks defiance to the
world in general
Dover, with it's many beautiful buildings,
its long avenues of venerable elm and maple
trees, whose lsafy branches towering aloft
reach across the street and lovingly inter
twine. thus forming perfect arch, making
it one of the prsttiest as we'll as one of the
Oldest cities in New England, is go replete
with the early history of tn. United States
az to make it very interesting study to
every true American. I visited, few days
ago, one Of the old buildings built by the
early settlers more than two hundred years
ago, as = resort for protection against the
Indians. It is . one story structure, some
fourteen by twenty feet in size, constructed
of hewn logs halved together at the ends
and made fast with wooden pins, the top
layer projecting few inches, thus forming
an opening through which water could be
poured to extinguish the flames in case the
noble red man should fire the building.
holes about two inches square on the out
sids, but larger upon the inside to allow the
musksteer to change the direction of his FIRE
as occasion might require. Inside, the
building is divided into three separate rooms.
In the center room is a huge fire place large
enough to roast al OK; long iron crane
swings across it, from which depend iron
hooks for hanging kettles, etc., while beside
the fireplace stands tho old bake oven, these
forming, togather with their necessary equip
ment. about the only cooking utensils known
to the housekesper of those days In the
different rooms are many things of interest;
the old spianing wheel, with which the
thrifty housewife spun the yarn for knitting
the family stockings; the old fax brake for
breaking the fax, and the wheel with which
it was spun into thread, and the hand
loom with which it was
woven into cloth. Hanging upon the
walls are old swords and other implements
of warfare, some of which were used In the
war of the revolution, while others antsdats
that period. There are many other curiss
too numerous to give special msntion.
4 Mr.. Rounds, the owner Of the place, has
been several years in making the collection,
and is adding to it as fast rs possible.
was shown room in the house occupied by
Mr.. Rounds, that had not been reprinted or
had other work done on it since it was fin
ished, eighty five years ago, room toe that
has been in constant use, being occupied at
present as q sewing room. The paint is sky
blue color, and, although little dingy, is
in good state of preservation. The plas-
tsring also is well preserved, with hardly
crack or flaw in it. It took carpenter ono
solid ysar to finish the wood work in this
room. The castings are futed, with csrnsr
and plinth blocks, similar to those used at
the present time. All the work is very
elaborate and all done by hand. With the
aid of our modern machinery the same
amount of work could be done in two days'
time.
Dover il thrifty little oity, all business
basis. There is no rush or hustle, but things
move along steadily, and the city is inprov.
ing, quite = number of tiae buildings are in
course Of construction and others are to be
started at once; there are but very few va
can't dwelling houses, and do not know of
one vacant store room; three daily papers
are published within its limits. of which
Fosters Democrat and the Dover Enquirer
are republican, and the Star, democratic.
This Star il not of the first magnitude;
rather falling Star, likely to sink into OBJ
scurity after the next general election. The
several factories are all running on full time.
There are but very few idle men, and the
people generally seem happy and oontsnted;
take it all in all, believe New England to
be the most prosperous part of the United
States at present. W. E. PAUL.
ALSHA JoTTINGS.