The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1904-04-16

ice water hours &C Z susrcus - - ~
called upon TO break the most danger
Gus jams on the river. reprsssnangs -
they did, the accumulation whkoh -
jam crew had left behind thera. Il was
naturally considered the height Of 80
ry to belong to the rear crew. Hseo
were the best OF the Fighting Forty,
men with reputation a. white water
birlers." men afraid OF nothing.
Every morning the crews were div16-
Ell into two sections under Keriie and
Jack Hyland. Each crew had charge
OF one side Of the river. Scotty Par
sons exercised general supervisory
eye over both crews. Shearer and
Thorpe travelled back and forth the
length OF the drive. riding the logS
down stream. but taking to partly
submerged pole trail when ascending
the current. On the surface. Of tbs
river In the clear water noated two
long. graceful boats called bateaux.
These were In charge OF expert boat
men. They carried In racks great
supply OF pike poles, peaveyA axes.
rope and dynamite for use In various
emergencies.
Intense rivalry existed as TO which
crew sacked" the farthest down the
stream I'm the course OF the day. There
was no need TO urge the men, Some
stood upon the logs. pushing nightly
with the long pike poles. From ono
end OF the rear to the other shouts.
calls, warnings and jokes new back
and forth. Once or twice vast roar
OF Homeric laughter went up as some
unfortunate slipped and soused into
the water. When the current Stacked
and the logs hesitated In their run the
entire crew FASTENED, bobbing from
log TO log, down river to see about it.
Then they broke the jam. standing
surely on the edge OF the great dark
ness, while the Ice water sucked In
and out OF their shoes.
Behind the rear Big Junko pofed hts
bateau backward and forward expl0d-
ing dynamite. Many OF the bottom
tiers OF logs In the roliways had been
frozen down, and Big Junko had to
loosen them from the bed Of the
|
his nickname indicated, built OF many
awkwardnesses. His cheek bones were
high, his nose fiat, his lips thick and
slabbery. He sported wide, fero-
cious struggling mustache and long
eyebrows, under which cleaned little
fierce eyes. His forehead sloped back
like beasts, but was always hidden
by disreputable felt hat. Big Junko
did not know much and had tho paD-
sions OF a wild animal. but he was .
reckless river man and devoted 20
Thorpe. Just now he exploded dyna-
mite.
The sticks OF powder were piled
amidshlps. Big Junko crouched over
them. inserting the fuses and caps.
closing the openings with soap, finally
lighting them and dropping them into
the water alongside. where they imme-
diately sank. Then n few strokes Of .
short paddle took him barely out Of
danger He huddled down In his craft.
waiting. One. two, three seconds paused.
Then a hollow boom shook the stream.
A cloud OF water sprang up, strangely
beautiful. After a moment the great
brown logs rose suddenly to the SUR
face from below, one after the other.
like leviathans OF the deep.
Thorpe and Tim Shearer nearly al
ways slept I'm dog tent at the rear.
though occasionally they passed the
night at Dam Two, where Bryan No.
loney and his crew were already en-
gagged In sluicing the logs through the
shoot
The affair was simple enough. Long
booms arranged In the form Of an
open v guided the drive 10 the siuice
gate, through which smooth apron
OF water rushed to turmoil In an eddy
Ing pool below. Two men trampc0
steadily backward and forward ON the
booms urging the logs forward BY
means Of long pike poles to where the
suction could seize them. Below the
dam the push Of the sluice wAteR
forced them several miles down stream.
where the rest OF Bryan Moloney's
crew took them In charge.
Thus through the wide gate nearly
three quarters OF million feet an
hour could be run, and at length the
last OF the logs drifted into the wide
dam pool. The rear had arrived at
Dam Two, and Thorpe congratulated
himself that one stage or his journey
had been completed.
fsrI A t,,rt.n xvxty