The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1903-06-18
LAUNDERING in 1885.

The following letter, found among
some old papers at Greenville, was
brought to the attention Of the REPORT
Err recently. 1t is interesting as pictur'
ing the perils of transportation in the
numbering regions seventy years ago,
and we gladly publish it.
To the gentlemen who are owners In
the corporation at the outlet az Moose
head Lake | wish to make known the
risk that have undergone of my life
and the loss that | have met with this
week while employed by one OF your
men from the outlet In carrying supplies
across the Lake. | started with my
horse and pung on Tuesday morning
the 18th of April 1885 with one of your
men and load of supplies to carry to
he outlet. We arrived at the outlet
about 8 O'Clock In the morning. II i'm
mediately began to snow very fast.
bought It not expedent to tarry long
as had but little fodder with me and no
shelter for the horse. | ate bite OF
victuals and started for home between
8 and 10 not taking any food with me
as | expected to arrive home In few
hours. The storm increased so that the
wind blew. | could not see but little
distance. | missed nv way and went
down the west eide OF Deer Island where
it WAS open and got within few rods OF
water before [ discovered the danger |
was la as the weather was uneommonlv
tedious and dark for the time of day.
turned about and made for the other
side of the island. | pursued on till |
got a considerable distance down the
other side of the Island but to my sur
prise | soon found | could not discover
land In any direction, 1t being the most
tedious storm ever experienced on the
lake. The wind so hard to face, my
horse wheeled a number of times. |
found myself lost and knew not where
to start, my horse beginning to be some
fatgued beating against the wind, gave
her some hay | had left In my pung,
thinking to travel little distance and
see whether | was going to or from
home. travelled from my horse further
than | was aware of and lost sight of
her, neither could | follow my own
tracks back. | continued to travel until
come to a small island, but where |
was | knew not, although l had travelled
up and down many a time. | travelled
hours till got so fatigued that found
| must make for some camp or perish
myself. About sunset | found an old
howell with the roof broken in, no fire.
works to be found. | went to the howell
and found 1t poor habtation for cold
and stormy night. | travelled some far
Their but could not find no other camp.
| returned back to the desolate howell, 1t
being about dark, my clothes wet to my
back, no fire, no supper and cold novel
with the floor covered with snow.
Gentlemen think for a momeat, how
would you feel In this situation? spent
the chief OF the night in travelling from
one end Of the hovel to the other to keep
myself from perishing. A long night 1t
WAS to me. When daylight appeared |
still found myself lost but as the storm
had come to close | could ascertain a
south course which soon brought me in
sight Of Mr.. Scammon's opening. The
new snow being about one foot deep and
the travelling hard. When | got to
Sandy Bay | was almost exhausted.
Gentlemen do not consider you under
any obligations to recompense, yet |
would humbly ask a deed of charity as
have lost horse that was in good order
to perform labor on my farm this
spring and am left with only a yoke Of
steers to do my work. We all have the
promise of reward If we help the needy
in their distress.
Yours with respect,
(Signed) VIM. Cummings.
We the undersigners can testify that
Mr.. Cummings returned from the Lake
pn Wednesday morning the 10th of
April after being on the Lake and en-
ployed in carrying supplies to the out
let was overtaken with violent and
tedious storm. When we saw him
coming he appeared to be exhausted.
We met him and led him to the house
and went Immediately in search of his
horse and found her dead on the ice,
covered with the snow that had fallen.
(Signed) Edmund Scammons, ST.,
Barnabus s. Rich,
Edmund Scamm0ns, Jr.