Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-10-05


this road in the old days dur
mig the War of 1872 and it was
the scene of much strife. All
was quiet and peaceful in the
little valley for the next forty
years. All about it were the
more prosperous towns of the
Charlestons, the Derbys, Nor
gan, Newport and Holland.
Great cultivated acres rolled
away on all sides of the pond.
The little villages were quietly
making history. The names of
Bishop, Hobson, Rosebrooks,
Bemis, Lang, Davis, Farmer
and many others came into
prominence and their descen-
dants are living today upon the
ancestral acres.
There came a day where
this sylvan quietness was dis
turbed. Far away down the
woody slopes of Spectacle
sounded the whistle of the To-
cOmotive drawing it's first train
on its way to Montreal from
Portland. Tt was an old BiTk-
enhead engine-a WOOD burn
err with a monstrous stack that
came into sight around the
bend and gradually slowed
down in front of the little plat
form which was crowded with
curious farmers and their fam
lilies who had driven in from
miles around to see the first
train come in. This was in the
year 1858. The train remained
at Island Pond over night to
resume its journey on the fol-
lowing day. The travellers
which it brought from a fara-
way world were entertained in
the village and the square
rooms of many homes were
filled that night with new
voices. Great logs laughed in
the kitchen fireplace, mugs of
cider were set out, native"
apples roasted on the Goals
and a shoulder of venison was
roasted on the spit. Pewter
dishes graced the table. the
great loom with its half finish
ed roll of homespun filled a
corner while the candles flick
cred and sputtered overhead.
Stories of Indian horrors, or
trapping Of the bear and wild
cat owere told and thru it all
filtered the laughter of near
ly a century ago.
Almost over night the little
hamlet grew into thriving
village. The white and silver
birches, the maple, spruce,
pine, fir and hemlock fell be-
meath the heavy strokes of
many woodsmen. Mills sprang
up, the music of the board
saws filed the vale, the smell
of sawdust rose upon the morn
ing air. Island Pond outstrip-
ped it's neighbors and all roads
led into its busy streets. Travel
ers looking from the windows
of the coaches were entranced
with the tender beauty of its
surroundings and very soon
hotels were built and the Getty
boarder" came and lived the
summer months away. Up the
great stairways and upon the
mountain paths, and upon the
shores of the nearby ponds the
feet of countless visitors press
ed in the days when women
wore hoop skirts or "leg of
mutton" sleeves, and men in
Prince Alberts, high silk hats,
and whiskers drove four in
hands over the country roads.
! AS many as nine'hotels have
f1ourished at single time in
the little village. Great ball
rooms in these hotels were
nightly filled with dancers step
ping out the changes of money
musk, Irish washer-woman,
Fishers hornpipe and the reel
to the music of the fiddlers and
the chords of some good WON.
an who played the organ. Ma
ny times my own father fddled
the night away for the merry
makers and my mother played
the organ for him while I slept
till the morning hours on an
improvised bed made upon
chairs or settees in a corner of
the dance hall.
"After the ball was over"
came the homegoing; one after
another tho horcac yr,o,o how