Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-11-28
The Maine Two.Feet.Gause Railroad.

the Maine TwO-Feet-Gauge Railroad.
lsomc Notes from our Dummerston Corrsspondent.l
The editor of the Phonograph, printed
at Phillips, Maine, which town is the north
ern terminus of the Sandy River railroad, re-
ports as follows about the narrow gauge;
1--WE received kind invitation by tele-
graph from Superintendent Mansfield, last
Saturday, Oct. oath, to come down to Strong
and see the cars come in We went down,
and sure enough the rails were laid as far
along as Porter's MILL though the cars for
the day were run only to the trestle, nearly
half mile from the main street Mr.. Twom-
bly's engine, the Echo" being about to re-
turn to Pennington, we got aboard and rode
to the siding, where we met the Dawn" with
Mr.. Mansfield and the editor of the Chronicle
on board the baggage car. We had already
been over the line from this point to Farm
ington. The trip back was made slowly, as
the road was not then properly ballasted,
though there was one scribe on the locomo-
tive aud another on the rear end of the ca
boose. (Ths was case of tender" separa-
tion.) From McLeary's siding to within a
mile of Strong village is one steady upgrade,
though the little locomotives move up it with
heavy loads of gravel, rails, editors, and 9th
or freight with apparent ease. At the top of
Ant EiuNits COhhSNlOh WAC Win lle
gravel cars, which were waiting to be pushed
up to the trestle before mentioned Here we
took leave of the party and cars, as they were
TO 90 no farther. Work is being pushed
along as fast as possible, and soon track-lay-
ing will be commenced on this side-then on
to Phillips Mr.. Nancy has half the distance
from here to Strong ready for the ties and
rails, and the other half is ADJOINING; so we
have no fear but that the road will be COM
pleted to Phillips by the 10th of November,
the time on which town loans expire. The
Strong folks advertised an express train over
the Sandy River railroad, from Pennington,
to accommodate people who attended the
grand railroad ball, Nov. 9Th"
Geo. E. Mansfield sends the following in
formation about the first train: "The first
locomotive, with box car, entered the village
of Strong, Monday, Oct 27, at 1:2O p. NJ In
the morning, a trip was made with the en-
CINE to within quarter of a M lie of the vii
lage. John +. Anderson, railroad commits
sioner, of Portland, and myself rode on the
cow-catcher so as to examine the road. Mr..
Anderson was very much pleased and sur
prised at the steadiness with which we rode"
The latest information we have from
Pennington, Me-, is that the 18th inst. was
the occasion for the running of the first pas
senger train over the Sandy River narrow
gauge railroad, as far as Strong, special
train over the Maine Central railroad brought
large number of prominent railroad men
from Maine and eastern Massachusetts, who
took passage and the party was joined at
Pennington by several officers of the Sandy
River road The run to Strong was very sue
cessful, and all were much pleased with the
elegance of the cars, and the ease and rapid
ity with which they glided over the road
On Saturday, the sth inst, an excursion train
over this route left Farmin gton on the arri-
val of the regular train from Portland. Many
of the citizens improved the opportunity to
take pleasant trip to the neighboring viii
lage of Strong, and enjoy the hospitable
greeting of her people. At Phillips, the
northern terminus of the road, hundreds of
days works were contributed, and half the
population were ready TO assist day and night,
in order to secure its rea ching that village by
the 10th. We conclude that their object WAS
achieved as Supt. Geo. E. Mansfield adver.
tsed that train would leave Pennington at
3 clock, Wednesday P. NJ, Nov. 18th, for
Strong aud Phillips; and on and after the
10th, will leave Phillips at Z o'clock A. NJ. re-
turning leave Pennington at : p. NJ, or on
the arrival of the Maine Central train. Lo-
cal trains will be put on in few days for the
accommodation of the public. The Sandy
River railroad took the mail Wednesday night
18th, and will carry it hereafter.