Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-03-07
BREAKING THE JAN
AT MAD TOMS GORGE
By RAYMOND s. SPEARS.


THE spring drive of logs down the
West Canada creek, an Adiron-
dack stream, five years ago, was re-
markable for a number of unusual
events To begin with, it was larger by
millions of feet than any ever before
tloated down this stream. 1t was
1oated in record time, too, for the
snow went off with a rush after the
ice had gone out Consequently the
creek was brimming, and on this
fiood-tide came the logs by the tens
of thousands
To roll stranded logs from the
banks and to break the jams, there
was a gang of more than 60 strong,
daring men. They rode the torrent
and fell in a dozen times a week, but
at last they learned caution.
Bill Kennedy rode a log into Has
kelrs riffs before he knew it one day.
a mile of white water full of rocks
was before him. Kennedy lost his
courage, the more completely because
his courage had never before failed
him. He uttered a wild cry. Dan
Cunningham saw his peril, and jump
ing to a passing log, pushed out to the
rescue. 1t was a wild race. but the
approach of help steadied Kennedy
and enabled him to keep his balance.
Cunningham, guiding his log into the
swiftest current, overlook the help
less raftsman, and with his pike-pole
steered both logs for shore
There was an eddy just a little way
below, and Cunningham, with all his
might. showed Kennedy's log into it.
But hat thrust pushed his own far
out. rolling and rocking. Kennedy
was ashore in a moment, but before
Cunningham could recover his balance
the log he rode hit a rock; one end
flew up, and the rescuer was thrown
90 feet into the air. He came down
head first on a f~roth-covered rock and
disappeared. 1t was dark before h
body was recovered. After that the
men took the long way round, even
at dinner time.
No man is a raftsman unless he can
ride a log. So, in a numbering
try every riverside boy of ambition
learns the knack on creek still waters.
Among the rest of the boys at Will
murt, Will Conway. 16 years old that
spring, was renowned. He knew the
creek, the places where the deer
crossed it, the brooks that the minks
followed and the pools the trout
lurked in. But he wasn't satisfied
with the money he earned selling
trout and trapping mink. He wanted
to make daily wages like a man So
he went to George Koch, the boss
driver, and asked to go with his gang;
but Koch told the lad he wasn't big
enough yet to handle a cant-hook.
1t was a heavy disappointment to
Will. 1t hurt his pride; besides, the
family needed the money But as
argument was of no avail, VIII was
q mere spectator on h bank just
above Mad Toms gorge when the
driving crew arrived there on a Satur-
day morning.
That was the best place on the creek
to see the drive. A big bowlder had
come out of the deep water above the
gorge and lodged there in midstream
at the brink of the tumult, its a
ugly head two feet above the surface
level. Against it logs were hanging
every minute, making the worst jam
of the season. 1t was already 2Oo
yards long.
The mere fact that it was a big jam
was something, but that was o all
Whoever broke this jam must surely
go through the gorge-a third OF a
mile of the widest plunging water,
where the flood piles up first against
one rock ledge, then against the other'
and finally gIides into the foamlng
tumble at the head of Mad Ioms
pool. in which men have disappeared.
HaskelT's riffs, broad, open and COM
paratively shallow, had cost Cunning
ham his life. Here vas water tenfold
worse. At sight of the jam above 1t
the men hesitated and shook their
heads. They ate their lunch OF cheese,
bread, canned beef and coffee. Some
hoped the water wou-1 rise and mt
the jam over the bowlder; they point
ed out that the stream was just then
rising a bit, for il was higher IN the !