The Republican journal., 1869-09-23

tumn flowers bloomed by the way side,-the
dim haze of the Indian summer hung over
the hills where the corn ripened and pump
kins turned up their golden sides. This was
familiar ground, too, for many arc the nice
strings of trout we have taken from this
stream in the happy days that are, alas gone
by forever. How this autumn weather re-
wives the memory of youth What a mourn
full tenderness in the lines of the English poet
laureate
clears
Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes,
In looking on the happy autumn fields
And thinking of the days that more
We saw here in uprooted forest trees the
effect of the late hurricane, and could not
help remarking the pine stumps that testify
to the enormous size of the trees that once
grew here, and which would be fortunes in
these days. How the old settlers did slash
away at the forests, to be sure The tower
ing Oak Hill ridge was soon encountered, lift
ing its granite sides heaven-ward, and SEEM
ing to forbid a passage. But through it runs
a ravine, seemingly made for the purpose of
q road and through this the track has been
made on an easy grade. They are still at
work on one deep cut near Johnsons, but be-
You'd that, for three miles, there is not days
work to be done in finishing the sub-gradc.
Calling at the house of a prosperous farmer,
we found a Boston acquaintance sojoulnng
for the benefit Of his family's health. Also it
was discovered that the lady of the house had
named recent addition to the family for our
companion the contractor, and we were
shown some very handsome presents that re-
suited. We suggested to the godfather that
the region is fertile in children, while gene1-
Gus names are scarce-and that ifhc proposes
to continue the practice he had better buy his
silver ware at the wholesale.
A short distance further on we found the
engineers, Messrs. Mortimer and Wooster,
and got specimen Of the rigdness with
which the specifications of the contract are
exacted lit isn't right, and must come
down." was the declson-and down it came
III W VII ~ lolll IOl Wstlu Is
consisting Of meadow and bog, with occa-
sional cuts and fills. An extensive gravel
bank has been secured, to which a side track
will be laid, and the whole line to Belfast be
gravclled from this point. And so, alternate
ly riding and walking, we reached Brooks in
season for dinner. Mcssrs Dana & CALDWELL
sub-contractors for the section from Brooks
to Unity, have their headquarters here, while
Mcssrs. Coil & Co., who are building the
western section, are located at Durham.
Pay day had occurred shortly before, with
its invariably tendency to drink. on the part
of the laborers. Notwithstanding the Maine
Law and the persistent declaration by certain
papers that no liquor is sold, we passed a
great many men who gave evidence Of not
belonging to the IIichborn paty-bcing, rs
they informed the contractor, GA little on me
beer, sir.''
AT the Cilley Ledge Summit is found the
heaviest grade on the line, being for Il short
distance 20 feet to the mile very heavy
earth cut Of q feet depth is also found in
the stream is bridged by 100 feet of heavy
piling.
Driving along in sight OF the track, which
crosses and recrosses the highway, we reach
ed point where it goes straight through the
country away from the travelled road, for a
distance of four miles, to the house of A. X.
Bumps in Thorndikc. Here we (Nr. Will
son, Mr. Mortimer and the writer) took to
our legs again, and faithfully footed the dis
lance The grading for the whole length of
this section is very nearly completed The
ends of the long dumps are approaching each
other very closely, and the culverts are all
in. The expcditionists, we Observed We're
each intent on his line of business. The con-
tractor had his attention on the methods of
doing the work, with view to economy.
The engineer, with a care for the permanencc
Of the structure, had his skilled eye on all its
parts, with IN occasional warning to the
overseers that "this embankmcnt must be
widcncd,' or ''this cut is not down to grade. =
The ''man with the inkhorn' looked, ask
cd questions and made occasional notes.
At the crossing of the Palmer Brook. which
flows to the Unity Pond, an archcd culvert
has been completed, which for beauty and
solidity we never saw surpassed. 1t is Of
heWn granite lald in cement, the span II feet,
the height 10 feet, and the length 100 feet It
is pity that u piece Of work handsome
should be hidden in the woods from observers
on the highway. The work is highly credit
able to Mr.. Hogan, the contractor for tn c
stone work. Its cost is $500. A similar
culvcrt is being built on the other side of Mr..
Bumps's place.
A constant feature of the work is the en-
poymcnt given to the farmers and others liv-
ing upon the line. Persons are enabled to
employ their own labor, as well as their BOYS,
horses, oxen, carts, and everything available
in the business. Provisions find a ready
home market. Houses are crowded with
boarders. When the work is completed, it
will be found that the people living along the
road have protited very largely by the money
expended.
Taking our carriages again, we drove to
Unity, with the exception of half mile walk
The soil is alluyial with not n stone ia he