The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-07-10
Milling in Early Days.

An entire book could be write
about the Puget Lumber company {
Port Gamble. Wash. The Pacifi
Lumber Trade Journal has printe,
stories from tine to time about it.
early experiences, Mike Drew
eccentricities, etc., and there are still
more to come. Ben Miller, who sell
machinery, tallow, skid grease, ca
grease, bicycles and pumps for Mitch
ell, Lewis & staver company, and VIII,
was an employe of the mill at on,
time, tells good one on Mike Drew
that is worth repeating. Mr.. Drew is
now wealthy and honored citizen OF
Seattle and can afford to enjoy the
following. According to Miller there
was a scarcity of white labor in
and around Port Gamble in 1865, and
the company was at times hard pres
sed for men to operate their plant.
This state of affairs forced a thought
germ into the noddle of the mill engi-
neer, and one day after putting a keg
OF nails on the safety valve, he yelled
Justify for Mike Drew. Mike, you
know was the foreman, and after
Walker, the biggest man iu Port
Gamble. Mike came to the scene and
wanted to know what was the matter.
The engineer informed HIM that there
was hiatus in his salary and he
wanted a raise Fright away, if not
sooner" Mike saw in a minute what
the trouble was, and, as he wouldn't
be bluffed, told the man to 20 to
Muckleshoot or some other summer
resort. The engineer got his pay, and
Mike started into the woods for another
engineer. AS said before, men were
scarce, and Mike had to rely on the
natives for substitute. So he tack
led the first fat-headed Siwash he
met and soon had bargain made.
The Indian didn't know very much
about an engine, and Mike, who was
rather rusty in Chinook, substituted a
few English words, and the following
conversation ensued:
Mike-"Mika tickee mamook."
Siwash-"Icta mamoOk."
Mike-"Mamook pire keekquilee
copa kittle?"
Siwash-"Cunsic Mika pay?"
Mike-"Ic: dollar pc let sum-"
Siwash-"Hyas close"
Mike-"Well, HACK chahco copa
mill"
When Mike and the native arrived
at the mill steam was pretty low and
there was a lack of water in the boil.
ers. This being remedied, Mike gave
the Indian the following instructions
Mike-"Mika cumtux mamook de-
late hyas skookum pire,"
Siwash-"Narwitka."
Mike-"Mika cumtux pumps"
Siwash-Clonass narwitka."
Mikc-"Mika nanich ocook glass" I"
Siwash-"Narwitka."
Mike-"Mika nanich ocook glass?"
Siwash-"Narwitka."
Mike-"Well hyas close, suppose
mika quanisome mamook delate
skookum pire, pc quanisome close
nanich pump. Pequanisome close
nanich glass. Hyas close, suppose
chuck quanisome midlite sitkum copa
glass. Suppose chahco sachlee halo
steam. Suppose chuch chacho keek-
quilee delate mamook poo pc conawa,
hyas cockchit pc mika 60 to hi in a
minute. Mika cumtux?"
Siwash-"Narwitka."
Mike-"Well, all right; then d-n
you, pitch in."
They do say that the Siwash made
a fearful and wonderful engineer.
Cyrus Walker didn't sleep week nights
for weeks, expecting : to see the mill
blown up. and Mike Drew carried a
parachute with him in case of being
blown skyhigh. Eventually, however,
a new engineer was secured, and the
Siwash resumed his former occupation
that of digging clams.-Pacifc
Lumber Trade Journal.