The Portland daily press., 1875-12-25
THE RAILRoAD EXTENSION.
Something about the Portland q Ogdens-
burg-What has been Done and what
Remains "A Model Town and a Won
derfuI Enterprise.

| burs-What has been Done and what
Remains Model Town and a Won
derfuI Enterprise.
The Vermont division of the Portland &
Ogdensburg railroad is composed of three cor
porations, viz: The Essex county road, ex-
tending from Lunenburg on the Connecticut
| river, the terminus Of the Portland division, to
st. Johnsbury, % miles; the Montpelier & st.
Johnsbury road, from St. Johnsbury to West
Danville, 10 miles; The Lamoile Valley road,
from West Danville to Swanton, so miles.
These three companies are practically one,
the executive committee being chosen from the
three boards presided over by Horace Fair
| banks, the President of the first two com.
panies. Of the Vermont division, III miles in
length, 3S miles at the westerly end are yet un-
finished, but are rapidly approaching compile.
ton, force of 500 men being at present en-
| ployed on this section; by contract it is to be
completed the first of next july road from
Burlington to Cambridge, miles westerly of
johnson on the Portland & Ogdensburg road,
| is under contract to be finished at the same
time. The Montreal, Portland & Boston road,
between Montreal and the Canada line is near
| ly graded; charter has been obtained; and it
| is proposed to build a line from Sheldon, con.
| Meeting this road with the Portland & Ogdens-
burg. The westerly end of the Vermont divis-
ion lies in the finest dairy region of the coun-
| try, passing near St Albans the great butter
| market of New England.
The main business of the road will be, of
| course, the transportation for shipment in
Portland of vast freights from the West at
Lake Champlain. But there is one town on
the line which, in this connection, merits also
special mention. This is st. Johnsbury on the
Portland & Ogdensburg road, 1872 miles from
Portl and, and where are manufactured
THE FAIRBANKS SCALES
known all the world over; and here the rude
weighing machine cont1ived by Thaddeus Fair
banks, 45 years ago, for the convenience of
himself and his brother Erastus in weighing the
hemp brought to their mill to be cleaned, has
developed into multiformity of shapes and
sizes, the principle of leverage alone remain
ing unchanged, from the goldsmith's scale
graduated to pennyweights, up to the track
scales for weights reaching as high even as $50
tons.
The first manufacture of tho Fairbanks
site of the present works, (which now cover IL
acres. For several years tie business grew
slowly, but from 1910 to 1857 it doubled every
three years. At first Erastus and Thaddeus
constituted the firm, but their brother Joseph
was afterwards admitted. In 1857 the panic
diminished for several years the increase of
their business, but it soon resumed its rapid in
crease.
The firm is ct present composed of Thaddeus
Fairbanks, the inventor and Horace and
franklin, the sons of Erastns Fairbanks.
VISIT TO THE MANDATORY
is full Of interest, and by that alone can one
get an idea of the magnitude of the business
of the firm. OF lumber for the varions parts
of the frames, the packing boxes, and the pro-
cess of manufacture 100000 feet are used
annually. Of this 1000 900 is cut on the land
of the company, and sawed in their mill in
Walden,12 miles from st. Johnsbury, and 2,0OO,-
900 purchased. For their manufacture there is
also brought to the mill annually 4cO0 tons of
pig iron, $500 tons of coal, 500 tons of mould
ing sand for use in the moulding room,
where are employed so men; this number in
press Of work is increased to 70 or 80. In this
department, as in other parts of the mill, the
force is reduced at this season of the year to its
lowest point Where the heavy freights are
handled tracks for cars are laid, and through
out the mill every device for supplanting man
ual by mechanical labor is employed.
In order of the process of manufacture are
the pattern rooms, where are stored the patterns
of 30 years accumulation, and byit the room
with draughtsmen's Office attached for the
manufacture of patterns The plans not in
immediate use are kept below in fre-proof
vaults. This department is in charge of Mr..
L. G. Spencer and employs men.
The beams and some of the finer parts of
the scales are of brass. In the brass foundry
As tons of copper and ten tons Of speter (zinc)
are used yearly.
In the blacksmith shop, where are made the
wrought iron parts of the scales are 40 FORCES,
employing 75.or so men. Mr.. Thomas Spencer
foreman. 800 tons of bar iron so tons of steel.
300 tons of Cumberland coal are used here in
year.
The machine shop, where the various parts
of the scales approach completion, is lighted by
sky-lights and as many windows as could be
made in the sides of the 5nilding. Sixty men
work here at machines which gauge the fit
tings and divisions of the scales with the Mt
most exactness.
In the polishing rooms the parts of the scales
get their finishing touch, and in the finishing
room they are put together, tested, sealed and
packed for transportation Each of the Fair
banks scales is numbered, so that in case of
breakage of parts at any time, they can be re-
placed by sending to the manufacturer. In the
store room where the scales are packed in box
es, and placed ready for sending away, no.
ticed on hay-scale box the number 40, $50,
and on box of platform scales 275.3S7, which
was suggestive of the vast business of this man
ufacturing company since its commencement.
By courtesy of Mr.. William P. Fairbanks,
general agent of the mandatory who devoted
several hours to the conducting of me over
the mills, explaining fully all the leading par
ticulars of the works, and of Mr. D. D. Patter-
son, in charge Of accounts, I was given the fol.
lowinn items in connection with the work of
last year 1874:
There were employed 500 men whose pay roll
was $4,000.
OF material used there were 20 tons of nuts
and washers, tons of sheet brass and copper,
tons of pig lead, 300 boxes of sheet tin, 1900
kegs Of nails, 1000 gross of screws, II tons of
paints, 200 barrels of oils and varnishes.
There were manufactured in 1874
ENGLISH STANDARD.
Warehouse scales. Observation-Disclosures. 1193
Portable platform scales. ................11,73O
counter scales. .............N,16 1
Hopper scales FUSED in grain elevators. 39l
Railroad truck scales. ................... 1888
nay scaie s $500. '''.''.''.''"'''... 1920
Depot scales, lilo
Miners and Transportation. ..... 49,. ia
Weighmaster's beams. 713
-44,2O5
FOREIGN STANDARD,
Warehouse scales. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 81
Portable platform scales. .............. 12O1
Counter scales. Observation-Disclosures. 1,543
Truck and depot scales. ...... .......... IL
nay scales. Y
Weighmaster's beams, ................. 294
- 1902
Tot oil