The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1904-04-30

what? There don't seem 10 be near %
many OF them somehow"
mo; II isn't that" proffered Carpen-
ter after a moments scrutiny. There
are just as many logs, bot they are
getting separated little 40 you can
see the open water between them"
Guess you're right. Say. look here.
believe that the river In rising"
Nonsense! We haven't had any
rain"
shes rising Just the same You see
that Spite over there near the left hand
crib? Well. I sat on the boom this
morning watching the crew. and
whitfield the Spite with my knife. You
can see the marks from here. cut the
thing about two feet above the water.
Look at IL now"
"She's pretty near the water line.
that's right" admitted Carpenter.
About an hour later the younger man
In his turn made discovery.
she's been rising right along" he
submitted. "Your marks are nearer
the water, and. do you know. I believe
the logs are beginning to feel n. See.
they've closed up the little openings
between them. and they are beginning
10 crowd down to the lower end of the
pond"
II don't know anything about this
business" hazarded the journalist, but
I should think there was a good deal of
pressure on that same lower end. By
Jovc, look herel See those logs up-end.
believe you're going 10 have a jam
right here In your own booms."
II don't know" hesitated Wallace.
81 never heard OF It's happening"
You'd better let some one know"
II hate to bother Harry or any OF
the river men. I'll just step down to
the mill. Mason-he's our mill fore
man--he'll know"
Mason came to the edge OF the high
trestle and took one look.
Jumping fishhooksr' he cried. why.
the rivers UP six inches and still
a-comin'! Here you, TomV he called
10 one OF the yard hands. You tell
Solly to get steam ON that tug dou-
BILE quick and have Dave hustle to-
gether his driver crew.
what are you going 10 dor asked
Wallace
81 got to strengthen the bccms." er-
planned the mill foreman. Wen drive
some piles across the cribs"
lis there any dangerr'
"Oh, no. The river would have TO
rise good deal higher than she Is now
10 make current enough to hurt
They've had hard rain up above.
This will go down In few hours"
After time the tug pulled up to the
booms. escorting the Pile driver. The
latter towed little raft Of long. sharp
ened piles which II at once began to
drive in such positions as would most
effectually strengthen the booms. In
the meantime the thunder heads had
slyly climbed the heavens, so that q
sudden deluge OF rain surprised the
workmen. For an hour II poured down
in torrents, then settled 10 a steady
gray beat. Immediately the aspect
had changed.
Solly, the tug captain. looked at his
mooring hawsers and then ut the near
est crib.
"she's rix two inches in tn last two
hours" he announced, land she's run
min like mill race" Solly was
typical north country tug captain. short
and broad. with a brown, clear face
and the steadiest and calmest OF steel
blue eyes. when she begins to feel
tn pressure behind" he went on,
there's goin' 10 be trouble"
Toward dusk she began to feel that
pressure Through the rainy twilight
the logs could be seen raising their
ghostly arms Of protest. Slowly. with
out tumult, the jam formed In the
rear they pressed In. were sucked I'M
der In the swift water and came TO
rest at the bottom OF the river. The
current OF the river began to protest
pressing it's hydraulics through the mar
rowing crevices. The situation demand
ed attention.
A breeze began to pull offshore In
the body OF rain. Little by little II In
ased, sending the water by In gusts.
rufIling the already hurrying river into
greater haste, raising far from the
shore dimly perceived wbitecaps. Be
tween the roaring OF the wind, the
dash of rain and the rush of the stream
men had to shout to make themselves
heard
Guess you'd better rout out the
boss" screamed Solly TO Wallace Car
penter. This waters comm up an
inch an hour right along. When she
backs up once she'll push this jam out
sure
Wallace ran to the boarding house
and reused his partner from a heavy
sleep. The latter understood the situa-
ton at q word. while dressing he ex-
planned TO the younger man wherein
lay the danger.
''If the jam breaks once" said he.
nothing top OF earth can prevent IL
from going out into the lake, and there
II II scatter heaven knows where. Once
scattered IL is practically total loss
They felt blindly through the rain In
the direction OF the lights on the tug
and pile driver. Shearcr, the water
- NJ.