Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-08-06

corpOrations. Cr lumber companies
owning the tracts employ thousands
of men in their camps in crews of
from twenty-five to one hundred, each
occupying shanty known as
"camp' built in among the hills at
some point as near to work as possi-
BILE. These men are naturally far be
yond the reach of church and other
religious and moral influences. Here,
then, is an opportunity the Young
MEMS Christian Association is seek
ing. an organization always on the
alert for such openings among men,
and to these large numbers of lumber
men, some Of them far removed from
civilization, the Pennsylvania State
Young Mems Christian Association
goes.
During the summer vacation
months Christian college students
who are willing to make some sacri-
flee are sent into the mountains
among these men to conduct meetings
and hold popular entertainments, and
to minister to their spiritual needs.
The financial remuneration to these
students is nominal. but they get an
"exeprience,' and two months in the
woods of hard life and among hearty
WOOdsmen that are never to be for
gotten. The students go in bands Of
two and take with them an outfit con
sisting of a folding organ. singing
Testaments. a large number
of colportase books and tracts, two
hammocks and several pairs Of blank
cts. Thus equipped, they go into the
heart of the forests and into the heart
of men who stand in sore need Of 1t
and who welcome them if the attempt
is not made at patronizng.
Most of the camps are difficult of
access. and become more and more
so each year as they are pushed deep
er into the mountain district. I'M
provised railroads are built from
ilization in order to haul the logs
of the mills. These railroads are
at once streets. avenues. pavements
and by.paths.
In the camps the lumbermen are
provided with the barest necessities
of existence Substantial food is fur
E,,t
the very toughest manner, on rough
l. built table. without tablecloth, in
dishes, tin cups, etc. and eaten with
,4iron knives and forks, and certainly
without ceremony The dining-room
occupies most Of the space in the
lower floor of the camp. the rest Of
the space on the lower floor being
divided between the kitchen and lob
by. In the upper story is large
room with partition, packed with
@bunks" one against another, the en-
tire crew sleeping in one room. Bed
linens are not in fashion here, and
there is scarcely camp that is not
infested with that furtive little in
sect known as the "seam squirrel.
The chief pastime of the lumber
men when in camp is sleeping and
card playing and gambling. Hun
Greds Of dollars change hands in a
single night or rainy Gay. The al
mosphere is "blue" with profanity.
Every traveller who visits the camp Is
given a place at the table, and there
are as many as ten or a dozen at a
single meal. The authorities say they
are obliged to feed these travellers
lest revenge be sought by setting fire
to the woods and thus causing loss
{ Of thousands of dollars.
The prevailing evil among these
men is that of drunkness. They re-
eeive from 50 to S. per day. but
about three-fourths of the men will
work two or three weeks and then
leave the woods. draw their checks
and in single day spend every cent
OF their earnings for drink 1t is this
condition of affairs that has opened
the way for the foreign worllmen
TO come into the woods and replace
the American workmen. Contractors
are under obligation to have their
work done by a certain time, ard to
thls end they must have men who will
work steadily, and the average fer
elgner does not go on these periodic
trips of exhilaration; the consequence
IS, he is in demand by the companies
operating the woods. Representa-
e. yves OF nearly every nationality on
the globe are to be found in tho for
ests though Italians ana Austrians
pfeoomlnate. The forcignors have