Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-07-22

- iAS .e'AA>>s5 eAAS44 Gil oiiO 1dA1bOA W Uuo W
remain on the land. Pretty hard terms,
but Ralph accepted them.on the spot.
Axe in hand he headed the woodmen,
directing the fall of each tree, so as to
save labor in hauling the logs. When
about hundred trees were doWE he or
ganized his force into choppers, and began
to get out logs Of every size. A pair of
oxen were hired, and things began to
assume shape. Heavy logs laid end to
end in a double row stretched across the
little valley, and marked the'foundation
of the dam. Stout stakes were driven on
the low side, and shorter logs laid up
stream, with the ends resting on the heavy
timbers, raised the dam about one foot.
The news quickly spread through the
country round about. Young Keystone
had found water power-in other words,
wealth-in the little brook Within
three weeks the dam had been raieed
three feet, and the water began to back
up behind it, spreading out over the
marsh in a slowly widening pond. Then
the people began to laugh. Keystone
was fool, after all. What could he do
with only three feet fall of waterP
The next day a small army of labor
ers appeared in the woods, and by night
they had dug long ditch or canal from
the river up the bed of the brook. Two
davs after If Issached the foot of tha dan,
and brought the river water close m to
the logs. At the upper end it was five
feet deep. Five and three make eight.
Eight feet fall i'll the clear. Here's
power in abundance. Thereupon the
on-lookers said the young man was a
smart fellow. good engineer, etc., etc.
Within week the village carpenter had
constructed a water-wheel from Raiph's
designs. Within two weeks saws and
gearing arrived. a shed was put ND. and
the sawmill was opened for business.
The first job was for lot of two-inch
plank for Farmer Besant. He claimed
that he was half owner of the mill by
their agreement, and would only pay half
the bill keystone took the lob. and
soon had it finished. and even ran through
lot of logs and piled I'D the blanks on
sale. Sundry small Jobs came in, and it
began to look as if he had started a good
business. One morning q stranger ar
rived, and introduced himself as a lumber
dealer from a town fifty miles down the
river. He was in search of a lot of small
stuff, light scantling two inches wide and
an inch and a half thick, in lengths of
twelve feet and upward. He wanted a
million feet, and he offered good price,
and gave his name and references. The
offer was tempting, and Ralph took it,
and agreed to have the stuff ready in two
weeks Encouraged by his success, he
hired more help, and started on the new
order. In ten days he wrote to the party
to say that the scantling was nearly all
ready, and could be put on raft and
loated down the river. No reply came,
and he wrote again.. and in few days re-
ceived a notification of the failure of the
Jumper aealer, ana an account OF the
winning up Vi Ills ahairs.
Discouraged and sick at heart, he
wandered down by the river and sat
down on fallen tree alone. Everything
was lost. He could never marry Jane.
large part OF his lumber had been cut
up into useless and unstable shape,
and he was IN debt to his men. In fool
Ishly trusting the word OF stranger he
had made wreck OF everything. When
the mind IS i'll at ease trihing circum-
stance will often absorb the whole atten-
ton, and as he sat gloomily brooding
over the ruin of hopes, he saw steam
boat rounding the bend of the river
about mile up stream. She was steer
ing dangerously near a half sunken
island in the middle of the river. He
watched her with vague curiosity as
she came swiftly onward. Suddenly she
turned, and with apparent purpose ran
directly across the upper end of the
island, struck, and grounded. He could
see the wheels reversed, and in mo-
ment after saw the widest confusion
among the passengers on board. Spring
ing up, he ran at ful speed along the
bank till he came opposite the stranded
boat.
1t was freight and passenger steamer
the Pioneer by name. She blew her
whistle loudly, and a moment after he
saw a boat lowered. For an instant
there was some confusion on the steamer
AS if the people were demoralized but a
tall fellow interfered. and order was re-
stored. The boat came slowly ashore.
and by the time II reached the hank ali
his mill hands and several forming neo-
ple had arrived in an excited crowd on
the bank. nthe boat came the cantain
of the steamer. AZ he snrano ashore he
said to Ralph: $500 --0
/" Are there anv boats or haroes a bor,+
here d,
Nothing but q mint or two Can't
Won brin q yo,1r nassen gers ashore in Won yoI1,
own hoafs p,, ''''--o' : IL } o'i
"Rother tho naseono,o,.si II o., l.,d
them easv enougb Tfss 3ho carrn vrs,i III. Tha
stea,o,. stlc @ vii OaSn,. 'ttF 0al 10 4;iId nc
rona broEa ond sbo ,a,, o1i, ie - 'lf,Ji f'll
sneed The Ala P;onaa,. cor 9 had ~ Ia;d r. 49, NJ