Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-10-12
How the Early Green Mountain
Boys Lived.
John Lfnck1aen Who Travelled Through
the state. Gives n Pen Picture Of
Life in the Home oc Governor
Thomas Chittendea.


Left Albany Sunday, Sept D. 1871.
Monday. Sept. 26--From 1.ansingburgh 10
Bennington is 80 miles. There are settle
rents all along the way. lands mediocre,
many hills and stony ground. At Rem
nington very comfortable at Duis This
place Is quite a country town. The State
of Vermont Is divided into townships Of
six miles square, divided among 80 pro-
prictors. so that each has something more
than 200 acres which is called a grant.
Tho Legislature never gives moro than
one to an individual to prevent undue in
fuenco and to encourage population.
Lands in Bennington township sell from
SIS to S25 per acre. Twenty bushels of
wheat an acre IS considered a good Yielo.
Tuesday, 27th-From bennington 10
Shaftsbury Is seven miles, all Inhabited.
From there to Arlington ut Merwin's ia
seven milos-a good public house. From
there TO Manchester eight miles. at Alss
good tavern. The land is good hut noun
famous and stony good harvest IL 70
TO rs bushels Of wheat an aero. We made
the acquaintance OF q Mr.. Members who
has store and Mr. Smith Those
gentlemen told me that lands were selma
in the neigh borhood as high as $40 the
acre.
Wednesday, &th-Passed through the
township Of Dorset, fve miles, Harwich
(now Mt. Tabor seven miles. Dandy, six
miles, where we lived sufficiently we'll at
Mr.. Antony's. This man has sold his
farm Of 80 acres at sle25 the acre.
Thence, he went 10 Wallingtcrd. seven
mics 20 Mrs. 1Iull's n good Widows.
two good beds.
Thursday, gAth-Passed through Clare
don 10 Rutland. We stopped on the way
at the house OF a Thomas Rice whom We
met In the Gencsec country whore he had
bought 40 acres ~ 500 nor acre with
the intention of settling there. We found
there a good farm, land good and well
titled and a now house not even finished.
It Is astonishing 10 see a man 81 years
old who has spent the host part Of his life
in clearing his land and EXCHANGING tho
value, leaving II all as he just begins
to enjoy the fruits OF his labor in order
to bury himself anew in the forest and
expose himself 10 all tho difficulties Of
forming a new settlement. But IT Is
usually the case with Americans. Begin
ming quite poor they buy a few acres III
a new country for almost nothing. When
after eight or 10 years of rugged toll they
have augmented the worth OF their lands
they find themselves with numerous
family and their little territory. however
valuable II may he does not suffice to
support them. Then they sell NJ worry
high price and 80 gain n sufficient sum to
buy In Gcnesee where the lands are
on
10 maintain and establish around them
a dozen children.
Rutland is quite new but A greea bly, sit
uated We maue two good acquaintances.
the sheriff, Mr.. Sawyer and Mr.. Walker
The former gave me the enumeration OF
the State Of Vermont which reaches S.
7oS souls Rutland county, 1852; Ben
ninston. pos. We left there for Pitts
ford, !" miles.
Friday. Seth Left for Middleburv IS
miles. Whore Nlr. Alley with some
others from CauaG. Is huildine n grain
distllery. This establishment viii cost
them 5000 before f. is going A. this
country is far from any market they OK
poet to get grain cheap. Hence to Middle
bury Falls Is four miles There are two
roads TO NerEenneS. We were 50 UNI
lucky through the stupidity Of other peo-
Pile as 10 take the worst. We found our
selves or the bank Of otter Greek with
out "A Dontoon for crossing After being
detained two hours We found at last
a boat in which We got over. our horses
having TO swim. Night coming on we had
to pass tho night in poor log house.
Happily we found kind people there who
gave us of their best.
Saturday. oct. I'VE hreakfasted at
Vergennes, and pursued a road scarcely
pra cticahlo to riches in Charlotte town
ship where we resolved to stop. Mr.
Boou's horse having fallen with him IN
Il hole where he cut himself.
SundaY. 2nd-By tho laws of Vermont
II II not permitted to travel on this day
but We riskcd being arrested and started
for Burlington hay where happily we ar
rived in the forenoon al Colonel Keys.
He is Obliged TO keep tavern by the sit
uation OF the place, is truly amlable. has
been we'll educated and has many attain
ments. We are very comfortable at his
house and very glad to spend some DAYS
here to refresh ourselves and recover
from The ratiguea and the hard roads We
have just come through. Burlington Is
pleasantly situated on Lake 'hamplain
which there makes a little bay. An other
settlements are new but people begin to
live al their ease The soil is very rich
particularly for growing wheat and maize
They harvest the former in so much as
~ bushels. but more generally from e
to 30 bushels tho acre. OF maize. the
harvest ia mp to 70 bushels, Their great
est traffic Is with Canada. They some
times supply the province with grain and
principally with cattle and receive in re-
turn European products hut the Ensl ~
do not permit tne importation of any
thing manufactured. When canal shall
have been cut between Skeens borough al nd
the North river which will only be sin
for 40, 400 livres. all the exports of Yer
mont will come TO New York hut thc
| opinion Is that Canada in order no, 4
| lose this branch OF commerce will cit or
| her side a canal from St. Johns to Cham.
blee which will be 10 miles long but whici
| use can be made Of Little river Whici
! flows into SOrTel river below the rapids
where she will lind herself between tw,
! markets ana viii derive a great alvau
tago from the activity of her ncghbors
| The Eng fish stlll retain on Lake Guam
| United States, one commanded ~ II cap
I ain al pointe du Fer In the State U