Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-03
IN FOREST SOLITUDE.
A Trip Beneath the Canopy of Hem
lock Leaves in hcKean County.
TROUT LEAP In CRYSTAL BROOKS
And Only the Clack Of Woodsmsn's Az
Breaks the Sylvan silenca
SEARCHING FOB CONTRACT ALIENS
lwnrrrEN FOR THE prsrArcH.1

fWhfrrEN FOR THE DrSPAfCH.1
'The Frenchies are camping six or sever
miles up Skinner's creek In the woods; and
there's another lot of them four or five
miles further out"
Such was the answer Of Q tall, muscular
boniface to the question of immigration In.
spector Robert D. Layton when the latter
arrived at Port Allegany, Mexican county,
early one morning last week. Mr. Layton
had been ordered to investigate some COM
plants that had been made that French
Canadians were being brought over in
large numbers and contrary to the alien
contract law, to work in the woods The
hotel keeper to whom Mr.. Lay.
ton applied for information as to
the whereabouts of the Canadian
woodchoppers, remembered their advent
very well, because he still had lodging fol
q night charged against some 20 Of them,
and he expressed the belief, as did several
others in Port Allegany, that the foreign
element had been brought into the neigh
boring woods in an illegal manner. That
was what Mr.. Layton had been ordered by
the immigration Department to inquire
into, and the definite location of the alleged
offenders was grateful and comforting to
Mr.: Layton and his companion, the inter-
prefer, for they had explored the uttermost
parts of the Sinnamahoning valley the day
previous in q vain search for the individual
who had prompted the expedition by writ
ing redhot letters to the immigration De-
partment complaining Of the floods of
NanfronfAd
border that were making work scarce and
wages scant for the American woodchopper
and barkpeeler.
A wagon with two good horses, for Port
Allegany is rightly proud Of her trotting
stock and the possession of as pretty half
mile track as there is in the State, was the
next conveyance in order, and In this,
driven by MI. Franklin. who modestly dis
claimed any kinship with the immortal Ben,
but who promised to pilot Uncle Sans rep
resentative to the lair Of the suspected for
eigners, Mr.. Layton and the interpreter were
soon jolting along very muddy road
toward the wooded hills that rose in the
distance. 1t is q popular delusion that
Port Allegany Is somewhere near the
source of the Allegheny river, but that de-
ceptive wanderer is very respectable body
of water as it curves Enthusiastically
around the town and under an old-fash-
ioned wooden bridge, between the boarded
sides of which boys delight to hang out and
fish at the peril Of their necks. The holes
in the road are its most impressive features,
but the scenery 10 lovely.
SPLASH splashi we 60 down into the
water with lurch and . swing, rattle over
the powders and scrunch through the peb-
bly, bed of SINNERS creek, an ideal trout
stream Of crystal clearness that comes down
with a merry rush and tinkle from the
mountains. 1t may be gratifying to Mr..
George II. Welshons, if politics have left
any room for piscatorial pride in his heart,
to know that the young trout he placed in
SINNERS creek short time ago are reflect
ing credit upon his administration. They
are growing fat and lusty, and the anglers
who have had in the past more fishing than
catching rise up early now to call the Fish
Commissioner blessed.
Beauty With Curls OF Smoke.
On the other side of the stream q young
ish woman is hanging out some clothes to
dry, and a nearer view shows that what we
supposed was q clothespin in her mouth is q
pipe. A ring OF two Of blue smoke rises
each time she fixes a garment on the line.
An elder woman sits in the doorway, sun
ming herself, while a barefooted boy
restrains small dog with . large mouth
that runs ont with an apparent desire to eat
all our party, horses included.
The sun is pretty high by this time and
coats and vests are left behind In the wagon
when we start off for the woods on foot, the
horses being hitched to a tumble-down
fence. A few yards from the house q
newly built railroad track appears 1t Is q
lumber road, which the parties who are
taking out the timber from this valley are
using for their own use.
A quarter-of-a-mile further on the rails
stopped and q gang of Italians were filling
in and grading the road that had been
cleared a few hundred yards ahead among
the big trees The only sound is the
sharp, clear clack of the woodman's axe,
or the louder report, like that of a nine
FOUNDER, followed by a swishing, crashing
roar that marked the fall of some tall wood
land king. For q moment the ugliness of
camp where the Italians at work upon the
railroad slept and ate.
The Treachery Of Peeled Tree.
The wood-choppers wear immense heavy
,hoes with soles an inch or two thick and
besprinkled with steel pegs,
which give them sure footing at all times
md enable them to stand firm on a tree
Tilted ut sharp angle while they are peel
ng the bark from it. Once, year or two
lgo, lumberman brought city capitalist,
Sho with him owned lot of land up Skim
,er's creek, to the woods. The city man
,ad never been in the lumber country be-
ore, and his partner showed him around.
IN their way to a camp up the creek the
.ity man had no trouble till they reached
,lace where the only way to cross swamp
ay over q fallen tree. The woodman went
irst, and his pegged shoes enabled
lin to run easily over the smooth
runk from which the bark had been peeled.
low easy it is; come alongp' and the latter,
yho was very fat, jumped on the tree with
N effort and began to waddle over. There
vas q crash and the woodman merely in
Iuired: "Are you DOWN." The sllpperI- |
less of pealed tree beats . brick pave
nent In frosty weather.
The sound of the choppers' axes came |
loser and closer, and presently we came to |
group of men, three gaunt giants, who |
ose up from felled tree upon which they |
Ad been sitting, and rested their axes on
he spreading limbs
Conference That Was Fruitlesa.
They knew very little about their foreign
eighbors, and the best-looking man of the
hree, tall swarthv fellow, with heavy |
lack mustache, looked sheepish and stood
ilent when his companions referred to him
S the one who knew most about the French
amp.
'It I were working in these woods and
ny foreigner came in and took away my
living 1 wouldn't sit idly by" began Mr.
layton, but the two vood-choppers cut him
hort with loud laugh, and one Of them
aid Dointinp to their handsome cOmrade:
Yer see, Jim won't tell what he knows
cause there's woman up to the Trenches
ampr' That closed the conference.