The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-16
GIANTS OF THE PINE WOODS
LUArBER CAMP TRADITIONS OF TON
GlRDNER,s STRENGTH.

Did you ever hear how Tom Gardner
whipped tho bully at Doycetown. New Bruns,
lck. Just over the Maine line. In the thirtles'
Mere was a race Of giants in the big woods on
both sides Of the 81. John River I'm thos,
days. Their mighty deeds form the basis o.
most of the tales told round the fires Of the
winter lumber camps even to this day. Tom
Gardner was, in some respects, the most re.
markable OF them ell. He was regarded a.
the strongest man In the Maritime Provinces
In the days when It required strong men to
clear the great forests and control the lAwless
spirits who Allied the camps and ran the logs
down the river to the mills.
Tom Gardner was not a large man, as biz
men were measured. He weighed less than
$50 pounds. but his muscles stood out In
ridges under his brown skin. He was OF
medium height and build. and no one was
able to explain wherein his marvellous
AtrengtL lay. It 10 a matter Of record that he
frequently handled with his unaided strength
hogsheads of molasses at his camp on the 81.
John. Ordinary men had to use q derrick
to manage them. Little wonder that with
this remarkable strength his name should
have been 80 widely known throughout the
North Woods sixty years ago as that OF the
mythical Henry Moore Smith, who eiRhty-odd
years. ago was supposed by most OF the lum-
bermen to be the evil one himself.
1t was because Of this reputation that Tom
Gardner came to whip the bully at Doyce-
town. It happened in this way. Gardner.
who was a well-to-do lumberman. went up to
Doycetown one day to do some trading. There
was only one tavern in the village and It was
run by q widow-a comedy woman. kind-heart-
ed and much sought after BY suitors. She
had never seen Gardner. but she had heard of
his strength. and therefore soon after he had
eaten dinner she took him aside and asked
him to help her. She said that about q year
before a man had como to her place from
Maine and settled down in the house. SEEM
lngly for life. He made violent love to her and
refused to nay his bills. In addition, he was
80 jealous. his strength was so great. and his
skill as a fighter was 80 prodigious that he kept
trade away from her tavern. He made it a
practice to whip every man who looked like q
possible sutton or even a probable customer.
Gardner asked what she wanted him to do.
If you are really the great Tom Gardner"
replied the widow. you will give him the
worst whipping he ever got and send him
about his business"
Although q peaceable man. Gardner agreed
to undertake the task and thereupon went to
tho barroom whore he was told the bully could
be found. He soon scraped up an acQuaint-
ance with him and asked him to take a drink.
The bully willingly accepted the invitation.
and having drunk turned to his accustomed
seat near the fireplace.
Hold on" said Gardner. ITS your turn
to treat"
The bully looked surprised. He had not
been addressed 30 Familiarity since he had
been in Doycetown, and. besides. the stranger
was hardly half his size.
My turn. is it2" he answered snoring. "Irl
turn the side Of your face. YOU
He never finished the sentence. In an in
slant Gardner had grabbed him around the
waist and flung him bodily through the win
dow into a hog sty. Almost before the bully
landed Gardner was standing over him. horse
whip in hand. and flashing him numerically.
Gardner then led him into the barroom, where
he made him treat every one present and pay
for the drinks.
Now" said Gardner. TIL give you five
minute s to leave town in and I'll go along a
rod or two with you to see that you never come
back again."
He kept his word. He led the bully to the
edge OF the town. where he gave him a parting
II anybody asks you what you're running
next time he catches you he'll Kill you The
bully was never seen in that part Of the coun-
Another %fayorite story Of Tom Gardner de-
party. OF stranger who journeyed fifty miles
wv NIiO UNIV ~ ouIhlu III STHIllC0JlOn OF
whipping the strongest man in New Fruns-
wick. These men. who. were froE. down the
the rough and tumble sort. had heard that
Gardner was on the road hauling some pork
and hay TO his place There was some snow
the tops OF the hills where the sun had melted
i, and these bare spots made Il hard shedding.
half OF hay and six or eight, barrels OF pork.
When he came to the bare places he stopped
his team and tossed Off the pork and mari Of
the hay SO as to make the hills easier for his
horses to climb. He had probably done this a
dozen times during the day before the down;
him JUS, as he had stopped the horses at the
bottt%SnF s 81 q Do particularly HGn ho steep and bare hin;
glancing over his shoulder.
Are you Tom Gardiner" the spokesman
ASKED dsn
We have come fifty miles to have a talk with
"'All right, y answered Gardner; "wnit till I
get up this hill and III accommodate you"
They waited while he rolled the barrels off
the s re d. t This d9 oae.l Re n SOW q yo9 aT 20 aay his is
horses to the top Of the hill. Then, descending.
tor. Then he Vent back :! Tor the pork. He
reached down and took a barre, under each
ssa dn thls s9 ahtif the he I Ias baIrs YIN aas Il taE as Sc s.,
II they had been blocks of wood.
strangers and rolling up his sleeves. I'm
ready l,t for e. you, one at q time or all toSethsrn
DuN WV hiCh a. BOJ -lubO lItlE blclRn and
were. preparing to start for home.
we don't want any truck with you" said
the leader as he whipped up the team. ANY
man who can carry a barrel OF pork under each
arm has the right to do about as he pleases.
It's none OF our business, anyhow. Good-by.'
"Good-by" said Gardner. as he started his
History has 1t that for some cause not re-
corded Gardner lost his strength before reach
ing old age and for the last twenty years OF his
life he was no more powerful than other men.
Another famous. strong man was old man
Cask. who lived In Maine near the Grand
Lakes. where he died about sixty years ago.
In some respects he was the most remarkable
OF all the big mon Of that time. He was not
only q giant in strength. bat In stature MS well.
He was nearly seven feet tall and weighed be-
tween 400 and 800 pounds. He was an indo-
lent. marauding fellow. who was In trouble
with the authorities most Of the tire, and part
Of his misdoings are recorded In the history Of
the Dominion town OF 81. Andrew's. near Calais.
Visitors 10 this pretty town to this day are
shown the limit" q square mile OF land
staked out at intervals. Cask fixed this limit
more than seventy years ago.
He lived with his family at that time back In
the woods and preyed upon the lumber camps
In the neighborhood. stealing food and cattle