Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-06-11
FROM THE FAR NORTH.
ST. JOHN, N. B.,
June 5. 1896.

amid the pines on the banks OF the st.
Croix river little town composed Of
frame houses, containing about 600
people, and surrounded by vast ter
ritory so wild that the carbon, deer
and other game roam uumolested with
in a few yards Of the houses. This Is
the town of Vanceboro, but how it
ever got its name or how it ever was
called into existence no one of the pres
ent inhabitants seems to be inclined to
inform the inquiring traveller. Six
miles distant, over on the New Bruins
wick side, where the Canadian Pacific
Railroad branches off to the northwest
and southeast and sends one of its trib-
utaries to Woodstock, Houlton and
Pressure Isle, and another to St
Stephen, st. Andrews and Calais, there
rests another little town nearly as
large, when everybody is at home,
that answers to the name of McAdam
Junction. Should the traveller stop
long at either of these places, and he
will, for the trains are usually late,
and look out upon the broad expanse
of barren land, the scrub pines and
cedars growing in the marshes and
swamps, land covered with water IN
the early spring, and thus forming tenn
porarv lakes; or should he look more
particularly over the surface of the
earth surrounding McAdam Junction
and see the huge granite boulders that
lie strewn loose upon the ground as
though some army Of mighty giants
had in ages past hurled them at each
other as they were striving for suprem-
acv in battle, he will wonder why NOR
tai man ever took up his abode in the
midst of such a barren country. Should
he while at McAdam Junction, by way
of conversation, remark to any of the
inhabitants upon the barren, rocky
soil surrounding the village, or the
reputation of the place for general
cussedness, such an one would admit
frankly that all was not as pleasant as
should be, but would slyly wink one
eye at any companion that might be
in hearing and say, But, sir, if you
want to see something worse, you should
visit Vanceboro over the line. On
the other hand, if the stranger should
be at Vanceboro and make like remarks
to one of the inhabitants about that
town, it would be admitted that the
town was not located in the Vale Of
Cashmere, but that native would
wink both eyes at the crowd hard by
and say, stranger, if you be a looking
for a real tough town in which to set
tie, you hadn't ought to rent a house
until you 60 over and take a peep at
McAdam Junction
There are some pleasant people ev-
ervwhere, and some are living in the
two little towns spoken Of, regardless
of the quantity of cussing the said
towns get just because the trains are
late and the passengers are compelled
to rest a few hours and wait At
Vanceboro the United States custom
house is located, and all the passengers
and freight received from the mari
time provinces of Canada, as well as
from European vessels landing at the
ports on the coast, and shipped via the
Canadian Pacific Railroad, are exam
med by the officers and admitted into
the United States. A tannery Is in
operation at Vanceboro, and as it is
the terminus of the Maine Central Rail-
road, repair shops are located there,
and these interests, connected with
some numbering in the spring time and
little smuggling in the night time,
furnish a plausible excuse for the pres
ent population lingering upon the very
tip "eend' of the earth. In like man
ner the Canadian custom officials are
located at McAdam Junction, and as
that point is about 100 miles from st.
John, New Brunswick, and several
hundred miles from everywhere else,
the Canadian Pacific Railroad shops are
located there, and as this gives en-
plovment to many men, it clears up
the mystery and explains why several
hundred people would remain on a
spot so barren and poor that nothing
can be raised but a telegraph pole,
and this only by blasting a hole in the
granite rocks to plant it in-and the
windows in July and August during
the temporary absence of snow and
bitter winds.
To say that the soil is poor and ca
pable of raising very little in this por-
ton of the Dominion of Canada is lit
orally true However, one sees from
the numerous flag poles upon every
school-house and in the front yard Of
every dwelling, be it the home of the
wealthy or the home of the humble
that the patriotism of the people causes
numerous English flags to be raised on
the Queens birthday and on other like
occasions, and be the soil of Eastern
Canada barren or fertile, as the cleo.
tons throughout the country take
place this summer both Liberals and
Conservatives will for some weeks tc
come devote their time and energy moi
to raising corn, but to raising the devi
over the political questions at issue.
l would not have the reader to sup.
pose that l am speaking disparagingly
of the maritime provinces of Canada
Far from it. It's true it is not an ag
ricultural country, and for three or foul
hundred miles along the Canadian Pa.
cifc Railroad, from st. John to Mon
treal, the scenery is at least grand anC
gloomy if not pleasing The traveller
sees only barren hills covered with
scrub timber, or looks out upon the