USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Gazetteer and business directory of Rutland county, Vt., for 1881-82 > Part 5
USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Gazetteer and business directory of Rutland county, Vt., for 1881-82 > Part 5
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68
Mr. Alfred Hull, also of Wallingford, bought of Mr. Atwood, of Connecti- cut, in 1849, a few sheep which he bred in company with Col. N. T. Sprague, of Brandon, a former president of the Vermont Merino Sheep Breeders' As- sociation.
In 1827, Deacon Frederick Button, of Clarendon, bought of Stephen At- wood, of Connecticut, two lots of Merinos, from which he bred a flock, after- wards breeding in blood from the flocks of Consul Jarvis. At the time Mr. Button made one of these purchases, he was accompanied by Mr. David P. Holden, of Wallingford, who also purchased a few. "These are the first Atwood sheep brought into Vermont," says Mr. Albert Chapman, editor of The Vermont Merino Sheep Register.
The father of Edward Hinds, of Brandon, also bred one of the leading flocks in Vermont, of Atwood blood, and Edward has a flock of the same blood.
Mr. J. S. Benedict, of Castleton, also one of the old-time breeders, has one of the prime flocks of the State, his breed being largely tinctured with blood of the "Rich" flock, bred by V. Rich, in Addison County, and one of the most valuable breeds in the State.
During the late civil war, the flock owned and bred by Mr. Milton Barber, of Hubbardton, was one of the best in the State, but is now scattered.
Hon. Bradley Fish, of Ira, has a flock of long standing and is a very suc- cessful breeder.
Many flocks of considerable importance have been scattered abroad, which
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our space will not allow mention of. We can speak of only a few of the most important.
The flock owned by the late Capt. Joseph Sheldon, of Fairhaven, was one of the finest showing flocks in the State. Another fine flock was the old "Mead" flock of Jarvis sheep, purchased by Esquire Abner Mead, and bred a long time by him, and afterwards by his son, Andrew Jackson Mead. In the early days, Mr. Mead would drive a lot of fine cattle over to Weathersfield, Vt., the home of Consul Jarvis, which he would there exchange for a few small Merino sheep, bringing them over the Green Mountains in a lumber wagon. Since this time the Mead farm, at West Rutland, has always been noted for its sheep breeding. The Merinos early imported from Spain by Consul Jarvis, would only shear ewes, from three to four pounds, and rams, from four to seven pounds, the fleeces shrinking, by cleansing, from one-third to one-half their weight. After a time, from this stock, Abner Mead bred a ram which became quite noted, and was widely known as "Old Tiger," and which sheared a fleece of seven pounds weight.
There is now on the Mead farm a flock that has descended, after sixteen years careful care and attention, from one ewe bred by Mr. V. Rich, of Shore- ham, Vt. These sheep are called by their present owner, Mr. John H. Mead, the "Stub's family " of Rich sheep, from the fact of the grand dam being called "Old Stubs." Two ram tegs from this flock were publicly shorn, May 3, 1881, which sheared respectively, 17 pounds 6 ounces, and 17 pounds 8 ounces, and at the same time two ewe tegs which cut 15 pounds 10 ounces, and 16 pounds 14 ounces.
Some of the best Merino rams shear over 30 pounds, cleansing nearly 10 pounds. The famous "Peck " ram, that sired the ewes exhibited by Hon. Geo. Campbell, of Westminster, Vt., at the World's Fair in Europe, and which took the first prize, was bought by Col. N. T. Sprague, of Brandon, and left stock that made its mark in Rutland county. One of its descendants was the famous ram "Green Mountain," owned by Mr. Elijah Smith, of West Rut- land. Green Mountain gained a great name as a stock animal, and was a source of great profit to his worthy owner.
The following, very fully illustrates what has been done towards increasing the value of the Merino sheep: Where the original Spanish Merino had but about 1,500 wool hairs to the square inch, by careful breeding, the growth has been increased to nearly 6,000 in the same space.
Some of the most prominent breeders of Rutland County that have not already been mentioned are, F. & J. Q. Smith, Samuel Boardman & Son, J. Cook, R. C. Mead and Leonard F. B. Gorham, of West Rutland; Harry Collins, Lester Fish, Leonard Fish, C. Lincoln, and Henry, Lyman W. and Albert Fish, of Ira ; Hiram and Rufus R. Hamilton and J. A. Ellis, of Fair- haven ; F. H. Button, of Clarendon ; F. H. Farrington, D. W. Prime and D. Blackmer, of Brandon ; O. C. Martin and Rollin Gleason, of Benson ; D. T. Holden & Son, G. Pritchard, E. C. Wheaton, and W. P., Thos. D. & Son -3%
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and Dan K. Hall, of Pittsford ; Chauncey L. Barber, Jeremiah P. Giddings, A. P. Thornton, of Castleton, and V. N. Forbes, of Westhaven.
RUTLAND COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
The Rutland County Agricultural Society was organized, and held its first Fair in 1846, at Castleton. Its first principal officers were, William L. Farn- ham, of Poultney, president ; Orel Cook, of Rutland, secretary, and Hon. Zimri Howe, of Castleton, treasurer.
For many years the annual Fairs were held, alternately, at Rutland and Castleton. One year, 1852, the annual exhibition was held at Poultney, and is the only exception of its being held at other than the places named. In 1860, the annual exhibitions were permanently located at Rutland. Some forty acres of land were purchased, situated about a mile south of the village, and buildings, sheds and race track erected, and the annual Fairs have since been held thereon, the Vermont State Fair being held upon the grounds nine years.
The Society has had its days of prosperity and adversity-" fair weather and foul," but is now in a flourishing condition, with $600.00 in its treasury. The following is a list of the executive officers from the organization :-
Presidents-William L. Farnham, Poultney ; David Hall, Pittsford ; Henry W. Lester, Rutland ; Joseph Sheldon, Fairhaven ; Bradley Fish, Ira ; Alpha H. Post, Rutland; Henry Hayward, Rutland ; A. D. Smith, Danby ; Pitt W. Hyde, Castleton ; L. H. Kellogg, Benson ; Lensey Rounds, Clarendon ; J. S. Benedict, Castleton ; Henry F. Lathrop, Pittsford; Horace H. Dyer, Rut- land ; Henry Clark, Rutland.
Secretaries-Orel Cook, Rutland, ten years ; W. H. Smith, Rutland, ten years ; Henry Clark, Rutland, fifteen years ; Miner Hilliard, Rutland ; Len- sey Rounds, Clarendon ; Cornelius C. Pierce, East Clarendon.
Treasurers-Zimri Howe, Castleton, fifteen years; Miner Hilliard, Rut- land; A. D. Smith, Danby ; Jesse L. Billings, Rutland ; Walter C. Landon, Rutland.
MANUFACTURES.
Of the manufacturing interests, that of marble and slate, in their various branches, are the most important. Much capital is also employed in the man- ufacture of various kinds of machinery, scales, buttons, soap, paint, paper- stock, etc., etc. In some of the towns, lumbering, with its various pro- ducts is most important. According to the U. S. census of 1870, the county had 377 manufacturing establishments, operated by 32 steam engines and 199 water-wheels, giving employment to 2, 145 males and 84 females; there being a capital of $3, 190,855.00 invested in manufactures. However, statistics from the census of 1880, when tabulated and given to the public, will show a large increase in these figures. In connection with the history of the various townships, the manufactures will be spoken of in detail.
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RUTLAND COUNTY.
COUNTY BUILDINGS.
As previously stated, Court was held at Tinmouth, from 1781 to 1784, when it was removed to Rutland.
The Court House, for eight years, from 1784 to 1792, was the old gambrel- roofed building, still standing, next west of the Advent Chapel, on West street, in this village.
Externally, it was then substantially as now. It had only two rooms, one with a floor, and the other none. The west one was the court-room, having a floor and seats on the north side, a little elevated, for the judges, and benches for the jurors, witnesses and spectators. The east room had no floor, and answered all the other purposes of a court house, grand and petit jury-room, &c. The jail was built of logs and stood a few yards to the north-west of the court house.
Humble as this old building may appear to our modern eyes, there yet hovers about it a wealth of historical interest that well may fill us with feelings of veneration. It was here that the first United States District Court ever held in Vermont had its session, on the first Monday in May, 1791, with Nathaniel Chipman as Judge, and Frederick Hill as Clerk. The State Leg- islature met here in October, 1784 and 1786, and it was under the brief control of the anti-court mob, in November, 1786. Each board and timber of the venerable structure, were they endowed with speech, would doubtless rehearse to us many tales of joy and sorrow, strangely mingling the tragic with the comic in their narrative of those who have long since " gone before."
In the year 1792, a more pretentious court house was built on Main street, just above the old Franklin House ; the funds for its completion being furnished by voluntary contribution. It was built of wood, framed and clapboarded, facing towards the north. During the first session of the Legislature therein, there was passed, October, 25, 1792, "An act for the purpose of raising by lottery, the sum of one hundred and sixty pounds lawful money, for the pur- pose of defraying the expense of building the new Court House in Rutland."
The building remained wholly of wood until the year 1828, when George W. Daniels, as contractor, bricked up the outside eight inches thick, sub- letting the wood work to W. W. Bailey, the expense being paid by the citizens. An extension of twenty feet was put on the building in 1844, under the supervision of Zimri Howe of Castleton, as first County Judge. For over seventy-five years outraged law was avenged, and justice meted out from this building, until the great fire of early morning, April 3, 1868, when it was destroyed. The Court was in session at the time of the fire, and for the remainder of that term was held at the rooms of Judge Prout, the pre- siding Judge ; one term it was held in the Christian Association rooms, and two in the Town Hall, after which, until the partial completion of the new Court House, was held in the U. S. Court Room.
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RUTLAND COUNTY.
The new Court House was commenced the year following the fire, 1869, and first occupied in March 1871, $72,000.00 having been expended in its construction up to present date. It is a fine building, situated on the corner of Court and Centre streets, built of pressed brick, all but the steps, trim- mings and foundation walls, which are of Chester granite. The first floor of the building contains the offices of the County Clerk, Judge of Probate, and Sheriff. On the second floor is the Court Room and office of the presiding Judge. The basement was originally intended to be occupied by cells for criminals awaiting trial, but has not been completed, and probably never will, for the reason that a portion of the House of Correction has been set off as a jail for Rutland County.
THE POOR.
The poor of the County are supported by the towns where the applicants reside, and it is to the credit of some of the towns that the office of Overseer of the Poor is almost that of a sinecure.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The railroad between Rutland and Bennington was built under an act of the Legislature, passed November 5, 1845, incorporating the Western Ver- mont Railroad Company.
The Company was duly organized, and the first Board of Directors, elected Feb. 28th, 1850, were Myron Clarke, President; Aaron R. Vail, Vice- President ; Robert Pierpoint, Robinson Hall, Ira Cochran, Martin C. Dem- ing, Asahel Hurd, Lemuel Bottum, Alanson P. Lyman. Seneca Smith was chosen Clerk. The road was put into operation in 1852.
The title of the original stockholders having been extinguished by the foreclosure of the first mortgage, January 1, 1857, the road passed into the possession of Shepherd Knapp and George Briggs, Trustees, who leased it to the Troy & Boston Railroad Company, by which it was run until January 16, 1867. Meantime, July 28, 1865, the bondholders organized a new cor- poration, called the Bennington & Rutland Railroad Company, of which the first Board of Directors were Trevor W. Park, President; Hiland Hall, Alanson P. Lyman, Chas. E. Houghton, M. Carter Hall, Chas. G. Lincoln, Treasurer; Nathaniel B. Hall, Hugh Henry Baxter, Geo. W. Harmon, Clerk.
Subsequently, on the 8th day of August, 1877, a new corporation, called the Bennington & Rutland Railway Company, was organized with the following named directors :- Abraham B. Gardner, President ; Augustus Schell, Cor- nelius Vanderbilt, Benjamin R. Sears and Trenor W. Park. George W. Harman was chosen Clerk, and C. E. Houghton, Treasurer.
The road is now run by that company, and the following are its officers :- Trenor W. Park, President ; John G. Mccullough, Vice-President; Geo. W.
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Harman, Clerk ; Chas. E. Houghton, Treasurer ; and Abraham B. Gardner, Directors.
The Rutland and Washington Railroad Company was organized under an Act approved by the Legislature November 13, 1847. The first meeting was held at West Poultney, on the 23d of February, 1848, at which the following Board of Directors were chosen :- Merritt Clark, Marcus G. Langdon, Henry Stanley, Isaac W. Thompson, Horace Clark, Edgar L. Ormsbee and Milton Brown. Merritt Clark was subsequently elected President, and Horace Clark, his brother, Treasurer and Superintendent. The Board of Directors continued nearly the same for two years, when the road was opened through to Salem, forming a continuous line from Rutland to Troy, N. Y. Four years from the day of organization, Horace Clark, a pioneer and master-spirit in projecting and completing the road, died, on the 25th of February, 1852 ; the day appointed for celebrating its opening, witnessed his funeral rites and burial. The road cost about one million of dollars, and did not at first prove a financial success.
Jay Gould became Superintendent of the road January 1, 1864, having his headquarters for the first two years at Rutland, boarding at the Bardwell House. In July of 1876 he negotiated the sale of the road to the D. & H. C. Co., by which it is still owned and operated, doing a prosperous business.
The Champlain and Connecticut River Railroad was incorporated Novem- ber 1, 1843. The first meeting of stockholders was held at Rutland, May 6, 1845, with Timothy Follett of Burlington, chairman, and Ambrose L. Brown of Rutland, clerk. Voted to open subscriptions for stock, June 10, 1845.
June 12, 1845, more than 2,000 shares having been subscribed to the capi- tal stock, stockholders were notified to meet at the court house in Rutland for choice of nine directors, which were chosen as follows :- Timothy Follett, Samuel Barker, Ira Stewart, Charles Linsley, John A. Conant, Chester Gran- ger, George T. Hodges, William Henry, and Henry N. Fullerton. Subse- quently, January 14, 1846, the following were chosen directors in place of the old board :- Timothy Follett, Samuel P. Strong, William Nash, Charles Lins- ley, John A. Conant, Chester Granger, George T. Hodges, Nathaniel Fuller- ton, William Henry, John Elliott, Horace Gray, Samuel Dana, and Samuel Henshaw, with Timothy Follett, president.
The first blow towards its construction was struck during the month of February, 1847, in the town of Rockingham, near Bellows Falls. Two years and nine months sufficed to complete the road, and it was opened through, December 18, 1849.
The name of the road was changed to the Rutland & Burlington Railroad Company by an Act of the Legislature, November 6, 1847. It was subse- quently changed to the Rutland Railroad Company, Hon. John B. Page be- ing now president, and Joel M. Haven, treasurer. Thus, through various changes and vicissitudes, litigations and bankruptcy, the whole line, its buildings, etc., on the Ist day of January, 1871, was leased for a period of
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RUTLAND COUNTY.
twenty years to the Vermont Central Railroad Company, since which time, and under the new organization of the Central Vermont Railroad Company, it has rapidly grown in prosperity.
The Rutland and Whitehall Railroad, from Castleton to Whitehall, N. Y., twenty-four miles in length, was organized under an Act approved by the Legis- lature, November 13, 1847, and the road completed in 1850. Soon after its completion, it was leased to the Renssalaer and Saratoga R. R. Co., who operated it until 1866, when it was leased to Jay Gould. On July Ist of the same year, Mr. Gould gave a perpetual lease of the road to the D. & H. C. Co., by whom it is still operated.
A. W. and Pitt W. Hyde, William C. Kittridge and Alanson Albee were the chief promoters of the enterprise. The first officers were, A. W. Hyde of Castleton, President; Alanson Albee of Fairhaven, Vice-President ; P. W. Hyde, Clerk ; and W. C. Kittridge of Fairhaven, Treasurer. These, with W. W. Cooley, now president of the corporation, constituted the first Board of Directors.
NEWSPAPERS.
Six weekly papers are published in the county, with one daily, and one is- sued monthly.
RUTLAND. - The first paper ever published in the county was The Herald of Vermont or Rutland Courier; a weekly, edited and published by Anthony Haswell. The first copy was issued June 18, 1792, and contained the follow- ing motto which clearly proclaims the character of the paper:
"Let Sentiment flow Free and Candour guide, We Own no Party, and Espouse no Side."
This paper was only continued a few months, when the printing office was destroyed by fire, either Sunday, September 16th or 23d, 1792. This put a stop to the publication of the sheet, and it was never again resumed, although the Legislature at Rutland on the 3 1st of October following, “passed an act granting a Lottery to A. Haswell, to raise {200 to repair the damages sus- tained by him on account of the destruction of his printing office by fire."
In 1793, James Lyon commenced the publication of the "Farmer's Libra- ry or Vermont Political and Historical Register." The first copy was issued April Ist, and the publication continued until November 29th, 1794, when the concern was purchased by Judge Samuel Williams and Rev. Samuel Williams, LL. D., and on the 8th day of December, 1794, the first number of the RUT- LAND HERALD was issued by them under the name of "The Rutland Herald or Vermont Mercury." In the first number the proprietors say, " As we have purchased of Mr. Lyon, editor of the Farmers Library, the Printing Office, Apparatus, and Privileges annexed by Law to his paper, it will for the future be carried on by the subscribers, with the above title, under the direction of Dr. Williams. The price of the Herald will be nine shillings per annum, to those to whom we send the paper ourselves ; seven shillings and sixpence to those who call at the office and take them." On Monday, June
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29, 1795, the title was changed to "The Rutland Herald, a Register of the Times." During the different changes of proprietors it has met with several slight variations in its title, but was always known as the Herald.
The paper was continued by the two Williams until the first part of the pres- ent century, when it was taken by William Fay. In 1817, the firm was Fay & Davison, and later in the same year changed to Fay, Davison & Burt, Davison afterwards becoming president of the Saratoga & Whitehall Railroad. In 1819 it was again changed to Fay & Burt. Burt remained in the firm one year, when the business was again carried on by Fay alone, until the lat- ter part of 1827. From this time forward the business changed hands quite often, the changes occurring as follows : From the time Fay left it until 1830, by E. C. Purdy ; 1831-'32, E. Maxham ; 1833, Maxham & Tuttle, and G. A. Tuttle alone, from March 5th to April 12th ; 1834-'38, William Fay ; (Fay died in 1839.) 1839-'42, White, Everson & Co., and H. F. White & Co .; 1843, White & Gurnsey, (Gurnsey inventing the well known printing press, bearing this name ;) 1844, H. T. White, and from April of that year until 1851, Geo. H. Beaman ; 1851, George H. Beaman and G. A. Tuttle; 1852- '54, George H. Beaman ; 1855, and part of '56, C. H. Hayden, publisher, and printed by G. A. Tuttle & Co., the latter then taking the business, which they retained until 1862. September 1, 1862, Tuttle & Gay; 1866, Tuttle, Gay & Co., and later in the same year, Tuttle & Co .; February 10, 1872, A. H. Tuttle ; July 1, 1873, Tuttle & Redington ; February 16, 1874, A. H. Tuttle. In 1875, S. B. Pettingill and W. P. Winslow joined Tuttle, under the firm-name of the "Herald Association." Winslow died, and the paper was conducted by the remaining partners, until September 1, 1877, when the Globe was consolidated with the Herald, and a new corporation, " The Herald and Globe Association" was formed by the stockholders of both papers, who now issue THE RUTLAND HERALD AND GLOBE, with Mr. A. H. Tuttle as manager and principal proprietor.
The first daily was issued April 29, 1861. It grew out of the exigencies of the late war, being first started as an experiment, but has since become one of the fixed institutions of Rutland. The HERALD, one of the oldest papers in the U. S., under the present efficient management, continues, as it has in the past, to exert a wonderful influence over the minds of the people of Vermont ; and to its credit, it may be said, its influence is always for the good.
In January, 1795, the first number of The Rural Magazine or Vermont Repository was issued, with Rev. Samuel Williams, editor. The last number was issued in . December, 1796.
In 1802, the Vermont Mercury was started by Stephen Hodgman. This was an independent weekly, and continued but a short time.
On July 25, 1808, the first number of the Vermont Courier was issued by Thomas M. Pomeroy, and was continued until May, 1810.
On August 29, 1848, The Rutland Republican was commenced by Simeon Locke, and had for its motto the following :- "Free Soil, Free Speech, Free Labor and Free Men." It was continued but a short time.
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RUTLAND COUNTY.
In September, 1849, The Vermont Union Whig was issued, a home newspaper devoted to politics and literature, published at Rutland and Bran- don every Wednesday ; William C. Conant, editor at Rutland, and Samuel M. Conant, at Brandon. The first steam printing press ever used in Rutland County was used for the first time in printing the first number of this paper at Rutland. It was issued but a few months and died. The first number of it issued in Brandon, was in 1847.
In January, 1855, The Guard of American Liberty was started, edited and published by H. F. Potter. It was devoted to "Know-Nothingism." Only a few numbers were ever issued.
On August 12, 1857, The Rutland Courier was commenced, and published every Friday morning for several years, by Cain & McLean, with John Cain, editor. It was purchased by the Globe Paper Co., in April, 1872, and dis- continued as an individual paper.
In July, 1858, What's the News, a monthly paper, was commenced by William A. Bacon. Only continued a short time.
July 21, 1866, The Rutland County Independent was commenced by James K. McLean and Thos. C. Robbins. An introductory number was issued July 4, 1866, but the first regular number not until July 2Ist. The name was soon after changed to the Rutland Independent. Mr. Robbins with- drew from the firm, and in April, 1872, Mr. McLean sold out to the Globe Paper Co., when the enterprise was discontinued as an independent paper.
In January of 1870, the first number of the Rutland Times was issued, a boy's paper, issued weekly, edited and published by McLean & Aiken, the former a son of James K. The paper was suspended in November of 1871.
The Marble City Mirror, a weekly, was published during a few months of 1870, by James H. Lansley.
The Vermont Mason, a monthly, was commenced by Henry Clark in May of 1871, and continued by him until May of 1873, when it was discontinued.
The Biblical Messenger, a monthly, was started by A. A. Hoyt in 1872, and discontinued after a few issues.
The Rutland Globe, (daily and weekly,) was commenced May 1, 1873, by the Globe Paper Co., who had previously purchased the Rutland Courier and Rutland Independent, and continued by them until September 1, 1877, when it was consolidated with the Herald, and has since been issued as the HERALD AND GLOBE, by the Herald and Globe Asssociation.
The Leader, issued weekly, was commenced January 1, 1877, by Henry Clark, who continued it until September 1, 1879, when he sold it to James L. McArthur, and was changed by him to the Rutland Times, (which see.)
The Inquirer was started by V. C. Meyerhoffer in January of 1878. In October of the following year it was purchased by H. W. Love, who con- solidated it with the Review.
The Sunday Review was started by H. W. Love, on the 2nd of April, 1878, as a branch of the Sunday Review of Burlington. Under this name
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it was continued about one year and then changed to the Saturday Evening Review, and soon after the Inquirer was united with it, and the name again changed, to the Review Inquirer. August 5, 1880, the office was taken pos- session of under a chattel mortgage, and from that date the Review and Inquirer were published as separate papers ; the former by Love, as the RUTLAND REVIEW, (and is now published by the Review Association,) and the latter by L. W. Redington.
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