Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-06-10
Had Birth in 1860
Especial Correspondence.)


Boscawen- is a quiet little New Eng
land town, lying ON the west bank
of the Merrimac river. and about
seven miles north of Concord 1t en-
Joys the distinction of being the only
place of the name in the country 1t
certainly is a word of pliable orthog-
raphy, for a curious postmaster copied
thirty-three different methods of spell
ing the name in two years.
Who first suggested the name is not
clear, but it appears first in a call for
the first town meeting over the sigma
ture of Joseph Coffin, and dated April
30, 1850. 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 French
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 Merrimac,
with "Muchedo" bank for a back
ground, surely rival the scene at Con-
way. From Knowlton's hill, which
might well be called a mountain, is
obtained 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 far-away peak of Mt Washington
The beauty spot of Boscawen is it's
village street. wonderfully 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 a 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 $500 per year, he helped
number of young men through col
1ege, 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
down any proposition to legalize the
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
-se1ectmen's books of that time show
this entry: paid. for rum to raise
the new meeting house, G2 It's I'd
Tho "Valley of Industry"
In 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 a 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 -four mills, the old Fisher
vile saw works, the noted Concord
axle works. the products of which
find sale in all parts of the country,
and the well known Harris wooden
mills.
The school building and grounds at
this part of the town make a beauti-
full picture. They are a fitting monu-
ment to the Gates, Brown and Rolfe