Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-01
WATCHES ARE TINY.
Diminutive Timepieces the Fashion
Now


Now.
The small watch Is the proper time
piece. nowadays - said the jeweler. az
he lifted from the case tray OF hand
some chronometers for the inspection
of n reporter. its almost n case of the
smaller the better and now all thu.
makers are making them as tiny as
they can. Here's the smallest Amcri-
oan-ma,ie watch" ne continued as he
held up an elegantly carved case
these works are probably the best Of
the variety.
You remember when all the watch
es were big bulky timepieces. IA good
many of them are In use now but
everyday were exchanging the new
and much smaller kind for those old
fashioned specimens. We get n cash,
consideration. too. of course. for the
old watches are practically worthless
except for rough usage or toys for
small boys.
''The popular thing in mems watches
are the plain. gold ones. These are
small in circumference. and very small!
in diameter. while the case is abso-
lutely smooth. Most people have n
large. fancy monogram put on the
outside Of the back case and there's no
richer ornamentation than this. We've
sold dozens of these watches within
the past few years and according to
the outlook there will be another de-
mand for them during the coming holt
days.
within the last few years. I've no.
ticed that the majority OF women pre-
fer silver watches to gold and gener-
ally it's for chateiaine wear. There's
no explanation for this except that it's
freak Of feminine fancy. We sell
gold watches. Of course. and n good
many of them. but the silver ones are
really in most demand. Yes. the price
has something to do with it but not q
few people who could afford the best.
often take them. The enamel watches
in various shades-red. blue and yell
low. all sell we'll"
When the next-fau comes the stored
plows are brought out. inspected and
again sent to the stations, where they
are needed to fight the storms Of the
long winter. There are three at Ban
gor. one at Mattawamkeag. and one at
vanceboro. and there are as many
fIangc scrapcrs in each place. But this
isn't all Snow shovcls have to be
bought by the gross and new lanterns
are sent all along the line to the
points from which they are requisi-
toned. The number of wooden snow
shoyels that are worn out by big
railroad system every winter is sur
prising.
Another thing that has to be done
every fall is the removal of the farm
ers' crossings-those you frequently
see along the line of the railroad that
enables the agriculturist to haul his
meadow hay to the barn or his fuel
from the wood lot across the tracks.
In the summer for his convenience
and because his farm has been ruth
lessly cut i'm two. the railroad kindly
allows him to plank the space on each
side and between the rails. so that his
farm wagon will ride over without
breaking every egg. and splitting every
can of milk.
But when fall comes and snow
weather is threatened. the section men
| come along and take up the boards
nearest the rails. This is so the engine
driver will not have to lift his flange
scraper so often. The flange scrapeS
along close to the rail and takes off
the collected snow and ice that would
lessen the traction power of the loco
motive. If the planks were left the
scraper would have to be raised or rip
them to pieces.
When a storm comes the big plows
are gotten out at once. and kept NOV
ing over the line to keep it open if
Ia, to hr
trains. freight and passenger. which
are so important to the business of the
state. and to the country. Every
effort that can be made is made to
keep the line open. Once in a while in
a severe storm a freight with a long
line of cars. heavily loaded. will be
stalled in spite of it's two locomotives,
and plOws, and there will be seven
| hours. rarely more. when traffic is In
terrupted. e'-
This is not an nfreuuent occurrence.
but when 1t does happen every pound
Of energy in the body Of every man,
obtainable is directed toward breaking
the blockade at the earliest possible
moment. 1t is hard. tough, cold. dis
couraging work, no doubt. but human
energy. and the Joy Of overcoming
difficulties overtops all discomfort. and
before fatigue gains the day the line is
open and trains running on time. s.
Years ago, before the locomotives
were SO heavily built as they are to-
/day. there was more trouble. but now
when the average passenger engine
weighs something like IS tons, there is
little difficulty in an average winter. in
keeping the trains going and coming
as regularly as in the best Of summer
weather.
| VARYING WAYS OF ANIMALS
/ WHEN, A lN1Sr