Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-11-11
Woodstock. VT. Nov. IL. 1911
OUR VACANT FARMS
A Call for Tenants from a
Windsor County Neighbor-
hood.

There are some abandoned farms
in Vermont, and the appeal below
comes from neighborhood rich in
unworked lands, empty houses and
deserted school buildings:
To the Editor of the New York
Herald:
l am requested to write you in
regard to the vacant farms in this
vicinity. There are fifteen or twenty
empty farms of good land and with
large orchards, but. the buildings are
fast,$ going down, All have steam
mills every three. or four miles and
the buildings can soon be put in
good shape.
On some of the. farms is more
than enough lumber to pay for the
farm, We desire to have neighbors
and have the place inhabited Many
of your people have settled in the
adjoining towns. 1t is good coun-
try. Please see what you can do to
get some that have no homes to come
this way and will give them warm
reception For further particulars
address "E. j. johnson.
Briggs, Vt, Oct. 81, 1911"
Mr.. Johnson---and- Mrs johnson,
who really wrote the piece upon
which some Vermont editors have
focused their wisdom and panied
attentien-are telling the truth about
conditions up their way, up beyond
Bridgewater Chateauguay Tor "Shad-
daghee'O in Little Sherburne. !"
They want neighbors there are
houses already built and waiting,
there is good soil, though there are
some acres on edge; deserted houses
are out of repair, and the land once
cleared is again largely given over
to brush and second growth trees not
ready for the axe.
II was the uphill mission of two
newspaper men to call on Mr.. john
son the other day, and get more
information about these abandoned
farms-why the former owners left
them, where they went, and why the
farms are still tenantless.
There is some grade from Wood
stock, to Bridgewater Corners. and
from there it is an eight-mile climb
to Mr. Jehnson's 500-acre farm The
road ends in his dooryard-that is,
a branch road to which the traveller
is directed by a guide-board which
says ITO e. j. Johnson's." An arrow
makes it more emphatic. This sign
post is Informing and useful, for the
traveller leaves Mr.. Johnsons last
neighbor four miles down the road. i
1t is beautiful drive all the way
from Briggs, the postofice depart
sment's abbreviation of Bridgewater
Center, to Mr.. Johnson's place, 1749
feet above sea level. In some places
the highway is cut into the banks of
the narrow valley a hundred feet
below is seen a fast flowing stream !;
the tree and brush-covered slopes
give not, much hint of agricultural
activity, but now and then the road
energies into; the open; there are
patches Of green, perhaps a few graz
ing cattle, and deserted houses.
twenty-five to 40 years ago, the
..folks up that way tell you. it was a
more thriving, prosperous region.
The farms we're worked and worked
probably. the farmers were con-
tented there were school districts
that counted forty children where
there's not one today.
The folks up that way are pleased
to see interested strangers and to
talk of matters and things contribut-
ing to the rising number of deser-
tons from their hillsides. There's
nothing to do in winter it's lone
some and people move to the village
to get factory work." said Henry
Hubbard, farmer, teamster, lumber
man, who has views and some gold
land. Some of the folks didn't like
to work any too we'll and didn't know
how-to farm got discouraged and
quit.
''You don't want to buy farm ?"
said Mr.. Hubbard, before he fully
understood that the inquirers we're
looking solely for information.
well. / can sell you gold mine"
y Mr.. Hubbard is quite as positive
al TO the utility of former gold min
ing operations in Bridgewater as he
is about farming methods. but seems
70 be- very surs that the hills hide
plenty of gold for those who will
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