Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-25
A CAREFUL WATCH
Being Kept to Prevent Small
pox Spread in the State.
Said that About Thirty Men Have
Scattered from HoIeb
where They We're Exposed-Evcry
Preeaution Being Taken.

me report was received in the civ.
Monday. that some 80 men had left tha
FRANK higgins camp i'm Holeb, where
there are cases OF smallpox. One party
mas been prevented from entering
Jackman by the citizens there and ac-
cordihg to the report have scattered
through the woods. These men will
have to seek food and shelter some
Where, and may spread tine disease to
whlch they have been exposed. by con-
cedllns their identity and getting into
some camp. The people in that section
are doing all they can to prevent the
disease from spreading, but they are
having a difficult job
The conditions in the woods are al
most ideal for d spread of a contagious
disease. There are MANY camps
scattered through the good numbering
country, some of them but short dis
tances apart. The men visit back and
forth more or less through the winter
and men are usually coming and going
from Il camp all through the season. In
HOleb. where the camps are located
near TIE boundary line good many
men cross over from Canada for a win
ter's job. returning to their farms in
the spring. These are also coming and
going all the time.
The greatest danger seems to be from
the men coming over from Canada.
There is apparently no such fear of the
disease among them as there is among
the people of Maine. Il is fairly COM
mon, not often fatal, and seems to be
reckOned much the same as fever or
other disease of that nature. In the lit
tie hamlets in the woods there are no
strict quarantine measures and the
people are allowed to handle the disease
much as they see fit and this is usually
by paying but little attention to it.
With one case in a camp it will be inn
possible to prevent the other men from
being exposed. The camps as now built
consist of two large rooms, one usually
larger than the other. The smaller of
| the two is the cook room where the
| cook and cookie sleep and eat and pre-
| pare the food for the men and where
| the crew eats. The other and larger
| room is the living room for the crew.
| The two are usually under the same
| roof and almost invariably connected
| by what is called the dingle. This has
|
| try way to the camp and is used for
| the storage of supplies and tools.
In the living room there are two long
| lines of hunks, extending usually from
| one end of the camp to the other. In
| most camps there is a double row OF
hunks on one side and a single row on
| the other that is, the double row con-
ssts of one line of hunks above the
other. When the camp is built the
| hunks are separated simply by poles
| extending from the caves to the
| supporting and dividing pole along the
| front of the hunks. These are made
| big enough for two men. AS soon as
1 the crew is settled the men spend
their leisure time in fixing up their
hunks, making partitions or ceuar
splits. What results is a long line of
| what looks for all the world like stalls
in "A stable. only they are smaller.
| The interior of the stalls are fitted
up with shelves for the storage of odds
| and ends and sometimes rudely deco
rated with newspapers. The idea is to
MAKO them snug and comfortable. The
foundation OF the beds is made of light
noIes and these support thick coating
ri bouchs. Each pair of men is allow
|
under and one to go over. They may
add to these whatever they can lay
hands on and hold. but the two are the
regulation allowance.
The stalls" which are just ABOUT tne
size of a roomy double bed. constitute
the rooms of the men and all their De
longings are stored there. The doupie
row is given over to the swampers.
chcppers, ETC.. while the single row IL
given over to the teamsters. Inc
tea,nsters form the "aristocracy OIL
The camp and have various privileges
and rights not enjoyed by the otner
men. Their line of hunks are usually
the best located, the most ccmiortaple
and the best in every way. Next 10 tne
hoss they draw the largest wages anu
a good deal depends on their WORK.
The crews range all the way from ~
to 100 men and are quartered almost
invariably as described. 1t Will De
readily seen how much chance there is
| froufinued on mage 81