The Somerset reporter., 1899-11-16
The Somerset Railway.
A Brisk Season, Good Business and Per-
manent Improvements,

| manent Improvement,
The year 1899 now drawing to close,
has been good one for the Somerset
according to indications at this time.
The freighting business has been very
heavy and is likely to continue so, par
ticularly at Madison. The extensive
building operations of the Great North
ern Paper Company at that place has re-
qured the transportation of immense
quantities of machinery and building
material of all kinds, which, with the dis
carded machinery and material shipped
away and the building material required
for other large buildings in Madison
made up an &C i've freighting season SO
far as Madison goes.
The prospect of business on this road
for another year Is a bright one. With
the mill OF the Great Northern at Madi-
son, running full force, turning out its
finished product of paper, and the mill
OF the International Company at Solon,
turning out pulp at the rate of 30 to 40
tons per day, with the usual lumber
freight from Bingham and North Arson,
the freghting for the wooden mills at
Madison and the usual transportation OF
merchandise for numbering and general
purposes, the Somerset Railroad must be
in condition to face the immediate future
with equanimity If long, busy freight
trains contribute to that frame of mind.
The road was never in better condition
for this work. 1t has beside the regular
expenditures for the maintenance of the
way, repairs of buildings, ETC., done
large amount of extra work of a perma-
nent character of which the change of
| location OF a piece Of track between
Scion and Bingham at an expense of
about $1,000, was one of the principal
| items of necessary improvements.
This piece of road running along over
fiat piece of land near the Kennebec
has caused much trouble and expense
! since the erection Of dam at Caratunk
Falls. IL was all right before that dam
was built, but since that time the ice and
logs 10 the spring of the year was apt to
Jam there and cause the water to over
flow the rail aud render the track for
about half mile impossible. The
water would not only undermine the
track but the impact of the ice would
force the track inland with great dam
age. Much expense had been incurred
ia the attempt to fortify the track
against this by depositng large quantl-
ties of broken granite on the outer bank
but this did not overcome the difficulty
and the change of the track to higher
land was resorted to and difficult prob
lem solved.
The new passenger station at Madi-
son, to which we have referred hereto
fore ia being pushed along rapidly. The
foundations are laid and four feet of
granite, rough asher work, is con-
pleted and good start is made upon the
brick work. The dimensions of the
building are apparent by the work al
ready done. The building will be %
feet inches by % feet 4 inches. The
office will be in the centre in the front
side of the building. The ladies' wait
ing room will be l7x20 feet; gents wait
ing room, l6x20 feet; ladies' dressing
room, 8 feet ) inches by ID feet; baggage
room, feet inches by 10 feet. On the
east side will be porte cohere l8xlS
feet. The building win be heated by
two hot air furnaces, one for each part
Vi lllt bululuRs "A COHCitlc VAIN SIX
feet wide will extend around three sides
of the building. The walk will have
gratings in it over the cellar windows.
The platform in front will be twelve feet
wide and have an awning over each end.
north and south of the building. The
VIII lie inside and outside will be finished
in Georgia pine. The caves will be sup
ported on the outside by twenty-seven
brackets 5x5 feet. The cutters will be
cypress wood. The roof is of hip VA
rety. All outside doors will have tran
som frames and plate glass panels. The
windows will be 36x36 inches, two lights. |
The chimney will he double hue. rhe
building will be divided into ticket office,
waiting rooms, baggage room and toilet
rooms. The company are pushing along
the work rapidly aud hope to have it
finished by the middle of December.
Work in the freight house and yard at
Madison, will be commenced early in the
spring. The improvements ut that sta
ton, now in progress and contemplated,
including the necessary purchase OF real
estate will amount to $4,000 or more.
When this work is completed Madison
will be well fixed for railroad buildings.
And 1t is no more than that enterprsng
town deserves.