Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-11-29
new Faelonr YARDS.
IMPROVEMENTS ny GRAND TRUNK Al
So EAST DEERrNG.

Eleven and oue-half miles OF freight
tracks, holding 1900 cars, Il the extent
OF the new yard Of the Grand Trunk
railroad now nearing completion 10 East
Deering. In few days now the big
yard viii be completed and the railroad
will be In position TO handle the i'm
meuse business which the English steam
ers bring to Portland.
For years the Grand Trunks business
has been on the increase and the officials
here have been greatly hampered 10 the
narrow limits and small capacity Of It's
yard. The officials have tried various
expedients to extend the capacity Of Its
| freight yard, but II was not until the
land near the East Deerine stock yards
was purchased and fitted up as q yard
that the problem Of handling the large
business was solved In any manner salts
factory to the Grand Trunk people. Now
the Grand Trunk has two yards, one
near the Portland depot, extending out
towards the bridge around the base Of
Mum " Hill and past Fish Point, and
the other yard, the new one, about mile
and half from the passenger depot and
stes mer docks.
The new yard begins just above We
randall Street, where the Yarmouth road
crosses the Grand Trunk tracks. lts
northerly end is at the stock yards, $500
feet from the commencement OF the yard.
The yard Il % tracks across, the 10 ngest
track being 2l00 feet and the shortest
about 1900 feet. At the Verandsh Street
entrance the yard branches out from the
main line, which ut this place Is double
track aud this Is the only entrance to the
yard. 1t was the original intention to
IN Ike the yard much longer than 1t now
Is, but this was prevented by the failure
Of the Grand Trunk officials to secure
proper deed OF the land near the northern
terminus OF the yard, and when the deed
finally was secured II was too late 70
grade the lsnd and lay the tracks for the
present season. This extension will
probably be constructed as soon as II Is
required.
The work of grading this land for the
yard was commenced Jaly % and was
all done by contract. The big fields
we're smoo,hed down and the hollows
filed In, making perfectly level tract
Of land for the laying OF the tricks. Ga
September 2S,h the work OF putting In
the tracks commenced. This required -
miles OF iron rails, 5000 sleepers and
hundreds Of car loads OF gravel for bal
lasting the tracks. Some ~ men have
been engaged In this work since Septem-
Der 18th, under the direction OF Road
master ID. McCoo, who has supervised
every portion Of the work. Mr.. McCoo
I. 81. Louis man, but has been employ
ed BY the Grand Trunk In various capaci-
ties since Manager Hays took charge Of
the road. lie Ia typical westerner, long
of limb and with broad shoulders, and Is
n most courteous gentleman. The Grand
Trunk officials say that Mr.. McCoo
Ia hustler and Is thoroughly familiar
with all branches Of road construction.
All Of the ballast used In this yard Is
hauled on 4 { cars from Mechanic Falls
and about 100 cars Of gravel are dumped
In the yard every day. This gravel Is
loaded by q steam shovel at the gravel
pits Mt Mechanic Falls, and on the ar
rival Of the train at the yard the cars are
backed up the track to the point where
the gravel IL needed aud then scraped of
them by big plow which is hauled along
on top OF the cars by long rope attach
ed to the engine.
AZ fast as the tracks are finished In
the new yard they are at once filled up
with cars loaded with grain and steamer
freight.
la the stock yard the workmen are
busy preparing for the arrival OF cattle,
the first consignment OF which arrived on
Saturday. One OF the yards has been
rooted over and paved and in every de-
tail the big enclosures are now ready for
the cattle. The cattle shipment from
Portland will not be much larger this
season than In former seasons, because
II Is reported that the prices are not high
enough In the English markets at present
to warrant the American shippers send
ing many cattle across the poad.