St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-07-03
Willoughby Lake.

season and both hotels will soon b.
rushed with business. The number o
visitors increases each year, for having
once seen the grand scenery, enjoyed tht
cool brcezes and drank the pure, cold
water, the desire to revisit Willouehby is
always with one. As the Vermont edi
tors go to the lake this week for theil
annual rest from shears and quill and
will probably bring the beautiful place
more prominently before the people than
ever before. few words in advance may
be interesting.
The report that he lake was yielding
an unusually large number OF lunge and
that the same were being served in the
customary excellent manner at Gilmans
hotel at the farther end of the lake, per-
suaded CALIFORNIAN reporter to grease
his bicycle and make journey thther
one day this week. The route taken was
up through Egypt which, like Jordan, is
hard country to travel. But once out
Of Egypt the roads were fairly good and
a couple hours of easy riding landed us
at Gilman's, just in time to head the
procession to the dining-room.
Gilman's hotel is kept open the year
round, but business was trihe dull the
latter part of the winter owing TO the
failure of the bobbin mill which deprived
it Of dozen boarders. The fishing sea-
son brings it good patronage. Fishing
this year has been unusually good, but
owing to the bad luck of the past two
years fishermen have been little scarce
and flies, what few there are, are getting
hungry i'll consequence. The chief feat
ure of Gilman's hotel is the excellent table
it sets and there are many who will
freely testify to this The hotel did
rushing business last summer and the
prospects are fully as good for this sea-
son.
After dinner ride was taken around
the lake in Captain Averill S new steamer,
which is waiting for name. A land
scape painter in New York has been
granted the privilege of naming it and
the name was expected this week. The
new boat is great improvement over
the "Ben Hur" in speed, safety and size.
1t is SO feet long, Is feet wide and will
easily carry rs passengers. The boat
has been running two weeks and the
captain reports good business. The
captains imagination is still good and
he can point out Indians, wild ducks,
lions, etc, on a blank stone wall. He
sees great future in Willoughby as
summer resort and has invested in sew
eral acres of land on the lake shore which
he some day expects to see covered with
cottages. There are now about 25 cot
tages, seven or eight being built in the
past year.
Mrs. Richardson opened the Willough-
by Lake House the 10th of last month.
This house is in excellent condition and
ready for the rush which it always has
in July and August. Yesterday the YER
mont editors wore entertained here and
all speak in high terms of the house.
This evening the annual Fourth of July
ball takes place and large crowd is ex-
pected. The last several seasons at this
hotel have been very successful and Mrs.
Richardson is most competent mana
ger.
Few people know how Willoughbv
Lake received its name. One story is as
follows: In the early spring of 1880
two young men from Barton commenced
clearing near the middle of the west side
of the lake, intending to put in spring
crops and start settlement. Chopping
one day near together the axe of one Of
the young men missed the tree and hit
the brother i'll the groin. Being five or
six miles from any settlement with the
snow five feet deep, it was impossible to
get help, on account of which the young
man bled to death and was buried by his
brother under the roots of partly up
turned tree. Left alone the brother be-
came discouraged, gave up his plans for
a settlement and returned to Barton.
These young men were named Willough-
by and as the sad ending oftheir attempt
to start a settlement on the shores of
this lake spread, the lake soon became
known as Willoughby. 1t was formerly
known by an Indian name.
The writer learned the above from a
conversation with J. w. Hide, a .promi-
nent farmer and resident of Westmore
tor over 20 years. He knows all about
the early history of Willoughby Lake
and likes to tell it. He also likes to tell
about his remarkable herd Of dairy cows,
second to none anywhere. One day he
made some butter that looked extra fine.
To give it thorough test he put a ball
Oft on the piazza railing beside a ball
OF lead. The sun was unusually hot that
day, but it had no effect on the butter.
The lead succumbed to the heat, melted
and disappeared. Mr.. Hide says that
was probably the finest butter ever
made in this country. He has to becare-
full about filling the milk pans too full.
One night he filled pan halt full set it
on the buttery shelf and went to bed.
During the night the cream on the milk
rose, overtowed the pan and made sort