The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1875-08-04

For THE RECORD.
TIE LUM6ERMEN OF TIE DELAWARE
RIVER.

The Delaware River, at Lambeftviie, Is a
stream of respectable dimensions, but way up
here in New York State, many miles abcve
Port Jervis, it Is little more than creek
All along the streams which feed it, are erect
ed mills, and night and day, the busy whizz,
whizz of the saw is heard, as it converts the
ample logs into boards. A sturdy race are
the lumbermen who dwell in this region. =
Their highest ambition is to be the proprietor
of section of unbroken forest, Astounding
in stately pine and hemlock. AS soon as the
shark peefing" season arrives, the lumber
man begins his work under the well-direct-
ed blows of his axe, the giant hemlock comes
crashing down, startling the catamount from
his lair, and the wild deer from his feeding
ground. The bark is skilfully stripped off
and placed to dry, and the naked trees are
left until Autumn, when they are divided in
to sections convenient for hauling to the MILL
As soon as the ground is frozen, and the first
fall of snow announces that Winter has real
ly set in, the finest logs are transported d.
rectly to the bank of the river; the Others to
the saw-mill. The merry shout and song Of
the teamsters ring out upon the frosty air, as
they pass and repass, vieing with each other
as to which one shall make the greatest num-
Der of daily trips And he who owns swift
and powerful team, and good pair of "bob-
sleds," esteems himself fortunate man. Not
a whit cares he for the biting cold. His inner
man well sustained with fat pork, buckwheat
cakes and gravy, with an occasional venison
T. Il cfx inf md fnr-t IN
warmly clad In home-spun fusey-woolsey,
with bear skin cap, and buck skin mittens, Of
his own manufacture, he is as impervious to
the Winters frost as veritable Esquimaux.
Spring comes, and then commences the
lumbermen's grand carnival, the "rafting
time' The burly logs are tumbled into the
water, and fastened by means of plugs and
bows into the snug RATS, which are to be
foated down the Delaware, to market
The anxious owner watches with SOLICITORS
eye the rising and falling of the stream, up
on which float the products of his years la
Dor. When the propitious moment arrives,
he bids "Good Bye to his family, goes
aboard his raft, pulls out from the sheltering
eddy, and floats down the river toward the
distant mart. If he be skilful steersman,
he pilots his raft safely through Saw Mill
Rift Foul Rift, past Easton Bridge, Wells
Falls, and all the Scyllas and Charybdises of
the Delaware, until the desired haven is en-
tered Then follows the vexatious bargain
ing between the UNDERGRADUATES and the
raftsmen; the former bent upon obtaining
the raft at the very lowest figures; the latter,
bearing in mind all the toll, and the debts
which the proceeds Of this toll win cancel,
determines not to sell single log Of his
precious raft, for penny less than it's real
value. Sometimes when the lumber market
is overstocked, the unfortunate rumberman is
compelled to remain away from his home for
weeks, before he effects sale. But if fortu-
nate enough to- dispose OF his lunabeY speed
lily, for a good price, he hastens to some
wholesale grocery store, and purchases gen.
erous supply Of family stores, with which to
make glad the heart of his help-meet for a
| bona ide lumberman is proverbially good
proyider.'' He then takes the first train for
home The inevitable vendor of morning
papers, light literature, candy, oranges, &C.,
| finds in our lucky lulnberman ready purchas-
er, and with pockets stuffed with the car ped
dler's wares, he triumphantly enters his rus
tic home, much to the joy Of his expectant
family.
| Uncouth in dress and men may be our Del
aware lumberman, but he is true of heart,
and strong Of limb. Should he have the
misfortune to run his raft upon some un-
friendly pier, or sunken rock, and see his hard
earned timber glide swiftly away from him,
he consoles himself with the reflection that
there is more timber where that came from,
saves what he can Of the dismembered raft,
and goes home to make another trial.
K b. LARSON.
LAKE HUNTINGTON, N. Y, July 26th, 1875.