The Brookhaven leader., 1885-04-09
WINTER AMONG THE wooosMsN.
Hard Work by bay aud jolly Times at
Night IN the Forest.


IBasyor Me Cor New York SUM-
Despite the improbable yek just
passed in the lumber business, the
woods have gone in swarms from
Bangor as usual, this inter, to cut
spruce aud pine on the UPPER PenOb-
scot. One inducement to the lumber
men to operate is the low cost of pro-
visions, 1t being possible to board crew
of men 20 to gj per cent. cheaper than
a year ago. Labor also Is low, aS the
Prince tdward island boys have poured
into Bangor by the hundred this season
looking for employment, and they have
put wages down and kept them there.
Think OF stout young man swinging an
AK all winter Tor $40 to SO a month
and his board.
Many people have queer ideas of how
loggers live in the woods. They build a
camp Immediately, if there is not al
ready one near the scene of ther work,
and are seldom more than a day about
it. The camp is simply a log house,
with low sides and stepped pitched roof.
The chinks of the walls are filled with
mud, moss and leaves, and a high bank
ing of earth or snow reaches almost TO
the caves outside. The entrance is in
one end. The cook and the assistant
have sort of pantry partitiOned off at
the window end, and here are wood and
provision store rooms on either side OF
the entrance. The remainder of the
building forms one room. On one side
is a long couch made of boughs, hay, or
straw. covered with heavy quilts and
blankets, on whi h the men sleep in II
row. On the opposite side is long table,
made of small logs, hewn smooth on top,
on which the food is served. In front OF 1t
is big log h ,wn out for settee, and
called the deacon seat. The men, when
done eating, have only to turn around
in their seat TO toast their Shins at a big
fire of logs, which glows like small
volcano in the midst of all, and sends
its smoke and sparks through hole i.
the roof, six feet square, the draft being
aided by a rooftree.
The. fare is plain and monotonouS,
but wholesome and substantial. Pork
and beans. bread and mOlasSes, and
pork fat, the latter used for butter,
make up a breakfast at sunrise. Then
the crew 90 to work, and, if near by the
camp, they come back at IL O'Clock for
dinner, which is beans and pork,
with pork raps and doughnuts. TIE
men work until it is too dark to tell Il
hemlock from spruce. and then come
back to eat a supper of the same viandS,
varied with dried apple sauce. Fish is
served once or twice week. The bev-
erage is cheap tea.
Evenings and Sundays are passed in
telling wonderful yarns, singing ear
splitting songs, and smoking. In some
amps the men play cards, and gamble
for tobacco, clothing, and even wages.
The woods baked beans are the best
of all baked beans, and put Boston in
the shade. They are cooked in an iron
pot placed in pit surrounded by live
Goals, and covered tightly with earth
over night. In the morning they are
done to turn. No range can compare
with the bean hole of the woods.
The woOdsmen range in age from Is
TO rs, dress in heavy woOlen or knit I'm
derwear, cheap ready-made clothes,
cloth or knitted caps, moccasins, and
many socks and mittens. They WORK
on an average four months, come out as
fat as bears, ana with from 500 to $3.50
due them. They spend the money, and
then are ready to go to work on tle
river or do driving.