The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-04-26
NOT ALL ROSES.

VIII There be a Rebellion.
Litchfield, Conn, April 20, 1897
promised to drop you few lines from
the different places I am visiting In my
travels through the state. l saw moth
Ing in the Naugatuck valley worthy Of
notice, save in the manufacturing line.
On Saturday, the 10th, 1 reached this
village, and have been resting ever
since
The village is rather down on its
luck this season, as large number
of the best houses are for rent, with but
few applicants. The reason of this Is
that they ask far too much for their
houses, few of which have what we in
the cities know as modern improve
ments." Houses here with single tap
for street water are called desirable,
and owners ask $500 to $500 per summer.
Similar houses in Hartford and New
Haven bring not over $3.50 per annum,
The result is that many houses that
could be rented at a fair rent go I'M
| rented season after season.
One of the natives said to me to-
day: 1--WE fellows up here have got a
wrong idea of the attractions of Litch-
field. We think it combines everything
that Is desirable; but aside from the air
we have nothing to interest stranger.
We have no good driving roads, no
shady ones, no library and no stylish,
10, 10 rto
only and only a stone wall to sit on to
| look at it."
why" said I, do not you give your
village rather poor send OFF," mot
| at ALL" said he. II only tell the truth,
and that is the reason why so few
| strangers come back after one season"
| But your summer residents are at
| tached to the place, are they not?"
| Some are, on account of family asso-
! Citations but they are gradually becom
| ing diserunted." "Why?" said I. ooh,
| for many reasons. In the first place,
| three years ago they more than doubled
| assessments on the places of the sum-
| mer residents. Although they spend q
| large amount Of money here every sea-
son and encourage the trade. still we
put the screws on them every chance
we have. Even our doctors charge a
poor devil of a summer resident double
| the price they charge a native, Not an
| improvement is made in our village,
even to a small expenditure, unless an
appeal is made to the 'summerers.' We
are thinking of moving the soldiers
| monument at a small cost Instead of
doing 1t at our own expense we are
| dunning the 'sumnerers.' All that is
needed Is to cut down a few trees and
| clean the monument. If we put It In
the center Of our square 1t will be a
great mistake; it will look like white
statue in some Of the gardens in manu-
featuring towns"
80, too. In every way, when we need
any money, we just walt for the sum
| merers of charities, assessments anG
taxes to meet in their own homes. Thl:
is the mistake we make, and this is why
our houses remain unrented and visit
ors go elsewhere. I fear we have killed
our goose and broken the egg
We'll" said I to the native, why d.
you not let up on your 'summerers, al
you call them, and not overcharge then
for rent and other things?"
why" said he, 1--WE have but abou
ten weeks to milk them in and the1
wait nine months for milking time t.
come again.
The conversation here ended, as thu
Shepaug coach passed along, and m.
friend cut away to see If any one want
ing Summer board had come.
Much of this mans talk is true. A
in many places, Litchfield puts on tn
screws for all it is worth. A summe
; resident seems to be fair game for all
Everything that he wants he must pa.
extra for. The water company Charge
him a full years rate for four months
use; the church a years rent for sum
mer use of pew (if they can get it,
The best dairy butter in Hartford is 2
cents per pound-here, with no charges
to pay, 80 cents; cartridges, $1.25 pc
pair-in New York 70 cents; berries
about double the price in other places
unskilled labor, $1.75 to 81 a day.
about 70 cents over city labor. Al
these things are driving summer visit
ors to Europe and elsewhere. This il
also the reason why so many of then
get their supplies fresh from New York
Those who eat western meat would b.
| shocked and Disguised to see the mea
come up in the full glare of summe
sun, wrapped in the nastiest of gum!
bags and thrown into Goodman's team
on top Of kerosene, coal, fertilizers, etc
No wonder people speak of typhoit
with bated breath, and no wonder som
families go without meat unless it is t.
be got in New York. Cleanliness il
food, as understood in our beautiful
city markets, is yet to be learned in on
country villages. The clean white ap
rons of the butchers, which are chang
ed hourly in New York, are never seel
here after 10 o'clock a. m. on a Mon
day.
Beside the increased town tax" sal
the native, 1--WE soak them with a Dor
ough tax though If one of the poo
cusses wishes a street lamp he mus
pay for it himself. or if he wishes
crosswalk hoed off he must send hi
man or do 1t himself"
MY good friend" said I, "are thes
facts which you are telling me?"
Sure" replied he ''Our plan here i
to get every cent we can out of tn
'summerers.' Why, we never have
church fair or tea till we get them al
here; then we do our prettiest to 5000
them all in. Many grumble but finall
give in. must say I am rather asham