The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1899-04-28
Letter from Boston.
BosToN, April 23, 1900.


FRIEND PARKER
1t is Just five months since the big No
vember storm struck us, carrying mourn
ing to many homes for dear ones lost on
sea and land, and the past week has been
the first to make us feel as if dread win
ter had really relaxed its grip. That
veracious individual-''the oldest inhabi-
tants-will tell you that the past winter
has been the ''worst on record" and it is
more than likely that the statistics when
made up will show that it has rarely, if
ever, been surpassed in destruction of
life and property along the Massachusetts,
coasf. Most of the present month has
beer tolerable and the last few days
fine. To-day all the suburban streets are
crowded with (more or less) fine turnouts
and of course the bicycle is of every age
and everywhere One does not have
to be here very long to find out that Or
ange County is pretty well represented at
the Hub, and will in this and subse-
quently mention some of the best known
of that ilk.
All of your older readers will remember
Mr.. N, d. Blake, who left East Corinth
about 1865 to engage in business here as
senior partner of the great wooden house
of Blake & Stearns, for many years on
Franklin street but now at 81 Lincoln St.
Mr.. Blake has beautiful home in Mel
rose, where he is surrounded by his chill
dren and their families. His son, N. D.
Blake, Ir., is member of the old firm
and relieves his father of most of the &C
tive service. The writer spent the even
ing some time since with Mr.. B. Sr., and
had an idea previous tc that time that he
1uo Gfcnr1ac he Of
but 'the old man" Gas he calls himself),
took the conceit out of him in good
shape. Mr.. Blake and his brother, Chas.
W., who is a retired merchant, spent
some two months at Southern Pines, n.
c., during the past winter where he met
many Vermonters. By the way, shortly
after Dewey's victory at Manila, Mr..
Blake showed me a letter from Prof. A.
B. Corliss, whom many of your readers
know, in which he spoke something as
follows, quote from memory: George
Dewey was one of my pupils in Montpel-
ier in 1850. At that time he was princi-
pally noted for playing truant and fight
ing previous teachers. He let me off
easy; probably on account of my some
what crippled condition" Our great ad-
miral seems to have quit the truant habit
as HS Was Sl1lClIy 'On llIIlC DIT MdllIld,
but has evidently lost none of his belig
erent propensities.
.I-Fosi1er of Boston's respected mer-
chants is Mr.. Freeman J. Doe, formerly
of Newbury, who can be found any day
at the Faneuil Hall Market, in the midst
of choice products of butter, eggs,
etc., from the farms of Vermont and
elsewhere.
Near by on one side of him are c. r.
Corwin & Co., a firm made up mostly of
Chelsea Young men who make a special
ty of poultry; while on the other side is
the firm of Winn, Kicker & Co., fruit
and produce dealers, the leading spirit of
which is Mr.. viii Craig, brother of
your -townsman Charles R. VIII is a
great lover of fine horses and is very
much in evidence on the road, where
those who know him usually take back
seat without a struggle.
High up in the ninth story of Jewel |
ers' Building, 373 Washington street,
YOU can find genial Ed M. Clarke (broth- |
er of A. T.) who learned his trade of
''Joe'' Warden in the sixties, and was for
many years with the American Watch |
Coiat Waltham, where he still resides.
OF course you all know that "Dave"
Quimby fills a large niche at the great |
and only" Houghton & Dutton's. His
brother Henry ]. carries on a tiourishing |
teaming and fast-freight business, with
stable in Charlestown, and the two |
brothers have a fine home at Oak Grove. |
If none of those whom l have named |
in this, search me oAt and murder me, |
will write you. aboht some more Yer
monters in Boston before long.
Yours truly,
MARCH.