Canyon City news. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1903-1908, 1905-01-27

Sprdng boldiy and confidently ten feet
straight dopnpdrd.
down, and after that you had better
camp ut the dam. Just as soon Us you
get logs enough In the pond start to
sluicing them through the dam. You
won't need more than four men there
If you keep a good head. You can
keep your gates open five or six hours.
And, Moloney"-
Yes. SIR"
~ want you to be careful not to
sluice too long. There is bar just
below the dam. and II you try to
sluice with the water too low you'll
center and jam there as sure as shoot
Ing"
Bryan Moloney turned on his heel
and began to pick his way down
stream over the solidly banked logs.
Without waiting the command dozen
men followed him. The little group
bobbed away irregularly into the dis
lance. springing lightly from one tim
Der to the other. holding their quantity
fashioned peaveys in the manner OF
ropedancers balancing pole. AT the
lowermost limit Of the rollwnys each
man pried log into the water and,
standing gracefully erect on this I'M
stable craft. tloated out down the cur
rent to the scene Of his dangerous Ia
bor
"Kerlie." went on Thorpe. 'your
crew can break rollways with the rest
until we get the river fairly oiled. and
then you can move on down stream as
fast as you are needed Scotty. you
will have the rear. Tim and | will
boss the river"
At once the signal was given to FL
lis the dam watcher. Ellis and his
assistants thereupon began to pry with
long iron bars at the ratchets OF the
heavy gates. The chore boy bent at
tentively over the ratchet pin. lifting
II delicately to permit another inch of
raise. dropping it accurately to enable
the men at the bars to seize fresh
purchase. The rivers roar deepened.
Through the wide sideways torrent
foamed and tumbled. Immediately II
spread through the brush on either side
to the limits of the freshet banks and
then gathered for its leap against the
uneasy rolways. Along the edge OF
the dark channel the face Of the logs
seemed to crumble away. Farther In
toward the banks where the weight
Of timber still unbalanced the weight
OF the food the tiers grumbled and
stirred. Far down the river. where
Bryan Moloney and his crew were
picking at the jam. the water in eager
streamlets sought the interstices be-
tween the logs. gurgling excitedly.
The Jam creaked and groaned In re-
Spouse to the pressure. From Its face
hundred jets Of water spOuted into the
lower stream. Logs appended here and
there. rising from the bristling surface
slowly like SO many arms from the roll
ways. paused at the slack eddied back
foaming. Logs shot down from the
rollways. paused at the slack water and
finally hit with hollow and resound-
ing boom against the tail Of the jam.
A moment later they. too. appended.
The crew were working desperately.
Down in the heap somewhere two logs
were crossed in such manner as to
lock the whole. They sought those logs.
Thirty feet above the bed Of the river
six men ciamped their peaveys into the
soft pine, jerking. pulling, lifting, slid
ing the great logs from their places.
Thirty feet below. under the threaten
ing face. six other men coOlly picked
out and set adrift. one by one, the tim
bers not inextricably imbedded. From
time to time the mass creaked, settled,
perhaps even moved foot or two. but
always the practiced river men after
glance bent more eagerly to their
work.
Outlined against the sky. big Bryan
Moloney stood directing the work. He
knew by the tenseness Of the log he
stood on that behind the jam power
had gathered sufficient to push the
whole tangle down stream. Now he
was offering 1t the chance.
Suddenly the six men below the jam
Goa ttarad Eanr af fhem iumppd light