Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-10-30
saw Mills.

Saw Mills.
A writer in the HERALD of Oct. 22d
gives his memories awakened by Hig-
gins Mill and Mountain Scenery" He
gives US a very readable article, and has
prompted me to offer you few words
of what remember of saw mills.
The saw mill was one of the early in
situations of this countryside log cabin
first, the saw mill next. This do not
remember, but it is history. / do re-
member two or three saw mills that
were running in my native town when |
was boy, and they are associated in
my mind with many pleasing recollec-
tions. One, about a mile distant from
my then home, I remember to have lis
tened to for hours together on some
still and quiet days. To me there was
charm in the sound, especially on a clear,
still day. l remember on one occasion
that the filing of the saw was distinctly
heard, and hired man said to my father
that it would rain within twenty-four
hours. 1t did rain within that time,
and the man said, II told you so. The
man then offered to bet that it would
rain every time that saw was filed, with
in twenty-four hours thereafter. Father
said, I'm take that bet, sir" In a few
days father was at the mill, came home
and said to his man, That saw was fl
ed to-day" and there was no rain for
several days after; but after a time it
was heard on the farm, and then it rain
ed within the twenty-four hours. The
explanation of this is that it was the pc
culiar state or condition of the atmos-
phere that enabled those mile distant
to hear the filing of the saw, aud that
state or condition of the air betokens
or precedes rain. This our man could
not comprehend. To him the filing of
the saw mill saw, the hooting of an owl,
or the drumming of a partridge, were
signs, warnings from some mysterious
agency that il would rain.
Another saw mill located further
away from my home in the same town.
1 TClfEl1ltlGI WILL -IIOuSfl- lt3G ora ftlll
WAS swept away by d flood thirty wears
ago or more. 1t was built almost the
first year Of the settlement of the town,
or rather, it's predecessor was. There
are MANY interesting anecdotes and ind
dents connected with this mill or mills,
some of which rest ON tradition-oHe,
that l often heard in my younger days,
and which when related never failed TO
~ l.
The mill was some distance from any
house, and the man who tended it was
in the habit of carrying his dinner in a
pail. After eating his dinner he would
throw away the fragments left which
soon invited a hungry bear hifher in
Quest Of food. Brein, melted by hunger,
soon came in the day time, frightened
the tender away, and dcVourcd the con-
tents of his dinner pail he man could
not be persuaded to return again to his
work. Another man, an old bear hunt
ct, and full of courage withal, on being
applied TO to supply the place, readily
accepted He went to the mill in the
morning and first prepared a place so
that he. eould, hang his dinner pail over
the saw ut u moments warning. Hetben
set bis mill-ln motion and. commenced
his work. Before noon he saw the bear
approaching, when he LASTLY hung bis
pail over the saw, Which was in motion,
and retired to a safe. distance. Bruin
soon found where the dinner was. In
reaching up for it the saw in its motion
cut his legs, or SO maddened him that he
took hug With it. Ia a few moments
there was dead bear, half dressed. Our
man then approached; s'shut down the
gate, removed his venison out of the
way, and soon set bis saw. in motion
again. Many good stories were told of
this same sawyer, in connection with the
saw mill and otherwise ..s=. .'..
He was an inveterate hunter On one.
occasion, a deer passed in sight of his
mill. He left the mill and the saw rum
ming, and was gone in. pursuit of the
deer for several hours. This carelessness,
it was said, cost him a new saw, head
block and irons f--s $50. -.
The modern saw-mill shows progress,
as other mills and machinery. The old
g up and down" saw could be set at one
end of the log, and the sawyer could sit
on the other and eat his dinner before it
would reach him in running through the
log. The circular saw of the modern
mill will run through while he is taking
a drink OF water, II he has it in his hand
and is not very thirsty.
The saw-mill of olden time was not
run by monopoly. 1t was run for the
use and convenience of the immediate
neighborhood in which it was located.
A town containing 1000 inhabitants
would have from l to perhaps or
Saw-mills. 1t would have grist- mills,
woolen-mills, FORCES, furnaces, potteries,
in short all the establishments needed to
supply the entire wants of the people.
All, as we would now say, on a small
scale, intended merely to supply home
wants. Now, there must be combina-
ton of capital, talent, and especially
"cheek, SO as to make ''big concern"
and then depend on supplying ''all the
world and the rest of mankind with the
wares produced. Is this progress? If
not, what is it? ANTIQUARIUs.