Lamoille Newsdealer

Correspondence.
Underhill Center, 10th July, 1869.
Dear Newsdealer: I think the mountains of Vermont have had a great influence in forming the free and independent character of her citizens. If we have any cause for gratitude as Vermonters, it is the back bone of Green Mountains which have given not only a name to the State, and form and feature to the natural scenery, but their vigor and energy to her sturdy yeomanry.
If there is any soul base enough to wish these noble hills might be leveled off, and Vermont reduced to an Illinois prairie, I scorn to answer him. He was no doubt bred on hominy, with no visions of glory, which would not be realized by two cents more per bushel on his Indian corn.
It is true the farmer of this hill country must work out his salvation by the hardest, but with bread and butter as his objective point, he acquires other things of greater importance. His physical strength and courage—his calculating thrift—his manly uprightness—his vigor of intellect—these make him rich indeed although his acres may be few and rough.
This little village is nestled under the shadow of old Mansfield. It is only five miles to the summit whereas Stowe, on the other side, is ten. The road from here to Essex Junction—eleven miles—is one of the finest drives of that distance in the State. It passes through three flourishing villages on the way, and more delightful scenery than you will often find even in Vermont. The grade for a railroad would be very slight if any, with no deep cuttings or costly bridges. This is the most natural and accessible route to the summit of Mt. Mansfield, as compared with the one from Waterbury. The Bostwick House, at the Flatts, is crowded with boarders from the cities—they have now some sixty and upwards—and if a large hotel were built here, like the Mansfield House at Stowe, it would be filled. There is no prospect that the hotel accommodations on both sides of the mountain combined will ever be too ample for the Mt. Mansfield tourists.
About mineral springs, there are several in this immediate vicinity, some in which iron predominates, and some, like the Lamoille Spring, tasting of sulphur. One of the latter I have known for many years as a sulphur spring of great strength. A rustic house has been built over it, and it is often visited by the city boarders.—Whether it has ever cured any disease I know not.
In digging the cellar of my father's house in this place—sixteen years ago—a mineral spring was reached about six feet below the surface, which had been carefully stoned up and covered. On the same level were collections of burnt stones, showing that the aborigines had been accustomed to resort to the place. It must have been before the settlement by white men to allow such a depth of soil to accumulate.
The people in this town desire the success of the Lamoille Valley Railroad, hoping thereby to secure ultimately a branch road from Essex Junction to Cambridge Spunky Lamoille has a good reputation here, and the proposed railroad would evidently raise her to a rank and importance in the State, to which not for her size, but her energy, she is justly entitled.
In my letter from No. Wolcott, a few weeks ago, I mentioned a plan to recruit a saw mill by draining one of the numerous ponds in that vicinity. A ditch had been dug from the pond leading over the hill. It seems the real plan was of course to make use of a syphon, so that the water was after all to run up hill. Whoever dug that channel, I have to acknowledge to him, the laugh is in the other sleeve.
And by-the-by, before I say Amen, some of the young farmers about here think of buying in the Lamoille Valley in view of the coming railroad. My general advice would be to them, "The sooner the better."
Respectfully,
AMICUS.