The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-03-07
THE STORM AT HASTINGS.
SIT Seemed at Times That the Very
Mountains Were Coming Down."

The Water Three Feet Deep in the Engine
Room of the Mills and Ten Inches Deep
Over the Gates-Men Working for Their
Lives in the Camps Among the Noun
tains-Lumber, Ice and Wood Coming
Down on the Mills.
Superintendent r. j. Clifford, of the
Wild River Lumber company, and the
Wild River railroad, was here yesterday
On business, and gave very interesting
description of the great storm among the
mountains above the lumber village or
Hastings. The village of Hastings IS
three miles from Gilead, the nearest
point on the Grand Trunk, but tn e
camps are nine miles further back In
the mountains. The mills at Hastings
are not located on Wild river itself, but
on Eyans's brook, so called, but in itself
a river, and a5 times bad one.
1t had rained very hard for more than
"a hours when the great storm started in,
and it soon passed everything Of the kind
recalled by the Oldest lumberman, and
as the day wore on it was evident that
the mills were in great danger. The
river was rapidly rising, and TO make
things worse great mass of ice logs and
wood came down. and piled up above the
great lumber mills, and was soon higher
than the great mill itself. Had this been
forced down on the mills the entire
plant would have been taken out, and
great loss of property would have toll
lowed as the mills once gone everything
else would have gone too.
The storm was simply terrific, and as
Mr. Clifford said, sit seemed at times
that the very mountains were coming
down. This state of things continued
through the night, and then when the
rain stopped wild snow storm followed,
OF course making it out of the question
to communicate beyond either with the
camps, OF Gilead. For the time Hastings
was cut off from help, had help been need
ed.
The water practically covered every
thing. 1t stood three feet deep in the
engine room of the big mill, and ten
inches deep over the CRATES in the fur
mace.
At the camps among the mountains
affairs were still worse. They were we'll
provisioned, having liberal supply Of
meat. -four, coffee and beans, but the
water invaded everything, and was two
feet deep over the floors. The men feared
that their teams would be washed out,
and fully comprehended their own dam
ger. They worked for their lives and
succeeded in cutting channels on each
side of their camps and in that way
draw the water off.
Mr.. Clifford said that the only good
thing about the storm was the fact that
it did not take the snow from the woods
to the extent that was at first feared
and while considerable damage was
done it was less than was at firsU be-
Elieved must be the case.
'sThis has been very had WINTER
said he. AS an actual matter of fact we
have just five good days for numbering
this season. There have been many
storms, but they have in every case been
accompanied by heavy Winds making it
out of the question for the teams to
take more than half load, and in most
cases after, say dozensteams had gone
down with load, the drivers on the
way back wouldn't be able to make out
the road"
The storm was not only the worst ever
known in the mountains, but the riv ers
kept up longer, and they have just got
well ut work again.
Mr.. Clifford has general charge of the
business, but of course the warm and
cosey lumber camps are each in charge of
an under boss. The men work hard but
are fed well. Breakfast is ready at $50
in the morning and is commonly served
at in the evening.
flights are out at nine and no talking
is allowed after that hour said Mr..
Clifford.
Uncle Billy Gillian.