Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-08
BEFORE JOHNSON
WORE DIAMONDS
Champion Tended Sled
for $50 a Month;
Boxed at Mill
nocket for $50.
Bangor News

Bangor lumberneu and employment
agents well remember the time, only
eight years ago last fall, when Jack
Johnson, who has now become accus-
TONED TO touring cars, travel and $780,
600 fees for q few hours eXertion, was
glad TO do his travelling in dingy smok-
Ing cars on the Bangor q Aroostook
north bound, with d congress Of all
nations and a sprinkline of hoboes as
companions and to accept sac for q
month Of strenuous eXertions as q
sled tender. with baked beans and
corned beef instead Of chicken and
black tea handed ont ii tin dippers
instead Of champagne. His touring
car then was q tore team over cordu-
roy roads and the only diamonds he
saw Were the icicles on the fir bushes
as he went 70 work At daybreak.
II was in the fall Of 1906 that John
son came to Bangor along with thou
sands Of others from all corners of
earth. looking for work in the woods.
His size ATTRACTED the attention OF the
employment agents in Exchange s..
and ne was quickly hired to tend sled
for the Great Northern Paper Com
panN Al Sourdnahunk lake camp. Good
natured and tractable, and strong as
& moose, Johnson just suited the boss,
and il is related that ne quickly got
the hang Of the sled tenders job and
was worth q 10, more than the wages
agreed upon
At that time Johnson was not wide
~ known outside Of the boxing frater-
nifty of big towns. ana ne passed al
-
job III the woods and Went away, no
one knew o. cared where. but in the
late spring o. 1907 he suddenly re-
appeared IL Bangor on his way north,
but not to tend sled. One night he
appeared il the Office Of a local news
paper, wearing q solemn look and a
long checked ulster. and announced
himself by name and profession. Asked
where he was bound. the future cham
pion replied with solemn delibera-
ton:
Abs eoin' III moth TO q town called
MillinOcket 70 box & few friendly
rounds with q pusson named William
Cunning"
1t appeared that Johnson had be-
come acquainted while in the woods
with a big fellow named Dunning, a
logger, mill hand and general jack OF
the lumber trades. VINO was some
thing of a boxer, and whose TWO dis
tinguishing characteristics were his
even temper and the fact that most
Of his LEFT hand had been sliced off by
Single saw. only the index finger
and part Of the thumb remaining
Billy" Dunnine had taken up his
abode al Millin0cket a tUEn that had
grown up in d few years around the
SGreat Northern Paper Cornpany's mills
where Millinocket stream Joins the
west branch Of the Penobscot and
there he became a favorite with the
thousand or more paper makers, who
We're hungry for sport
match had been arranged. Of ten
rounds, between Duunine and the .bip
coon who had tended sled that win
ter for the Great Northern at Sourd-
nahunk and besides his bare expenses
from Boston to Millinocket and return
Johnson was TO receive fifty dollars
which seemed 10 satisfy him. Al
though at that time Johnson had not
become Very famous there were sport
Ing men in Bangor and in Millinoclle1
VINO knew enough about him 10 make
them feel sorry for Billy Cunning
who although as big as a house and
as strong as bull was as slow as an
ice wagon. 1t was feared that Dun
ming might be seriously injured il
Johnson cut loose, and so upon his
arrival he was waited upon by all tbs
! leading men Of the town, including
TWO Of the selectmen and the chief
Of police, who imnlored him to treat
Dunnins gently, lest all hands be ar
rested for manslaughter "Ah promis-
ed TO GO light" said Johnson afte~-
ward, IN discussing the bout, which is
described as one Of the funniest things
that ever happened in Maine or any-
where else. As per ARRANGEMENT
Johnson merely toyed with Dunnine
and with both men on their feet AND
/ able 10 continue al the close of the
| bout was declared draw. After that
Jack Johnson's rise to fame and for
tune was so fast that MilIinocket peo-
pie found il hard to believe that thsv