Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-03-26
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
TAKEN FROM THE VERMONT
GAZETTEER PUBLISHED IN 1862.
Continued from Last Week

the outlet to Island Pond was named
by one of the early surveyors, Mr..
Whitlaw, from his partially to
river of that name in Scotland. Pher-
sins river, which eInpties into the
Clyde about mile below the outlet,
frequently rises.quite suddenly, swell
ling the waters of the latter so as to
change its current and cause it to
run into the pond with great force
for ten hours or more, until the pond
is full or the water subsidies below,
when it will again change and rush
out.
Several years before any settle
ment here company of explorers
came up the Clyde from Charleston,
encamping nenr the outlet the first
night. The next day resumed their
journey, for the purpose of going
round the pond, and encamped upon
the opposite side the second night,
intending to lodge at their old camp
near the outlet the next, During
the night heavy rain fell and on
their arrival they found their camp
| all right, but strange phenomenon
had happened during their absence.
What they supposed to be an outlet
proved to be an inlet. Without I'M
derstanding the cause of the change,
they started for home, and it was
many years before they could make
their neighbors believe such thing
had actually occurred-and not until
the cause was discovered. Large
tracts of level land border upon the
Clyde, when cleared are very valua-
blessfor agricultural purposes. Mr..
Fennessy, the present station agent,
succeeded in bringing a large tract
under cultivation, and it proves to
be equal to any of the rich bottoms
upon the Winooski or Otter Creek.
There is fine water privilege on
this river, about two miles from the
village, one upon Pherrin's river,
about one mile from the village, and
directly on the line Of the railroad,
also a large number on the smaller
streams in different parts of the
town. The eastern and southern
portion of the town is a dense wilder
ness inhabited only by those engaged
in the numbering business, while the
western portion is better adapted for
farming purposes and well repays
| the husbandmen for his toll
There is copper mine in the west
ern spart of the township on land
owned by DR.. Harvey Coe. ltnever
has been worked, but some very fine
specimens have been taken from it.
and eventually, no doubt, will prove
source of profit to the worker.
The water in this township is also
very pure and soft. Near the south
ern boundary there is a medicinal
spring, which is beginning to be re-
sorted to by invaIids. The W ter
very much resembles the ceIebr Ated
Clarendon Springs, and is found to
be specific for scrofulous and all
kinds of cutaneous diseases.
The Grand Trunk railroad was
built through the town in 1858. The
depot, large hotel, and other build
ings connected with the road, were
erected the same year. The stock
of this road is owned mostly by En-
glish capitalists, and they have spared
no expense in the building of the iron
bridges and otherwise making it one
of the most complete furnished roads
in America. 1t has not been very
remunerative to the stockholders. al
though it has done an immense bust
ness for the last few years and still
increasing transport n G f r Gig h
from the western states to Portland,
there to be shipped coastwise or to
Europe, returning laden with mer-
chandise for the Canadas and west,
connecting at Portland with weekly
steamers from Liverpool most of the
year.
The village of Island Pond, located
upon the line of the road, is the great
halfway place between Portland and
Montreal, and the port of entry for
all the traffic over the road, all the
cars stopping here over night makes
it q place of considerable important
ance. The railroad company have
erected buildings here at a cost of
$58, 900. And money paid employees
at this point amounts to over $26, 900
per annum.
The growth of this town has been
almost unprecedented in Vermont.
In 1850 the number of inhabitants
was 1913, at the present time, 1862,
over 1000. The village alone con-
tanning about 700 inhabitants, four
stores. = some doing a large whole
sale business--three groceries, one
church, two schoolhouses, one large
steam saw-mill, various mechanic
shops, two large fine hotels-no bet
ter conducted hotel can be found in
any country town in New England
the Island Pond House, kept by G. G
Waterhouse, land the Vermont House,
by Dimond Stone.
In 1856 there was disastrous fire
in the village, consuming a large un-
finished block. owned by John A.
Poor, of Portland, "a portion of which
was occupied as store by A. j.
Green; from thence the fire COM
municated to the Green Mountain