The Monroe journal., 1922-12-01
GERMAN MADE LARGE SUN
OFF A Big TIMBER DEAL
When Folks Chided Him For Price
He Paid for Walnut. He Named
Some Eye-0pener Figures
MR.. ]. M. YODER WRITES
OF THE CATAWBA SECTION

Scores and scores of people from
this section have visited the Cataw-
ba county section in search of dairy
cattle, but it has remained for Mr.
J. M. Yoder Of Van Wyck, S. c.. to
relate some of the folklore tina,
abounds in that part Of the state
Particularly interesting is his de-
scription of the huge cane-break
some distance from Hickory which
he gave the Lancaster News. High
spots" in his communication include
the story of a. big lumber deal in
which German figured and the
fame of the fishing poles that -four
ished like weeds in the break.
"After travelling about four miles,
he writes, "you come to another small
stream known as Jacobs fork. These
two streams form South Fork of the
Catawba. When this country was
first settled by the whites the pioneer
was Henry Weidner, who entered a
large tract of land in the valley in
cluding the conjunction of the
streams. Mr.. Weidner had two sons,
Henry and Jacob. Henry settled on
the west stream and this was known
as Henry's fork. Jacob settled on
the east prong and this then was call
ed Jacobs fork. About five miles
from where the streams run togeth-
er, west is Bakers mountain, which
is just between the two streams and
from the top Of it the silvery lines
of water can be seen sparkling in
the sunlight. There is fine plateau
from two to five miles wide running
down from Bakers mountain to the
forks of the two streams. There are
a number of fine farms located on
this plateau. In the forks of the
two rivers there is fine farm known
as the Rockhouse farms which has
been in the family of the Willfong's
for many years.
Fifty years ago there were about
six acres in the forks, covered with
a heavy growth of cane, and known
far and wide as "The Cane Breaks"
in which many wild animals made
their homes. Black bears, foxes,
raccoons and many other animals
were found. Hunters found much
sport in capturing them. Cattle had
made trails leading in many direc-
tions through the canes. By taking
a stand in these you had fine place
to get shot at moving game after
the dogs had stirred it from its lair.
This cane break was visited from far
and near by fishermen to get large
canes for fishing rods. In this cane
break was quantity of fine walnut
timber. Mr.. Willfong offered to sell
the cane break, six acres for twelve
hundred dollars, but did not find a
purchaser. About thirty years age,
a German who was hunting walnut
timber to ship to Germany, was di-
rected to Mr.. Willfong to see the
walnut on the cane break After
inspecting it he offered Mr.. Wllfong
twelve hundred dollars for all the
walnut from six inches and up, and
would give him, twelve hundred dol
lars to haul it to Hickory ready for
shipping after it was cut. There
was one especially fine tree, over
three feet in diameter, and over fifty
feet to the first limb. This German
did not only cut the timber but dug
up the stumps and roots, five inches
in diameter and over. A citizen OF
Hickory, learning the PRICE paid for
the timber, said to the German, he
thought he had been badly picked
up in his trade. He answered that
he had made a fine bargain, that the
stump of the big tree would bring
him twenty-five hundred dollars in
Germany for veneering purposes"