St. Landry democrat., 1884-07-12
Logging Down East.

adequate idea. The product reaches
into millions of feet, and while the AZ OF
the lumberman is welded without stint,
the effect is comparatively little noticed
in the forests that cover the mountains.
Away up the Pemigewasset valley,
among the foothills of the Franconia
range, stand immense forests. into
which each winter enter gangs of lum-
which the men eat and bunk, and large
quantities of salt pork and salt beef,
flour, and molasses carted in, a cook
procured, and the winter campaign IS
inaugnrated. The life of the men in
these camps is a most monotonous one,
chopping steadily through the day. with
the exception of brief rest for dinner
and smoke. After supper they all
gather about the cooks fire to relate
stories or listen to the soulful harmony
drawn from a two dollar and fifty cent
fiddle, and shortly afterward they climb
the ladder to their hunks in the loft
The timber on hand is drawn to the
banks of the Pemigewasset, where 1t
lies until the breaking up Of the ice in
the spring. With the rise of water the
logs are rolled in and the journey for
Lowell begun. Much depends on the
start, and it is very important that the
river should be just the right pitch. Ii
too low the logs strike on some rock,
and 'jam" results, which is only
broken at the expense of much time
and labor, and of the cutting of quite
an amount of timber. If too high,
when banks are reached the logs are
distributed over the submerged lands,
where they must be hauled by team
great number of rocks impeding the
passage, the tortuous windings OF the
stream, and the many rapids and falls,
it is impossible to form the logs into
RATS AS on the Western rivers, but each
individual log must take its own in
dividual way, by many devious wander
ings, to the saw mills at Lowell. There
are many places III the river which are
much dreaded by the drivers, chief
among them being Livermore falls,
about two miles from Plymouth, and
Bristol falls, a reunion of rapids about
five miles in length, on which nearly
every year some poor fellow misses his
footing while trying to start log
caught by some projecting rock, and
boiling waters quickly carry him out OF
sight forever. Then there are the falls
at Franklin, and Amoskeag at Man
chester.
The passage of the drive over the
Livermore falls is one of the most ex-
citing scenes imaginable, and is annually
witnessed by great numbers of people.
The water comes rushing through 8
narrow. rocky chute, whirls around a
projecting ledge, and plunges over into
seething whirlpool. Down this comes
rushing the timber with terrible i'm
petuosity, whirling over the falls. I'm
mense logs are caught in the whirlpool
and sometimes thrown completely on
end. Often long stick of timber
catches on either side. other logs quickly
are thrown upon it, and in an instant 8
formidable jam is formed. Severa
yokes of cattle are always kept in wait
ing. with immense tackle, and coolest
headed driver is sent over the tumbling
waters, where misstep means instan
death, the rope fastened to some princi
pal log in the jam and an attempt made
to draw it out Sometimes one log car
be taken out and the whole jam re
III.
starts slightly, only to settle again NOR
solidly, and the operation has to be re
peated. Occasionally a driver is sen
out to cut in two the logs which holds tn
lam. This is dangerous proceeding
as the starting of the logs may throw
him under the whole mass. The scene
at Liyermore are repeated at every fal
on the Pemigewasset. Every bridg
pier, every projecting rock, and ever.
ridge of sand seems waiting to catch tn
LOGS as they come on, and to invite tn
formation of a jam.
The typical rlyer-driyer is to NeN
Hampshire what the cowboy is to tn
West-a creature of unbounded pro
fanity and shirt collar. bold, reckless
and daredevil to the last degree. Ye
among the number are many who ar
far above the average Of such laborer;
farmers sons who go down the rive
for the sake of the one or two dollar
per day, which is more than they ca
earn at home aC this period OF the yeal
The life is hard one. The men neve
sleep in a house during the trip, bt
two camps, the front and the rear,
move with the driye-here to-day an
further on tomorrow
The camp consists Of a large cook
tent, several 20 tents, !" in which, on
few inches of straw. the men take the
rest. At daylight the men are Gale
to breakfast, after which they g
Immediately to the river. In the mic
die Of the forenoon lunch is carried
them, and anotherat four p. M. Suppe
follows at dark, previous to "turnin
i'm The bill of fare is not extensive, bu
is one well adapted to the mode Of lif'
Coffee, fried pork, boiled corned pee