The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-02-07
INCIDENTS Of THE
BIG WOODS
Hurricane Falls Farm
and Happenings There
DanYllle { .Durrlll OF Dead River
Conducted a Sporting Camp for
About 20 Years

There are all sorts of stories con-
nected with the big woods of North
ern Somerset County and many OF
them are full of unusual mysteries
and daring. Danvlle c. Durrill of
Dead River, told the Big Woods Edi-
tor of a somewhat unusual occur
renee, back in the days when his
900 acre farm was used as a sport
/ ing camp for hunters and fishermen.
1t was known then as now as Hurri-
] cane Falls Farm, being near the falls
of that same name. One evening
stranger arrived on the stage and at
| that time it was noted that he seem
/ ed to be extremely peculiar. At
first Mr. Durrell thought his new
guest was intoxicated, but examina-
ton did not indicate that the man had
been drinking. The next morning
after some conversation with the
stranger, the camp proprietor advised
him not to go far from the house, as
he feared that in his condition he
might become easily lost. The man
however, strayed away, and when
night came had not returned. About
s O'Clock Mr.. Durrell organized a
posse of men and search was institut-
ed. 1t had been determined that
the missing stranger wore foot
gear with an unusual heel mark and
finally his tracks were discovered in
an old woodroad leading up Mount
Bigelow. These tracks were pur-
sued for about 3 Ia. miles until an
old woods camp was reached and here
tbpy nOdo1 ~
stranger was located inside the camp
having torn up some of the floor to be
used for fuel He was unwilling to
leave the building az first, and said
that the woods were full of crazy
men. This thought was occasioned
probably by the frequent shouts and
firing by the searchers. Finally the
man was induced to return with Mr..
Durrell to Hurricane Farm. Upon
adviees of Mr.. Durrell, the lost man
consented to have guide on his fu-
ture trips, and one of the strange
facts of the case was that from that
time the stranger seemed perfectly
normal. He remained for few
weeks, and then returned supposedly
to his home in Connecticut This
was his first trip to Maine. Mr.. Dur
rell never heard from him again aft
err his departure.
Mr. Durrell bought 400 acres of his
farm from Charles Sampson and the
balance from George Hewett He
built the present two-story dwelling
on THE place and with his wife, now
deceased, conducted sporting camp
there for about 20 years. This bust
ness he discontinued about four
years ago. He still resides there
having with bin his nephew, Carl. r.
| Goddard and wife. He recalls many
incidents of the olden days.
Among his guests for several sea-
sons was a Portland hotel man. On
the particular season in question the
hotel man had been unsuccessful in
capturing a deer, He was especial
ly anxious to get one TO take home
with him, as he wished to banquet
the members of one of his clubs on
venison. Finally as the time neared
for his departure he arranged with
Mr.. Durrell to buy him deer. Wish
ing to say that he had shot the ami
NAL and to be able to tell his mother
something that was absolutely true.
Mr.. Durrell suggested one way out of
it. The deer was stiffly frozen and
the host took it out to wire fence
where he arranged it against the same
in life-like position and his visitor
shot at the animal hitting it in the
neck. The Portland man could then
return to Portland and could tell his
mother and friends, not only that he
had gotten deer, but that he had
shot it.
Another time when the same hotel
man was guest at Hurricane Falls
Farm he and a fellow hunter decided
that they would try lacking and in
this they were successful. for they
lacked a skunk. On the trip to the
station on the Hurricane Falls buck
board, the wives Of the two gentle
men who had accompanied them on
the trip noted the odor of "a skunk
As the ride continued, the odor seem
ed to increase, and eventually led to
an Investigation The result was
that the body of the skunk was found
under one of the seats of the vehicle.
1t is needless to say the two sports
men denied all knowledge of knowing
how the skunk came to be in the
wagon.
e. S. Pendextor, an optometrist of
Portland, participated in another eX-
perience while a guest at Hurricane
Falls Farm. Mr.. PendeXter started
out early one morning to procure
deer and having been told of GER
tain place where the animals came
out to play, headed for that locality.
In the mist of the early day he
thought that he discovered a herd of
deer on a knoll. and when one OF the
animals arose and stretched itself, he
fired. The remainder Immediately
disappeared An examination re-
vealed that the hunter had killed
sheep. Settlement cnsued with the
parties who owned the animal and the
carcass was taken back to Portland
where it was served at a meal given
| by Mr.. pendexter TO his friends, the
host telling the story as it was to his
visitors.
7 In May, June and September. sal