Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-03-04
GRO WITH BY RAILROAD.
KINGMAs, Me-, March l, l

10 me Editor OF the journal:
Perhaps description of some of the stations
along the route of the European North
American Railway, may be OF interest to your
readers. The rapid growth of some of these
places is not wholly due to the opening of the
road, but shows that energy and enterprise
are at work in the backwoods of Maine, as
well as in more favored sections of the country.
A description Of one of these towns will,
perhaps, answer for all, although there are
many including VIM, Mattawamkeag,
Vanceboro', and others that deserve special
mention.
The village of Kingman is situated on the
Mattawamkeag river, sixty-six miles from
Bangor and one hundred and forty miles from
St. John, n. b. The village is in rough
clearing of some three hundred acres, and
surrounded on all sides by dense forest
Two years ago there was but single house
here; there are now between fifty and sixty
buildings, including some thirty or forty
dwelling houses, mostly plain, wooden two
story buildings, five or six stores, a tavern'
livery stable, tannery and depot.
The tannery here is the largest in the United
States, and probably the largest in the world.
Twelve hundred tons of tanned leather are
turned out from this establishment yearly,
while the consumption of bark is from ten to
twelve thousand cords per annum. The main
building of the tannery is four hundred and
seventy-fv feet long by seventy five wide,
and contains five hundred and wenty watts each
vat being of sufficient size to accommodate
one hundred and twenty sides of leather at
one time. The drying loft is eighty eigh'
feet long by seventy-five wide and is eight
stories high. The rolling loft and beam house
is two hundred feet long by fifty wide, and is
two stories high. In the lower story of this
building the raw hides are prepared for the
watts, the upper chamber being used for chip
ping and finishing. The number of men en-
ployed in and about the tannery is about one
hundred and twenty-five, while the whole
number including those at work in the woods
and driving teams is from four to five hundred.
Many parties, owning from one to dozen
teams, contract to haul the bark and timber
during the winter months. Hemlock bark de-
livered at the yard, is worth five dollars per
cord. They have now on hand at the tan
merry yard about 10000 cords of bark, which
constitutes the supply for the next year. The
firm is known under the name of Shaw &
Kingman. Shaw Bros, whose extensive tam
merry establishments at Grand Lake, Forest
City, Jackson Brook, Vanceboro' and other
all halt
the concern, the other half being owned by
r. S. Kingman, Esq, the local manager Of
| the firm, who was formerly connected with an
establishment of the kind at VIM.
The firm own nearly all the real estate in
the village, and own and control about 65, 00C
acres of timber land, in this vicinity. The
expenditures for labor and bark during the
months of December and January, were 49,.
600 per month, while the payments for Feb.
ruary will be much heavier.
The opening of the European Nortf
American Railroad has created market fol-
all kinds of produce, and farmers in this sec
ton of the country are availing themselves o
the advantages thus offered. Large quantities
of hay and grain, ship timber, logs, sleeper
and lumber of kinds are continually passing
down the line. On Friday last, a specia
freight train, under the direction of f. W
Cram, the Genl Freight Agent, passet
through this place, consisting of eighteen car
loaded with one hundred tons of pressed hay
The railway is fast becoming a very popu
lar route, and rapidly gaining favor with tn,
travelling and business community.
The company is fortunate in the possession
of Superintendent who thoroughly under
stands railroad management, administers hi
department in manner to promote the bes
interests of the company, and also commands
the respect and esteem of all in any way con
nected with the road. CHoPs.