Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-03-11
Mason Items.

Mason Items.
After one of the coolest and most I'm.
comfortable winters known for many
years, March came in with smiling
face. Sunday was glorious day, and
was greatly enjoyed 10y all who were
able to be out OF doors; but TO day is a
reminder that stern winter will not abdi-
cate n throne on which he has so regally,
without, struggle, retained his despotic
power. lie has more pluck than Amad.
Gus, the TX. King OF Spain. We have had
no great snow storms for the winter, ono
foot being the greatest depth II, any one
time; but they have been short, sharp
and decisive. and then old Boreas hs.
been in his glory. He has reveled aud
frolicked. and played hide and seek with
old mother earth's bed.qults; he has
bIockaded our roads. converted valleys
into mountains. entered on dwellings
unceremoniously, without wing by
your leave, sir aud taxed human pa
thence almost To that point where Il
ceases 10 be virtue. The snow in che
woods is from four TO five feet decg, ac.
cording to locality. so that il lnterlcrcs
very much with numbering operations
and wood hauling. From the best in
formation that ! can gather from the
limited means nj my command. | think
there will not be much more than hall OF
the amount of wood and timber cut and
hauled that was contracted for last TALL
and the cost OF getting in this amount
must be very large in comparison with
that OF u good winter. which added To-
the extraordinary high price of teams.
must make it a hard time tor operators
Labor is scarce and high --eyerybudy that
wants 10 work finds ready cmplOj meut
and good wages 80 all are busy. la The
swamp men get from twenty six 10 forty
dollars month. and soHo old woods
men have been offered as high as fifty
dollars. Common wood. choppers get
about tweuty.siX dollars a month aud
board, or one dollar cord and board
themselves.
n. Trask is getting some three hun.
dred cords of white birch for spool and
bobbin stock, at Beans Mill in Mason.
He finds ready sale Tor all that he c.un
saw, at Lewiston and Locke's Mills, At
fair prices. lie is also getting out ten
hundred dozen long shovel handles. made
from White Ash, which are sent 10 East.
on, Mass. Mr.. Trask is - live man, aud
adds much To the business activity Oi our
little hamlet away up here among the
mountains.
There is large lot OF wood being lot
on to the line OF the Grand Trunk al
West Bethel. That beautiful growth ut
wood to the west ol the village. near
Pleasant river. has yielded to the stroke
OF the woodmau's AK and all lis beauty
has departed. A. 5. Bean has purchased
the wood on the Grover meadow, south
of the village, aud tho work OF deotruc-
ton is going on there. Tho wind may
laugh. but it will be 4 day Of mourning
10 the wintur traveller when that belt "i
evergreen on tho westerly side Of the
road. which has So long stood - friendly
shelter against the cold blast that comes
dom from the mountains and sweep, up
the river valley. This wood business J.
great thing tor the village this winter,
but to me ii seem, sad spectacle, 20 see
the land denuded of it, beautiful forests
10 ill the Unsuitable nav oi the iron
horse.
Hay is plenty. and not very high.
stock is wintering first rate.
Tho sleighing has boon cxcellen. much
of the time for The last month. II any
OF your readers never saw any huge
snow drifts, just toll Ihsm to como on,
here they are. & II u.