Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-31

roughly hewn planks which are used
both as seats and as steps for the oc-
cupants of the upper tiers of berths.
These are the far famed deacon seats.
The floor of the camp is made of logs
roughly hewn on three sides and is
rough and unkempt. At one end of the
camp there is commonly q large box
stove of the old fashioned type. The
fire place. like many other institutions
| of the lumber camp. has passed away
and is known no more. Lines are
strung all about the stove and in the
evening these are crowded with wet
clothing. The smell is not particularly
appetizing when the stove becomes
red hot and the steam starts in good
shape.
| This is the living room of the crew
and is lighted by day by small win
dow set in the roof, and by night by
hanging lamps and lanterns. Little
light is needed during the day time as
the room is then usually deserted. Oc-
| casionally there may be a few men
about nursing some injury or cold. A
lumber camp, however, is a poor place
for a sick man, however comfortable
as a man realizes that he is going to
be seriously i'll, he strikes for home as
quickly as possible.
The second and middle room of the
| camp is called the dngle. This is
probably a corruption of ing.e as the
place is used as store room for sup
plies and extra tools. The blacksmith
of the camp usually has his forge here
and plies his trade amid piles of salt
fish, frozen beef. pork barrels and
othcr commodities. The place is I'M
finished and noorlcss. A large door
| swinging on wooden hinges opens from
| the living room just described into the
dinglc, and there is also an outer door
which forms the only entrance to the
camp. of the same description.
Passing across the dingle there is the
third and last room of the camp which
is the sanctum Sanctorum. 1t is the
cook room and constitutes the castle of
that aristocrat, the cook. This is the
clcanest and most pleasant place in
the whole camp. 1t of necessity is al
most as large as the living room and
is well lighted by windows set in the
side Of the camp. At one end is the
huge cooking stove. the tables and
cupboard of the cook. The other end
and larger portion is occupied by the
tables used by the men. About all the
boards used in the whole camp are
found in the cook room and they are
used in The tables. These are long, low,
wide affairs, setting on crossed legs
and covered with oil cloth. The seats
are simply rough hewn planks on legs
or stools made out OF spare pieces of
boards.
The cook has Il berth il this room
and shares it with the cookee. An
alarm clock arouses them in the wee
small hours OF the morning and when
breakfast is well along the cook cross
IS the dingle, pokes his head in the
door Of the living room and in stem
torian tones rouses the snoring crew
with the cry, Turn out, turn out;
beans is hot" or something similar.
short distance from the camp is
the stable where the horses are kept
and known as the howell. This building
is similar to the main camp and about
as large. 1t is not built so carefully.
but is warm and comfortable for the
horses. There are no stalls, the horses
being separated IN pairs by poles. Inc
whole building is divided through the
center, and the animals are hitched
heads to heads in two long lines. A
space is left at one end for the hay
and grain. Rough meadow hay or
cheap straw is used for bedding and
when the doors Of the hovcl are closed
by the last man out at night the
horses are as snug and warm as the
men in their camp.
In such quarters the men and teams
pass the long winter months, living an
arduous healthy life. and both come
out strong in the spring, fat and rug
sed The life is a rough one but it has
a charm all it's own and he who leaves
the woods when he has once spent any
time in a lumber camp hates to leave
it until the warm spring sun begins
to melt the snow.