Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-05-07
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
THE GREEN FOUNTAIN STATE.
Lake champIain- Beautiful Scenery
A Visit to the Marble Works.
RUTLAND, VIZ, Apr. 20.


DEAR HERALD: Ny first view of
Vermont, Thursday morning, was
most pleasing Leaving Deerfeld,
Mass, Wednesday evening, / reached
Essex, Vt, about daylight the next
morning. Changing cars, our north
ern journey ended and we started due
west to Burlington, on Lake Cham
plain, passing en- route the celebrated
Winooski Falls, one of the prettiest
bits Of scenery in the State, and Fort
Ethan Allen, military post named
in honor of the hero of Ticonderoga.
/ was scarcely prepared for the
scene of beauty which burst into view
when the lake shore was reached
A light breeze rippled the water and
the rays of the rising sun producing
all the tints Of the spectrum presented
a succession of rainbows as far as the
eye could reach. 1t was one of those
visions of beauty that may be seen
once in a lifetime. No one on the
train had ever beheld anything equal
ling it in splendor.
Burlington is beautiful little city,
slightly larger than Martinsburg,
yet the post office receipts are ten
times as great. Eleven carriers are
required to handle the mail. That
little city enjoys the proud distinction
of being the best paying office, in pro-
portion to population and receipts, in
the country.
A drive up along the shore was
most delightful. Across the lake
the Adirondack mountains doomed up,
great fields of snow being visible.
"White Face" was entirely covered
and though many miles away gilt
tered clear and bright in the sunshine.
Off eastward were the Green mount
aims, "Camels Hump" towering
above all his fellows. The farms are
we'll kept and there is every evidence
of prosperity. But, as elsewhere, the
people have their troubles. Winters
are long and severe and French Cana
dams, birds of passage, as they are
called, keep the labor market in a
constant turmoil. They come and go
with the seasons, taking all their
earnings with them.
Pittsford was my next stopping
place. l was now in the marble re-
gion, at the home of Senator Proctor,
who is known as "Uncle Proctor. "
The works are very extensive.
went down into one quarry. 1t was
only goo feet deep and the sensation
of going down the steep and narrow
steps, scarcely more than ladder,
was quite novel. Men working down
there looked no larger than ten-year-
old boys and the channeling machines
not larger than wheelbarrows, but
when l got down, found the quarry
men to be stout, lusty fellows and the
machines fully competent to do the
work. Peace and contentment are
visible everywhere. The workmen
live in comfortable, yes, commodious
houses. There has never been a
strike They have town library
proctor Memorial Public Library"
a post office, schools, churches, lodges,
stores, water, electric lights and all
modern conveniences.
Power to run the works is derived
from the falls in Otter creek, a 5o-foot
cascade. Several locomotives and
about 100 horses are used in and
about the works, which run night
and day From the waste all the
surrounding country get marble tor
pavements. steps, foundations, etc.
There is good trout fishing in the
mountains, but l did not indulge be-
cause the law forbade. A. B. S.