The Portland daily press., 1889-10-17
HAVING A GOOD TIME IN ROCKLAND.
The Mechanic Blues See the City
and the Lime Quarries,
Make a Favorable Impression and
Cause a Runaway.
Today They VIII Visit Thomaston
and Then Return Home.
Especial to the Press.1

RockLAND, Oct 16.-The Portland Me-
chanic Blues arrived here on the steamer
City of Richmond this morning, at O'Clock.
after very pleasant trip down. Owing to
the late arrival in Portland of the Boston s.
Maine trains, the Richmsnd did not leave
Portland until midnight, an hour later than
her accustomed time of departure. Nothing
more eyentful occurred on the way down
than the sickness of several of the party.
The Blues arrived here with thirty men,
Capt. e. e. Philbrook in command, accom-
panied by Captain Rogers of Company A
Portland Light Infantry. The Tillson Light
Infantry, whose guests the Portland boys
are, met their visitors at the wharf, and
headed by Meservey's brass band, escorted
them on short parade along Rockland's
newly paved Main street, the parade ending
at the ThOrndike, where ranks and long
fast were broken with a most appetizing
menu. The only exciting incident of the
parade was a wild runaway, the combina-
too much for an exctahle horse. Several of
the members Of the companies secured frag-
ments of the buggy as mementoes.
After breakfast there was resting and
brushing of boots and clothing until 80,
when the entire party, with some CT the
city's prominent citizens, boarded the cars
OF the Lime Rock railroad and enjoyed
two hours ride along the city water front,
with its handsome bay. thickly studded with
sails, its smoking kilns and its busy railways
and shipyards. Thence the cars took the
blue-coated occupants up through the city
proper, with its many new houses building
and elegant residences completed, to the
meadows" back of the city, where Rock
lands gold mines lie-the famous Rockland
lime rock quarries.
ba fha
one OF the best, a fifteen minutes stop was
made TO see the men at work. The rock
from this deeply sunk hole in the ground is
removed to the quarry top by means of a
me, modern s cable tranwayg, erected by the Tren
the quarry. receive their freight of quarred
rock, are quickly hoisted to the top of the
quarry wall and dumped directly into the
cars of.the Lime Rock railroad, which rapid
ly transfer the stone to the water front, and
dump it directly into the kilnS, where it is
burned and then loaded directly into the
vessels, hundred sail of which are en-
ployed the year round transporting lime to
Portland, Portsmouth. Boston, New York,
Richmond, Jacksonville, and innumerabe
other places.
The construction of the Lime Rock Rail-
road over which the militia took their ride,
was begun in May, 1888. The entire COM
pleted length is eight miles, exclusive of
sidingS and spurs which are many and some
very extended, The necessity of skirting
the shore at the height of the kilns called
for great deal of trestle, there being a mile
of this expensive structure built. The best
quality of yellow pine was used for the
trestle work, coming by vessel from Darien,
Ga. The company has two powerful saddle
tank locomotives, built expressly for this
road in Pittsburg, Pa, the best machines
made. and equipped with all modern I'M
provements, and about 800 dump cars of i'm
proved pattern.
At the close of the ride, which was
thoroughly enjoyed, a short parade was on
the programme, followed by dinner Another
parade was held at 2 o'clock, and the festivi-
ties of the day closed with a grand ball
in Farwell Hall this evening, with music by
Meservey's quintet.
:, Tomorrow's programme includes visit to
the Thomaston State Prison and then
"home."
The boys are having fine time, and are
conducting themselves in an orderly, gentle
manly manner, and have made fine i'm
DressiOn on the ROckland DeOple.