The La Jara chronicle. (La Jara, Conejos County, Colo.) 1896-19??, 1905-06-02
Especial Correspondence.)

Boscawen is quiet little New Eng
land town, lying on the west oank
of the Merrimac river. and ABOUT
seven miles north of Concord. IL en-
Joys the distinction of being the only
place of the name in the country. IL
certainly is a word of pliable orthog-
raphy, for curious postmaster copied
thirty-three different methods OF spell
ing the name in two years.
Who first suggested the name is not
clear. but 1t appears first in call ior
the first town meeting over the sigma
ture of Joseph Coffin. and dated April
80. 1860. The name was given in honor
Of Admiral Edward de Boscawen OF
the English navy. whose fame was
bright at this time, for he had just
fought a great battle with the frehch
navy off Cape Vincent and had nearly
annihilated it. One other spot in the
world bears his name, and that Is an
island in the Pacific.
The scenery of the town is charm
ing. especially in the summer time
The meadow views on the Merrlmac'
with "Muchedo" bank for back
ground. surely rival the scene at Con-
way. From Knowlton's hill, which
might well be called a mountain, is
obtained a fine landscape view, and
the rim of the horizon will take In
Kearsarge. Monadnock, Wachusett,
the Unconoonucks. Sunapee. Ascutney.
Cardigan, Moosilauke. Chocorua, the
Franconia range. and. on clear day,
the PARKWAY peak of Mt Washington.
The beauty spot of Boscawen is its
/ broad and
mile or more in length. 1t Is shaded
by great, picturesque elms, some OF
which spread so that they meet over
head on the wide thoroughfare, and
furnish a grateful shade as well as
charming street scene. Large and
well-kept houses and lawns line the
street. There are two stores, but
neither a doctor nor lawyer in the
village.
There is one church. nominally Con-
gregational but made the spiritual
home of all Christians. The history
of the church is interesting. Its first
| pastor was the noted DR.. Wood, who
| fitted Daniel Webster and many other
boys for Dartmouth college. He took
great interest in all town affairs, es-
pecially in educational matters. and,
] though he received a salary of not
more than 5000 per year, he helped
number of young men through col
lege, and when he died left property
which has been invested in intervale
lands which yield quite little income
to support the present church.
The town is now quite strong in
temperance sentiment, always voting
1ira a
sale of liquor, but when the meeting
house was raised in the western part
of the town, now the new town of
Webster. the men stopped to drink
as each broadside went up. The
selectmen's books of that time show
this entry: paid for rum to raise
the new meeting house, G2 It's 3D."
The VALLEY of Industry"
In a ravine near the meeting house
there is little hamlet and an old
mill This spot used to be known as
the valley of Industry" an appro-
pirate name. The people of the will
age, or Plains" as it is called, are
mostly engaged in agriculture. and the
manufacturing interests. which are
now considerable. have developed at
the southern part of the town. which
forms quite part of the village of
Penacook. Here they have the power
of the Contoocook just as it joins the
Merrimac. These consist largely of
extensive flour mills. the old Fisher
Vile saw works, the noted Concord
axle works, the products of which
find sale in all parts of the country.
IIar un
mills.
The school building and grounds at
this part of the town make beauti-
full picture. They are a fitting monu-
ment to the Gates, Brown and Rolfe
families, whose liberality and enter
prise planned and completed the Pena-
cook academy. The old academy
building at the "Plains" is now used
also for the public school. The bell
on this building was the gift of Daniel
Webster.
But the pride of Boscawen seems to
be in the talented sons 1t has sent out
into the world. This pride is shown
in the memorial stones that the town
has put up in various places of in
terest.
Here Webster studied and had his
law office. and up and down the broad
street he marched the young men in
the evening with hoop-poles serving
as arms. The stately mansion known
as the Webster place, which he owned
for a while and sold to his brother
az