Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-06-05
Whale of a Job
in Record Time
by c.. M. p. HuStlerS

AT just eight minutes or three Sun.
day afternoon, June 3, the high ten
sion line of i, Central Maine Power
Company which runs from MaXcy's
Crossing, two miles north of CoOpers
Mills, to Rockland, was "cut in" after
being off since A. NJ. in the morning
and another part of the program to
furnish the power users of Rockland
with perfect service was completed.
This entire 80 mile stretch has now
been reinsulated with the newest and
most modern type insulators which
are as nearly lightning proof as mod
ern skill can make them.
Company's Forces Unite
In order to accomplish this gigan-
tic task of reinsulating Is miles in
one day it was necessary to muster
every available man from the COM
pany's force and to have them on the
job at break of day. Consequently
nearly 200 men began pouring in
from the different districts late Sat
urday afternoon. About so of the J
men established headquarters just
outside Of Rockland upder Superin-
tendent Blodgett of the Rockland dis
trict. The main division, consisting
Of about 120 men under the direct
charge Of G. c.. Marson, superinten-
dent of high tension lines, encamped
on the Snow farm about two miles
from Coopers Mills in regular army
fashion-tents, cots, cook and every
thing to make the boys as comfort
able as possible.
The first truckload of men arrived
at camp about 3 o'clock Saturday aft
ernoon. Ten other truck loads fol-
lowed in close order so that when Chef
Painter shouted "A-L-L READY"
at $50 about 120 men clamored for
their seats in the mess tent.
Chef Painter Puts Over Good Feed
After long, dusty ride which
brought them anywhere from Lewis
ton, SkOwhegan or some of the II
districts where the company operates,
the boys took sweet revenge on the
real old fashioned bean supper placed
on the table by Chef Painter and his
assistants who had been teamed for
| their part of the big job.
After supper the men were collected
to gether and given their directions to
follow out on the next day. A tenn
porary pole was set up and 1nstruc-
items given on the proper way to re-
insulate. Safety first hints were also
made known to all the men as pre-
caution against any accidents.
AS soon IS darkness UeSdIl " SottiS
down on the little encarhpment the
boys scattered to their various tents
to turn in, mindful of the long hard
| Job ahead of them.
The alarm was set for $50 A. M:
but neibhgoring whlppoor"lli
st ole a march on the Big Ben and
aroused the light sleepers.' BY 4.3o
q hot breakfast of bacon and eggs,
potatoes. coffee. doughnuts had been
devoured and the trucks all ready to
depart for the field Of battle.
Work This Year on Both Ends
When the company did similar
lob on this line last fall the 10 mics
| in the middle of the 80 mile line were
finished. This year work started on
each end, the one crew beginning at
Maxcys Mills and going as far as
west Washington to connect on
where last falls work ended. The
other crew started at Rockland and
worked to West Rockport thus COM
pIeting the entire line.
The men were divided into crews
and each crew, under a foreman. had
| a special section to work on. When
the men were landed at the base of
| operation they found everything they
needed right on the spot so as to