Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-10-08
CAUSED BY A RAG WHEEL
SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS
OF THE DANBuRY NEWS MAN.


and Things Are Stirred Up Generally.
ICopyrighted bv Lee d. Shepard. Boston and
published by special arrangement with them-l
As this account pertains mostly to the
rag wheel of sawmill, there may bt
people who will think ought to know
what a rag wheel is. and be able to throw
n good deal of interesting light on its
origin and history Fortunately, don't
know anything about it. A rag wheel
may be some part OF the floor of saw
mill, or adapted to its roof. or only
something to keep the boys from fooling
with the saw. know nothing about it.
! only know that this is a sad account to
write, and that |, like the public, would
much rather that some one else would
do it.
The owner of the sawmill in question
was Abner Pierce. He was man who
was fond of hunting foxA, and kept
sight men employed abouIhis farm and
mill The rag wheel becoming impaired
and unsafe from age or wear, or both.
needed replacing. and he employed a
carpenter from a place twenty miles dis
tant to make new rag wheel
The carpenter who came twenty miles
to make a rag wheel for Abner Pierce
was a stranger to that gentleman His
name was Zebulon Watts He brought
man with him TO do the work, volun-
teering to attack the bossing of the job
single handed and unaided Watts was
mentally and physically remarkable. He
was not worker, but designer. He
could plan work for any number OF men
to perform, and stand around handy to
see that they did it. He was a man fond
of the law, and when party refused to
pay him for work his delight was al
most hysteric. He then sued them,
plead his own case. covered everybody
with mud and retired defQeted He could
not help but think a Man was trying
to beat him in an undetermined manner
if he paid him cash down without
equivocation of any kind
Physically he was not adapted to
heavy labor He was about five feet
nigh and about four feet square. He
wore Shanghai overcoat, which rather
impaired the natural outlines of his fig
nre and a huge cap made from the fur
of horse. with forepiece that stood
straight out like the step to stage
coach 1t may be mentioned in pass
ing that Mr.. Watts didn't know any
more about rag wheel than | do. and
the information the assistant possessed
on the same subject was considerably
hos, bxyE 30 Dy7f xxyl,f l
painfully aware of my ignorance, it
never for an instant occurred to Mr.
Watts that he didn't know anything
about the matter.
He took charge Of the manufacture of
that rag wheel with all the confidence in
the world. and laid his plans, and made
his estimates, and set the man to work
getting out the stuff. and walked around
with his hands in his pockets. and talked
about religion and the legislature.
And SO day passed into day and time
rolled on.
Up the evening preceding the close Of
the Job Pierce, as was his custom, had
all his help, including the carpenters, in
the large, old fashioned kitchen. 1t was
a cold November night, and large and
very grateful fire roared and snapped in
the yawning fireplace The men sat
there until 10 O'Clock talking about fox
hunting and public schools and then re-
tired to their respective touches, each
man drawing off his boots and leaving
them in front of the fireplace. In short
time the house was as quiet as a pot OF
paint, and the flicker of The dying fire
created fantastic shadows among the
eleven pairs of boots.
At 3 o'clock one of the men was awak-
ened by glare of light in his eyes, and
bounding to the window saw that the
mill was on fire. The alarm was at once
given. Pierce heard it, and was the first
in his clothes Then he darted for the
kitchen to get his boots. He was man
of great nervous susceptibility. and not
at any time unpleasantly particular about
his language. 1t was very dark in the
ktchen-so dark that but dim outline
of the walls could be seen. But he was
in hurry-there was no time to strike
a light. He made a plunge for the first
NJ