Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-09-16
LETTER FROM THOMASTON.

LETTER FROM THOMASTON
To the Editor Of the Journal
1t has been said by somebody reputed for
wisdom that 1.-The true policy for nation is,
in time of peace prepare for war;" Wheth-
er that be true policy or not, it is fact that
a wonderful earn" has been recently invent
ed and patented by DR.. W. R. Evans of
Thomaston, which will soon be offered to the
public. Allusion has been made to it in many
newspapers, but hardly such as to give one
definite idea of it. have taken some special
notes and herewith forward them for your
readers.
The name of the new Arm is 1.-The Evans
Repeating Rifle" whole length 40 inches;
length of barrel 81 inches caliber or bore
44-lOO; working pieces exclusive of lock 4 !;
working pieces in the lock g.; will contain,
when loaded, within the stock SO cartridges;
can be loaded in one minute, can be dis
charged in 4 of a minute, and can be loaded
and discharged as a single breech loader from
20 to 25 times per minute, as ascertained by
actual trial. The whole is well proportional,
strong and beautiful, weighs 81 pounds before
loaded, after, ii pounds BY removing one
screw it can be taken apart for cleansing,
which can be done, and everything readjusted
in very few minutes, The principle partic-
ularly distinguishing it is new and unique. I
confess after looking carefully through the
Patent Office in Washington. and examining
many Arms elsewhere of foreign make, l
have seen nothing so convenient and execu-
tive, as a frearm, as this and could it be
taken up and manufactured by some wealthy
establishment it would soon find its way eve
rywhere, in this and other countries.
Your readers may be interested also, to
know that the Knox and Lincoln railroad has
arrived in town. The construction train
passes the Prison to-day. Thomaston, having
been somewhat sleepy, is beginning to open its
eyes and stir The new Congregational
church, upon the site of the old Unitarian, is
progressing and will be fine structure, with
such of the modern Improvements as conven-
fence and tasteful discrimination are prompt
to select Several manufacturing enterprises
are already in their incipient stages. Only
one ship of sixteen hundred TONS and four
double decked and three masted schooners
of about $50 tons each, will go from our yards
this season, which you will recognize as quite
a falling off from that business in former
years.
After looking over your delightful city the
other day, made running call on our mu-
tual friend Wilson, formerly of Rockland,
now in the granite business at Hallowell. A
ride with him of two and one-half miles to the
quarries, unequaled, in some respects, in the
country, afforded me an opportunity to learn
many things about the business, which is al
ready the source of SO much wealth to our
State, and which affords employment to thous-
ands of its citizens as at present carried on
at Hallowell, Spruce Head, Dix Island, Cat
aract Island, Musket Mountain, &C. Mr..
Wilson called my attention to an immense
granite block of SOM. 300 solid feet, weigh
ing 80 tons, just quarried; which, after re-
ducing some of its parts, is to be transported
to Boston, to be wrought into a monster
Sphinx and presented by DR.. Bigelow to ''Mt.
Cost of the block delivered 81 800.
At the "sheds" of the Co. in Hallowell, we
massive proportions, skillfully wrought, and
32 feet in height, to be presented to the town
Of Winterport by Hon. Theophilus Cushing
There is ineness to this granite which rem
vi In hlo for oh
allowing of perfect edges, corners, letterings
and ornamentation generally. And then the
wilderness and beauty of it are rarely sur
passed. The facility for quarrying afforded
by nature is quite remarkable. The deposit
is in layers-immen1D sheets of different
thicknesses, varying, as saw, from six inch
es to ~ feet, entirely separate from each 9TH
err, each very uniform in thickness through
out its whole extent. The monotony of the
layer system is occasionally broken by an up
right slab as it were, ''chucked in;" split
sometimes as true and perfect as board. 1
noticed one of these whose dimensions took.
As it lay upright on one of its edges, it meas
ured feet by II in thickness, and before
long. Who will say that Maine is void of
interest or resources, or of encouragement
for enterprise, solid and durable?
VIAToR.
GENERAL NEWS.
Truth is violated by falsehood, and it NAV
be equally outraged by silence.
A Boston man is on trial charged with
numbering another by pushing him into vat
of boiling grease.
1t is denied that the cholera is abating in
Russia, and there is still an average of $50
deaths per day in KEW. l.
An old lady writing to her son out West
warns him to beware Of bilious saloons and
bowel alleys.