The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-12-04
THE POOL TRIBE.
a Q6eer Mountain Race that Live in
Pennsylvania.

Towanda (Pa.) Cor. N. Y. Sun.
Two broad, low foothills, a spur Of
the Appalachian range, comprise al
most the whole OF Durell Township,
Bradford County, in the northern tier
OF Pennsylvania. TO the surrounding
country this double elevation is known
as H~uckleberry Mountain, or Pool
Hill, the first name from the luxu-
RANT growth OF this popular fruit,
which covers sides and summit OF the
mountain. The appellation Pool Hill
it takes from the nondescript people
who populate it's broad sides likeprai-
RE dogs, better known as the pool
tribe"
The origin OF these people is un-
known. A current tradition says that
early in the century aman named Van
der Pool, a Dutch sailor, left his life
on the briny, and travelling up
| the Susquehanna River. built him
self a cabin near the base of Huckle-
berry Mountain. The same tradition
credits him with marrying an Indian
woman. Howeverthatma have been,
he left q bakers dozen OF more ofChll-
dren with characteristics as varied as
their c~ompleNions. In one thing only
We're they c%ongenial; that was an in
herent dislike OF work. iiistraitis hcr-
editary, and few OF the descendants
have even been known to do IL weeks
continuous work, unless hard pressed.
The tribe now number some five to
seven hundred people. In pedigree
they are cosmopolitan, and the kinky
hair and thick lips OF someofthe mum
Der would lead to the belief that ii the
underground railroad, which ran
through this section, did not have
a terminus here, it at least had Il way
station.
Fugitives from justice and other
vagabonds We're attracted to the set
: Element, and helped to give it the law
less name it had to the outside world.
A few OF original Van der Pool stock
settled down into honest but easy
going farmers, and some half a dozen
or more aveaccumulatedsom prop
crty. But they were handicapped
with the name OF Pool. and outside of
heirimmediate neighbors have always
carried the opprobrium of belonging
to the "Pool tribe" for all are called
s'Pools,' whether they bear the name
or not.
Hunting, fishing and picking buckle
berries are the malnstays OF a major
ity OF the tribe. In late years the dis
appearance OF game, even Ofthe small
er varieties, has at times driven some
of them to work for a few days at a
time for the neighboring farmers,
This contingency, however, rarely
arises save in the spring, before berries
ripen. Now and then Il male Pool
with q bundle of hoop poles, or WHIP
sticks, or a female with a basket o.
sassafras root or slippery elm bark
boring towns. Chickens and turkeys
roost very high, rs a rule, in the vicin
ity OF Pool Hill, and smoke houses are
double-locked and watched with shot
guns during the ~ham-curing season.
The circus comes up fully to the
POOLS idea of heaven, and the ring
masters whip is about the only thin:
besides the pangs OF hunger which vii
drive the rank and file of them tt
work. A hundred or more have beer
known to walk fifteen or twenty mile
to see a circus comeintotown. Agen
eralhilarious drunk, followed with ;
field fight, either with the show at
taches or the police, is always down OF
their programme. The shooting of
couple OF them by a policeman two o
three years ago rather put "a dampe
on their festivities at the county seat
but the natives still keep q weathe
eye open when the Pools cometo town
Huckleberries are their great crop
They are to the Pools what summe
boarders IRE to the Jersey farmer
When tt " berries ripen they camp Gu
among the bushes, and stay out ii
? f~rostcomes. When q Poolgets a bush
ell of berries picked he starts for Tow
anda and sells them, buys afew pound
OF corn meal. q piece OF salt pork, an
a jug of ''cottin varnish' whisky, an
) then goes back to the mountain.
Farmers from the surrounding cour
try to u distance OF twenty or thirt
, miles have q custom each year OF Wis
. iting the mountain at the conclusio
of haying. A big lumber wagon
; filled with hay, baskets and pals an
!, sufficient provender for a tw
t days stay. Then all hands start 10
the mountain. 1t is a treat" whic
every right minded farmer
, expected to give his helpers, and the
manage to get considerable fun out {
it, and rarely 90 home with less tina
i two or three bushels of berries. TIL
g hill warm with rattlesnakes. To /
prepared for a possible bite. the berr
4 seeking n carries two or thrt
e quarts OF whiskey. The willy @ruralis
I doesn't pick many berries, howeve
He starts out from camp with aqual
bottle of the LIQUID and a half bush,
measure. He will not have to tray,