Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1889-06-13
BIG OLAF.

In the autumn of 1872 1 accepted the
position OF booakeeper offered me by Il
Chicago firm that was extensively en-.
gagged In the lumber business in the
central part of the lower peninsular Of
Michigan. The firm employed nearly a
hundred men. My duties consisted in
keeping account of their time, making
out the monthly pay-rolls, and such
business required.
The tract of land owned by the com.
pany was situated ON both sides of Rapid
Run, tributary of the Tittibawassee
River, which, in turn, is tributary OF
the Saginaw, large stream navigable
by the largest vessels that ply upon the
Great Lakes.
AS is indicated by it's name, Rapid
Run was small but swift stream. Dur
ing the summer months it dwindled to
mere riyulet, but when swollen by the
spring rains and melting SHOWS, it be-
came a raging torrent, which was made
to serve the company by floating logs to
the confluence of the Tittibawassee and
Saginaw Rivers, where its extensive
mills were situated.
Most of the men employed at the camp
We're foreigners; many OF them We're
Norwegian emigrants but just arrived
in this country. Among the whole
number there We're only about twenty
native Americans.
Corporations find it difficult to pro-
cure supply of American workmen.
Indeed, many of them give the prefer
ence to foreigners, who have, at least,
this in their favor, that they are much
less particular about their fare than are
native Americans. At all events, a large
proportion of the thousands of men en-
ployed in the great lumber districts of
the West are aliens, whom the agents of
the companies hire fresh from the emf
grant trains constantly arriving at De-
troit and Chicago.
Shortly after 1 assumed my new posi-
ton there arrived at the camp from De-
troit company of twenty-eigh men,
most OF them newly arrived emigrants
from Norway. Among them was a man
whose character stands out in my expe-
rience with men as the strangest combi-
nation of sublime courage and heroism,
with dispersion that at times was reck-
less and vindictive, that it was ever my
fortune to encounter.
His name was Olaf Bjornsen, but he
was known among his companions as
simply Big Olaf, designation fully
warranted by his stature. Physically
he was most perfect specimen of man
hood. He stood six feet and four
inches III his stockings, and weighed
not far from two hundred and fifty
pounds, but there was not superhuous
ounce of flesh on him.
Beyond his possession of the proper
tions and strength of giant, there was
nothing about him to excite admiration.
His face seemed to be the rallying point
for all the base passions that ever strug-
gled for the mastery of the human coun-
tenance.
His features were Of the cast peculiar
to the Scandinavian people, but from
beneath his beetling brows his fierce
blue eyes cleaned with forbidding
light that caused him to be Stunned
even by his own countrymen.
At the time of which 1 write he had
been in this country about two years,
and before coming to us had been en-
ployed as a longshoreman on the
wharves of Detroit
The foreman, or boss, as he was called
by the men, was Mr.. White, % kindly,
Christian gentleman, who had formerly
been employed in the companys office
at Chicago. His precarious health had
induced him to seek outdoor life, in the
hope that the pure air and resinous odor
of the pines would prove beneficial to
him.
He was accompanied by his wife,
beautiful and accomplished woman,
whose devotion to her husband led her
to bear with cheerfulness the hardship
incident to life i'll lumber camp, and
also by their little son Wilton, aged six
years, who, with the addition of one SER
want, made up the household.
1t was not long before the evil dispo-
sition OF the big Norwegian began to
assert itself, und to make trouble among
the men. He was not bully in the
common acceptation of the term, but
his ungovernable temper and perfect
of Consequences when under
it's influence, made him feared by those
who We're compelled to work with him.
were constantly being made |
against him, and some of the hands |
even threatened to leave the camp I'M
less Big Olaf was discharged
Mr.. White hesitated to discharge him,
unless actually obliged to do SO, for, in
act, Big Olaf was valuable hand His
great strength many times enabled him
% do the work OF two ordinary men, and
lie was always faithful in the discharge
# any duty assigned him.
Although he was sullen and reticent
nd avoided associating with his fellow
vorkmen, it was noticed that he mani
ested a peculiar liking for the little son
+ the boss. The only occasions on
vhich saw his features relax from the
ullen scowl habitual to them was when
o was in the boy's company The little
GLOW was naturally timid and reserved,
ut he seemed FROM the first to enjoy
nd 10 return the affection of the big
Iorwegian for him.