The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-04-28
ROMANCE OF A TOWN.
New Jersey Burg Reduced to Ruin
by Extravaganza.
Industrial Experiment That Came to
kaught and caur ed Widespread
Disaster Flames
Finish Ii.

In the heart of forest of stunted
trees in burlington county IS smoke
blackened chimneys, standing as head
stones over the ashes of as many once
happy homes. tell the story of the ut
ter desolation of prosperous village,
says the Chicago Chronicle.
Batsto, existing now in name only,
stood at the head of Little Egg har-
Dor, on Mullica river. 1t clustered
about lake where once the Indians
bathed, calling it Batsto. bathing
place. The Quakers settled around iC
and one Of their number built in 1866
an iron furnace on the brink of its
outlet. His name was Ball and an
iron plate which was fastened in the
stone wall recorded the building of
this second iron furnace in the new
country.
The region about Batsto was dotted
with piles of wood covered with sand,
and many men found employment
burning charcoal for the furnace.
Under the Quakers the work of i'm
proyement went on vigorously. Mr..
Ball was in charge of this work.
Working for Ball was a young Welsh
man, William Richards. At the
Quaker's death Richards succeeded
him and added vastly TO the wealth of
the little village. He paid the passage
of immigrants and made them his re-
tainers and on a knoll above the lake
still stand the ruins of the stone man
sion he built, with two-story wings. Tn
der William Richards the foundry
prospered. Al town was laid out and
the streets lined with alianthus and
buttonwood trees. A two-story brick
store was built near the mansion. An
office, warehouse, two large stone
stables and many dwellings were erect
ed. In 1872 William Richards died. He
left six sons-Jesse, Samuel, Benjamin,
George, William and augustus.
Contentment reigned throughout
the place. There were no walking dele
gates, labor unions, combinations of
capital and Homestead riots in Batsto.
The workmen loved Jesse Richards
and no man was ever imposed upon.
lie looked well to their comfort and
the happiness of their families.
In 1929 the foundry furnace was re,
built and the date is inscribed on the
old iron plate. BY 1910 ten furnaces
were busy in New Jersey, but the dis
eovery of iron and coal in other states
soon dealt them a heavy blow. and
from this date Batsto began to trace
IT'S downfall In 1913 the furnaces
were so Improbable that the fires
were allowed to die out and they
were never again relighted. Jesse
Richards, in 1854, died, 70 years old.
with three sons and three daughters
to enjoy his enormous fortune. AS
William had left to his sons a love of
thrift and power, Jesse left to his a
love of strong drink Thomas. Samuel
and Jesse were the executors of the
estate and the will ordered the remain
ing factories to be run in their names.
The broad acres and thriving village
still returned vast revenue.
They made Robert Stewart, who had
been their fathers secretary. their
manager and they left Batsto for Phil
adelphia to lavish their wealth in
every possible pleasure and dissipa-
ton. They demanded all the profits of
the factories to supply them, and find
ing these inadequate in 1855 sold to
Matlaek & Allen, of PHILADELPHIA.
10000 acres of their land.
The workingmen were left unpaid.
Things went from bad to worse. AT
last they threw down their tools and
the firesin the glass furnaces went out.
The place busy for half a century was
idle.
Thirty-fve years ago the fires went
Out for the last time. profitable
market for the products of the entire
county was dead. The farmers who
left Mount Holly every week with
great loads of pork and other neces-
saries of life ceased TO travel the
beaten track to Batsto. No rent col
lector called upon the inhabitants of
the dilapiGated tenements and as one
house became too old and rickety TO
live in they moved into another. Desc
lation lowered over everything. Not
member of the family remained there.
OF the sons who had so woefulIy mis-
managed the grand estate, Thomas
mao dleu, Jesse occasionally visited the
old place and Samuel resided in Phila-
delphia.
Mortgages had grown upon the viii
lage like moss upon the mill wheels
and the court in Mount Holly gave
Robert Stewart judgment Of $4,000
against the estate and smaller ones
to others. Joseph Wharton, of Phila-
delphia, bought up the mortgages and
with the judgments the once pros
porous village of Batsto and 5000
acres satisfied demand of about $50
600. Mr.. Wharton is known today as
the greatest land proprietor in New
Jersey.
On the night of February %, 1874, a
spark from the chimney of Robert
Stewards house burned his own dwell
ing and then the flames licked up the
remaining tenantable houses. Batsto
was in ashes.
Turkeys Eaten ON Thanksgiving.
1t is estimated that 100000 tur-
keys are required to furnish the