The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-04-02
A GREAT LOAD OF WOOD.

Charles W. Stone. of Cambridge, Mass
writes to the Boston Daily Adcertissr as
follows:
have been told that story has ap-
peared lately in some of the newspapers
about load of wood long ago in Con
necticut, said to be the largest on record
and to have been gotten up by one Of
that Mcclellan family which in latter
days held the great cunctatorship. The
wish has had been expressed that l
should recall the great load at Templeten.
which outdid Connecticut.
The Rev. DR.. Wellington was the old
Templeton minister from early in the
eighteen hundreds, and Col. Leonard
Stone was one of his parishiopcrs. It
was the custom to supplement the minis
ter's moderate salary with presents from.
the products of the farms, and especially
with wood. Now, Col Leonard, one day
in January, 1922. was drawing to the par
sonage some of his nice hard wood. I,
was good ox-load; two cords or SO. A.
he was going across the common with it.
his brother, Colonel Ephraim, caught
sight of him from the store, and was SUI
prised at such q great load.
Hello says he, "why don't you
take your minister load Of wood while
you're about it?''
Now look here, says Colonel Leo
nard. I've been saving out lumber
down't the mill. and there's any quantity
of slabs. I'll give the minister as big =
load rs you can take.'
Colonel Ephraim was man for fun.
lie instigated the townspeople to take
hold with him and accept his brothers
challenge. First, they made the sled.
Long trees were cut for the runners.
These were made thirty-odd feet long
and set eight feet apart. The body Of
the sled projected two feet over the run
ner on each side. Thus the sled would
hold twelve regular cords at one layer.
There were two tongues, one in front Of
each runner.
On the appointed day the men and the
oxen from all over town came to the meet
ing place. The sled was taken to the
saw mill and backed up against the great
pile On went the slabs with will.
Col. Leonard stood by, laughing, cheer
ing. urging them along. When they had
got on as much as they thought would
do, they hitched UP the team. One h!h'
Ered and sirty orcn. four abreast, found
it easy enough to pull. They had to 80
around through Baldwinville, because
there was not room at the Otter river
bridge for the sled to turn i'll. When
they had got on to the level ground above
Baldwnville. they stopped and unh tched.
Then with their every day sleds they went
back to the mill to bring more slabs and
pile them on to the big load. This they
kept up until there were no more slabs.
Forty cords lay piled up on that sled.
And the evening and the morning we're
the first day.
The next morning came the rest of the
journey up in town The school chill
dreu were let out to see the great sight
90 by. One of them, to whose home ii
was going. says it looked as big as Il
house. 1t lay unloaded for quite while
out by the parsonage, and people came
from near and from far to see. 1t kept
Mr.. Wellington in slabs for years to come.
When the great sled was taken to pieces,
some of the timbers We're used in built
ing Mr.. Winch's barn, and may be seen
there in the frame work until this day.
The Rev. DIR. Wellington was one #
NV ,rrauGlathers, and Col Leonard St0L@
was the other. All this did not oecou-
so, however, for a generation after the
great load of wood.