Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-05-18

| 0rSt cnurcn OIL the Town cOmDOn, muCL
after the fashion Of the Congregational
list, only smaller. The gallery extended
around three sides with a high pulpit or
the fourth side.
Here Mr.. Bsllou preached his first ser
mons and laid the foundation OF a minis
terial life which afterwards proved to be
one of the most eminent in the city OF
Boston. At this time he must have been q
very poor man and without doubt work
ing for a small salary, for the town au-
thorities fearing be or his family might
become paupers caused the foilowinf no.
tice to be served:
STATE OF VERMONT To the constable
WINDSOR COUNTY, IS. in the town OF
Barnard in the county Of Windsor. Greet
ing.
Hosea Ballou and wife and children and
Anna Moses now residing in Barnard TO
depart said town. Hereof fail not but OF
this precept and your doings herein due
return make according to law.
Given under our hands at Barnard this
28th day OF July, A. ID. 1903.
THOMAS FREEMAN seIactuen
ALEXANDER BOWMAN ~
How little they thought this poor young
man would eventually be the pastJr OF
that large church in Boston and receive a
munificent salary. And il must have been
very Illuminating to remember that at one
time they sought to drive him away from
Barnard. In 1905, Mr.. Ballou lost a young
child, a daughter, buried in the Central
cemetery. There was a tombstone, on
which was a pretty verse, no doubt COM
posed by himself, viz,
1.-THE graceful flower was lent, not given.
Faded on earth, yet blooms in haven"
In 1871, the society built its new church
at a cost Of about $4,000, which is now In
excellent repair and constant use, altho'
the old memoers have long since passed
away. Yet many of the descendants are
still in the field zealously working to sus-
tain the reputation OF this c%entury-old
church. The attendance is considered
well up to the average OF Vermont con-
gregations aid the preachers employed
are among the best IN the state. Much
credit for the success must be given to the
II. p. z. U. society, which never relaxes
its efforts.
The old building on the common was
converted into a school, lecture and gen
eral exhibition hall and used for years by
the town for its annual meetings. A floor
was laid across from one side OF the gal
lery to the other, making an upper rom,
and as the building was two stories high
with two ows Of tall windows, this upper
room was well adapted for exhibitions.
During the years that Barnard held town
fairs this room was used for a floral hall.
Soon after the old building was aban-
doned for church services and the new
floor laid dividing the upper from the
lower story there was an exhit ition given,
nearly fifty years ago., in this upper hall
of electricity n the workings of the tel
egraph by Prof. Collins Wight of Day.
ton, o. Prof. Wight was a native of
Barnard, born on the farm at the head OF
Silver lake, and was a son of Benoin
Wight, one OF the first settlers. This ex-
hibition was free lecture on the then
new science and drew a big audience, the
hall being crowded to its utmost capacity.
A long table was made in the center on
this new floor, upon which the professor
had all the machinery and large bottles OF
chemicals for manufacturing electricity
with a galvanized battery OF considerable
power. After the lecture and some exhi-
billions OF light n shadows, Prof. Wight
all who desired to feel the power OF
shocks to come around the table
and take hold Of hands and he would then
on his battery so that each could
realize the wonderful discovery. There
was a general rush for the center and
about the time they were clasping hands
the new floor gave away snd all went
down into the room below. Men
and women, all the apparatus, machinery
and jars OF chemicals, with all the lights
In the hous and the professor himself
were sunk in total darkness. Howls, yells
6NNtduls htIt Ing DhuutulOulum lcl
The original gallery floors on three
sides were strong, supported by heavy
posts, n all those who were fortunate
TO be there were safe, but many
being crazed with fright leaped upon the {
reads and bodies OF those who fell with {
he new floor. Some believed there was I
In explosion and the whole building ,
cry window to the ground outside and i
we're badly bruised; and some really {
bought 1t was a part OF Prof. Nights
performance.
Lights were procured and able bodied
men worked fast in carrying out through
he doors below women n children sup A
posed to be dead, but they soon revived
'fter being laid on the ground in the
'resh air, and ran for home. The writer
this helped carry out a large, stout
woman apparently dead. However, she
allied through the exertions of friends q
md sat up. Her first words we're, "Thous- :.
Inds and thousands of people are killed :
n Barnard tonight" Many humorous 4
Incidents could be related OF this break
Town, which became laughing talk, as I,
here were but few serious injuries. Amos :
a large, heavy man, was caught ;
some timbers and was unable to [
ret up, but his Mouth was clear and run Z
t a fearful rate against those who jumped 4
rom the sound floor onto the heads be. =
oN. men q llgut was brought ne SAID, u
Il wore my new silk hat here and | wish @
would carry it outside, for some d-n !,
DOL will be jumping down on it," After '
considerable work we liberated Amos un- v
lurt but he said that there was a woman
lnder him dead. She could neither move n
lor speak. Moving another piece of tim ],
yer and a board we found the long cush- u
on belonging to the pulpit. Uncle Tom
a little, old, dried up man. who L
night weigh 70 or so pounds, was hung
Ip by his clothes on a large nail. He was
cry quiet until nearly all were carried a
ut and then mildly said, "It you will q
axe me down / will go home" The most n
erious injury proved to be to Warren 7
Aikens, who had a broken bone in the ?
nkle, which caused a lameness through
lis life. DIR. John Thomson had three
lbs broker and all who went down had !,
more or less cuts and bruises, but no last T
ng trouble. Much clothing was ruined Z
y the acids and chemicals Of Prof. Wight p
his " loss was quite heavy. II the a
Ights used had been kerosene oil un-
oubtedly the whole building would have
urned and many lives been lost. Fortu-
ately the stoves full of fire we're stand
lg on the sound floor. a
The house was finally sold to private r,
art les and faEpn dpXn Tins audad the q.