The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-03-29

born and others in the west pal
of the town was on "Zion's Hill
three-fourths of a mile east Q
West Topsham, and the cente
of the Ca1vinist Baptist settle
ment, and the rendezvous fo
"June training" for that part Q
the town. The town house bull
in 1853 is located at East Tops
ham the village nearest the cen
ter of the town. am informe'
that there was formerly locates
at this village two stores, tw,
hotels, three blacksmith shops
one grist mill, two saw mills, ;
carriage shop, carding and full
ing mill and two tanneries.
There was a great decline il
the business of this village, bu
within the last five years there
has been a marked improvement
Business is now more concentrat
ed and extensive. This town,
like all of Our interior and small.
er villages, has suffered from the
competition of the great west,
and the larger capitilized indus
tries of railroad centers. Under
this pressure some industries have
become obsolete, as for instance
the tanneries which are now only
successfully conducted on a large
scale at railroad centers. The
transition period of weakness has
passed, the creamery has come to
stay, trade is adjusting itself to
the present condition, and is be-
ing conducted on profitable lines,
with smaller profits and surer
collections, and a more hopeful
feeling prevades the community.
The one store, saw mill, grist
mill, blacksmith and carriage
shop, carding mill, hotel and
creamery, are we'll conducted and
well sustained.
The village of West Topsham
one long street, por-
tion of which is slightly and well
and a shorter street at
right angles. Here is the estab-
lishment of c. F. Smith, two
country stores, the Of
fees of DR.. Watson and Hon. r.
M. Harvey, the Union church,
in 1928 and twice repair
ed, an excellent public school
building, with village hall and
beautiful grounds, erected at
cost of $4,000. There is the usu-
al complement of grist and saw
mills, and a blacksmith shop.
The grist mill has just been
thoroughly repaired, and is re-
ceiving an increased custom. A
factory for the manufacture of
butter tubs, crates and boxes has
Just been started by Batchelder
& Lord, with a good prospect of
success. The large hotel built
nearly 20 years ago by Jonathan
Jenness, burned three years since,
and Mr.. Newton entertains the
public very acceptably
at his hotel.
The cemetery of West Tops
1am is we'll located, nicely kept,
and is a credit to the place.
While not many new buildings
nave gone up in recent years,
nearly all of the dwellings, are in
good repair, and the village pre-
'ents tidy appearance.
Waits River is hamlet situat-
ID in the southern part of the
own, on the river whence it de-
ives its name. A union church,
md a school house, a general
store, hotel and grocery |
combined, large saw and grist
mill, and dozen or less dwell
ngs make up the village. This
,illage was mostly built by E. c.
Swift, Esq, a former resident,
Who died in California in 1868.
There are post offices at Tops
lam, West Topsham and Waits
River. The Green Mountain
reamery organized in October,
1872, with a capital of $4,000, and
s located about one mile south
# the village. The creamery
las patrons from Washington,
>orinth, Orange, Groton and
Topsham and is making about
500 pounds of butter per week.
rhe company distributes from
,2OOO to $4,000 per month among
he farmers and has never failed
o pay on the tenth of each
Month. 1t is first class in every
ppointment and the manager,
ir. Sanborn, evidently under
tands his business. The butter
) sent to Mr.. S. K. Dexter of
Mass, a large stock