St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-01-13

A friend recently sent E. & T. Fair
banks & Co. copy of the Boston TRAY
eller of March z, 1856, containing let
ter written by H. r. L. from ST. Johns
bury, under date of Feb. rs, 1856. 1t is
one of the earliest letters ever written
from here to the daily press and will be
of special interest to our readers. The
growth of the scale company since those
early days, and the references to our
lecture course, band concerts and the
enforcement of the prohibitory law are
especially suggestive.
ST. JoHNsBURY, Feb. 20, 1856.
Editors Of the Traveller:
Most singular and romantic is the
situation of this thriving and beautiful
village; at once deep valley and very
high hill. The PLAIN is half mile long,
north and south, and about one eighth
of a mile in width. From this plain you
descend on all sides save the north west
corner, with awful precipitousness, one
hundred and fifty feet, finding on the east
the Passumpsic. and on the west and
south Sleeper's River. From this circum-
ambient Iavine the ascent is by a cor
fertile SUBMITS of noble bills, looming
majesticaily far above the plain, their
sides covered with rich forests of ever
greens, rockmaples, &c. These rock
ma pies fill me with astonishment. One
l have noticed by the roadside in the
neighborhood. which rises to height OF
forty feet and the trunk SO straight that
the eye cannot detect the slightest bend,
and four feet through at the base. The
waters OF the Passumpsic move the ma
ch1nery of valuable and rapidly extend
ing manufactures, in the midst of a
young and thriving village, the railway
station being not far from the centre.
On the southwest OF the plain, the road
descends by declivity more gradual
than on the other sides, to the great
Scale Mandatory of the Messrs. Fair
banks, on Sleeper's river, with a third
village of neat white painted houses, to
all the men OF which that establishment
gives constant and full employ ment. In
descending to this village you pass the
beautiful residences of these euterpris-
ing men, with ornamented grounds,
fountains playing all the winter within
the cOnical ice houses which they have
fashioned for themselves, leaving small
opening at the apex for your especial
qualification in seeing and hearing, the
effect being peculiar with the mercury at
20 below zero.
Some idea of the work done in this
Scale Mandatory may be gathered
from two Or three of it's details. The
number of men constantly employed is
two hundred and 6tty,-nearlv all Ameri-
cans. In addition to the waters of the
river, an engine of seventy horse power
is kept always going in working hours.
Seven tons of Scotch pigs are consumed
daily. Yet there is no accumula ton of
wares, the demand being always in
advance of the supply. Very curious is
the history of the invention which has
led SO rapidly to great wealth. The
Brothers Fairbanks were engaged, some
years ago, in the hemp business. Find
ing the weighing apparatus then in use
very clumsy and ipconvenient, one of
them thought he could contrive some
thing better, and, setting himself to
work, speedily brought forth the first
rude sample of Fair banks Scales.
The material thrift of the people does
not make them Indifferent to more impor-
tant interests. There are two Churches
on the Plain, large and elegant edi6ces,
both orthodox and both well attended.
One has fine organ, and ssthe other is
just about to be supplied, through the
munihcence of one individual, T. FAIR
banks, ESQ.,, at a cost of twenty five
of course, and of a high character. Two
courses of Lectures have been delivered
during the season, by Prof. Hadduck on
SPAIN" and by Mr.. Bodwell on 1.-The
People and Institutions of England"
The people are also treated every now
and then to a promenade concert by an
accomplished amateur brass band.
1t is quite unnecessary to say that the
people are intelligent. warm hearted and
,p1 l. l.
with that section of Vermont where they
are not so. They are also highly moral
and religious. A good illustration of
this is seen in the honest and hearty sup
yort which they give to their Liquor
Law. The summary way in which they
put the rum-sellers through" as they
call it, is most refreshing. 1 see from
newsps per paragraph that my friend
James Barrett, ESQ.,, of Woo stock, Solic-
1tor TOR the County. has lately been doing
his dutyin this direction, with a straight
forwardness which reflects great credit
on him and his County. How happens
he to be SO far in advance of our Massa-
chusetts gentlemen of the legal profession
in this matter? If Mr.. Barrett would
open a school for pupils to be instructed
in the proper method of executing anti
liquor law, would it not be a good thing
to send up large batch of our Bay State
lawyers at the public expense?
From all that l have seen I conclude
that in this region the true aristocracy,
the kings, are the farmers. Out OF debt,
their farms well stocked and productive,
the railroad, genuine philosophers stone
to the farmers, turning everything into
gold at their very doors, having a few
shares in the bank, luxurious livers, not
working SO hard as the farmers of Mas
SachusettS, turning to good account in
the way of reading and social pleasures
the long season of comparative repose
which the winter forces upon them, and
all this with an estate the total value of
which does not exceed FIVE or six thous-
and dollarsl Can the wide world supply
finer picture OF agricultural thrift and
independence and careless contentment?
When one of these notabIes wishes to
take his wife to the Village Store few