The New York herald., 1922-04-23
MAINE LOG DRIVING
MUCH DIMINISHED
Logging Operations Confined
Mostly to Getting Material
for Paper Concerns.
WAGES HAVE BIG DROP
Demand for Drivers Dwindles:
Old Bangor Scenes Are
Described.

Special Dispatch TO TIE NEW York fiEaALp.
BANGOR, April 22.-Two years ago loE
drivers on the Penobscot were getting
IS a day and even then the East Branch
crew struck for s6 and got it. Last year
the pay was around $3.50. for first class
men. but this spring $2.25 will hire the
best of them. while the common run
can get no more than $1.75. Even at
this low pay the men who are handy
with cantdog and setting pole and used
to white water find 1t hard to get
Job for the simple reason that there are
very few logs to drive, and there is none
of the old time hustle around lower
Exchange and Washington streets,
where woodsmen congregate.
In the good old days IL took fifteen
hundred men to bring down the great
log drives of the Penobscot-West
Branch. East Branch. Mattawamkeag.
Piscataquis and Passadumkeag. while
hundreds of men were hired for the
long drive OF the Connecticut and for
the Androscoggin. That was when more
that 200,000.00 feet of saw logs came
down the Penobscot and when big
operations by the famous Van Dyke
and other timber kings created a great
demand for drivers on the Conpecticut
and the Androscoggin.
Now there Is nothing doing in the
saw log line on the Connecticut and
very little on the Androscoggin. while
on the Penobscot. as on their Eastern
waters, the timber lands are largely
owned by the pulp and paper concerns
and the logging operations are con-
fined for the most part to getting out
four foot stuff
Penobscot Outlook. This Year.
1t is said that not more than 25,000-
600 feet of long logs will come to Penob-
scott boom this year, while the Bangor
boom where for century logs have
been RATED for the tidewater mills.
may not have any logs at all. A few
small crews have been sent up river,
chiefly to bring down pulp wood drives,
but the demand for help is very slack,
as the Great Northern Paper Company
and other big concerns have enough
men already at the head waters to
handle their drives.
These men would have been obliged to
pay from $40 to $12 a week for board
had they come down to Bangor at the
close Of cutting operations to wait for
driving Jobs. so a plan was devised
whereby they remained at the scene of
their winter work. Stacking out'---that
is, living in the company's shacks and
paying about 80 cents a day for what
they consumed of the company's pro-
visions. Thus they have saved two
thirds OF the Bangor price OF board,
also their railroad fares.
1t is not so many years ago that the
arrival in Boom, fifteen miles above
Bangor. of the West Branch and the
East Branch drives was one of the big
and noisy events of the year. Often
1.or h, h,,v, tn q
West Branch crew and each of them
would have good wad OF money coming
to him. Arrayed in flaming red shirts,
and with their boots bristling with steel
calks, which made deep scratches in the
brick sidewalks and punched holes in
the barroom floors. this army would
descend upon Exchange street hungry
for money and dying for drink.
The line at the cashiers window in
the driving contractors Office would trail
out into the corridor and down the stair.
then a block or two along Exchange
street. AS fast as they got their pay
the majority of the drivers would start
right in to celebrate. and that was
when Bangor policemen really earned
their money and also were deserving Of
distinguished service medals
Riot of Liquid JOY.
For a. week or two there would be one
continuous riot of liquid JOY, the pro-
gram of irrigation being enlivened every
few minutes by a free for all fight. Many
saloon was wrecked, many a new suit
torn to tatters and many policeman's
uniform stripped from his back. The
city court dock was crowded and fines
enriched the treasury. Everybody had
perfectly grand time and then--and
then the drivers dried out and Gained
down and went to work In the mills or
along the docks.
Bangor always has been famous for
the best log drivers anywhere---boys
from Hancock and Washington streets
and the Hampden road. who from in
fancy were used to playing on logs and
we're just naturally good drivers when
they grew up The Old Town Indians
and the French-Canadian boys also
we're smart on logs But no such race
of daring acrobats is to be found to-day.
There is no great reason for the exist
ence OF such talent. The average boy
of this time IL he attempted to walk or
roll log would be overheard in flash.
The drives are mostly made up of pulp
wood in four foot lengths. No man can
stand on such light stun and no one
tries. The bosses hire Poles or other
foreigners. who are willing to wade
no matter how cold the water. That's
the only way TO keep the drives going,
but no crackajack white. water man
would condescend to such work. TIE
nervy boy OF to-day. who would have
made a fine driver with schooling. most
likely is rum running or driving motor
truck.