Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-09-12
WHY HE QUIT The BUSINESS
An Old Time Californian's Experience
With "Surface" Lumber.

An Cld-Time Californian's Experiences
With 'Surface" Lumber.
''In 1867 the seaport of Los Angeles
was San Pedro as it is now, and the
lghterage and forwarding were
monopolized by Banning & Co.. of Will
mington, and Tomlinson e. Co., of San
Pedro. The latter had large lumber
yard which covered a good portion of
the level land under the bluff, where
now is the town of San Pedro. There
was no railroad in southern California,
and all freight for the interior was for
warded by teams. The senior partner
Of the great firm, for some unaccounta-
bic reason, took fancy to me, cate
chized me about things in general, and
offered me position as freight clerk
which 1 Immediately accepted. put
in three weeks time in checking freight
as it was being unloaded from the
steamers and also in unloading teams
at the warehouse, / had learned SO
SO much in those three weeks that I
stopped asking questions and relied
solely on my newly-acquired knowl-
edge-I desired to be self-made
man. was eighteen and knew as
much as young men of that age gen.
orally think they do. When my third
Saturday arrived the head man made
the fatal mistake of taking trip to
Wilmington, some four miles distant,
and leaving me in sole charge till the
following Monday. He told me there
would be scarcely anything doing Sum
day, and l would have an easy time.
He took me out to the porch of the Of
fee and waving his hand in a broad
sweep said: If any teams should
happen in tomorrow you can load
them with any of this surface lumber. ;
/ remembered that few days previ-
GUS a lot of whale ribs and few bro
ken boards had been sent uptown, so
l took it for granted they intended to
clear the surface of all refuse and
clean the yard up. The following
morning / discovered twelve horse
team with prairie schooner and
trailer waiting for orders. I got the
crew together and loaded the wagons
with the lumber that lay on the sur
face near the office. To be exact as
possible guessed at the number of feet
in each linotted or broken board as it
was piled on and soon had the enormous
wagons stacked high with tbs old
stuff. l then signed the way-bill and
started the teamster for Los Angeles.
Soon after fve-horse team came
down, and it was loaded in like fashion.
/ wondered what they would do with
had my orders and considered it none
of my business to inquire. Then came
three six-horse teams belonging to the
firm; when they were loaded l began
to pride myself on the improved APP
pearance of the yard. Each had my
way-bill for three thousand feet of
surface lumber. That was my busy
day, and more teams called for loads
than on any previous Sunday for
months. BY night l had loaded and
dispatched eleven large freighters with
surface lumber, and the yard was so
thoroughly cleaned of the trash that
was obliged to top off the last wagon
with some driftwood that lay on the
beach. That night l retired, feeling
the old man would be pleased
with my days work and the i'm
proved appearance of the grounds.
When the stage arrived the fol.
lowing day 1 was told was wanted
at the uptown Office. AS entered the
stage the boolkeeper said in a sad
tone of voice: Surface lumber is lum-
Der planed on one side and is of the
best quality. There is great demand
for it, as the uptown yards are entire
ly out When 1 alighted from the
stage at headquarters l noticed the
men appeared much pleased about
something and broad grin was visi-
BILE around. The old man. as the head
of the firm was called, had left for
San Francisco and would be absent
about two weeks. / was told to await
his return before resuming opera
tons l breathed sigh of relief, but
did not await his return. He paid my
three weeks salary to friend, as
didn't feel like collecting it myself,
being of retiring deposition. My
busy day cost him good deal, as
twenty thousand feet of good kindling-
wood had been hauled thirty miles,,
His sons are living and by judicious use
should have enough to light their fires
for the balance of their lives "-Chica-
go Tribune. EtA
One OF Bonaparte's Most Daring Moves