The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-10-12

,,n more than l00 men anu Wo-
y ,bru the forest of Moose Riv-
asbin from the forest fire which
1abind them Wednesday night
week.
limos the younger children
',ed from fatigue, the older ones
ram fear, and the women sob
n the men cursed.
again on Friday morning with
IN threatening, the woods damp
no downpour of the night before
Il the men, women and children
,bpir way back over the faint
! the camps which they had de-
ss hours before.
rae one of the best demonstra-
II the pioneer spirit which has
seen in Maine for many a day.
saved until the threatened dam
,ecame so great that only fool
ess would cause them to remain
and then they fed, not in ex-
mt not in Generalization, but
husbanding every ounce of
Nh the strong guarding the weak
the danger was gone they went
10 the job of conquering nature
resting livelihood from the
Of the woods-went back hap
\ danger forgotten.
se people were the workers in
p operations Of Dumas & Pou-
no are getting out from the
River township some ten or
thousand cords of pulpwood
Holingsworth & Whitney mills
InslOw. That company owns
bf Moose River township which
ided by Church Hill brook into
the wood will be dumped and
down the river.
fire started days ago, on the
ban road in the weeds, to the
vide of that thdrofare but a
distance from where on the night
|ober Is, 1919, Nelson W. Bart
! this town was brutally murder
The flames swept. down toward
hst bearing slightly southerly to-
the camps! Day after day these
Irs and their families watched
ames from a distance. Grad
they grew nearer. Wednesday
bind grew stronger and started
Ee which as one boy, who fought
landers Field with a Canadian
tgent, said, THE only difference
Zen the fires rush of Wednesday
bat of the Kaiser's men was that
has gray in color, the other red. "
byer both hung the pail of gray
smoke which told of destruction.
fire came like a race horse, and
5 then that Joseph Dumas gave
trler for all to vacate. First he
I'D the crew of nearly rs men at
Duren camp on the northwest
b of the operation down to the
tr camp. Here there was a
Der of men and women, wives and
ben Of workers. 1t was thought
The fire could be stopped before
|uld reach there. but the efforts
+ fire fighting crew seemed of no
The flames swept on.
/ afternoon grew late. Then Du-
sent his people on to the main
Of the company. BY dark, there
! ed no hope of the fires being
Eed All the camps seemed
ped and then it was the order for
p leave was given.
told, there were about 100 men
& three camps, and II women in
Three camps and II children
Fng in ages from little nine mos.
|ean Bolduc to nine year old Joe
BE-
fck the best woodsman you have
Pc crew" Dumas told his boss,
send him as a guide to follow
pail, Give him a lantern to lead
Pnd then put men with lanterns
|ferent distances among your par
That trail is damned narrow
y marked and hard to follow. |
want anybody to struggle out
lne and get lost. And go slow.
7 women and children can't make
last as the men can, and I'll
the head Of any man that tries
e ahead and leave the weaker
behind
mere in the woods they all know
as You might not call him a
Ollt he is one of those men that
six foot tape look full oc-
u and bothers the 200 pound
n' on the scales. He never goes
lug for trouble, never has a fight,
iaere are few people in the woods
no Jackman who will call Joe
ds liar when he is within hear
dna DO 1t meaningly. 1t would
esarded as too dangerous. They
. mat what he said, the man who
'ne weaker ones behind, was due
beating and that beating would
ey took the little Jean Bolduc
"a ner in an army pack and then
ca her upon the ihoulders of
hancourt. One of those wood
y who can take 100 pound pack
q PACK and do his three miles an
all day thru the woods and at
De ready to kick his heels in
W. They put her on Louis back
use she and Louis are chums.
says that little Jean is the
'esl Kid the world ever knew and
llttle Jean can't say anything
minute her hahv .oyac rest on