Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-03-15
GATHERING GUM.
How the Woodsman Earns a Few Ex.
ira Dollars.
The Professional Gum Picker Has Almost Ex
hausted Names Supply.

Slowly nut surely lne PROFESSIONAL gum
picker is driving the lumberman from the
place where he was able To earn some
thing in addition to the monthly stipend
he received from the lumber companies
for his services. And even with the pro-
fessional gum picker in the field the State
Of Maine is not able to furnish all the
spruce gum wanted by druggists.
A comparatively short time ago many
lumbermen who went into the Maine
woods relied on his gum picking % buy
little Injuries that he could not afford
should he depend solely on the wages
given by his employer. Although he
went To his work as soon as daylight ap-
pered ana ceased only. when 50 compelled
by darkness, yet he had his Sundays and
the noon hour to himself Were the man
industrious he would devote this time TO
picking the amber knots from the spruce
logs while his less industrious compan-
ions spent their time in. swapping stories
or smoking around the camp fires.
All of these Industrious men planned to
woods in the fall a small cotton bag cap
able Of holding perhaps three quarts.
Many Of the lumbermen planned to take
50 that when he was on the field he had
some receptacle for his gum. Every log
felled was looked over by the careful cut
ter and what was valua bic was taken
When spring came ana he had finished
his work for the winter he had with him
a commodity which could be sold to any
druggist. And when any one stops to
think of the few pieces of gum in the
ounce for which he pays ten cents ut the
drug stores. he may realize the income To
the lumberman who returned from the
woods with peck of the amber knots in
addition to his wages.
Many Of the lumbermen did not stop to
bring the gum home with them for at
many OF the smaller towns there We're
men who made business of buying the
gum ana made a double profit by giving
goods in exchange for what they re-
ceived. Almost anything was exchanged
for the gum. With some Of the men who
had the courage to brave the law. rum
formed 4 staple article of trade. although
the lumberman often considered that the
favor was on his side that he was al
lowed to exchange anything so common
as gum for ardents which he had not
seen during the many months ne had
been confined in the woods.
This gum the traders found not the
slightest difficulty in disposing of to Bos-
ron and New York houses and such a
profit that they soon considered this 4
part of their regular business and count
ed On the gum profits as being the larS-
est they received from their sales during
the year In different parts Of the coun-
hn linn herring districts
located more than one man has made a
snug sum by the gum trade
Il took but comparatively short time
for some Of the people in other states to
learn how the Maine traders were making
their money and as soon as they learned
this they began to send men into the
State to do the work that the profits
might go to them and not to the middle
man.
IN many cases, the old woodsmen, who
had sold so much of the gum, were en-
ployed to pick for the men who made a
business of selling the product to New
York and Boston parties. These men
were fitted out in much the same man.
ncr that the miners We're htted out III
the West and worked on what is called
the grub stake plan. That Is each man
4
was sent out with the understanding
that the firm would furnish his food and
he on his part was to share the result OF
the excursion with the man who had fur
! nished the food.
| BY this means the man was given boaro
and food and the gum gatherer found q
ready market for all the gum he could
pick. Half of the gum. according to thi
! 10 ~ the traders
and the other half to the man who picket
the gum SO that when the season wa
over the men who had made the eXcur
sion could sell the half which belonged
70 him. to the man who had furnished
him with the food.
This for time was carried on in Maine
The pickers frequently followed the lum
Der crews about, eating ana sleeping VIII
The lumbermen and watching each tre'
as It fell, that they might pick the gun