The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-08-01
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( THE RIvER-DRIvER. \
-aNNE
Told by T. J. Dsvis and Set Down
by Ralph Stock. y


gers OF sports such as mountain
climbing and big game shooting, and
of trades such as that of the steeple-
Jack, but very few Wide World read
ers, I imagine, have any knowledge
of what is, perhaps, the hardest and
most hazardous occupation on earth
"river-driving.
Mr.. t. j. Davis. who now resides
in the Northwest Territories of Can
ada, knows, perhaps, as much as any
man living of the dangers and fas-
cinations of this trade, which should
more properly be called log-driving.
Born as he was on the shores of
one of those vast. inland seas that so
belle their insignificant title of
"lakes," and that, Joined by rivers,
form a chain across Eastern Canada,
he early acquired love of the water
only known to those that have to de-
pend upon it for a living.
Gigantic floating islands OF logs,
sometimes half mile in length, lay
moored to the shore almost at the
door of his home, awaiting the
floating village of "river-driyers" to
steer them to the mills, where they
are sawn into timber. Here is the
story of Mr.. Davis evolution as a
driver, told to me by himself.
1t is a life that seems to get hold
of one after a year or two. You are
generally wet through for twelve
hours out of the twenty-four; ten of
you sleep in twelve by fifteen foot
shanty, you live on fried everything,
"black strap" treacle, and stewed
tea; you go to bed at 10 and get up
at 3; you are everiastingly cursed
and never praised by the foreman,
your life is in danger more or less
all day long, and you never get more
than $35 a month for work that is
worth 500. "Then why stick at
it?" you say, and all / can answer is,
"Just give 1t fair trial for a year
and then you'll know"
AS children we used to run out
across the booms of logs, which is a
good deal harder to do than you
might suppose. One of us, perhaps,
would fall through, but such an acci-
dent never aroused any comment
from our companions. They would
rush on heedlessly, hopping from
log to log like lot of monkeys, and
leaving the unfortunate one to sink
a couple OF feet below the surface OF
the water, bob up, hit his head
against an unresisting log, and gen.
orally scratch and bruise himself
thoroughly before scrambling like q
half drowned kitten to the surface
once more. That Is how we learned
not to mind a ducking, and also tc
shift for ourselves when we did get
one.-
Have you ever tried to stand up.
right on log perhaps foot across
the butt, out in an open lake. keep
ing your balance to every roll and
dip of the log? Well, If you had you
would realize better the marvellous
balance of the man who not only ha.
to do this, but also maneuvre Other
logs down the current with a Ions
pike pole, chain booms together will
numbed fingers, and, in fact, co the
whole of his days work while bal
ancing on twirling. twisting, half
submerged tree Irunk.
At the age of thirteen | had t. ge
out and earn my own living. Time,
were hard, and every one who has {
sound pair of arms and legs has Il
work for tho right to occupy the
earth down on those Eastern LAKE
shores.
One morning along came an "alli
gator boat" towing a floating colon,
of river-drivers to work the boom O
logs that lay moored out in the lake
Here was my chance. My brothers
and sisters had been packed off Il
school. and l was left to chop wood
Why should / chop wood for low
when l could drive logs for $40
month? I was off across that boon
of logs like jack rabbit, and sool
found myself surrounded by a goo,
natured ring of grizzled faces.
whats the matter with the kid?
asked the foreman, gigantic, beard
ed man in long leather boots, as h
surveyed me from head to foot.
"How's chances of job?" asked
with as much dignity as l could as
sumo.
A roar of laughter floated over tn
lake and echoed through the maple
far up the banks, but 1t didn't abas
me in the least.
You all think you're awft
smart" l remarked, scathingly, "bu
I'll stand on log with any one {
you for the job. II I'm put off +
go back home and sit down, but
you can't put me of ! want work {
$12 a month for start"
There was a twinkle In the for,
mans eye as he said, Done! Jacl
try him a twiri"
The next minute / found myse
standing on one end of a small pir
log, and my adversary. a hulkln
"driyer" with spikes half an inch /
length on the bottom of his boot
on the other.
Slowly at first the log began
turn in the water, in answer to Il
pressure OF my adversary's spike
then quicker and quicker, till it fal
ly spun round, with my naked fe
pattering away on the hard ba'
like woodpecker's bill. Then, su
denly, my willy foe would stop It 0
most dead, and l had to wave n
arms like windmill to keep my ba
ance, but kept 1t.
fha flnao. uhAnko .....-