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he was a college man, much less a Syracuse man. So that was a real break for us, Thomas and I reminisced about Prof. Keenan and old times and places. Neil said afterward, "You're making a home run up here!" We went back to the hotel later and showed Thomas my photo book of general locomotives shop etc. and he seemed much interested and impressed. Next week he wants to take us to a real Italian dinner, so he says.

Montpelier, Vt.
Tuesday, June 6, 1939
Today we arose at 5:30 AM and drove over to St. Johnsbury to check the St.J.& L.C. (sometimes called Saint Jesus and Late Coming) switcher there on a 16 [[hour?]] job which has possibilities. We dropped in at a St.J. café for some coffee to warm us up when we arrived - it was very chilly after making a preliminary reconoitre about the yards at 7 AM - It was a typical north country dive with a lunch counter and booths. A man came in and said, "Gimme a "Bud'!" (Budweiser). Seeing a cat lying on the floor nearby, he said, "What's the cat's name?" The waitress answered, "Mary." It struck me very funny, a cat named Mary.

We contacted Mr. Bailey, the agent, and he introduced us to the engine crew who were very decent to us and showed us all the ropes. The place is jointly operated by the C.P.R., the 
M.E.C. and the St.J.& L.C., the latter doing the switching. The joint operation may prove to be a thorn in accomplishing a sale but I'm hoping not. Mr. Thomas had told me St. Johnsbury was "all level" so it was interesting to find operation on 2% grades and part of the yard itself on 0.7%

After following the job about all day and seeing the whole layout, we left late in the afternoon, had dinner and a couple of "Bals" at the Tavern in Montpelier, and then drove over to Barre and up on "the hill" where we saw the Wells-Lamson and Wetmore-Morse granite quarries, another eyeopener to me. The tremendous size of these great holes, blasted through the years right down from the surface into the mountain top is thrilling. They are probably 200 ft. deep, maybe more. And we got our first look at the Barre & Chelsea R.R. - it made my hair stand on end! 5% grades on the main line and 7-8% in the quarries are common! On "Webster Flats" the main line grade ease off to 2%! The view from the mountain top at dusk was magnificent