The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-08-04


finally, these cold streaks in the air.
They are just as distinct as though
they had partitions around them.'
Queer climate anyway" agreed Car
penter.
Excepting always for the mill, the
little settlement appeared asleep. The
main booms were quite deserted. Aft
er awhile Hamilton noticed something.
Look here, Carpenter" said he.
whats happening out there? Have
some OF your COMPOUNDED logs sunk, or
what: There don't seem to be near so
many Of them somehow"
No; it isn't that" proffered Carmen
ter after moments scrutiny. "There
are just as many logs, but they are
getting separated little so you can
see the open water between them"
Guess you're right. sly, look here,
believe that the river is rising"
Nonsense! We haven't had anv
rain''
"She's 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 it now''
"Shes pretty near the water line,
that's right admitted Carpenter.
About an hour later the younger man
in his turn made a 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 it. See,
they've closed up the little openings
between them, and they are beginning
TO crowd down to the lower end of the
pond"
II don't know anything about this
business }1azarded the journalist, .'but
l should think there was good deal of
pressure on that same lower end. By
JoVe, look here! See those logs up-end.
l believe you're going to have a jam
right here in your own booms.''
Il don't know" hesitated Wallace.
Il never heard Of it's happening
You'd better let some one know
Il 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.
dumping fishhooksv' he cried. "Why,
the rivers up six inches and still
a-comin'! Here you, Tom!' he called
to 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 to do?' asked
Wallace.
Il got to strengthen the booms," ex-
planned the mill foreman. well drive
some piles across the cribs.''
lis there any danger?"
ooh, no. The river would have to
rise good deal higher than she is now
to make current enough to hurt.
They've had a hard rain up above.
This will go down in few hours.''
After time the tug puffed up to the
booms, escorting the pile driver. The
latter towed little raft of long, sharp
ened piles, which it 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
sudden deluge of rain surprised the
workmen. For an hour it poured down
in torrents, then settled to a steady
gray beat. Immediately the aspect
had changed.
SOlly, the tug captain, looked at his
mooring hawsers and then at the near
est crib.
"She's riz two inches in tn last two
hours" he announced, "and she's run
min like a mill race" Solly was a
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' to 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
ouI luAuAl, tuC JAIN lOIuCu LII luo
rear they pressed in, were sucked un-
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 it in
creased, sending the water by in gusts,
ruffiing the already hurrying river into
greater haste, raising far from the
shore dimly perceived whitecaps. 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