Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-10-02

see TIC improvements BoiuB ou ~ th'
station. So fast has the business of tn,
road increased the past summer that il
was found necessary to build a new loca
freight depot. The building is up ant
boarded, and will soon be ready for use
Its dimensions are 60x24 feet and it will
be well built, convenient depot. The
old freight depot has been given over tc
the exclusive use Of the Hartford Cold
Spring Company, as place to store theil
barrels Of water, prior to shipment. An
other spring the passenger depot is to be
moved back and broad platform built
between it and the track. Later the re-
porter will have something to say about
the old town of Buckfeld, but now must
hurry on towards Canton.
Just beyond Buckfeld station the train
crosses the Nezinscot River, which i:
sPanned by a fine iron bridge, which
looks strong enough to stand for centu'
ries.
At Fast Sumner station the train tar
ries q moment. Here one finds large,
handsome depot, convenient in arrange
ment, and well equipped for the business
of the road. Here also one sees another
pretty river. 1t is the east branch Of
the Twenty mile stream. The East
branch and the Nezinscot unite below
Buck6eld village and form Twenty Mile
River. The latter empties into the An
droscoggin.
The train rolls smoothly and swiftly
on, and soon is passing across what once
was sheet OF water mile long and
half mile broad, with depth averag-
ing len feet. This vast amount of water
ha. been drained off, and now the train
runs across on a road bed Of solid gravel.
The cos, Of draining this pond was i'm
mense. And after that was done, ow-
ing to the spongy bottom, the task Of
building a firm road bed for mile through
the drained pond was almost equally ex.
pensive.
But just before reaching Canton the
finest view along the whole line bursts
upon the eye. This is Whitney Pond,
which, as Mr.. Andrews declares, is one
of the handsomest sheets Of water in
Maine. For several minutes the train
sweeps along its side and one can drink
in the beauty of this crystal pond and its
surroundings. 1t has a long beach OF
white sand on one side, and on the 9TH
ers are thick forests stretching away to
the very tops Of the lofty hills which
seem to look down lovingly upon the
pretty lakelet nesting at their feet. A
charming grove to the left Of the pond is
3 great resort for private parties from the
surrounding villages. The Indian name
of this sheet Of water was Nassagunti-
cook. II takes the name Of Whitney
from man who, years ago, was shot by
his friends, they having mistaken him,
in the dim morning light, for a hostile
red man.
Canton station was reached at ll:35,
just FIVE minutes ahead Of the special
time table. Here two fine mountain
coaches. each drawn by four powerful
horses, were in readiness. and the party
was soon en- route for Dixfeld, where
dinner was to be taken. 1t was the
argus reporters good fortune to occupy
q seat with Hon. i. c. Andrews, whose
boyhood days were passed in this section
Mr.. Andrews is thoroughly familiar with
all the interesting features along the road
through the towns Of Peru, DiY6eld
Mexico and Rumford, and his descriptive
powers are first class. He pointed ou1
the famous Herdsdale Farm, owned BY
Mr.. Ward, q retired millionaire. Thil
farm contains 1900 acres. Twenty msl
are given steady employment on it. Mr.
Ward owns more than fifty blooded cows
and upwards Of one hundred swine of tn,
best breeds. Himself native of Maine
a chair builder by trade, Mr.. Ward mad,
his fortune in New York in the furnitur,
business. He has now come back to hi.
native State to spend his declining day
in ease and comfort. He make no mon
ey out Of his great farm. nor does he car
to. Last yeer the expenses Of the farm
were some $4,000 above the income from
it, and the old man was perfectly salts
fed, Well, why shouldn't he be
What is $4,000 year to a man WORT
a clean million, and with, at the most
only a few years more to stay on top o
the earth.
The road to Dixfeld closely follow
the course Of the Apdrosooggin River.
passes through fine farming country
The houses and barns are well built ant
commodious. Evidences Of prosperity ar
on each hand. But as the carriages role,
along it was noticed that many goodl
field of corn had been cruelty nipped b
the frost. The apple crop in this sectio