Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-04-06
MIGRATION TO VERMONT,
Ocs'rHbIe ArrcSsions 10 the states t'Op.
u1atlOn from the Wcst--Abmn.
dOned Farms.

| In n recent visit to Hartford (at White
! River J'ncti"D learned some facts
| which sct M interesting ana suggestive. in
| view Of much current talk about the
| ''dog"n"racX" cot our country towns
abandoned farms, and the speedy diving
out Of New England fotcsoen 10y certain
sapcnt minds. says Mary =. Wells Smith
of tirccnhcld, Mass, in the Springfield Re
publican.
| Within the last two or three years.
about 20 families of American birth ard
descent. from Dakota (South Dakota. !
hclicvC,, have moved to Vermont. buying
farms within Il radius Of 10 or IL miles IN
"r around Hartford. Mr. Turner was the
first cmisrant to Hartford from Dakota.
| lie wiS So pleased that he wrct" glowing
accounts Of tn" prospects in that region
back {" his minister. the Rev IT. NJ.
, Springer who also moved to Hartford.
purchasing Il farm abou, three miles out
of the village. MIR. Springer. ! think, WAS
born in Missouri and had never been
farther East than Chicago. II" hired two
freight cars and brought all his live
stock, including four horses, ~ number
OF cattle ana 100 hens lie and ono son
c"ulc with tn" stock to care for II. He
also brought his wheat crop. selling it
Mir. Turner brought several horses with
him which he sold in Vermont.
| This emigration from Dakota to Yer
mont has continued until, rs has been
said. about 80 families arr. now settled in
land around Hartford. These omigrailts
hay" largely bought abandoned farms so
Icallcd. Thcy have no trouble in making
Ia living. dcNotlng themselves to stock
RAISING and dairying. They live very
simply. almost wholly ON the products Of
their farms. killing a steer now and then
for meat. as our forefathcrs were wont
to do. They make the very best class of
lctizcns. intelligent, Industrious. with
plenty Of American common sense, and
the Warm-hcartcd frankncss of tho Nest
ready to meet every one half WAY and t,
fall in and cooperate in all good move
lnonts. They are delighted with their ne "
homes, enthusiastic over the hills and
trees. and feel 50 near everything.
was told. Boston is their Mecca" was
also told it is delightful I" them t" be
abb" to go 50 easily to Boston They os-
pccially prize the vicinity to good schools
for their children.
Driving ont three miles IN White River
Uhat stream 50 dismally familiar Of old
10 NV England captiNos). saw Mr..
lSpringer's farm. \ brick farm house
stands in u lovely situation, high up Oh
tho southern hill side sloping down To- the
beautiful White River, commanding a
inc view down that iivor to the CON
ncctcut and the Grantham hills beyond.
and looking across To Il picturesque range
of high hills that would be mountains
anywhere out Of Vermont. Mr.. Turner :
! house +; across the road. and tho houses
of other nciGhbors III sight. Mrs. Springer
is the mother of IL children. Rour sons
came with the parents. til" other children
bolng married and settled in the West.
Hartford has Il we'll selected library in Il
hnc building uho library being largely in
dcbtcd, l presume to tho kindly interest
Of the Morris and Cone families. which
has upstairs II line reception room and
hall for social ana club use. Mr.. and
Mrs. Springer and two bright boys If T.
and II attended the meeting % the Hart-
ford Literary club the day | was there.
rho boys like Vermont as much as their
parents They find the whole situation
la vast improvement upon living on a
treclcss prairie. far from everything ana
everybody where the children were un-
able t. attend school regularly owing to
the great distance. and Mr.. Springer
drove 100 miles to sell his wheat. They
enjoy the climate, after billiards. sweep
ing over the prairie in winter. and
droughts and erasshoppcr pests In sum
mcr. | was told that other families are
coming from Dakota to Vermont as soon
as they can sell their farms, and that "A
similar colony from the West is settled
II, ar Granthanl This remarkable reversal
of Horace Grccley's we'll known advice
suggests hopeful views for the future OF