New-York tribune., 1900-12-30
FoRSAKEN FARM COUNTRY
AGRICULTURAL TOWNS IN THE REpK
sHIREs HAVE LOST IN PoPU.
LATIoN SINCE 1890.
THE COUNTY is NOT BARREN ONE
EITHER-LARGER IDEAS OF LIFE
MORE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
CHANGE THAN Ex
HAUsTIoN OF
THE SOIL.

~~-~A-N En-
HAUsTIoN OF
THE SOIL.
Tyringhau. Mass. Dec Is CspeciaD.-Desnite
the interest taken by the Commonwealth in the
matter OF the so called abandoned farms and
the remarkable influx Of the summer resident
into the district under consideration the census
figures OF 1900. recently announced. sho-v a con-
unuea ana disappointing shrinkage in the popu-
lations OF Massachusetts agricultural towns.
out OF thirty-two towns comprising Berkshire
County, twenty-three show an average loss of
10 per cent for the last ten years With but
two or three exceptions. these are strictly aeri-
cultural towns. OF the nine towns remaining
seven mainly manufacturing or railroad
centres: one Is a farming town on the railroad
and has some small factories. while the ninth
is fashionable Lenox. The last shows a gain Of
only II per cent. while North Adams. now the
metropolis Of the county. has gained at the rate
n sos per cent in the decade. In other words.
while the county a whole has gained 1882
souls, or nearly IS per cent nine Of its towns
show an average gain OF more than 2S per cent
and twenty-three an average loss Of 10 per cent
These figures are significant
In 1871. when the first census was taken. the
county Of Berkshire had population OF 80 291
At that time it was almost wholly an agricult-
ural region. One hundred years ago the condi-
swelled to 33ss5 To-day. though the total
population Of the county makes the fine showing
Of 90 667 or an increase OF 81, ,1S2 for the CEN
tury, the twenty-three agricultural towns be-
fore mentioned show a total loss OF "a It is
The manufacturing towns that now constitute
the county. In the hundred years the agri-
cultural districts have been populated and de-
populated; whereas before the war; the rural
population had increased until every valley and
-vsSA
proximately two-thirds OF the whole people are
gathered together in the cities and smaller
trade centres. In ten years North Adams has
risen from dirty stupid looking town Of
1904 people TO a tidy. lively city Of "a 200,
having outciassed Pfttsfield, the county seat
with its present population of 21,766 and its
net gain for the decade of 4,475 The former
city is al the meeting of spur Of the Boston
and Albany with the main line OF the Fitch
burg: its manufactures are many and varied.
Pittsfeld is the junction Of the Boston and
Albany main line now part of the New-York
Central system) and the Berkshire division of
the Consolidated. Great Darlington. the original
shire town, boasts Of gain exceeding % per
cent. II Is the trading centre Of the south part
Of the county, and has important manufacturing
interests All three towns have excellent water
power and exceptional environment. Besides
these, there are Adams. Dalton, Lee, Williams
class
GROWTH OF MANUFACTURING CENTRES.
It is not at all strange that these centres
should grow; indeed there is every reason why
they should. But how account for the con-
tinuaI shrinking of the farming population? 1t
is recorded throughout New-England, but for
various reasons this county offers an unusually
fair field for observation. Its area of thou
sand square miles makes it in point Of territory
the second in size in the State. while its diver
sity of surface and widely differing conditions
give opportunity for investigating various the
ories that are offered by way Of explanation.
Berkshire is the westernmost county in the
State. extending from Connecticut the south
10 Vermont on the north with the NewYork
State line along its whole western border. Grass
is green in the southern valleys while snow yet
lies on the northern hills. From north to south
extend the parallel chains of the Taghconcs
and the Hoosacs, with rich broad valleys in be-
tween. presenting arabic land at all elevations
from 900 TO 2 800 feet above the seattle noun
tain SUBMITS reach a maximum of $500 feet
The river bottoms, flooded annually, if not more
frequently. are extremely rich in opportunities
for the farmer; the Iplands. though often
strewn with rocks, seldom exclude the plough,
and offer profitable pasturage. Railroads cut
the country from north to SOUTH and twice from
east TO west, the competition keeping the freight
rates moderately low lneIe Is not d GIOSSlOouo
so remote as to be twenty miles from station,
while fifteen miles is considered FAR back from
the railway. The Housatonic River. with its
two forks and many rapid tributaries, drains
the major portion Of the county. and affords
numDerless mill privileges. The Hoosac, flow
ing north and northwest, turns the wheels OF
Adams North Adams and Williamstown, slip
ping off into New-York The Deerfleld. at the
eastern portal Of the Hoosac Tunnel, includes a
hit Of Berkshire in its watershed, while the
Pennington wends its rapid way down one-half
Of the eastern border. All four of these greater
streams have numberless tributaries coming out
Of the hills constantly renewing the soil and
afording water power Of varying degrees to
him who will but use ito grind the farmers
tools cut his wood and make his butter. If it
viii DO more.
GOOD ROADS AND SCHOOLS.
The highways are generally good, except IN
the breaking up Of spring; the State is expend-
ing large sums annually for the extension Of the
best macadam roads out into the country
districts. The Massachusetts district scnool has
2 National reputation. Many Of the back towns
are now consolidating the schools so that they
may be graded and able TO support more com
petent teachers: in that case the town pays for
the transportation Of the children from the more
remote districts. Every town is compelled by
State law TO maintain a high school, or to pay