St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-09-10
Among the Lumbermen.
A Days Experience in the Victory Woo

Among the Lumbermen.
A Days Experience in the Victory Woods
Three OF four years ago the lumber
interests of Victory and CRANKY were
found tu he so important feeders to the
Lake railroad that an arrangement was
made with the principal land owners
and lumber men by which the latter
taxed themselves sum sufficient to
grade and furnish ties for road eleven
miles long into the heart of the lumber
region This branch road cost these
land owners about $1,000 mile. The
railroad company then laid the iron
and gave freighting facilities which
have proved of great advantage to the
lumber interests of this part of Essex
county.
This "Victory branch" as it is call
ed, leaves the main line of the st. j.
II l.. c. road at North Concord. A re-
cent trip over this branch and n visit
to some of the lumber mills along its
line, may not he without interest to the
reader: From the North Concord sta
tion the track takes Il northerly course.
One mile up the line we come To what
was known years ago as North Con-
cord. Here is the little church which
holds the bell which used to ring OH
st. Johnsbury Plain in l649, and which
up To that date was the only bell in the
only church here. 1t was on the site
now occupied 10y the North church.
There are half dozen dwellings in
sight of this church, also the saw mill
of Hastings x Follansbee. This mill
is on Moose river and runs by water.
A hundred rods or so to the east of
this mill is the steam saw mill of &.
II. Dudley. The timber accessible to
both these mills is getting well nigh
exhausted.
Soon after leaving this mill of Hast
ings x Follansbee the Russell granite
quarry is seen part way up the noun
tain on the left. Two miles further
on, the Victory branch road crosses the
town line into Victory. A little way
To the west is the Story mill, now own
ed 10y Loren Aver and unused. A lit
tie further on We pass the water mill
known as the Kneeland mill, and now
owned and operated 10y Colby & Day,
Connecticut men. A mile or so from
this point is the granite quarry of the
Carrick Brothers of St. JOhnsbury, who
ear their stone at this place.
A mile or SO still further up Moose
river is the Calvin Morrill, mill, which
also runs by water. Soon after leaving
this mill the railroad strikes the "Vic-
tory boys Here the stream is slug
gish and timber more abundant. A
mile or more further on is the postOf-
flee and siding known as the Damon's
Crossing. Lumber is shipped here
from the GOV. Hale mill which stands
about Il mile east of the Crossing and
the concern Is known as the New Eng
land Lumber Co. At this point, too,
the train stops for dinner. Instead of
going tn the hotel all the train hands
(and passengers alsO) go into the ''din-
lug car This car is ON the rear of
the train and in it are kept the tools
and outfit, such as jack bars,
lanterns, packages of freight, etc. A
wooden bench runs along each side of
the ear on which the passengers and
crew seat themselves and take their
repast out of tin pals which they pro-
vide themselves with before leaving
home.
After dinner the locomotive is de
tached from the train and passengers
for Umpier mountain climb up into the
cab and tender, the engineer opens the
throttle, the fireman opens the furnace
door, and the locomotive starts rapid
ly mp the steep grade towards the l..
ID. Hazen mill which is on a siding a
mile or more away. The speed slack
ems and soon the driving wheels are
slipping around on the rails and the
locomotive is at standstill. Guess
we will try that over again." said En-
gineer Babcock as he lit his pipe aud
reversed the machine. We were soon
at the foot Of the grade, and by the use
of little sand and more steam the hill !
was surmOunted the next trial and the !
passengers dismOunted at one of the |
most complete lumber mills in Essex /
county. Mr.. Hazen has an immense |
tract of land in the vicinity of this mill |
and still more in Concord and Lunen- !
burgli on the east -''enOugh to last !
during my lifetime" the quiet man re-
marked in his quiet way.
Taking the loaded cars of lumber !
from this mill down to the main line, |
the locomotive was again attached to |
the regular train and pushed along up
the Moose river towards CRANKY. Az |
ter passing the Wells mill and the old /
Buzzeli mill-now owned by Gallup
we passed the town line into CRANKY /
aud bearing to the west brought up at |
the mills of &. l. Ste5xsls & Co., which
are situated i'm fhe town of CRANKY but /
close to both the Victory and East /
Haven lines.