The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1905-01-07

dawn would bring the sodthsiders up.
On the!r enemy. The northsidera were
counssiinR enc another to stand Arm to
the end. II 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
danger Of interference from the sol-
diers. They left that to Gabe Jalvi.
Their purpose was to make the fight
Anal this morning. They knew that
they possessed the numbers and should
they gucceed in destroying the north
aiders' traps and return to their homes
on the southside the victory they had
so long Fought 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
il would be difficult to rebuild them,
and through the prejudice they expect
ed 10 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 a
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 mob organ.
ization, that preferred bloodshed to any
other feature Of the fight between thu
two factions.
The southsiders moved along like &C
many shadows to the attack. A cou'
pie of launches used for towing in the
fishing boats on other occasions hac
been secured, and sailboats had beer
converted into rowboata for the nom
ing attack. These were manned BY
large forces and formed line for the
main encounter.
Old 6eadog had assembled his mer
near the center of the largest group O
traps and took active command at thit
point. 1t meant more for him thar
for all the other northsiders combined
and he interested himself accordingly.
He possessed an lion nerve and thi
was wrought up to the highest tension
1t was the critical point of the lonl
struggle and should he lose, thousand
of dollars worth of property would pas
from his hands. With his traps de
stroyed his cannrey would be useless
with traps and cannery both out of US
the men would be out of employment
and could not pay their bills at hi
store; neither could they pay thei
rent. The traps were the life of tn
town and the town was owned by Sea
dog.
His dark fotilla rose and fell witt
the swells of the bay like a school O
whales lying at rest. and old eeadol
was as silent and watchful as the bull
leader of such an aggregation. He wa
as rugged as a water god and feared tn
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 tn
southsiders stretching up and dow
the river like a great black wave
Their numbers looked as ominous a
did their dark line of advance.
''Men, to your arms and oars!'
Kissed old Seadog. And this comman
was taken up and passed down the line
The arms consisted principally c
long poles. These had been cut for tn
double purpose of keeping back tn
boats of the enemy and at the sam
time to no used as cudgels in case O
resistance and hand to hand conflict.
While it was a justiiable case 70
employing firearms, the fsherme
found that they were not accustomed t
their use and they realized further ths
the less bloodshed on the occasion tn
better it would be for their cause i
the locS run. This was the sentimen
on both sides though many had brough
along rifles and 1evolvers to use in tn
direst extremities.