The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-12-23
BENNINGTON, VT, DEC. 20, 1911
A RAY OF HOPE


a township of narrow valleys and
high and abrupt mountains in the
very heart of the Taconic range. Five
farms in the town have been sold tc
German immigrants, or, to be exact
to four Germans and one Swede.
The purchasers Of the farms are
not new arrivals in this country, but
have all been living in New Jersey,
where they have saved up some mon
ey. They were attracted to Sand
gate by the low prices at which the
farms were offered, which was less
actually than the value cost of the
buildings. The newcomers are all
men with families and had some ex-
nerience in agriculture in the old
country. Their coming to Sandgate
was due to no local effort, but to the
activity of a New York real estate
agency assisted in Sandgate by Town
Representative Ray Bentley. The
outcome of the arrival of this colony
of thrifty foreigners will be watched
with interest. OF course it Is prob
able that, coming here at this season
of the year, one Vermont winter may
discourage them and send them
hurrying back to New Jersey.
At the same time it is possible that
having invested their savings IN
farms for which there is no local
market, they may by necessity, II not
otherwise. stay long enough to get
over any inconsistencies, and If they
do they are very likely to make
success of their venture. One thing
has been evident for some time, and
that is that If our rural towns are
to be repopulated the people must, IN
all human probability, come from the
immigrant races rather than from our
American stock. Now here is an ex-
pertinent that is making itself, and
on the outcome hinges one of the pos
sibilities of the future growth and
prosperity of rural Vermont
The people OF Sandgate and Ar
lington who have public spirit and
are anxious for the welfare Of their
towns. should see that the newcomers
get the best possible treatment and
are not taken advantage OF IN any
way. If they need advice and assis-
lance to aid them in getting located,
and to get their work under way, II
should be given them with all proper
tact and good faith. The good peo-
pie Of the Green river and Battenkill
valleys should call on the newcomers
and make them welcome.
OF course they are strangers, but
they come from honest, Woodworking,
thrifty. honest, moral, God-fearing
races. If they like and prosper they
will attract their friends, and in time
the moderate priced farms Of rural
Vermont will again be repopulated. a
great responsibility rests on the
neighbors and townspeople Of Sand
gate and Arlington.
In this connection it is interesting
to glance at the history OF Sandgate,
which is so typical Of large class OF
rural Vermont towns. One hundred
years ago. when the census OF Yer
mont was taken in 1910, the popula-
ton OF Sandsate was 1857 In 1910 IL
had shrunk to 4Ol Think OF it-a
decrease OF practically IS per cent
in one hundred years. In 1860 the
population had dropped to sos. but
even then was double what it was
fifty years later.
In what is known as the south.
east" district OF Sandgate there has
been within the memory Of people
now living, and not so old either
public school OF forty pupils. Now
there is only one family in the dis
trlct and that is a family OF poor
whites. and we are coming to know
in Vermont what that means. The
entire district, with the exception OF
few acres. has grown up to woods.
In fact, timber has been cut there in
recent years on land that was once
plowed and cultivated
It is most probable that in the
early days sandgats was overscttled,
and that land was cleared and guilty.
ated that was never fitted to grow
anything hut timber This overset.
Ting was common. not only In Yer.
mont, but everywhere when new
countries are opened up and the
shrinkage OF certain towns In popu'
lation is not only proper, but neces.
sary. It is likely that the popula'
ton Of sandgato in 1860, after over
seventy years OF settlement, sos, was
about what the town should natur
ally and normally have.
sandgate is not one OF the poorer