The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-10-22
ROMANCE OF A TOWN.
New Jersey Burg Reduced to Ruin
by Extravaganza.
Industrial Experiment That Came "a
KauRht and Caus ed Widespread
Disaster Flames
Finish Ii.

In the heart of a forest of stunted
trees in Burlington county Is smoke
blackened chimneys, standing as head
stones over the ashes of as many once
happy homes, tell the story Of the ut
ter desolation Of prosperous village,
says the Chicago Chronicle.
Batsto, existing now in name only,
stood at the head Of Little Egg har-
Dor, on Mulica river. 1t clustered
about lake where once the Indians
bathed, calling it Batsto, a bathing
place. The Quakers settled around il
and one Of their number built in 1866
an iron furnace on the brink of its
outlet. His name was Ball and an
iron plate which was fastened in the
stone wall recorded the building Of
this second iron furnace in the new
country.
The region about Batsto was dotted
with piles of wood covered with sand,
and many men found employment
burning charcoal for the furnace.
Under the Quakers the work of i'm
provement went on vigorously. Mr..
Ball was in charge of this work.
Working for Ball was young Welsh
man, William Richards. At the
Quaker's death Richards succeeded
him and added vastly to the wealth of
the little village. lie paid the passage
of immigrants and made them his re-
tanners and on knoll above the lake
still stand the ruins of the stone man
sion he built, with two-story wings. I'm
der William Richards the foundry
prospered. A town was laid out and
the streets lined with alianthus and
buttonwood trees. A two-story brick
store was built near the mansion. An
c1hce, warehouse, two large stone
stables and many dwellings were erect
ed. In 1872 William Richards died. He
left six sons-Jesse, Samuel, Benjamin,
George, William and augustus.
Contentment reigned throughout
the place. There were no walking dele
gates, labor unions. combinations of
capital and Homestead riots in Batsto.
The workmen loved Jesse Richards
and no man was ever imposed upon.
lie looked we'll to their comfort and
the happiness of their families.
In 1929 the foundry furnace was re.
built and the date is Inscribed on the
old iron plate. by 1910 ten furnaces
were busy in New Jersey, but the dis
covery Of iron and coal in other states
soon dealt them heavy blow. and
from this date Batsto began to trace
its downfall. In 1S4s the furnaces
were so Improbable that the fires
were allowed to die out and they
were never again relghted. Jesse
richards, in 1854, died. - years old.
with three sons and three daughters
to enjoy his enormous fortune. AS
William had left to his sons a love Of
thrltt and power. Jesse left to his
love OF strong drink. Thomas. SamueI
and Jesse were the executors of the
estate and the will ordered the remain
ing factories to be run in their names.
Inc broad acres and thriving village
sun returned vast revenue.
They made Robert Stewart. who Ind
been their fathers secretary their
manager and they left Ratsto for Phil
adelphia to lavish their wealth in
every possible pleasure and dissina-
lioh. lhey demanded all the profits of
the factories to supply them. and find
ing these inadequate in 1855 sold i,
Matlack d Allen, of Philadelnbi,
$4,000 acres Of their land.
The worLingmen were left unpaid
lhlngs went from bad to worse Al
last they threw down their tools and
the fires in the glass furnaces went ont
me place busy for half a century was
idle. vas
Ihlrty-five years ago the fires went
ouh Tor the last time. A profitable
market for the products of the entirc
county was dead. The farmers WIN
left Mount Holly every week with
great loads of pork and other necas-
sarles OF life ceased to travel the
beaten track to Batsto. No rent col
rector called upon the inhabitants If
the dllapi0ated tenements and y. ono
house became too old and ricketv 10
live in they moved into another Desc
lation lowered over everything. MOI .
member of the family remained there
Of the sons who had SO woefullv mis-
managed the grand estate. Thomas
had died, Jesse occasionally visited tbe
old place and Samuel resided in philo-
delphia.
Mortgages had grown upon the viii
lage like moss upon the mill wheels
and the court in Mount Holly gave
Robert Stewart a judgment of Sa0.ooo
against the estate and smaller ones
to others. Joseph Wharton. of Pbilo-
delphia. bought up the mortgages and
with the judgments the once pros.
porous village of Batsto and 0.oOo
acres satisfied a demand of about $50
600. Mr. Wharton is known TO-DAY os
the greatest land proprietor in New
Jersey.
On the night of February %, 1874 n
spark from the chimney of Robert
Stewards house burned his own dwell.
ing and then the flames licked up tho
remaining tepantable houses. Batsto
was in ashes.
Turkeys Eaten on ThanksEIyipy.
1t is estimated that 5000. ooO IN,