Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-03-11
MAINE CAMP KEEPERS.
Hen Who Draw Salaries For Simply
lst Eating and Sleeping. st5

Hcn Who Draw Salaries For Simply
Eating md Sleeping. l5
No set Of men in The world has an
easier or arhnppier life than do the
''camp keepers of northern Maine.
They toll not, neither do they do much
thinking. yet on incomes not exceed
Ing 500 cash a year they really have
n comfortable and enjoyable existence
These happy men are the keepers or
caretakers Of lumber camps during the
five months of. the year That logging
operations are suspended and the
camps are deserted.
When the work Of cutting the win
ter's crop of logs has been completed
and the last of the crew has gone down
the river 10 Bangor somebody must
keep ,gnard oyer, the oumps, the provi-
FsionsSthdt haze, been LEFTOVER |all,
The valuable outfit, and must see that;
The property is not burned up or stolen
by woods trRmps or careless sports
men. For this purpose the owner oc
the camp hires one Of tile queer, happy
so lucky characters always TO be found
In the borderland between the deep
woods and civilization.
These men have no fixed place Of res.
idcnce and generally no family counec.
lions That they care much about, and
they have Il constitutional aversion for
real labor. They are good fishermen,
good shots and good woods cooks.
They drink liquor when they can get
it without too much excrtion. go with
out ii when none is handy; do not necd
or care for many clothes aud haven't
the least ambition to become wealthy.
All they want Is omfort, plenty to eat
plenty Of tobacco, n good chance to
hunt and fish and nothing whatever to
do in the line Of work OH a regular
schedule. This is the life of The camp
keeper. and it is always easy to get n
man TO take the job.
When the last logger Is gone the
! keeper comes in and takes charge. He
falls heir TO all the dime novels, illus
trateu papers, old clothes and tobacco
that may bc left behind. There Is al-
ways enough -four. pork. mo!asses and
tea in the camp TO supply a dozen men
| for year and the keeper has his
choice Of fifty hunks to sleep in. he
has rife, fishing rod, big jack
knife. lots of clay pipes, n complete
knowledge OF The woods and dreamy
Indifference to all that goes on In the
| outside world.
| For q week or two after the depar-
ture of the logging crew the camp keep
pr Is busy-oyerworked, in fact-for he
has to ''pick up the camp"-that is, set
everything in order and take n mental
| inventory of the stuff left over for his
disposal. Having completed this labo-
rious task. lie settles down for rest
OF few months. which rest is inter
rupted only by fishing trips or excur-
sions into the woods to look up places
frequented by moose and deer and to
locate good gum bearing trees. This
knowledge is valuable to him in the
following fall and,s winter, when he
bires out as guide to sportsmen.
AT the close OF his camp keeping sea
son he gets his $50 or 500 all in a
lump, and that will buy for him some
clothes, lot Of tobacco and enough
ammunition to last him until spring
In winter, except during the game sea
son, when he may have job OF guild
| ing, he rests from his exertions of the
summer, and in spring he gets his
camp Keeping job gnin.-Indianapolis
Sentinel.