Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-10-07
FIGHT WAS HARD.
Meeting in a Lumber Camp was Set.
tied by Contract.

Il 'spose there are some pretty tough
characters who go into the woods, now
adays.' remarked a man who has spent
the better part of 10 years numbering on
the waters of Penobscot and its
branches the other night. Somehow.
though he went on. 1T don't seem TO
Inc that any Of the crews they get to-
gether now can equal some of the old
ones for downright cussedness. About
the worst I ever came across was IN a
camp up near Cooper brooks a good many
years ago.
The crew went into the woods in
September and worked along without
much difficulty until the early part of
the winter. They had been cutting tim
Der on a mountain and when it had all
been taken off on one side. the crew
wanted to continue work in another d.
rection The boss wouldn't listen I'd
this proposition for "A. minute. He said
that II would mean the loss of hundreds
Of dollars TO the men who were running
the operation. The men didn't care II
it did. They weren't going to risk their
lives any longer, they said. working with
horses the side of mountain as steep
as that particular one. Everything
might have gone well If three of the men
hadn't gone out To the Iron Works and
from there down to Brownville one day
This trio got back to camp three days
later with all the whiskey they could
possibly carry. both inside and out. Their
arrival was the signal for the rest OF the
crew 10 stop work and that night the
orgy started. Big Buck Sanderson, the
buny of the camp and the acknowledged
leader of the faction who was opposed
h.. pnpnnpcpH that the
would either work where they wanted To
or they wouldn't work at all. If the
foreman didn't like ii he could leave. in
fact. SdnderSOn limited, II would be bet
Ter If ne left anyway.
THE boss was man named Webster,
he was killed on the West branch drive
{: few years afterwards. who WASH I
afraid of dozen camps full of drunken
iImbermen. He formed plan for the
undoing of the mutineers and that night
he put IL into execution. The snow was
some six feet deep all about the camps
and he figured il oJt that a man with
bare feet couldn't travel through it 10
any great extent After the last of the
jewellers had dropped over on his bunk
and subsidized. Webster cautiously entered
the camp and began gathering up the
Inoccasins and rubber shoes of the sleep
ers. Ne took every bit of foot wear IN
sight, including leggings and hid the
whole pile where he was certain it could
not be found. Then he went To his own
camp, locked the door and turned in
Webster mad sort of suspected that there
might be and was prepared for it.
From the window of his log stronghold
he held out terms. He would agree t.
tight Buck Sanderson and lick him bul
IL he did the men must agree to abd,
by his decision in regard to working. II
Sanderson didn't wish tn fight and the
men still persisted in their refusal to fol
low his direction why he would break
camp. He had the key to the supply
camp and all their foot gear. He would
make tracks for the settlements on snow
shoes and they could follow as best the.
might.
THE men didn't take long to consider
Webstcr's offer and SandersOn agreed Il
carry out his part of the agreement. The
fight which followed was of tn,
bloodicst ever seen in Maine lumber
camp 1t lasted nearly two hours ant
when IL was over two men had to STAR
Tor the Iron Works after a doctor fol
Sanderson. Webster had broken hi!
nose, right arm and three ribs. be
leve he finally pulled through Th'
next morning the men went back to worl
and there was no further trouble.
= '1Ie had a mighty persuasive way, thu
Webster. Bangor Commercial