XXXXX The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad today began the construction of a spur track 7500 feet in length, to the local plant of the Yosemite Portland Cement corporation, and to a 53 acre tract, the purchase of which by the railroad was announced here today by Norman H. Asp, district freight agent, Fresno.

XXXXX Crews of workmen and construction equipment arrived in Merced today and the entire rail project, entailing and expenditure of approximately $50,000 will be completed within 60 days, according to Mr. Asp.

XXXXX The spur track will leave the Santa Fe right of way north of the Yosemite Valley railroad's lines, extending into the cement corporation's property to serve every need of the factory.

XXXXX Heralded as an important step in the industrial development of the San Joaquin valley, orders were placed with the Allis Chalmers company of Detroit for 50 carloads of machinery for the new cement plant to be erected at Merced by the Yosemite Portland cement company.

XXXXX The contracts were made in San Francisco and, according to A. Emory Wishon, president of the company and vice president and general manager of the San Joaquin Light & Power corporation, provide for delivery of the material in Merced in four and one-half months. The preliminary work at the mill site and at the quarries in Mariposa county is to be started at once so that the mill can be built without delay when the material arrives. Modern Machinery

XXXXX Included in the equipment are two kilns, 10 feet in diameter and 240 feet long. These are declared to be equal in length to any kilns ever built. Two wet grinding mills, seven feet in diameter and 27 feet long, and two clinker grinding mills of similar dimensions are also part of the order.

XXXXX The cement mill is to have a capacity of 2500 barrels daily. This is 500 barrels more than was provided for in the original plans but the larger capacity was decided upon by the company's directors and engineers after a survey of general conditions in the valley had convinced them that building activities of every kind are on the upgrade, and that there will be demand for all the cement they can manufacture. They are hopeful of having the mill in production shortly after January 1.

XXXXX "With its mountains full of limestone and other materials necessary for the manufacture of cement, the San Joaquin Valley has always had to depend for its supply upon mills located in other parts of the state," said Mr. Wishon, commenting upon the machinery order.

XXXXX "The need for a mill had long been apparent. A company was organized several years ago to build a mill at Merced, ground for a mill site was purchased and rights to immense deposits on the Merced river in Mariposa county were obtained.

XXXXX "The company encountered financial difficulties and as a result the present corporation, of which I am president, was formed and reorganized effected, the new concern taking over the property. Our directors are all of us interested in the San Joaquin valley development and of course recognize that any industrial development must rest upon the valley's own resources of raw materials. Material Abundant

XXXXX "The materials for cement manufacture we have in abundance. We are going to make available for the San Joaquin valley's use cement manufactured in the very heart of the San Joaquin valley.

XXXXX "All equipment will be of the most modern type. According to engineering surveys we have available in our quarries sufficient limestone to run a mill of 2500 barrel capacity for more than 100 years.

XXXXX "Work at Merced is to begin in the immediate future, the site must be in readiness, which means the foundation for the machinery must be built, spur tracks installed and other preparations made so that the mill can be put together without loss of time as soon as the machinery is on the ground. These preparations will necessitate a large crew of men on the job from now until the material is here."

XXXXX A visit to the plant of the Yosemite Portland cement plant in the northern outskirts of Merced is an interesting thing these days. It's more than interesting. It inspires faith in the growth of Merced. The cement people are spending over a million and a quarter in the Merced plant and at the lime rock deposit upon the Yosemite Valley railroad on Jenkins hill, and when open for business at the tentative date of March 1, 1927, they will permanently employ from 100 to 125 men, approximately 80 at the Merced plant and 40 to 50 at the Jenkins hill quarry and crushing plant. This will mean a payroll of approximately $20,000 a month and that means a lot for Merced.

XXXXX We visited with Superintendent G. A. Fisher out at the cement plant today. He give out some interesting information. Yesterday a Marion electric shovel was received from the eastern factory. It goes up the line and will be used in the quarry operations. A contract was awarded yesterday to the Fairbanks company of South San Francisco for the building of 1000 feet of sidetrack at Woody station at the quarry. And by the way, the name of this station has been changed from Woody to Emory, in honor of Emory Wishon, president of the cement company. This sidetrack will cost around $20,000. A substantial permanent camp will be built at the quarry with real quarters for the men. They will be provided with regular painted houses equipped with electric ranges, electrically heated and with ice refrigerating plants. The building of this permanent camp and the construction of 1000 feet of siding will make things lively at the newly named station of Emory for some time.

XXXXX The building of the four concrete silos at the local plant will commence in a day or two. Each silo will be 32 feet in diameter and 70 feet high. The combined capacity of these silos will be 60,000 barrels of cement. They are to house the finished product before it is sacked and shipped. In addition to this there will be the sack house 60 x 150. This is to contain the empty sacks.

XXXXX When the whole plant is done, it is estimated by Superintendent Fisher that between 9000 and 10,000 yards of cement will have been poured. All the sand and gravel is being bought from Hammatt of Livingston and Walt Huffman of Merced. In fact, everything possible in the way of construction material and supplies is being purchased locally. J. P. (Jack) Berry, formerly of Merced Lumber company is head timekeeper at the plant. Berry's office is in the machine shops, and the declares with pride that it's the best equipped machine shop between Fresno and Stockton.

XXXXX There are nearly 200 men working now at the Merced plant and at the quarry. The plant here is on a big scale. The "craneway" is to be 600 feet long. The two main kilns will be 240 feet long and 10 feet in diameter. Walt Huffman is excavating an oil pit for the plant. He is removing 1500 yards of dirt with 10 men and several teams on the job. This pit will hold 50,000 gallons of crude oil. The oil is for fuel to burn the kilns. The machinery is electrically driven. Work is now going forward in building the Merced plant with all speed possible. There are 165 men on the job at the Merced plant alone, and this number will soon be increased.

XXXXX The Merced cement plant will be a big industry. And if you have any doubt about it's being a "sure go," visit the plant and see the big force of men at work which means the pouring of a large amount of capital into the enterprise.