Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-12-15

of the jam to pick away with their
peaveys, or levers. the logs close to the
rock against which the jam rests. They
seek for the key log which when
pried out starts the jam moving so that
| it either ''hangs up again or breaks to
pieces.
When the men see that il is breaking
they run over the heaying, bounding
tangie Of logs TO the boat at the head
of the jam. A slip or n missrep means
a fall between the grinding and toss
ing logs. The logs may become so sep
arated that It is impossible to reach
the boat. If this happens the white
water man" must make good his name
by making his way TO the shore with
out getting wet or maybe killed.
Perhaps the floating timber spreads
apart to such an extent that he is COM
it is that he best shows his ability as Il
log driver. He balances himself on the
upstream end of the log. steadies him
self upon his spike shoes and steers
clear OF the rocks before him. The men
ON shore stop to watch He may, ride
to safety and he may not.
Some years ago on the West Canada
creek, in the Adirondacks, u foreman
Of log driving crew who would never
send his men where he did not dare go
himself went out with two volunteers
TO break jam in exceedingly swift
and rough water. With some difficulty
they reached the pile of logs and, after
time, succeeded in starting them 60
ing. The logs started much faster than
expected and were soon scattered in
such a manner that the two men could
not get to the boatman and boat at the
head Of the jam. They did the best
they could to keep their feet and to
work their way toward shore.
The foreman was the more skillfuI of
the two and kept his log fairly steady,
but the other man was having 4 hard
time to keep on top. Having come
within fifteen or twenty yards of the
shore, the foreman braced his peavey
against the other mans log and then
gave ii n shove, which sent it toward
shore with the man. In doing this the
foremans log was sent far out into the
raging stream. He had intended to
work his way back again while he was
cutting" his log to stop it rolling, but
it struck rock. He was hurled into
the air and came down headforemost
upon the bowlder. His body was found
some days later q mile downstream.
Although the white water man Is
skillful in riding 4 log, it is obvious
that he cannot ride over a waterfall or
through an extremely rough rapid.
When a jam forms above Il waterfall
p,. rerll mid iS no ho
danger of busting is greatly increas
ed, since here it is absolutely necessary
to get TO the boat or 10 the shore
When one considers that in breaking
jams the drivers are often compelled
to ride to shore on a log, the danger
can readily be seen.
Gene McBeth. one of the best driv-
ers that ever rode n log. met his death
on Mill creek in just such 4 situation.
A wing JAM so called because ex-
tending from shore into the stream,
had hung up above rapids that could
not be passed even by boat. With
two other men McBeth went out on
the logs and began picking them loose
In search for the key log" After
working an hour, all at once the jam
Ieaped forward and was in full mo-
ton.
The men turned and started up the
jam, McBeth in the lead. When they
reached the single place over which
they could pass McBeth stopped to
help his less able companions and to
let them pass ahead of him. 1t was
a fatal move on his part, for the other
two men had just time TO jump ashore
into the water waist deep When his
turn came it was too late. He had
saved his friends. but now there was
n ride for his life over the tangled
mass of groaning and tossing logs.
When he saw what ii all meant he
turned about. held the peavey as bal
ance pole tight in both hands and faced
the hopeless fight for life.
The men on shore ran along the
stream. unable to render him aid, and
watched the greatest log riding they
had ever seen. At times he would
jump waist high to another log that
he might get nearer shore or to avoid
n tumbling wave with a log on its
back. Again he would jump from one
tossing log TO another. and once as a
log swung about which would have
struck his knees he jumped clear over
ii as il passed under him and landed
back on his log. Once he fell to his |
hands, but was on his feet i'm an in |
slant
The men on shore were unable to run |
as fast as the stream, and when they |
last saw him he was still on his feet, |
now jumping, now riding with all his
strength and agility. ever trying to
near the shore. When they found the
poor man, a week later, all his limbs |
were broken, some of them twice. and |
bruises covered his body. but. |
some way or other. not a scar distig- |
ured his face.-New York Tribune.
big Game on the Nile.
A traveller on the upper Nile gives
his picture of big game that abounds /