Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-10-06
STORY for an
Hole Dour
POMONA UP TO DATG.


The fruit season was at it's height.
Every cannery was running at full
blast, the shipping sheds were load
ing and shipping carloads by the
hundred every day, the drying grounds
looked like acres of vari-colored
patchwork with theft trays of dark
and light fruit, and the orchardists
we're securing the highways and
hedges for hands" to keep up with
the demand. The packing-house at
Rancho Pico swarmed with a motley
crew gathered from the four corners
of the earth, in the effort to handle
the crop without waste, for a few
days Of sudden and intense heat had
ripened everything in double-quick
time. A crew Of Japs, working in the
prune orchard, were hauling loads of
dusky purple fruit to the west-roOm
to be dipped, spread, dried, and grad
ed by lot of brawny Swedes. In the
cutting-room, a wiry little Dago was
sweating and swearing over a band of
low-browed Digger Indians, as he
weighed out the fruit to them, and
sent the filled trays to the bleachers.
At the main entrance stood a train Of
fruit-wagons waiting for their re-
spective loads Of peaches for canery
and shipment, while from the vine
yard came ''goose-necks" with their
freight Of grapes to be pressed into
raisins. Everything was going swim
mingly.
Above the rich brogue of the
teamsters, the sputterings of the Japs,
the gutteraI grunts of the Indians,
and muttered cussings in every cur
rent tongue, arose the commanding
voice of young Smithers, the manager
With "fi-fi'' to the Cinnamon in the
loading-shed, a ''get a move on" to a
gang of young. boys at the packing
tables, threatening gesture toward
the Diggers, he kept everybody on a
rush while his watchful eye covered
every detail, from the book keeper in
the Office to the mule in the goose
neck"
Were going to get through all
right, Tamaki," he said to the Jap
boss, who combined the properties of
intelligence Office, general foreman
and sub-lessee, in his own shifty per-
son.
Men YER scarce, though" he
answered, as he turned to steady a
load of trays that were being
switched onto the track
tEVOC full ha
once" with a glance over his congress
Of nations.
Then Tamaki, seeing the iron hot,
came nearer. ''Ver sorry" he said, in
confidential tones, ''but I Just came
down to tell you boys think to have
little more money. So much hard
work, and hot weather"
"But they're getting dollar and
a half day." said Smithers, "a ruin
Gus rate for such a lot Of he re-
membered just in time that this was
not an occasion for crossing swords
Eyes, know the little brown. man
answered, imperturbably; 'but boys
say they quit, no get $1.65."
Smithers looked at the little grin
ming Shylock, and thought how easy
1t would be to throttle him on the
spot, but he also thought of the so
Japs picking fruit and the necessity
OF getting it harvested at once, so he
kept his hands in his pockets. saving
as cooIly as he could: every sorry,
too, but boys get no more money from
me-"
I fraid boys quit" tainted Tama-
III; fine crop, too. Too bad lose EN-"
Then Smithers, knowing the scare
1ty OF white men as laborers, and re-
Numbering how lucky he had thought
himself to get this band of Japs when
other growers were losing tons Of
fru1t because labor was so scarce.
choked down his wrath, and said
I'll tell you what I'll do, Tamaki
III give $1.65 the rest of this week,
if you'll see that they work hard and
earn it," hoping to get out of the
woods by then.
And Tamaki, seeing the ''boys" had
never thought Of Directing to their
regular 81 day, pocketed the pros
pect of his extra 65 cents per capita
with chuckle
Two days later a rush order came
IN from the east for heavy shipment
OF fresh fruit. Every department that
could be cut down without too great
sacrifice was curtailed, and every
available hand on the place was
turned to picking peaches. In the
midst of it all, Tamaki appeared in