The Portland daily press., 1874-12-25
Business Notes.

A new industry in Portland and in fact in the
state is the Towering and fengraving of glass
recently started by Mr. G. FL. Farley. His es-
tabishment is located in the third story of the
building on the northerly corner of Exchange
and Commercial streets, aud though but recent
ly opened is already doing large business. The
work is at present principally confined to the
Towering of door lights, lamp shades aud the let
tering Of goblets. The first process is the grind
ing of the glass, which is done by placing the
plates in a "cradle," which is simply large
rectangular box made to move backward and
forward rapidly by machinery, and covering
them with stones and sand, the friction of the
sharp rock points and sand particles accomp-l
fishing the work speedily and with perfect
evenness. Flowering is done by means of
stone wheels, the peculiar form of the flower
or leaf being produced by skilfully manipulat-
ing the plate. Lettering is done by means of
copper wheels of different sizes. The demand
for articles turned out at this establishment is
constantly increasing, and the orders already
on hand will keep the workmen busy for some
time to come.
The Skowhegan factory building is all COM
pleted. The boiler arrived last week. The
shafting and machinery is being put in.
The Evans Manufacturing Company of Me-
chanic Falls in which the Messrs. Dennison are
largely interested, fare now manufacturing
magazine rifle, the invention of Mr.. w. A.
Evans of Norway, which is great improvement
on the ordinary magazine fire arm, both in the
matter of safety and rapidity of firing. The
magazine has capacity of thirty-four 44-10O
calibre cartridges, all of which can be discharg.
ed in seventeen seconds, when the gun can be
used as an ordinary breech loader, firing some
twenty rounds in forty y-three seconds, making
its ability equal to ifty-four rounds minute,
exceeding any gun yet manufactured. The
cartridges in the magazine are each contained
in separate chambers and no speral springs are
used, thus entirely obviating the danger of ex-
ploson, which So frequently happens in the
ordinary magazine gun when the breech re-
ceives severe jar. By means of the lever and
fiuted roll the cartridges are forced forward with
great rapdty, the shell after the discharge
being removed by simple piece of mechanism
called the shell extractor. The gun is simple,
the light and always sure to fire. One on ex.
hibition at McDuffes is attracting considerable
attention.
RAILROAD GossIP.-Itis is now confidently as
serted by those who ought to know that the
proposed contract between the Maine Central
and Boston & Maine will be signed at the
meeting in this city next Tuesday evening. 1t
is not yet known what course the Eastern d.
rectors will pursue. By some it is asserted that
they will attempt to get an injunction to pre-.
vent the Maine Central from breaking the con.
tract existing between the Eastern and Maine
Central Others say that the Eastern people
Will readily consent to the annulling of the
contract A gentleman from Boston states
that there were rumors of a change in the man
agement of the Eastern on State street yesteT-
day-that Manager Hatch had resigned, and
that Frank Hatch of Portsmouth was to be his
successor. We are inclined TO believe that
there is no ground for the report.