The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-12-22

and return to their homes on the south
side the victory they had so long sought
would be complete. When once at
their homes the enormity of their crime
would be lost sight Of in measure and
the future would find them masters of
the river.
When the traps we're once destroyed
it would be difficult to rebuild them,
and through the prejudice they expect
ed to create against the traps, they
hoped to interest their own state and
the United States congress against the
construction of fshtraps in the Column
bia river. They had already sent
long petition to thier congressman, not
only showing that the traps were de-
structive to the fish industry but were
also detrimental and hazardous to navi-
CATION.
Axes, drags, arms and dynamite had
been provided by the southsiders They
did not wish upon the whole to resort to
bloodshed. They came, however, de-
termined to win. They expected to do
this through intimidation and over
whelming numbers.
But there were those among them
who are always found in mob organiza-
tion, that preferred bloodshed to any
other feature Of the fight between the
two factions.
The soulhsiders moved along like so
many shadows to the attack. A couple
Of launches used for towing in the fish
ing boats on other occasions had been
secured, and sailboats had been con-
verted into rowboats for the morning
attack. These were manned by large
forces and formed line for the main
encounter.
Old Seadog had assembled his men
near the center Of the largest group OF
traps and took active command at this
point. 1t meant more for him than for
all the other northsiders combined and
he interested himself accordingly.
He possessed an iron nerve and this
was wrought up to the highest tension.
1t was the critical point of the long
struggle and should he lose, thousands
of dollars worth Of property would pass
from his hands. With his traps de-
stroyed his cannery would be useless;
with traps and cannery both out OF use
the men would be out of employment
and could not pay their bills at his
store; neither could they pay their rent.
The traps were the life of the town and
the town was owned by Seadog.
His dark fotilla rose and fell with
the swells of the bay like n school OF
whales lying at rest, and old Seadog
was as silent and watchful as the bull
leader of such an aggregation, He was
as rugged as a water god and feared the
waves no more thad did old Neptune,
who ruled them.
The suspense was finally relieved.
In the shadows of the slowly approach
ing morn could be seen the boats of the
southsiders stretching up and down
the river like a great black wave. Their
numbers looked as ominous as did their
dark line of advance.
"Men, to your arms and oars y Missed
old seadog And this command was
taken up and passed down the line.
The arms consisted principally Of
long poles. These had been cut for the
double purpose of keeping back the
boats of the enemy and at the same
time to be used as cudgels in case o
resistance and hand to hand conflict.
While it was a justifable case fol
employing firearms, the fishermen
found that they were not accustomed tt
their use and they realized further tha
the less boodshed on the occasion the
better it would be for their cause in the
long run. This was the sentiment OF
both sides though many had brough
along rifles and revolyers to use in the
direst extremities.