Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-08-28


- mining regions, the miners;
and in the timber regions, the
lumber jack. While the work of the
lumber jack is not so spectacular as
the round up and "broncho busting
Of the cowboy he is an interesting
and picturesque character who is rap
Idly disappearing with the vanishing
glory he is the fellow we'll met who
has labored all winter in lumber
camp, saved a few hundred dollars,
gone to the city in the spring and per-
haps in less than 48 hours after land
iI-g is minus his roll of bills and has
nothing to show for 1t except head
ache and a very indistinet recollection
how he came by that. With the lum-
Der jack will gs the lumber camp, the
csmp cook" the turnkey" the boss
and other worthless.
From Michigan to the Pacific coast
are found the lumber camps, employ
ing at seasons of the year thousands
OF men These lumber camps, small
communities in themselves, have their
unwritten laws and regulations, diff
fering more or less In the several
states.
A few years ago the writer with
crew of men was sent out early one
fail to lumber camp to cut Eastwood
for bedding firm. The cook with
few of the lumber jacks had remained
In camp during the summer to load
logs, but all the formal customs of the
camp were preserved. We looked up
OIL this excursion into the woods for
the purpose of cutting wood as a sort
Of late summer vacation, and were ac-
cOrdingly in high spirits When the
horn blew for the first meal we rushed
b2isterously into tie cooks shanty and
seating ourselves at the table began
to talk and joke. The lumber jacks
locked at US with a sort of awe and
then glanced at the cook.
Cooks Commands obeyed.
mo talking at the table," the cook
fie1cely called out as he glared upon
US. This command, so sudden and I'M
usual, was strictly obeyed during the
meal. At first we took it to be re-
Duke for our noisy way of entering the
cook shanty. but after the meal was
over we were informed that talking
at the table was q serious breach of
the regulations and that we had better
abide by the rule.
The privileged character In camp ia
the cook. Within his domain his au-
thority Is supreme. The saying that
the way to reach mans heart
Is through his stomach holds good in
the lumber camp, and a cook can
make or mar the efficiency of
crew of men by the quality of his
cooking
In Wisconsin and certain parts of
Minnesota the lumber Jacks enter the
"cook shanty" at meal times with a
Sort of reverence. Next to the boss
ghanty,' it is the holy of holes. When
the door is reached all conversation
ceases and the men silently file in
and take their places. The head Of
Che table is always reserved for the
boss. Not word is spoken at meal
time, except when victuals are asked
for Meal time, instead of being
social hour as 1t Is in society, is with
the lumber jacks time of silence, If
not of meditation. The origin Of this
rule has been variously explained.
The most plausible explanation Is that
the lumber jacks might inadvertently
drop some remark rejecting upon the
cooking, and thus insult the dignity
of the cook.
In Washington, at least in some of
the camps, no such rule exists. At
meal time the men indulge In all kinds
of railleries. not even excepting the
cook.
Where They Sleep.
In all camps the meal hours are an
nounced by blowing a horn, or. more
generally. by striking large triangle
made especially for this purpose. At
the signal the camp swarms with men
rushing tso-n the bunk houses to the
cook shanry.
The lumber jacks sleep In bunk
houses. During the evening they sit
along their hunks smoking and con-