The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-12-24

out the worst element of the southside
and they determined to drive back or
destroy, even to the line OF the north
shore.
The boat came slowly down the river.
The belligerent fishermen watched it
with intense interest on both sides.
81 hope to God she brings the SOL
disers," repeated Old Seadog as it came
nearer and nearer. "Gabe Jarvi will
take care OF Them" casually remarked
southside leader to his companion.
1t did contain the soldiers, and the
reader already knows of its movements,
and the treachery of it's pilot.
After the boat passed away to the
south OF the island, the northsiders re-
Taxed into feeling almost hopeless.
The night was cool and calm, but an
unusual darkness settled down upon
the waters. The stars shown out and
gave forth shadows that darkened the
surface of the water. A black veil
hung above it like mantle. The
contending fishermen lay upon their
oars and arms. The first blush of
dawn would bring the southsiders up
on their enemy. The northsiders were
counseling one another to stand firm to
the end. If they could only stay the
destruction of their traps until the ar
rival of the soldiers they feared no
further trouble.
With the first flash of the red in the
east the southsiders moved out to the
north. They did not apprehend any
/ do Of inf ha ii
diers. They left that to Gabe Jaivi.
Their purpose was to make the fight
final this morning. They knew that
they possessed the numbers and should
they succeed in destroying the north
siders' traps and return to their homes
on the southside the victory they had
80 long sought would be complete.
When once at their homes the enormi-
ty 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 fishtraps in the Column
bia river. They had already sent
long petition to their congressman, not
only showing that the traps were de-
structive to the fish industry but were
also detrimental and hazardous to nav
igation.
Axes, drags, arms and dynamite had
been provided by the southsiders.
They did not wish upon the whole to
resort to bloodshed. They came, how
ever, determined to win. They ex-
pected to do this through intimidation
and overwhelming numbers.
But there were those among them
who are always found in a mob organ
ization, that preferred bloodshed to any
other feature of the fight between the
two factions.
The southsiders moved along like so
many shadows to the attack. A cou-
pie of launches used for towing in the
fishing boats on other occasions had
been secured, and sailboats had been
converted into row boats for the NOM
I ing 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 foi him than
for all the other northsiders combined
and he interested himself accordingly.
He possessed an non 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 cannrey 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 Sea-
dog.
His dark fotilla rose and fell with
the swells of the bay like 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 than 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 q great black wave
Their numbers looked as ominous as
did their dark line of advance.
Men, to your arms and oarsl''
Kissed old Seadog. And this command
was taken up and passed down the line