The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
ROLES FOR BARREL HOOPS.
A Maine Woods Industry Which Gives Work
TO About loco Men.

A Maine Woods Industry Which Gives Work
to About 2.OCO Men.
OLEMoN. Me-. Jan. 20.-It was n providential
arrangement that caused the gray birch and
the gray Northern hare to occupy the same
belts of forest lands along the sides Of the
bleak New England hills. They grew and
fourished together for centuries. and were in
q fair way to monopolize the whole territory
when the squat and multitudinous French voy-
ageurs came over from Montreal and destroyed
the balance Of power by sharing and eating
the rabbits. thereby gaining ability to feed
more children who grew up and invaded the
factory towns. cutting down the rate OF wages
to the level OF colored labor In the South. After
the rabbits grew scarce the gray birches had
their own way for a score ~ofyears. when. all the
swamp ash having been cut off and sold, some
body discovered that gray birches made good
hoop poles, since which time thousands OF poor
men have made living wages cutting and shaw
ing hoops for the coopers.
Though a considerable number OF men hunt
for hoops in western Massachusetts, and north
ern New York, this industry finds more follow
ers and better rewards In Maine than in any
other State. Enough brown ash and gray and
white birch saplings are cut; split, shaved and
allow aISS"u 9 Tar ZAP g i2.66 . 'H niles s'u for the sn1 Du .
shaved sHaS in G'" dinsreat lee Isng IdHsS' acc a2Gps at te
the size OF the casks or barrels which
which are put about nail kegs. are 4 or AZ feet
long, and sell for 20 cents 70 81 for a thousand.
The largest. which are made for sugar barrels
broad and fiat and having a length OF : feet.
These when green and flexible sell readily for
Intermediate lengths Of ~ and 81 feet.
According to the estimates of well-informed
the reports of the iasticensus, more than 49,
100000 hoop, are shaved and sold IN Maine
Of the eSsrt lat at iS2.3 . 3 feet. V Il would tafe
Abe about u ID "a ~ ~ 2 - r hoops to place a Eird,e about
price paid BY hoop, buyers is 81 % for 1000.
30 the total gross income from Name hoop
II requires the labor Of about 1000 men for
several weeks 10 earn the above amount OF
would form two full regiments Of troops. or
about, twice as many as were. put under arms
! Il N %sstt iS5 i Rsm RlsPRSss q and aar tSslss j sRistt4l s i5S%
In cutting bushes would clear up a tract of land
# Fs SIs IS a MnG area s0s as Bi and a. n III T. i %E5Pi IosSss ats &
Maine Is cut over every twenty years for the
purpose Of getting hoops there is probably
Before. Columbus discovered America the
possibly a billion rabbits. ali OF which subsisted
upon. the sprouts Of the gray and white birch,
areas; When the English and French came
Tith nrearms and wire snares the animals were
s stroyeS 70 t tRc sst 'H9d fer 5si tas %s't shd The T blrcS de-;
spread everywhere and promised to monopolize
New England until the hoop pole hunter came
and restored the equilibrium.
1t requires but little capital to start In the
hoop pole business, A man who owns a yoke Of
steers or an old horse or a bull can easily haul
the round poles from the woods. A shanty OF
boards or a lean-to Of brush makes an excellent
shelter in which TO do the shaving. The hoops
are split by pulling them through q slot against
the edge OF a sharp knife fixed firmly n the
are nipped In the grip OF a shaving horse and
worked into proper form with a draw shave, An
i N a dSy' Tb mse cS WbS snt s ana h mii HSEs P3 on
hoops. which will require two days work to
shave and bundle. By working three days an
man may earn So. which Ia good
wages when salt pork Is 8 cents a pound and
good -four less than $5a barrel.
The hoop poles q Maine furnish employ
ment II more than 1000 men at a time. when
money is scarce and work is hard 10 obtain.
and the money earned through marketing
these hoop poles supplies food for fully 5000
hungry mouths. 1