Show A DESERTED VILLAGE RESTORED to lie do utilized as a sti summer er home hoin r for poor cl city t children among the hills of berkshire county in western massachusetts was a picturesque village known as curtisville Curtis ville it was is not a town but a village within the limits of stockbridge and only two and a halt half miles from the center of that historic town F forty orty years ago there were about one thousand inhabitants itan tsin in this village A church Achurch hotel botel stores and many handsome pr private vate residences gave an inviting aspect to the village the environment was very a attractive springs abou abounded aided and d the small stream which flowed through the village turned the wheels of two or three large mills that such a village should have been deserted is one of the strange fa facts c ts of modern times mining towns III in some instances have been abandoned either because the mines mine s gave out or were closed but in this village among the hills of berkshire the great mills closed one day and thereafter never was wheel turned the inhabitants save a few farmers depended on the manufacturing industry they finally moved away and for once an abandoned village remained with empty churches stores hotels and dwellings what could be done with a deserted village which might never again be turned to manufacturing account the new york tribune which has gathered large sums of money every year for its fresh air fund recently gave some account of what had been done to recover this village A wealthy and childless new york lawyer had passed through that abandoned village many times during vacation seasons wondering what could be done in the way oi of rehabilitation he found that the right of occupation could be turned over to him and he could even buy the dwellings for a nominal sum the village would make a capital place for the poor children sent out from new york in midsummer by means of the fresh air fund the man who had bad lost his only daughter would do something in her name the abandoned village is to be rejuvenated and filled with children for apart a part of the year st helens home is to have dormitories swimming baths flower gardens a gymnasium and everything that can maker make the boys and girls town attractive |