Cañon City record., 1899-08-10
{Nsv York Ietter.)


Barren island, ON the New England
coast, d at last to have . school house.
and ne board OF education has prom
lsed that 1t shall be ready By fall It
win have four rooms. one OF which will
~ devoted 70 kindergarten work The
women who live on Barren island arc
anxious that It shall be known By it,
eId-time Indian name. EQuendita
(broken land). rather than BY its pres
snt title, which Il. they say. gArbled
from Barn island. The Lott family,
who formerly owned it, used the Land
for pastering young cattle, and from
the large barn which was erected upon
It came the name Of Barn island. Bar
rem island. as 1t is now known. has >
population Of more than 1000 persons-
eoms Of those were born there. and
have never known another home. and
there are those who have not been to
the mainland for twenty-five year,
One Of these women said TO repor-
ter:
"T would not live in the city for
anything. Why notf Because It's
too dirty there" AZ she spoke she
stood In the doorway of her tiny cot
tase and gazed fondly across the marsh
which the outgoing tide had left with
an undertaking odor. Most OF me
houses on the Island are one-story high
and have nat roofs. Many OF them
are whitewashed and have little gar
dens. On the north side they are gen-
orally built in continuous. unattrae-
tive rows There are no vines or trees
to shelter theru and they are exposed
to the bleak winds Of winter and the
glaring sun Of summer. which is In
tensifed By its reelection from the
burning sand. In one Of these houses
there are three families. with total
OF thirteen children living.
Further up the island there are signs
OF prosperity. The houses and gar
eens are tidy and well kept and an oc-
casional ore il story and a half In
height. and has = gable roof These
are occupied by the old residents. some
OF them are fishermen and oyster plan
tars. By the aide OF one OF these
homes stands . ships cabin. purchased
for IS. Both house and cabin CLEAN
With fresh whitehouse. There are
dainty curtains At all the windows and
the little garden Is pruned beyond the
suspicion Of a weed. The cabin b
rented to Q lodger. The thrifty house
wife scrubs her COWS a. regularly ~
her house and It Is said that they can.
for that reason. be recognized in any
part OF the island
There are threc saloons In Hour
ishing condition on Barren island. but
although 1t has been populated for nifty
years. there has never been a school
house or church An implanted, un-
slightly structure. condemned by the
authorities. was used for the school
until laxt winter. when the teacher. an
old man, became insane. OF this
teacher one of the rssidents-a father
Who had brought - eight chfldsen
thsre--safd.
IA ha1 psohaAly - : gno1
enrugh ssaeher n NJ ~. bit ~ ~
worn out whsn - aane. You know
this IL the dumping ground Tor worn
out stua snd anything d thought TO
Be- good enough for VA"
when the school was len without
teacher the people demanded = school
house and refused 10 allow their chill
dreE's lives to be endangered In the
rickesy building again Through the
efforts of Miss Matte Smith the foun-
dations OF . church have been laid
The site was given BY Mr.. whiscomb
Of Flatlsndx- The corner stone was
laid on May n. but the building will
not be erected until sudic!ent money
has been raised 70 pay for It. Tho