Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-03-28
THE KILN-WOODERS.
Interesting "reminiscences of the
Good Old Days. in Surry. IL

(By A. T. Milliken)
Hardly person, either young or
old, along the coast of Hancock
county, but has heard (unless deaf
of "kiln-wood coasters" and the
kiln-wood business. Forty or fifty
years ago this business furnished en-
ployment for large number of boys
and men both summer and winter. A
large feet of these vessels was owned
in Surry, and was engaged summers
carrying wood from here to the lime
kilns at Rockland. This business
has completely disappeared. To-day
there isn't vessel owned in town.
These vessels were small, old and
'Ieaky"-yes, leaky. There may have
existed tight kiln-wooder, but
doubt it. We youngsters regarded
the captains of these kiln-wooders
as great and mighty men. To be
captain of one of those floating hulks
was the top of our ambition. To ad-
dress one of these masters anything
but captain was considered next to
an insult. l remember one of those
needless, careless boys addressing a
captain as "Bill." From that mo-
ment to the day Of the captains
death there existed strange cool
ness between this boy and man.
These vessels carried from twenty
to sixty cords of wood. It required
from a week to three weeks to make
trip from here to Rockland. Be-
sides the captain, was the mate, who
served as cook and before the mast.
This mate, cook and seaman was paid
the huge salary Of five to eight dol
lars for the trip. Most Of these men
retired later and became bankers.
These coasters were either loaded
at the wharf or on the landings. The
cargo was wheeled aboard on a
specially-built barrow. This was
usually done by the mate. To wheel
wood on those long narrow planks
required some science. Only the ex-
perienced could do it without
tumbling into the drink When
the man wheeling was exactly over
the hatch, he would "sing out" in a
gruff voice, Gin the hole" The man
slowing away would dodge, and two
feet of wood would go tumbling
down. 1t required from one to three
days to load.
Next to loading. the hardest job
was to drop her down the bay" In
order for her to lay afloat, it was
necessary to drop down about mile.
This was before the motor boat. If
the wind was fair, this was easy
enough; if it was ahead, it was still
easier because they never left the
dock. But if it happened to be calm,
it meant three hours of the hardest
work. One mile in three hours!
Think of that terrific speed! Yet
they did we'll to tow a loaded craft
with a row boat this distance in three
hours.
This work was done by the second
officer, and Just as he was about to
collapse from utter exhaustion, just
as he made the last gasp for breath,
the captain would sing out,
anchor" Splash! A rafting sound,
and the coaster is at anchor. AS
strength, he boarded the vessel. The
captain and his crew would then
seat themselves on the quarter rail,
and there they would sit oftentimes
for hours, smoking, talking and tell
ing stories.
These captains were a bit fussy
about their titles, but there was
nothing Struck up" about them.
They were rough, big-hearted, good
natured men. They all used tobacco,
most of them drank liquor, more or
whether it was more or less de-
pended entirely on the supply They
knew how to swear, too. Some were
moderate swearers, others only swore
on special occasions, others swore
steadily. But these men were hon
est, kind-hearted and good citizens,
A few had been deep-water CAPTAINS
masters of ships. They hadn't
much schooling, but they had learned
from travel and observation. I never
caught any of them reading
Shakespeare or discussing the phi
losophy of Socrates, yet they were
well informed
For hard work, next to dropping
down the bay was pumping-cease-
less, endless, continuous, back break
ing pumping. Each officer took his
turn at the pump Each pumped so
many thousands "clips" or strokes,
and then rested. Now and then the
captain asked: HAS she sucked? ?"
Sucked meant that she was dry.
Few ever heard such welcome news
as this on board a kiln-wooder.