Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-06-29

drivers under Cal. Turner reached Rum
! ford Falls. The Lewiston Steam Mil
Co.'S Pummers's and X. Z. Pingree ~
Go. S drives unite this year aud the men
all work aud live together. They are
making rapid progress considering The
/ slow pitch oil water" They were only
two and one third days on RumlOrd ami
have made, there, the cleancst drive ever
made TO my knowledge.
At the head of Knapp Pitch is large
rock near the centre OF the river, little
/ nearer the western than the eastern shore.
! The up river side OF this rock at this time
is about ten feet above the water, and the
down river or the back Of the rock tweu-
} ty.live feet higher than the water below
it. Its top is quite flat and would meas
ure some ten or twelve square rods sur
/ face. On either side ot it. the water
iushes past, ioaming and seethiug, roll
ing, tossing and breaking wildly. There
are high. rocky banks on both shores oil
! the river. Last fall Mr.. Turner put a
wing dam from the western shore just
above this pitch down the stream some
four rods in length, the lower end of this
dam being opposite the Knapp rock. aud
leaving space between the rock and
dam OF some five or six rods. Every
year 4 jam mas formed from this rock
across this chasm it being very rocky IN
aud below it, and the whole space has
been filed with logs every spring /"
gel them out has cost many days labor Of
of men and oxen, they always teins
compelled to use dog wash" two
pairs OF oxen. and pulIies and blocks
For fifteen years have not known this
rock cleared except 10y very high ireshe' .
IL has been arranged 10 put a dam from
thi. rock to the shore above. and to enable
them to do this, this rock must be- cleared.
Plans were therefore made this spring
10 have remain on This rock, when the
channel between il and the shore was
cleared, men enough to clear those from
the rock that should remain. Six men
were selected for this purpose. Hammers
drills. irons and ropes carried over aud
such other necessary things as. were need
cd for the labor to be performed and for
their safety in reaching the shore when
the labor was done. The logs were nearly
all got off. Holes were drilled in the
rock, ring bolts put in by means OF a
small rope, large one was drawn across
and fastened 10 the bolts. across to the
shore again and again until four ropes
stretched across the chasm. These ropes
by windlass were drawn as tightly As
could be and across all them. the six men
were 10 reach the shore-and they did.
The men left on the rock were John
and Sewell Reeds boats crew and two
men from another boat. Mr.. Turner aud
the Reeds attended to it that all these
preparations were safely made. They
worked nearly all day on the rock, and
had "rations" forwarded them by the
"hempline telegraph" A number OF logs
were chopped oil by men hanging down
the side OF the rock by rope tied under
their arms and held by those above them.
Some of them were cut off by the slow
cutting Of chisel fastened to stick,
used by the men in turns, held by the
rope. Only twenty or twenty-five logs
were lelt-they could not be moved-and
about half past five. Saturday last. viii
Parlin. with lighted pipe in his mouth.
Jumped on TO the ropes. and with com
mendable GOODNESS and courage worked
across this dangerous and wild channel. a
small rope was then drawn across from
the shore, fastened TO Fred Hinkley. and
he, turning back TO the waters, crossed
his legs over the ropes, drew and was
drawn ('hand over hand'O in safety
Again the smal! rope was drawn over.
| and John lnman took the chance OF safely
reaching the shore. Again, and Cal.
johnson came across next came Edwin
Hinkley. and Charley Johnson came last.
These boys were brave. and tried not 10
show signs OF having had fear, but they
could not. They were glad enough 10
have reached safe footing, as was visi
ble to any one. II WAS no small test oi
courage. hanging 10 ropes and working
along distance OF i've rods over water
foaming white, running at rapidity o
mt least one hundred miles an hour. anc
throwing itself into the air 10 places un
der this rope 80 AS 10 dash its spray al
over the men as they crossed. The driver:
above and below them stopped work tC
watch them in their perilous passage.
large number OF persons knowing oi
their being there had gathered on the
high banks above them and waited TO see
them get on shore. But these were no
the only men that worked in danger tina
day. Above this Knapp pitch were the
main body ot drivers. The water being
low no dam could be broken easily, anC
at that point would not draw" tar before
sloping on some of the many rocks at thu
head of this pitch. Cal. Turner means
business clean drive and rapid hesdway
his men seem to partake of that spirit
and therefore the logs must be reached
Many times during the day men abov,