The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-07
= Ro0D-SAWlNo CONTEST.
wavsa and Exciting Contest at Lafayette
--56 Amateurs Saw 30 Cords.


-..,,.l and T1xoiting x Contest at Lafayette
--36 Amateurs Saw 30 Cords.
Ifopa fAe Lafayette, (Ind) Journal, Nov. q
The wooa-sawing tournament about which so
much has been said and written GANG on yestel,
day, according to announcement, and was q
complete and decided success. IL was SOME
thing more-it was the biggest thing that ever EVER
occurred in the State or even In the West. The
day was beautiful, though little windy, with
lust enough of sunshine and chill to make wood
saving almost positive luxury. Ihe ansr was
"a near as we could judge, though people Kept
almost constantly coming and going, on toot,
horseback, and in carriages and wagons. me
procession formed in the following order:-l.
Tafayette Silver Cornet Band; 2. YoHng Mems
Christani Association, nine, as follows:-Colonel
Thompson, J. W. Graham, N. G: Hoover, Frank
81. Leyering, ID. H. Flynn, William i. Under
wood. Edward Ball g. Clay Smith, and
nipS.las follows;-Messrs. Martin, Tinney, Hood
BrowI, Gallagher, Jenners, Rhoads, Weisenber,
ger, and krutz' 4. Unknown (FeniaDl nine, as
1sai,i,Sws.-messrs. murdock, Conway, Haggsrty,
Cieary, Swift, Manahan, Connell, Griffin, an" {
Downeys 8. Independent nine, as follow
Grieve ellsworth, Watkins, Jeh. Wilstac' D.
ton. sleeper, Snyder, Inskeep, and Cc.io CcS. phJS'
q Earl & Hatchers three mul' 54oOoTIntSSk;
with sawbucks. = Citizens a. fremdsy on foot
The lne OF Gtreef 10 Fo previously arranged
NY Wy Main IN sixth. y. .hrth, up Fourth to Main,
TO Ninth, up NTH to Ersa6etb' Upon SS which
SUI" the junction with Ninth, the
WOOu NaB stored in four beautiful piles
Ol 1ine cords each. The sawyers marched
W'.th their saws at what the tactics call a right
'shoulder shift. The Hoosiers we're dressed
in the uniform peculiar TO the club to which
Nhey belong. The other boys were garbed in
their working clothes, and all wore that martial
and determined look so noticeable in those who
have resolved ito do or die" Arrived at the
ground some little time was consumed in ar
ranging the preiminaries. The principal or
primary contest being between the Hoosers and
the Young Men, those two organizations tossed
MP for the choice of piles. The former winning
the first choice, selected the pile at the south
end of the west side OF the lot, the Others
taking the north pile on the same side. There
was some little difference in the quality of the
wood furnished for the contest, but none in the
measurement, except in that for the Indepen-
dents, which was nearly three-quarters OF a
cord short. portion of it was also soft wood,
and much easier to saw than either of the
others, In the other three piles the quality was
about equal, though, If anything, the UDknowns
had little the most hard wood. Everything
being arranged, and the sawyers in position, at
the tap Of the drum and music from the
band, the fun commenced amidst the almost
deafening shouts OF the spectators At Just
twenty-five minutes after 10 O'clock each man
sprang for his stick simultaneously, and each
saw commenced at almost the same instant. 1t
was indeed grand sight and such one as was
never before witnessed III the country. Thirty
six wood-saws all rasping through the wood and
splinters Mt the same time-some of the bows
going in with all their might and strength,
others taking it slow and easy, after the manner
of experienced knights OF the saw and buck.
The tr1endS OF eaCn party rallied around and
encouraged them by their presence and counsel,
while others stood back and offered bets at odds
in favor Of their winning. There was percepti-
BILE difference noticeable in the saving of each
passed, when the piles OF those who took it slow
and easy began to grow gradually larger AT a
little after IL ,St O'clock the labor was sqs,
saWyers partook of a lunch and hot
coffee, furnished them by Messrs. Taylor Son,
OF the Brambe House. After lunch the labor
1waa wit rnnisG until
1t was completed. At intervals during the day
buckets of water were passed around to the
sawyers, aud boys stood ready oacon-rnd IN
hand, to grease the saws. At five minutes past
2 o'clock the Independents CO nplcted their last
Dtick-havng made their nlne cords (three-
minutes. The result was hailed with deafening
cheers. Miss Lydia Brockenbough then steppe
forward and decorated each of the nine with a
red ribbon, taken from her own dress and cut
into suitable lengths on the spot, then and
there. Al precisely half-past O'Clock the
Unknown nine completed their job, having
made the time in three hours and thirty-fve
minutes. We heard considerable complaint
from various parties that several OF this
party sighted their work in only saving
the wood once in two, whereas the rules
required that it should be sawed twice. For
eur own part, we only noticed one or two IN
stances oil this kind. Towards the close OF the
contest and after the Independents had finished
their Job the friends of the Unknown stepped
In and rendered them efficient service by placing
the wood upon the bucks and holding 1t while
II was sawed. Taxing the contest through be-
tween the Unknowns and Independents, and
considering the latter's short measure and soft
wood, it was very nearly an even thing with
them. At precisely thirtyseven and hal
minutes past O'clock the Hoosier Boys sawed
their last stick, making the time in three hours
and forty-two and a half minutes thus beating
the Young Men fully ten minutes. As thu
main contest was between these two Mines th
result was hailed with deafening cheers, anC
the boys modestly received the congratulationl
OF their friends, large majority of whom were
Of the far sex. The friends of the Youni
Men, seeing they were fairly beaten, kindli
stepped in and assisted them with their ten O.
Ateen minutes' remaining work. Taken through
out, the contest was very severe one, and on
which fully tested the endurance and bottom O
those engaged in it. The result is also one cal
0ulated 10 cheer the heart of many pool
person, who, during the cold and bleak winds O
winter cannot help but bless the brave heart
OF those who have so nobly contributed to their
comfort, II not to their very existence The
present results may be summed up thus-thirty.
slx cords OF nicely sawed wood, seventy-tWo
clustered hands, thirty.tWo lame backs and
thlrty-six pairs of sore legs. At first no admis.
sion fee was charged, but some of the ladies
connected with the Benevolent Society passed
She platter" and succeeded in raising nc
uncomfortable sum. Afterwards a person was
seatoned at the entrance, who insisted upon O
zee OF ten cents for going in, The sum thus
raised for entrance must have amounted to
seventy-hVe or hundred dollars. The whole
affair closed up with an auction sale of the
kasWe, donated for the use Of the Hoosers by
nessrs. Falley Beach, five quarter barrels OF
nour donated by the millers of the city, Messrs.
Beara, Geiger CObler, George Forestman
EeSHlnrldge Jenkins, and Potter Daggett ~
hv naan ana OF dilapidated saW-buck donated