The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-11

workers moved on eight feet, then an
other eight. then another. More men en-
tered the water to pass the tlmpers a.
row of heavy sIanted supports grew out
from the shoulder Of the DAM dividing
the waters into long, arrow-Shaped fur-
rows of light. AT 1890 O'Clock rom CUTE
was swept over the dam into the eddy. he
swan ashore Purdy took his place.
When the supports had reached out over
half of the rivers span. and the water
was dotted with the shoulders of men
gracefully slanted against the current,
Jimmy gave orders to begin placing the
flash boards. Heavy planks We're at once
slid across the supports. where the weight
of the racing water at once zclamped them
fast. The smooth, quiet river. interrupted
at last. murmured and snarled and eddied
back, only to rush with increased vehe-
mence around the end of the rapidly
growing obstruction.
The policeman passing back and forth
on Canal street heard no sound or the
labor going on. If he had been an OBJ
servant policeman he would have noted
an ever-changing tone in the volume OF
sound roaring up from the eddy below
the dam. After a time even he remark
ed on a certain obvious phenomenon.
Sure" said he, .'now that's funny"
He listened a moment. then passed on.
The vagaries of the river were, after all,
nothing to him. He belonged on Canal
street East side; and Canal street, East
side. seemed peaceful.
The river had fallen abruptly silent. The
last of Jimmy flush boards was in place.
Back in the sleeping town the clock in
Pierce's tower. struck two
Jimmy and his men. having thus raised
the level of the dam a good three feet,
emerged dripping from the west side
,,o1 oh .frrJI 1,oir- mr.
northward to where, In the chilly dawn,
their comrades were sleeping. AS they
passed the rifles they paused. A heavy
grumbiing issued from the logs damned
there, a grumbling british and sullen. as
though the reluctant animals were be-
ginning to stir. The water had already
banked up from the raised dam.
OF course the affair, from a river driv-
er's standpoint, at once became exceed
ingly simple The slumbering twenty
were aroused to astounded drowsiness.
BY three, just as the dawn was beginning
to streak the east, the regular clank,
clank, click of the peevies proclaimed
that due advantage of the high water
was being seized. From then until six
was matter of three hours more.
A great deal can be accomplished in
three hours with flood water The last
little jam pulled" just about the time
the first citizen of the West side dis
covered that his cellar was full of water.
When that startled citizen opened the
front door to see what was up he uttered
a tremendous ejaculation; and SO. short
ly, came to the construction of raft.
Well. the newspapers got out extras
with scare heads about "Outrages" and
High Handed Lawlessness;;'' and factory
owners by the canals raised up their
voices in bitterness over flooded firerooms;
and property owners of perishable cellar
goods howied of damage suits; and the
ordinary citizen took TO bailing out the
hollow places OF his domain. Toward 9
o'clock-after the first excitement had
died and the fash boards had been in
dignantly yanked from their Illegal places
Ia squad of police went out to hunt up
the malefactor. The ratter they discov-
cred on boom pole directing the sluic-
ing. From this position he declined to
stir. One fat policeman yentured a top
ping yard or SO on the floating timber,
threw his shaky hands aloft, and with
mighty effort regaincd the shore, where
he sat down. painting.
To the appeals of the squad to come and
be arrested Jimmy paid not the slightest
attention. He pulled periodically on his
"meerSchaum," and directed the sluicing.
Through the twenty -four-foot gate about
million an hour passed. Thus 1t came
about that little after noon Jimmy
stepped peaceably ashore and delivered
himself up.
You won't have no more trouble be-
low" he observed to Mccain. his lieu
tenant, watching refiectiveIy the last log
as it shot through the gate. .'Just tie
right into her and keep her a-hustling- =
Then he refilled his pipe. lit it and ap-
preached the expectant squad.
At the station house he was interviewed
by reporters. That is, they asked CUES