Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-11-16


People said that Hamp See certainly
was handy sort of boy but they
were sure to add, it's pity he is so
} DULL
One day old Riley Vaughn was of
ferinS eXtravagant prices for horse,
mule or OK teams to haul stone. He
had taken a contract to supply from his
| quarry the stone for the railroad bridge
over Bushy Run, and now the time for
delivery was near at hand, and no
teams could be had. All the horses
were at work on the crops, and it be-
gan to be feared that old Riley must
either lose money on the contract by
hiring horses and mules and teamsters
at ruinous prices, or forfeit the contract
itself. He tried in evey direction to
get mules and wagons, offering twice
the usual wages, but still be could get
very few. He was in real trouble with
a loss Of several thousands of dollars
threatening him.
One day Hamp, who knew what
trouble Riley was in, went down to
the creek, and, cutting several twigs,
began setting them up at distance
from each other, and sighting from
one to the other The few teamsters
who were at work watched him curl
ously, but could not make out what
he was doing. He went up the creek
with his sticks, moving one of them at
a time, and always carefully sighting
from one to another, or rather from one
over another to third. In this way
he worked up to the quarry, which
was Immediately on the creek, nearly
a mile from where the bridge was to
! be built.
When he had done, he walked back,
examining the banks as he went; then
he presented himself before Riley
| Vaughn.
Mr.. Vaughn he said, I've an idea
that will help you out of your difficult
ty.'
will it hire teams to haul stone p
asked Riley.
No; but it will enable you to haul
stone without teams
If it will-Well, let me hear what
it is said Riley, changing his purpose
while speaking.
Raft the stones down. said Hamp.
Now look here, Hamp See, said
old Riley. 'I've stood up for you, an
said you want no Ounce when every
body else said you was but this here
looks as eff they was right an l was
wrong. How in natur' kin raft stone
down creek that amt got more'n six
inches of water in it, bubblin' around
among the stones of the bottom p
We'll, you see,' said Hamp, 'I've
levelled up from here to the quarry,
and there's only two feet fall, or lit
tie less, and the banks are nowhere
less than FIVE feet high and so, as
there's good deal more water run
ming down in day than most people
| would think, it's my notion to build a
temporary dam just below the bridge
you've enough timber and plank
here to do it with two hours work Of
your men-building it, say, six feet
high, there where the banks are closest
together. Before noon tomorrow the
water will rise to the top of the dam,
and run over When it does, you'll
have six feet of water here, and four
at the quarry, and your men can push
RATS down as fast as they can load
them
How do you know there's only two
foot fall p asked old Riley. eagerly.
1've levelled it, said Hamp.
That is you figured it out with
them sticks?'
Yes
Are you sure you've got the right
answer p asked the old man, wild with
eagerness.
Perfectly sure. You see, it's SIM
pie | plant my sticks
Never mind about how you do it 4; /
can't understand that eff you do ex-
plain it but look me in the eyes, boy.
This thing means thousands of dollars
to Riley Naugh eff you have got your
answer right | kin understand that
much an eff you've worked out this
g sum right for me, I'll choke the
next man that says you're Ounce just
'kase you don't take kindly to old
Penruddock's chatterin' sort of learnin'
l'll do it, or my name amt Riley
Vaughn, an that's what Pve been
called for nigh onto fifty two years
now
Old Riley was visibly excited. He
called all his men to the place selected,
and SIT them at work building the
dam, " lille Hamp looked on, and oc-
casionally made suggestion for SIM
plyfying the work The dam was fin
ished at three O'Clock in the afternoon,
and at six O'Clock the water had risen
two feet six inches, while the back
water had passed the quarry.
There said Hamp; that proves
my work The water is level, of
course, as far up as the back-water
shows Itself, and we have six inches
of back-water at the quarry to two feet
six inches at the dam so the fall is
two feet
1t looks So said Riley, who was
also eagerly watching the rise of the
water. The workmen had gone home,
all CT the convinced that this attempt
to back the water mile up the creek
was the widest foolishness but old
Riley and Hamp waited and watched.
1t doesn't rise so fast now,' said
Riley.
That's because it has larger sur
face but it still rises, AMI the surface
won't increase much more now, as
there's a steep place just above the
quarry, and it emit back any further
up
The two waited and watched. Mid
night came, and the Measurement
showed three feet six inches depth at
the dam. Still they waited and
watched. At six o'clock in the morn
ing the depth was four feet two inches.
Tbop PiIav cont a norro how 70 b;s