The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-10-20
A MODERN SAMSON.
CS PHIPPS. THE MAINE GIANT.
AND Ills FEArS OF MUSCLE.
Lifted aud Moved a House. One End
at Timc-Bcnt 2OO-Pound
Iron Bar TO V and Made
All Bangor Stare,

- mas nearu OF Cy Ihlpps, tho
giant of Penobscot County
and tho most iuveteratc wag
OF his age. Cy was born out here Mt
Goodale's Corner, on the side hill over
looking Dodham, about fifty years ago,
saws the Lewiston Journal.
Somewhere about tho time that old
John Brown was getting hanged down
in Virginia, Cy, then lad getting on
toward voting age, bought IA dog that
was big and good natured enough to
allow himself to be harnessed to carts
and sleds, attached to which he made
long journeys, hauling his master to
dances or other places of amusement.
Hauling bees wero all tho rago then,
and no man thought OF building new
house when he could find an old ono
for sale. As soon rs the purchase was
mado the house was placed on two
stout logs called "shoes," and tho
farmers would como for miles with
their oxen to help at the moving.
One afternoon Cy was riding down n
long hill behind his dog when he met
q house moving.
Get out of the road and let me
pass" cried Cy, hauling up. The
transfers laughed at him.
"If you don't put that house out Of
the way, said Cy, "I'll get off and do
it myself"
At this teamsters smiled so broadly
and made such sarcastic remarks that
Cy grabbed one end Of the house,
showed it into the ditch, and served
the other end the same way, and, hav-
ing offered to tip it over on the roof
in case anybody doubted his ability to
do so, he whipped up his dog and
went on. 1t was n small house, to be
sure, but men are scarce who can lift
ono CT d Of little house, and nobody
doubted Cy Phipps's strength after
that.
Still, he had rivals whom he was
glad to accommodate In any kind of
contest they saw fit to suggest. One
of these was "Sime" Gibson, who
worked on Mount Hoagan in Prospect
"S.mo" had lifted 1909 pounds dead
weight and turned over an eight ton
granite stone with the aid of the great
quarry bar. This bar was used in the
quarry for pulling down stone that
had been loosened 10y blasting. 1t
was about eight feet long and weighed
200 pounds. After seam had been
opened with powder the bar was forced
down into the crevice, II ring was put
over the top, and oxen were hitched
to the ring to pull the stone away,
When Cy had performed all of Glib
sons feats easily, he put the bar into
a seam in n ledge and lifted until the
great rod of iron lco lied like capital
V.
Another feat Of his was to launch a
loaded scow across mud flats Mt low
water. He also shouldered two bar.
rels OF flour at once-one on each
shoulder hauled up the anchor
of a good-sized schooner by pulling
in the cable hand-over- hand without
SO much rs touching the windass
For the twenty years following 1860
Cy Phipps was probably the strongest
man in Maine, and might have made a
lot of money had he chosen to give
exhibitions. Instead OF that he mar
ried a nice little girl IN Orland and
raised up respectable family.
Instead Of getting stuck up and go
ing around with q chip on his shout
der or challenging men through the
newspapers Cy grew better natured rs
he got older, and whenever he en-
ployed his great strength at all it was
to forward his own work or to help
some friend out Of trouble. Having
gained some littlo property and feel
ing disinclined to work hard every
day, he moved to Lynn. Mass. In
1880 and for more than ten years he
served as an engineer at goo wages.
During the time he worked there
every man from Eastern Maine who
went to Boston always made n trip
down TO Lynn to see Cy Phipps, SO
that he often received as many as
twenty callers in n day. In short, he.
was one Of the local attractions, and
his prowess, soon became so we'll
known in Boston hat sey, raj sporting
men made him good offers il he would
undertake tours under their manage.
mont. Cy treated them all well, LIS.
tened TO what they said, and refused
every overture, no matter how much
money there was in it, He was get.
ting along in year, and flesh had &c.
cumulated on his frame 10 such an ex-
tent that lie weighed nearly 300
pounds In view Of these factg, ho
believed it best Go LET we'll enough
alone
About two years ago, when ho was
happy and prosperous aud had every
chance OF reaching n ripe old ago in
Lynn Ire suddenly threw up his Job
and went to Danvers, whcro they put
him in the violent warl Of the insane
asylum. &c is there today and is
glad TO SEQ oil those who cali on him.
He is ward master n. r. salary Of
$1,000 a year.
How Railroads Originated.