The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-27
ON THE BURBERRY PLAINS.
These Are Exciting Times Down in WASH
ington County's Klondike.

You may talk about the Klondike gold
fever or hunting for gold in CALIFORNIA
but it is nothing compared to the eAoioo-
ment. caused by the blueberries OF ""sh-
ington county. The excitement arouhu
Columbia Falls is at fever heat anu IS
likely to remain SO until the last hb1le
berry is packed away in the can.
No other business in Washington
county employs so many people anu
teams as the blueberry business. ANY
pleasant day you may drive through tnls
section and it will have the appearance
of being deserted. The question SO o1ten
asked by strangers "Where are they alp
can easily be answered Ionce for all, I'm
the plains'' So great is the excitement
after these berries that 1t has been SAID
that they would pick them for nothing II
they could not get q little something.
People seem to be crazy after them anu
will neglect all kinds of business, parents
will neglect their children, and husbands
their families, for the sake OF picking
the berries.
There are two places that do not have
the forsaken look, the blueberry factories
and the plains. just take ride over
this Klondike Of Washington county and
you will see things look lively.
As far as the eye can reach and that Is
no short distance, the plains are dotted
with white tents, although in some cases
these tents are small some only nine feet
square or. less, eand it is wonder to tne
uninitiated where SO many people canstow
themselves away at night.
Sometimes whole family, consisting
Of a husband and wife, and three or four
| small children will live in one Of those
nine foot square tents and oftentimes
''boarder" or two is taken in if he can
put up with such as they have. One
thing is sure; no one need to stay out all
night as they can stow him away some
where, for better hearted lot OF people 1t
is hard to find than these berry pickers.
Now for tools. all one needs to furnish
is rake or picker as sometimes called,
and couple of pals or baskets The
rake forms the most prominent part Of
the outfit and one wants it of the right
size, and kind.
Probably there is one man In this sec.
ton that can tell and does know more
about these rakes than any other man in
the state If not in the United States or
world. That man Is A. W. Tabbutt who
lives in the last house as you go on to
Montague plains. Although he lives 80
far back from the village-about five
miles-he manufactures all the rakes
used on this great plain. "Bijah," as
he is SO we'll known, has plenty of time
to talk and ever SO busy, he is always
ready for social chat.
He manufactures all these rakes alone
and with tools of his own invention
whichFare the only machines he uses and
his rakes are known all over this vast
county and nos.one would think of going
blueberrying without first buying one
of Bijah's" ralzes.
That is one reason why everyone goes
blueberrying. The outfits will not cost
for single person over two or three dol
lars, and the travelling to and from the
plains is but tride and many take this
opportunity of having summers outing
and also earning an honest penny.
In many families the children earn
more than the father and when all their
earnings are added together neat little
sum is the result of days work, often
amounting to $40 or over.