La Junta tribune., 1905-07-15
Especial Corresron6enceD

Roscaven Is quiet Little NsS tns-
land town. lying on the vest bank
Of the Merrimac river. and about
seyen miles north of Concord II 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 q curious postmaster copied
thirty-three different methods OF spell
ing the name in two years
Who first suggested the name is not
clear. but II appears nrst in a call for
the first town meeting over the sigma
ture of Joseph Comm. and dated April
80, 1850. The name was given in honor
Of Admiral Edward de Boscawen OF
the English navy. whose fame vas
bright at this time. fer he had just
fought a great battle with the French
navy OF 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. nho
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 faraway peak OF Mt. Washington
The beauty spot of Boscawen is its
village street. wonderfully broad and
a mile or more in length. II 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
weilkept 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 DIR. Wood, who
fitted Daniel Webster and many other
boys for Dartmouth college. He took
great interest in all town ahairs. es-
peciaIly in educational matters. and.
though he received a salary of not
more than $500 per year. he helped a
number OF young men through col
lege. and when he died left property
which has been invested In intervaie
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
selectmen's books OF that time show
this entry: Paid for rum to raise
the new meeting house. E2 lis I'd"
The "vaiisy Of Industry"
In a ravine near the meeting house
there Is a little hamlet and an old
mill. This spot used to be known rs
the valley of Industry" an appro-
pirate name. The people Of the will
age. or Plains as 1t is called. are
mostly engaged in agriculture. and the
manufacturing interests. which are
COW considerable. have developed at
the southern part Of the town. which
forms quite n part Of the village OF
Penacook. Here they have the power
Of the Contoocook just as II 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
nnd sale In all parts Of the country.
and the well known Harris woolen
mills.
The school building and grounds at
this part Of the town make . beauti-
full picture. They are . htting monu-
ment to the Gates. Brown and Rolfe