Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-01-10
THE GREEN MOUNTAIN REPOSI-
'pORX

NJ
the twelve numbers of the Green Noun
tain Repository. This was a monthly
publication whose appearance began and
ended with the year 1882, and it was
edited by z. Thompson, A. NJ, author of
the Gazetteer of the state of Vermont"
and was printed by Edward Smith of Bur
lington, who died recently at an advanced
age.
Each number of the Repository contains
twcntyfour pages, about seven by four
and one-half inches in size, and this
publication affords a striking contrast to
our present voluminous monthly maya
zines. The chances are. however that
when some of the present ages publica-
tons, printed on wood pulp paper. are
as old as this bound volume of the old
Green Mountain Repository, they will
hardly be as well preserved as this relic
of printing In Burlington, three quarters
of a century old.
The prospectus says that since so
many unsuccessful attempts have been
made to establish a periodical among the
mountains of Vermont, which should par
take somewhat of the literary and
scientific character. it will doubtless be
deemed presumption to make another at
tempt in that direction, statement
which now appears to have been pro-
pNetic. A glimpse of the Repository's con-
statement that the editor has determined
no part of his publication shall be devoted
ito the circulation Of that kind of insipid
and worse than useless trash, with which
most of the periodicals of the present day
literally abound, under the denomination
of popular tales"
The publication was to be devoted to
original and authentic information rela-
tive to the natural and civil history Of
Vermont. and Judging from the senti-
ments expressed in this connection the
sons of Vermont of three quarters Of a
century ago had some OF the charac-
terstics which distinguish the typical
Vermonter of the present time. The
prospectus says that 'In love Of country
in determined opposition to tyranny and
oppresston-ln daring adventures-in
fortitude under suffering-and in steadi-
ness of purpose, the fathers of Vermont
would not suffer in comparison with the
people OF any other age or nation"
While the Repository was to be devoted
chiefly to historical matter it contained
some articles and items Of news
that are interesting even at the
present time. One of these articles
deals with the project Of a railroad from
Boston to Ogdensburg via burlington, to
which we shall refer later more in detail.
The table of contents includes a poets
Crafts, the distinguished man whom
Craftsbury was named after, and father
of the Hon. Samuel c. Crafts, one of the
governors of Vermont, and other promi-
| nent men; an extract from Gen. Bur
goyne's State of the Expedition from
| Canada; description OF a winter evening
| near Venice; Result of Steam Coaches, -
| an article showing how steam carriages
had displaced stage coaches" There is
also an article urging the support of
mechanics" as move we'll calcula ed to
the improvement OF the town, and other
matter that had timely interest at the
date OF publication, including news
summary.
One Of the interesting features Of the
| Repository is a monthly meteorological
summary with remarks" the latter be-
ing the more interesting of the two. We
are told, for example, that on January
/. 1882. the sleighng was good and had
Navigation was somewhat later than at
present, for we are informed that on
Greene stopped running. On January l.
the chronicle states that "watcr dropped
from the ewes for the drst time by solar
action since November"
The summary for February is intro
duced with the remark that the first day
of February. 1896 was the coolest day
| in Burlington for twenty years, tn,
thermometer having been down to q
degrees below zero In the morning and
seven below at noon. 1t also appears thai
on February 1G 1892, the barometer was
higher than ever before noticed in thi,
place" while at the end Of the month II
is stated that "tho average depth of snow
Is now three feet"
The number for March contains amonl
other interesting matter the measure
ments of Lake Champaign in diffcren
places. taken while the ice was on tn,
lake, under the direction of John John
son, Esq. These measurements show thai
from the southwestern corner of May,
& Folett's wharf, near the stone store o
Spaulding, Kimball a. Co., to Port Ken
1t is nine miles and 200 rods; to the llgh
house, three miles and forty-ei rods
to Rock Dunder, two miles and 226 rods
to Pottlers Point, two miles and lS2 rods
| II, ie n n,