St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1915-04-28
EDITORIALS
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Continued from page 80
water power for a modern, sanitary,
up-to-date grist mill and also quite
a large lumber mill.
The village has two fourishing
churches which have also been mod
ernized. The Methodist church has
lately been provided with beautiful
stained glass windows. The congre-
cation went to quite an expense to
provide these fitting memorials to
also been fitted throughout with
modern chairs to take the place of
the old, straight-backed seats. The
! Congregational church has also been
rejuvenated. Both the interior and
exterior have been remodeled and
made up to date through kindness of
Elmer A. Darling. Mr.. Darling, who
| is a native of East Burke, was well
known in New York, having been
proprietor of the famous Fifth Ave
nue. Hotel in that city. Upon his re-
turn to his home town, he built a
| beautiful mansion on a hill over
! looking the village. 1t is situated on
| the town line and is partly in Burke
and also in Lyndon. Mr.. Darling
| has given it the beautiful as we'll as
appropriate name of "Burklyn Hall"
He has built a magnificent automo-
bile road from the village to his
home and from there to Lyndonville
bridge.
The village is nestled in a beauti-
full valley into which flow countless
babbling mountain streams, contain
ing an immense number of trout. The
great gigantic guardian of this viii
lage, Burke Mountain, constitutes a
picturesque scene. 1t is $500 feet
high. Here is another instance of
Mr.. Darling's unbounded generosity,
he has built a fine road to the sum-
nit. A modern steel structure used
as lookout for forest fires on the
summit is also maintained by Mr..
Darling. Burke has a cemetery con-
venience of which few other village
can boast. 1t is a public vault used
as a depository for bodies in win
ter where they are kept until spring.
The grave yard is also inclosed by a
wrought iron fence which gives it a
dignified appearance. The town also
boasts of a substantial building in
which entertainments are often held.
1t is also the home of the Local Gen
eral Sheridan Council of the Junior
Order of the United American Me
chanics. Much of the success of the
order is due to William H. Jeffrey |
He is also an author of some note, |
doing considerable writing on civil
subjects. He has done statewide |
work in his efforts to have the legis- |
lature pass a bill having the Bible |
read every morning as an opening ex-
ercise in all the schools of Vermont. |
The town has several stores which |
are a great convenience and also |
gives the town a certain enterprising |
appearance to a stranger. 1t also |
has a rural free delivery and this end |
Burke also gives it full quota of stud
ents to higher institutes of learning, |
mainly the Lyndon Agricultural Col
lege, Lyndon Institute and st. Johns
bury Academy.
But East Burke would profit great
ly by a few more necessary improve
ments, for the good of the commun-
ity at large. The village is about |
three miles from Lyndonville and |
about eight hours ride from Boston.
If the town possessed a hotel, many
tourists would journey here to en-
joy the mountain air, superb seen
cry, trout fishing, etc. Another
necessary improvement is to improve
the streets. This would greatly aid
the travel and also the looks of the
town.
AS an inducement for the young
generation to become good, clean and
honest sportsman, a play ground is
a necessary convenience. A plot of
land could easily be graded and pro-
vided with the most modern apparatus
at a very small cost This could be
conducted in connection with the Boy
Scouts movement and the garden
class. Both organizations are adj
vancing in rapid strides. The Boy |
Scouts are again started and are |
greatly enthused. Before long, |
Burke will be leading Caledonia |
county in its activities.
Il. f. Humphrey.