The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-03-04
A GREAT LOAD OF WOOD.

Charles ". Stone, of Cambridge, Mass,
writes to the Boston Daily Advertiser as fol
lows:
have been told that story has appeared
lately in some OF the newspapers about a load
Of wood long ago in Connecticut, said to bs
thelargest on record, and to have been gotten
up by one Of that Mcclellan family which in
later days held the cunctatorship. The wish
has been expressed that I should recall the
great load at Templeton, which outdid Con
necticut
The Rev Or. Wellington was the old Ten
pleton minister from early in the eighteen
hundreds, and Col. Leonard stone was one
of his parishioners. 1t was the custom to
supplement the minister's moderate salary
with presents from the products Of the farms
and especially with wood. Vow, Col Leo
nard, one day in January, 1922, was draw
ing to the parsonage some Of his nice hard
wood. II was a good oX-load two cords OF
so. As he was going across the common with
it, his brother Ephraim caught sight Of him
from the store, and was surprised at such
great load.
''IIeuo 90 says ne, ''yYlly don't you take
your minister a load OF wood while YOU are
about it o.
''Now. look here, SAYS Colonel Leonard
/ 'I've been saving out lumber down at The
mill, and there's any quantity OF slabs. III
give the minister as big lead as y0lt can
/ take T'
Colonel Ephraim was man Of fun. he
instigated the townpeople 70 take hold with
him and accept his brothers challenge.
First, they made the sled. Long trees were
cut for the runners. These were made thir-
ty odd feet long and set eight feet apart
The body Of the sled projected two feet over
the runner on each side. Thus the sled
would hold twelve regular cords OF wood at
one layer There were two tongues, one in
front Of each runner.
On the appointed day the men and the OK
en- from ali over town came to the meeting
place. The sled was taken TO the Sswmill
and backed NJ against the great pie. On
went the slabs with viii. Colonel Leonard
stood by laughing, cheering urging them
along. When they had GOT on as much as
they thought would 10, they hitched up ths
team. one hundred and SIXTY ozsn, four
abreast, found it easy enough to pull. They
had TO 90 around through Bsldwinynle, be-
cause there was not room at the Otter river
bridge for the sled to turn in. When they
winvine they stopped and unhitched. Then
with everyday sleds they went back to the
mill to bring more slabs and pile them on the
big load This they kept up till there were
no more slaUs. Forty cords lay piled on that
sled. And the evening and the morning were
: the first day.
5 The next morning came the rest Of the
E journey "up town The school children
were let out to see the great sight 20 by.
t One of them, TO whose home it was going,
says it looked as big as a house. It lay IN
= loaded for quite while out by the parson-
/ age, and people came from near and from
: far TO see. 1t kept Mr Wellington in slabs
5 for years TO come
o wheE the great sled was taken to pieces
1 some of the timbers were used in building
S Mr.. Winchs barn, and may be seen there in
g the framework until this day.
y The Rev. DR.. Wellington was one Of my
:, crandfathers. and Col Leonard Stone was
e the other. All this did not become so, how
n ever, for a generation after the great load Of
. MOOD