Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-11-30
MAINE LUMBER CAMPS.
Tough Experience OF nix i'cnobscot
Men In Northern Maine.


Attracted by an aovertisem,n5 in a
Bangor paper for 200 lumb ermen for the
woods OF northern Maine, six men from
North Penobscot secured a winters job,
and on October 26, started for the wilder
ness beyond the Moosehead. with rose
tinted conception of the conditions OF
lumberman's life in that somew hat re-
mote region.
1t was represented to them, So they say,
that their field Of operation was about
eighteen miles above Moosehead late,
and their camp would be about one mile
have good fare.
After leaving Moosehead lake they
travelled on foot about forty miles over
tote road to camp. They found a camp
about 40x20 feet, Inhabited by some forty
lusty French Canadians and a few Yam
KEGS, which number was finally increased
to about sixty men, crowded into ver-
table dungeon, with a small skylight in
the roof to admit a few crooked rays of
daylight, for which the crew seemed to
have little, il any, use.
At O'Clock in the morning they started
for their work which was some five miles
distant from camp, over boys and through
swamps, taking some two hours to reach
1t through mud and water. They had to
travel two miles to their dinner, which
was eaten around an open fire, without
shelter from rain or snow. About at
night, with the stars to guide their
course, they commenced their soggy jour
ney campward making in all about four
teen miles Of travel, consuming six hours,
which, added to nine hours swinging he
axe or plying the saw, made tolerabIy
hard day of fifteen hours of toll.
Baked beans and stewed deer meat, of
which there seemed to be an ver-iucreas-
ing abundance, were the principal ele-
ments Of their bill OF fare, and as some OF
them didn't take kindly to deermeat any
way and to baked beans only sparingly,
the keenness oftheir appetites, sharpened
by severe toll in the open woods, saved
them from state OF semi starvation.
On their way up some of their to be
comrades silently and thoughtfully re-
lieved them OF most OF their extra cloth
ing, and they were obliged to wear their
Wet clothing, with no hope of change
however wet or dirty.
On reaching camp hey had little chance
to dry and warm Themselves, as the fire
vas surrounded for Il distance OF some
feet with clothing hung to dry lndig-
nant at not finding things as represented,
and rather disguised with the human
aspect, after good taste OF the delights
OF II lumberman's life in the "backwo0ds
OF Maine three Of the party "silently
stole away in the early glimmer of he
morning leaving behind three OF their
comrades whose financial means mad been
exhausted in getting there.
Lust Monday the remaining three
reached home after journey of five days
on foot, except a passage across Moose
hesd lake by steamer-a distance OF near
~ 200 miles. They started on Thursday
morning and Travelled about twenty, five
mites, When they reached Jackson camp
and put up for the might.
This camp was a halfway house for the
supply teams, and was generally supplied
With some sub-tant !als III the lue OF eat
abte.. Tney found the carcass OF a dressed
deer hung up III the hovei, and II good
supply OF baked beams, OF which they
partook without iAvltation or reserve.
Hrte they spent the night very COM
toeaaot4. refreshed, in the morning
tney pursued tneir journey TO Northeast
C,ris, a distance Of about twenty miles,
and pat up ut the Ross farm, So called.
It's oAhtr, Mir. Ross, Resides ia New York.
TINS Is the depot for the lumber camp
supplies, and thousands OF bushels OF
srsIn are stored here. the supplies are
tahen across MooseheHd lake, ii distance
OF forty miles. in two small steamer,
owned ny MIR. Ross. Here they worked
some three hours storing grain, for two
meal, and Il reduction OF fifty cents on
their fare across the lake. About in the
evening they boarded the Little steamer
and started across the lake in the dense
INST and darkness.
The steamer came near being grounded
on "a ledge, but after Juggling away aW lille
resumed its passage, reaching Its destina-
tien at about 80 in the morning.
In the previous days travel they had
fallen in with white man and an Indian,
each Of whom was carrying the head of a
gigantic moose the antlers OF which
spread about four feet. They were in
formed that these trophies OF the hunt
would net about Sl25 when ready for the
market They had travelled all the way
through snow aud slush to the depth OF a
foot, the snow having fallen on the 10th
When the morning of the third day
va. changing its dull gray to scarlet
glory. they started from Greenfield and
Travelled some thirty-tive miles-within
two miles OF Dover before nightfall,
Somewhat weary with tramping and foot
sore, they applied for lodgings at nine
different farm houses and were refused
shelter, though offering to pay, and at
last were obliged to seek shelter in a