MISSISSIPPI VALLEY
LUMBERMAN
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.,
SEPTEMBER 16, 1898.
LUMBERMEN AT OMAHA.
How Lumbermen's Day Was Celebrated at the Omaha Exposition.
When the 9th of September was selected as Lumbermen's Day at the Omaha exposition, it was not anticipated that Jupiter Pluvius would be on hand to dispute the reign of the black cat, but it takes more than a rain storm to dampen the ardor of a lumberman, especially if he be a lumberman and a Hoo-Hoo, and therefore the 9th of September will be remembered by the lumber dealers and manufacturers who visited the Omaha exposition as a red letter day in the history of that industry in the west.
The various committees that had been appointed by the Nebraska lumbermen, who had in charge the entertainment of the day, met all trains coming to the city, and lumbermen visitors were immediately decorated with a distinguishing badge and made to understand that the freedom of the city and of the exposition grounds was theirs. In addition to the special efforts that were made to entertain the visitors each one was furnished with a button and a card which stated the the lumbermen's button was "ace high" and entitled each to special rates on the Midway. The committee had prepared a regular programme, which commenced with a meeting of the Nebraska lumbermen at the Nebraska building at 2 p. m.
At that hour Secretary J. C. Cleland, of the Nebraska Retailers assocciation, called the meeting to order and introduced President J. J. Bonekemper, who made an opening address in which he dwelt upon the work of the association, and urged every retail lumber dealer in the state of Nebraska, whether present or absent, to become a member. In closing he called upon A. H. Weir, of Lincoln, Neb., who welcomed the visiting lumbermen in a few well chosen words, and turned over Midway and all the other attractions of the exposition for their amusement. Following Mr. Weir, Mr. Bailey, of Missouri, talked interestingly on the benefits of the association.
John W. Barry, of Chicago, was the last speaker, and he addressed the audience in his usual happy vein, after which the meeting was closed, and the members adjourned to witness the log rolling contest in front of the government building at the west end of the lagoon.
The Log Rolling Contest.
The log rolling contest was decidedly the most interesting feature of the special attractions for the day, and especially so to those unfamiliar with the work of the loggers on the streams of the timber country. Six husky young athletes from the northern woods dressed in tights, and wearing spiked shoes had entered for the contest. There was a purse of $250, to be divided into four prizes of $100, $75, $50, $25 respectively.
The contestants were:
T. H. Fleming, Eau Claire, Wis.
A. R. Stewart, Eau Claire, Wis.
Gus Miller, Winona, Minn.
A. Dugas, Little Falls, Minn.
L. Cyer, Minneapolis.
John Murray, Eau Claire, Wis.
The rules which governed the contest were as follows:
Memorandum of conditions with expectation of six ment o roll.
Three names to be put in each of 2 hats; one name to be drawn from each hat, and these two are to roll against each other; two other names to be drawn, one from each hat, and these are to be paired against each other; the two remaining the same way. This gives three sets of rollers of two each.
First two drawn are the first to roll, then the second, and then the third sets.
[?]
SECOND BOUT.
No. 1 rolls No. 2, No. 2 rolls No. 3, and No. 3 rolls No. 1, being intended that each man whose name is taken from one hat shall roll each of the other three in turn. The man having the greatest number of points takes first money; the second greatest number of points second money; the third greatest, third money, and the fourth greatest, fourth money.
All ties to be rolled off.
Both men off, first man off loses.
Each man has a pole and when log is poled out in position and at the word of the referee they discard the poles.
Starter to as "Are you ready?"
Then both answer "Ready", starter soon after says "Go" which is the signal to begin.
Logs to have a girdle in the center; each man to keep on his side of the girdle. The judge or the judges are to watch the girdle and caution the roller if he nears the girdle. To be considered a foul if a roller should get across the girdle on the other man's side and he losses the bout.
The officials of the contest were:
Judge, C. O. Goss, Winona Lumber Co., Winona, Minn.
Starter, Eugene Shaw, Daniel Shaw Lumber Co., Eau Claire, Wis.
Time keeper, W. I. Carpenter, Carpenter & Flournoy, Minneapolis.
Scorer, Fred H. Gilman, Northwestern Lumberman, Chicago.
The manner in which the contestants handled themselves on their uncertain footing was a marvel to the uninitiated. Two of the contestants would go out at a time on a log about fifteen feet long, divided at the middle by a black ring, on either side of which the rivals were to stay. When they had propelled themselves well out into the lagoon, they threw away their pike poles, and depended entirely on their agility to keep them on the right side of the log. They watch each other like a pair of expert wrestlers waiting for an opening. Then one would give the log a whirl that would make it rovolve rapidly for a few moments, and suddenly he would stick his spikes into it and spot it in his effort to throw his opponent into the water. The contest lasted for over two hours before the judges were satisfied, and they then declared that T. H. Fleming, of Eau Claire, had won the first prize; A. R. Stewart, of Eau Claire, second; Gus Miller, of Winona, third; while A Dugas, of
Little Falls and L. Cyer, of Minneapolis, tied for the fourth place.
Following the contest John Murray, of Eau Claire, gave a remarkable exhibition of log rolling on the "baby" log, a stick about four feet long and eighteen inches in diameter, which he handled under his feet as a circus acrobat does a wooden ball. He not only rolled it side ways but end ways and several other ways, and apparently he could not throw himself off if he tried. Altogether the contest was a remarkable exhibition of cleverness and the crowd cheered its appreciation at every opportunity.
Hoo-Hoo Rampant at Night.
The remainder of the afternoon was spent by the visitors taking in the various sights of the exposition, and at 7:30 in the evening, the lumbermen who were remembers of the Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo gathered at the Minnesota building and formed in line for a parade of the Midway. There were about one hundred men in line, and each wore the black domino and head dress of the order. Preceeded by the official banner of the order, the long line passed down the Midway and over the viaduct shouting and yelling until the noise discounted the confusion of Bedlam. After having traversed the various streets of the Midway district, the procession returned to the Minnesota building where the concatenation was held. A choice collection of fifty kittens had been captured for the slaughter, but only thirteen finally presented themselves, and at nine minutes after nine they were started on their journey through onion beds and to the gardens of the right and left until they reached the light of Hoo-Hoo land. The officers officiating were as follows:
Snark, Frank Colpetzer.
Senior Hoo-Hoo, R. L. Oliver,
Junior Hoo-Hoo, R. T. Flournoy,
Bojum, M. L. Elsemore,
Scrivenoter, L. E. Deemer,
Jabberwock, Ben Collins,
Custocatian, J. J. Mullen,
Arcanoper, W. Krotter,
Gurdon. B. F. Cobb.
The following were the candidates who presented themselves for initiation:
Frank Hamilton Crombie, Atlantic, Ia.
Allen Eugene, Rounds, Oshkosh, Wis.
Henry St. Martin, Havelock, Neb.
Daniel Green Saunders, Kansas City, Mo.
Frederick W. Thompson, Nashville, Tenn.
William Mac Lingo, Durant, I. Ter.
Charles Andrew Galloway, Holdrege, Neb.
Douglas Hamilton Howe, Chicago, Ill.
Samuel James Whitten, Blue Hill, Neb.
Jacob Frank Dietz, Omaha, Neb.
Thomas Frances Mahoney, Greely Center, Neb.
Charles Henry Guion, Omaha, Neb.
Charles Atwater Talcott, Brooks, Neb.
The usual order of initiation was observed, and also a good many thing that were out of the usual order, and there is little doubt that the new kittens are fully satisfied that their initiation was properly conducted, and that nothing was omitted that would make them remember their experience when becoming members of the order. Following the initiation was the usual "on the roof," and at a late hour at night or rather an early hour in the morning the proceedings were brought to close with the resounding Hoo-Hoo yell. Taken as a whole, and in detail, lumbermen's day at the Omaha exposition was a decided success, and aside from the inclemency of the weather there was nothing to mar the pleasure of the whole occasion. The lumbermen who attended are indebted for their reception and entertainment to the following committees:
Depot Committees.
BURLINGTON & MISSOURI RIVER RAILROAD.
C. H. Ketridge, Chairman, Fairmont.
A. J. Simonson, Alliance.
T. F. Mahoney, Greeley.
Chas Richey, Plattsmouth.
M. B. Holland, Orleans.
Hans Hansen, Minden.
F. E. & M. Y., M. P., M. & O.
O. O. Snyder, Chairman, O'Neill.
Henry Roberts, Arlington.
E. J. Tucker, Howe.
J. W. Kerns, Auburn.
Bird Critchfield, Elmwood.
J. Shumways, Lyons.
E. C. Houston, Tekamah.
UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.
J. W. Hart, Chairman, Stromsburg.
M. L. Fries, Arcadia.
S. J. Whitten, Blue Hill.
S. W. Lightner, Monroe.
D. P. Rolfe, Nebraska City.
G. W. Fitzsimmons, Scotia.
Hotels.
Jas. B. Hume, Chairman, Madison.
Fred McCormick, Bertrand.
G. W. Baldwin, Crete.
C. C. Howard, Curtis.
J. W. Holmquist, Oakland.
A. Johnson, Ragan.
W. C. Bedell, Broken Bow.
L. C. Mittelstadt, Norfolk.
E. S. Clarke, Gretna.
Entertainment Committees.
NEBRASKA BUILDING.
A. H. Weir, Chairman, Lincoln.
Wm. Fried, Fremont.
C. H. Bradford, Sioux City.
H. F. Anderson, Osceola.
J. B. Adams, Blair.
MINNESOTA BUILDING.
J. C. Cleland, Chairman, Fremont.
J. D. Brewer Albion.
O. Oliver, Hastings.
J. H. Von Steen, Beatrice.
H. N. Carpenter, Syracuse.
Commercial Club Rooms.
Geo. L. Day, Chairman, Superior.
C. H. Walrath, North Bend.
C. F. Iddings, North Platte.
S. D. Ayres, Central City.
H. H. Mohr, Pierce.
September 17, 1898.
NORTHWESTERN LUMBERMAN.
63
Lumbermen's Day at the Trans-Mississippi Exposition.
A Big Gathering at Omaha, and Details of an Enjoyable Day Spent at the Exposition Grounds.
Lumbermen's day, September 9, at the Omaha exposition, had been well advertised, and the dealers, big and little, began to get in the town the day before in singles, doubles and dozens, until the morning of the 9th saw them coming in flocks on every train. The weather could not have been worse, if made to order, and it took a great deal of pleasure out of what would undoubtedly have been the biggest day of the fair, for the sightseers.
To one not accustomed to the size of the grounds, the crowd did not appear large, yet despite the handicap of a cold, drizzling rain, driven by a vicious north wind, the crowd was big, for the returns from the turnstiles at evening showed an attendance of 17,541 paid admissions, and the pass holders easily brought the total up to over 22,000. Of this number the lumbermen were the most numerous, as shown by the badges and buttons in evidence all over the grounds. Perhaps if they had been just ordinary folks they would have looked at the weather, shrugged their shoulders and stayed in out of the wet—but they are a hardy, rollicking set of men who don't back down for weather, or anything else, as a usual thing.
They came to Omaha for a good time and Omaha received them with all the graces and pleasantries of a good host, so that they had their good time in spite of weather and mud.
They saw the exhibits in the big buildings, studied the program, and followed the events, which were carried out to the letter, just as advertised, though people who
John A. Wakefield,
Secretary Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition.
did not know the stuff that lumber people are made of said that the program would be "off" when they looked at the leaden sky. It came off per schedule, however, and Omaha is getting over her mild surprise yet.
The resident dealers had everything arranged ahead so that not a visitor was neglected and everything went as smoothly as a log in a chute, despite the disagreeable cold and dampness.
The log rolling in the lagoon drew the biggest crowd of the day, as it was something so different from what the prairie people are used to that it was a curiosity. The big lagoon was lined on both sides with a surging mass of people who watched every move of the athletic log drivers, as they rolled the sticks over and over in the water, first one way, then the other, keeping their balance with marvelous ease it seemed to the unaccustomed eye, and this with no pike poles to help them, either. Their work was a revelation, and showed the perfection attained by the hardy river drivers who keep the logs going from the woods to the mills on the hurrying current of the northern streams—a business that the world in general knows little about. Give any one of them a pike pole and a pair of logger's shoes, with the soles full of "corks," and he will ride anything in the way of a stick of timber that will float his weight, and do it as easily as the rest of us walk on a good sidewalk.
The meeting in the Nebraska building was supposed to be for business purposes, but nobody cared for business—they came for pleasure and to get away from business, so they simply turned the meeting into a society for the promotion of good fellowship and better acquaintance, and it was a rousing success. Everybody threw formality to the winds and soon knew everybody else within sight. After the program was over they went for the midway in a body and saw it from end to end, investigated its places of amusement, estimated the amount of fun that was contained in any given place and then went in to personally order about 'steen car loads, each, f. o. b. Omaha, with a rush. They owned the whole thing by 6 o'clock and were ready to help along the Hoo-Hoo parade when it came down the line. The midway will long remember Lumbermen's day as the one that went with a hurrah of Lumbermen's day as the one that went with a hurrah of rollicking, fun loving, fun making dealers in boards on a day off. Every "speiler," "ballahoo" and inhabitant of this queer street is still as surprised as it is possible for them to be from the "Have you seen her" old lady in wooden shoes at the German village, clear down the line to the much abused and distorted camels of the streets of all nations, who furled their pendant lips and stared askance at the unusual hubbub of the pleasure seekers.
Secretary John A. Wakefield.
The official title of John A. Wakefield is that of secretary, but as a matter of fact the secretary has been about the whole thing during a large part of the time, and it is to the executive ability of John A. Wakefield that much of the success of the Trans-Mississippi exposition is due. Since leaving Iron City college, at Pittsburg, Pa., Mr. Wakefield has devoted himself exclusively to the lumber business, up to the beginning of his work for the Trans-Mississippi & International Exposition. He entered the lumber business in 1876 with the Rock Island Lumber Company, at Rock Island, Ill., where he stayed until 1880, when he moved to Omaha and engaged in business on his own account. His yard, all covered, was located on Ninth and Browning streets, where the Missouri Pacific freight house now stands, and will be remembered as a land mark by many Nebraska lumbermen. In 1887 the yard was moved to Eighteenth and Erie streets, and it was here that he located perhaps the finest lumber yard and sheds in the entire west, covering over under one roof something more than three acres of ground. In June, 1893, this magnificent yard and sheds were entirely consumed by fire, and owing to the general business stagnation prevailing in the country at that time and the slowness with which the insurance was adjusted, Mr. Wakefield did not engage actively in the same line again, but in January, 1896, took charge of the business affairs of the Trans-Mississippi & International Exposition. When the affairs of the exposition are finally closed, Mr. Wakefield will not again engage in the lumber business. While it is not intended, or even intimated, that the exposition could not have been a success without Mr Wakefield, yet the fact is that Mr. Wakefield has done his work well, and lumbermen are just clannish enough to feel a natural pride in the fact that he is a lumberman.
Hoo-Hoo Day at Omaha.
There is no telling how many Hoo-Hoo there were at the Trans-Mississippi exposition on the 9th month, 1898, otherwise known as "Lumberman's day," for almost every good lumberman is a good Hoo-Hoo, and there were hundreds of lumbermen there. It was the day of all days for Hoo-Hoo, and the big exposition was the place of all places for a celebration. In this, too, the weather cut some figure, it being a little chilly and damp, but it takes more than a rain storm to ruffle the fur of a black cat, so the Hoo-Hoo didn't mind so very much. Many expressed the wish that the annual convention of the order had been transferred to Omaha instead of Cleveland, when it was found that it could not be held at Put-in-Bay. But it wasn't, so there!
Frank Colpetzer was the guiding spirit of this part of the Lumbermen's day program, as was 'Gene Shaw of the log rolling. As Viceregent of Nebraska, Mr. Colpetzer officiated at the concatenation in the evening and as a representative Omaha wholesaler, and a director of the exposition, he felt a patriotic interest in making the jolly crowd of Hoo-Hoo have a good time, and they all did. There were other Omaha wholesalers there, too, and they all did their part to make everything pass off nicely, but of course none of them had any influence with Jupiter Pluvius, so the rain went merrily on. If they had, no doubt the ancient history of Nebraska would contain no mention of drouths.
Gathered at the Minnesota Building.
At 9:09 o'clock in the morning of this eventful day, all Hoo-Hoo at the Omaha show thought of the Great Black Prince, and of the big gathering at Cleveland. At 9:09 o'clock in the evening the ceremony of initiation began. But previous to this time there was a gathering of the kittens at the Minnesota building.
This building was chosen for several reasons. In the first place, it is made of logs and appeals to the lumberman instinct. It stands for the leading industry of a state that ranks among the first for lumbering in the country. And last, but not least, the Minnesota building is one in which lumbermen and Hoo-Hoo feel at home. There is that pleasant informality about everything that touches the heart of lumbermen. You can smoke in the Minnesota building wherever and whenever you wish, and you can sit with your feet on the top of the table in the reading room and warm yourself by the heat from the big white pine logs burning in the fireplace. C. W. Field, the superintendent of this building, is from Kentucky, which is a guaranty that he knows how to entertain, but his home at present is in the biggest lumber manufacturing town in the world—Minneapolis—which is another, and in fact, several more reasons why the kittens all concatenated at the Minnesota building. Mr. Field's brand of punch is the best kind of milk on which to nourish kittens, and the 13 that were permitted to have their eyes opened Friday night are all sturdy and strong.
So it was at the Minnesota building that the Hoo-Hoo all gathered early Friday evening and donned black robes and false cat faces, which had been very thoughtfully provided by Snark Colpetzer. Then, nearly a hundred strong, they sallied forth to the midway, the center of attraction for kittens. At the Pabst building—the sign of the hop
leaf—they all stopped, and for a time partook of the good things served therein. It was in one sense an "on the roof," but contrary to the usual order of things, it preceeded the concatenation.
At the Pabst Cafe.
There were no speeches made, excepting an announcement from Mr. Colpetzer to the effect that all should turn in and enjoy themselves. This they did and then the vaudeville part of the entertainment began. Pepita, with her cutest smiles and sweetest voice, came out and amused the audience. The gallantry, so conspicuous a part of every Hoo-Hoo, was noticeable as the kittens applauded the petite performer. Artie Hall, whose voice Mell Eaton admired so much, and Marion Winchester, whom Dan Saunders said was the prettiest girl on the stage, and others did their turns amid the applause of the Black Cats. Then a pretty young gentleman announced that Dan Saunders, of Kansas City, was wanted on the stage, but he was too modest to thus publicly make his debut. After a few more rounds of Hoo-Hoo yells, the kittens formed in line and marched back to the Minnesota building, to attend the purblind 13 there awaiting their attention.
The Concatenation.
The second floor of the Minnesota building was given up to the Great Black Prince that evening. In the large reception room the ritualistic work of the order was carried out, the adjoining rooms afforded temporary homes for the initiates, the paraphernalia and other accessories, while of course one large room was the abode of the Great Black Cat. Down stairs in the parlor, near the blazing fireplace, some musically inclined visitor played on the piano and sang the "Meow" song, while above, "on the roof," the concatenation went merrily on.
Minnesota punch, flavored with catnip, was the popular refreshment during the evening, and it is safe to say that there never was such a realistic and typical Hoo-Hoo concatenation held as that one in the log house on the exposition grounds, on the ninth day of the ninth month, A. D. 1898. The officers of the concatenation were:
Snark, Frank Colpetzer, Omaha.
Senior Hoo-Hoo, R. L. Oliver, Lincoln, Neb.
Junior Hoo-Hoo, Richard Flournoy, St. Paul, Minn.
Bojum, M. L. Elsmere, Drummond, Wis.
Scrivenoter, L. E. Deemer, Omaha, Neb.
Jabberwock, Ben Collins, St. Louis, Mo.
Custocatian, J. J. Mullen, South Omaha, Neb.
Arcanoper, William Krotter, Stuart, Neb.
Gurdon, B. F. Cobb, Chicago, Ill.
The following purblind kittens had their eyes opened by the above mentioned aggregation, assisted now and then by some of the 65 or 70 old kittens present:
Frank Hamilton Crombie, Atlantic, Ia.
Allen Eugene Rounds, Oshkosh, Wis.
Henry St. Martin, Havelock, Neb.
Daniel Green Saunders, Kansas City, Mo.
Frederick W. Thompson, Nashville, Tenn.
William Mac Lingo, Durant, I. T.
Charles Andrew Galloway, Holdredge, Neb.
Douglas Hamilton Howe, Chicago.
Samuel James Whitten, Blue Hill, Neb.
Jacob Frank Dietz, Omaha, Neb.
Thomas Francis Mahoney, Greeley Centre, Neb.
Charles Henry Guion, Omaha, Neb.
Charles Atwater Talcott, Brook, Neb.
Col. Dick Flournoy is a model Junior and the fun was only limited by the hour of midnight, when the transportation facilities from the exposition grounds for Omaha ceased to exist. The last car was caught by most of the
The Rolling Match.
Phillips
Omaha
crowd and several informal "on the roofs" were held at the various hotels where the Hoo-Hoo were stopping. The following were present at the concatenation:
James H. Steedman, St. Louis, Mo.
N. R. Wentworth, Cloquet, Minn.
George B. Rex, Council Bluffs, Ia.
Frank Omaha Colpetzer, Omaha, Neb.
Albert B. Outhouse, Loup City, Neb.
Mathias P. Overton, Reger, Mo.
T. B. McCormick, Clay City, Ky.
Harry R. Swartz, Kansas City, Mo.
William J. Miller, Hastings, Neb.
James T. Ewart, Omaha, Neb.
Charles L. Clapp, South Omaha, Neb.
Ben F. Shreves, Orient, Ia.
W. F. Vincent, Sterling, Neb.
Elmer A. Mulligan, Jefferson, Ia.
Orange W. Dunn, Omaha, Neb.
B. F. McMillan, McMillan, Wis.
William C. Bullard, Omaha, Neb.
Charles N. Knold, Omaha, Neb.
W. P. Sargeant, Buckley, Wash.
Willis P. Hoyt, Aurora, Ill.
Robt. L. Oliver, Moberly, Mo.
George S. Long, Eau Claire, Wis.
Fred G. Dickman, Millville, Ark.
Cornelius P. Crowley, Cloquet, Minn.
William E. Martin, Minneapolis, Minn.
[?]VanCleave, St. Louis, Mo.
[?]Saunders, Kansas City, Mo.
[?]Creason, Kansas City, Mo.
Claude M. Linn, Dawson, Neb.
James W. Kerns, Auburn, Neb.
John C. Cleland, Fremont, Neb.
Manford L. Elsemore, Drummond, Wis.
L. S. Wentworth, Omaha, Neb.
George H. Kelly, Omaha, Neb.
Charles R. Lehrack, Cook, Neb.
Joseph W. Copeland, Fredericksburg, Ia.
John A. Hughes, Minneapolis, Minn.
John E. Poston, Topeka, Kansas.
Frederick P. McCormick, Bertrand, Neb.
E. G. Hampton, Omaha, Neb.
B. F. Cobb, Chicago.
Leonard H. Bronson, Chicago.
Frederick R. Linn, Humboldt, Neb.
William S. Trotter, Stuart, Neb.
Richard T. Flournoy, St. Paul, Minn.
Frank A. Ewing, Omaha, Neb.
John J. Mullen, South Omaha, Neb.
Hans Dierks, Lincoln, Neb.
Jenkin E. Jones, Germantown, Neb.
Elmer S. Clarke, Gretna, Neb.
John L. Englehaupt, Milford, Neb.
Harry B. Huston, Keokuk, Ia.
Perry R. Cook, Omaha, Neb.
Nicholas J. Streichen, Boone, Ia.
William P. Nolan, Philadelphia, Pa.
Ashford B. Critchfield, Elmwood, Neb.
John H. Rogge, Elmwood, Neb.
Ben Collins, jr., St. Louis, Mo.
W. B. Arnold, St. Louis, Mo.
Harry A. Gorsuch, Kansas City, Mo.
Fred H. Gilman, Minneapolis, Minn.
The Cleveland Gang Sent Greetings.
Early Saturday morning the following telegram was received from one of the kittens at the Cleveland meeting, but it was too late to read the message to the assembled Hoo-Hoo at Omaha:
Cleveland, O., Sept. 9, 1898.
John W. Barry, Omaha, Neb.
Fraternal greetings from Cleveland moiety to all Hoo-Hoo in Omaha.
The Log Rolling Contest.
It even made the crowd feel chilled to look on, but the six sturdy river drivers from the Mississippi and Chippewa rivers didn't seem to care much about the low temperature.
"Is the water cold? Not a bit—not nearly as cold as the air, and it ain't a marker to the water in the old Chippewa in the early spring, when the river is filled with blocks of ice."
That is the way Thomas Flemming, of Eau Claire, Wis., the skilled river driver who came away with the
Off!
Phillips
Omaha
first and championship prize, expressed himself to the Northwestern Lumberman representative, out on the lagoon, in the midst of the contest. But then, Flemming was only ducked once out of the five "rolls" in which he engaged, a record which was only equaled by his old chum and partner on the Chippewa, Allan Stewart, who graciously yielded first prize to Flemming, as the hour was late, and there was no opportunity to "roll" off the tie that evening.
A
The log rolling contest was without any doubt the feature of the day. In fact, regular attendants at the fair who have seen anything in the way of sports and novel features since the big show opened last June were loud in their praise of the log rolling, proclaiming it novel, original and interesting.
Although the day was dark and the sky cloudy and threatening, the drizzling rain that had continued to fall throughout the forenoon let up shortly before 3 o'clock, as if in honor of the visiting lumbermen, and by that hour several thousand people had gathered around the Mirror, as the end of the lagoon adjacent to the government building is called. They knew they were going to see something that they never had seen before, and they were not disappointed.
Eugene Shaw, the "Chauncey Depew-like" lumber manufacturer of Eau Claire, was on the grounds early, making arrangements for the log rolling, in which he was the prime mover and the ruling spirit. He had loaded 10 prime cork pine logs on a Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha railway car the previous Saturday afternoon, September 3, at Eau Claire, and F. D. Sullivan, that railway's accommodating agent at Eau Claire, had seen that the car containing the logs was coupled on to the fast freight that left Eau Claire at 11 o'clock that evening. On the evenings of Monday, September 5, the logs had arrived at Omaha, having been less than 48 hours on the way.
Everything was in readiness for the contest that afternoon. The logs were in the water, and the following contestants were on hand:
The Contestants.
B -
John Murray, Eau Claire, Wis.
A. Dugas, Pine Tree Lumber Company, Little Falls, Minn.
Thomas Flemming, Eau Claire, Wis.
Aus Miller, Laird, Norton Company, Winona, Minn.
Allan Stewart, Eau Claire, Wis.
Larry Cyr, Mississippi & Rum River Boom Company, Minneapolis, Minn.
After dressing, or rather undressing, for the contest in the quarters of the United States life saving service crew, in their building on the west side of the lagoon, the logs were towed across to the other side, and in one of the big life saving boats the contestants were taken across, accompanied by the officials of the contest, who were:
Insert "C"-
Officials.
D
Referee, C. O. Goss, Winona Lumber Company, Winona, Minn.
Starter, Eugene Shaw, Daniel Shaw Lumber Company, Eau Claire, Wis.
Time Keeper, W. I. Carpenter, Carpenter & Flournoy, Minneapolis, Minn.
Recorder, Fred H. Gilman, Northwestern Lumberman, Minneapolis, Minn.
The log rollers were dressed as best suited their work, wearing no superfluous clothing. A single shirt and trousers coming to the knees was the prevailing costume. One or two wore no stockings, but all had on the heavy river driver's shoes, with nails in the soles, that helped them to stick like flies to a molasses barrel, on the treacherous logs spinning round and round in the water.
There were 13 rolls in all to decide the contest; they were all watched with the greatest of interest, and the enthusiasm was at times so great that cheer after cheer encouraged the men on the logs to still greater effort. The logs were 11 feet long and 17 inches in diameter. The bark had been taken off and they had been turned so that they were perfectly round. Two men stood on a log at a time, one at each end, and the judges' boat was always only a few feet away, to see that neither of the contestants stepped over the girdle marking the center of the log.
Following is a description of the different bouts:
Bout 1.—Miller was pitted against Murray. The contestants were cold, and it took three minutes of rapid twirling for Miller to dislodge Murray.
Bout 2.—The second was shorter, and it took just 50 seconds for Stewart to throw Dugas off into the water.
Bout 3.—Flemming showed his agility in this bout, and after some fine work by both contestants, Flemming wet Larry Cyr, but it took him 4 minutes and 5 seconds to do it.
Bout 4.—Stewart came on again, pitted against Miller, and in 1 minute and 30 seconds Miller was "wet" good and plenty, but both showed skill and endurance.
Bout 5.—Stewart and Flemming, who had begun to show their superiority by this time, had this bout between them. Their work was fine and was loudly applauded by the crowd. Flemming stayed on the log the longest, having won in 1 minute and 55 seconds.
Bout 6.—A mistake on the part of the contestants in this bout, Murray and Dugas resulted in their going ahead before time was called, and Dugas being dislodged. It was not an official roll, and the two were started properly, and Dugas won in 45 seconds, but both of the contestants were pretty well chilled.
Bout 7.—Flemming and Miller were pitted against one another, and Flemming suffered his only defeat. The time was the quickest of all the "rolls," being only 6 seconds.
Bout 8.—A. Dugas and L. Cyr rolled and Cyr won in 15 seconds.
Bout 9.—Gus Miller rolled with Larry Cyr, and in 50 seconds Cyr was in the water.
Bout 10.—Dugas and Flemming rolled this time, and in just 30 seconds Flemming had added another victory to his list, that was already growing long.
Bout 11.—Stewart and Cyr were contestants, and although Cyr stood on the log well, he was obliged to duck at the end of 25 seconds, and Stewart received another victory.
Bout 12.—Flemming and Miller rolled against one another and in 21 seconds Miller was wet. This made the fourth victory for Flemming out of 5 rolls.
Bout 13.—Stewart tried Larry Cyr, and in 23 seconds added another victory to his list, making four out of 5 rolls.
When the thirteenth bout was finished it was found that Flemming and Stewart were tied, each having won four out of five. As they were comrades on the drive, Stewart gracefully yielded the championship to Flemming, and took second place for himself. Thomas Miller, of Winona, had won three out of five, and to him was awarded the third money, while Cyr and Dugas, who had each won one bout, divided the fourth money between them. The purse was $250, divided as follows: First, $100; second, $75; third, $50; fourth, $25.
Trick Riding by John Murray.
The trick riding by John Murray, of Eau Claire, was one of the most interesting portions of the entertainment. He rode a log only 3½ feet long, and 24 inches in diameter, and handled it with a skill that was amazing. He would ride this little log, with the pike pole in his hands,as easily as if it was a raft, and what was still more startling, he could whirl the log over end ways, keeping his position on it all the time. He did this four times, to the great delight of the crowd, who applauded him roundly
"Rasseling the little 'un."
Phillips
Omaha
for his skill, for it was a most difficult thing to do. Murray is the only driver in the country who can do this feat.
The log rolling began promptly at 3 o'clock and it was nearly 5 o'clock when it was concluded. It was intended to have an exhibition roll between several of the boys Saturday morning in the Mirror, but owing to the rainy weather this was put over until Monday morning, when it came off to the great amusement of the crowd, many of whom were lumbermen who had remained at the big show.
Shortest Session on Record of a Lumbermen's Convention.
While Lumbermen's day at the exposition was intended for fun and sightseeing and a sober historical review of the progress made since the world's fair, yet there was a short called convention, which was very agreeable even though very short. The lumbermen were called together in the auditorium of the Nebraska building promptly at 2 o'clock by J. C. Cleland. He said that the session would be for a few minutes only, and that he called it to order in obedience to a resolution passed at the last annual meeting; a resolution which he proceeded to read. Then, after making a few needed announcements as to the
program for the rest of the day, he called upon A. H. Weir, of Lincoln, to tell the people how good he felt in spite of the rain that was pouring down outside. Mr. Weir made a few remarks, closing with an urgent invitation to the association to hold its next annual meeting in Lincoln, and assuring the members that he desired them to accept the invitation on behalf of the lumbermen of that city. He then closed his remarks with an appeal to all lumbermen to lend their aid and active influence to the great work which the Nebraska association was carrying on in its territory. His remarks were closely listened to and well received.
The next speaker is well known to a large number of association workers throughout the country, and when his name, R. L. Whaley, was announced, it was received with cheers. Like the previous speaker, Mr. Whaley was very brief and confined his remarks almost wholly to setting forth in his forcible manner the benefits to be derived in a pecuniary way to the members of the association from the insurance channel alone, and urging the united action and conscientious support of every lumberman.
The next and last speaker was John W. Barry, of the Northwestern Lumberman, Chicago, who alluded in forceful terms to the grand exhibition and to the important fact that the lumbermen had taken an active part in its inception and execution; a fact which he said lumbermen everywhere were justly proud of. Adjournment was then taken place in the lagoon near the government building, and to which place the majority hastened away. A few, however, remained to take part in a little side meeting.
Informal Reunion of the Excursionists to the Pacific Coast.
Through the efforts of A. F. Bloomer, of York, Neb., there was a meeting for a few minutes of some of those who joined the excursion to the Pacific coast in July, 1897. The meeting was a very brief one, consisting merely of an informal greeting. Leonard Bronson, of the Timberman, read a number of letters of regret, etc., from J. Newton Nind, W. C. Bailey and a number of others, to the effect that they were not through with the excursion yet, but often lived over the scenes enacted on that far away coast over a year ago. The letter of Mr. Bailey is fairly typical of all the others, and is as follows:
Minneapolis, Minn., Sept. 7.
Mr. A. F. Bloomer, York, Neb.—Dear Sir and Friend: Replying to your kindly letter of the 3rd, I cannot very well go down to Omaha, so as to be there Friday next. We are having our annual state fair, which began yesterday and continues all the week. My family generally want to go on Minneapolis day, which will be Thursday next; then we expect some company. There are many attractions here in the city—parades, bicycle races at the exposition building and other displays—some of them very fine, the newspaper men say.
I understand that Mr. Barry and Mr. Bronson are to be there, and you know that Mr. Barry likes to speak and Mr. Bronson can talk. It is in their line. They keep in practice and have opportunities to keep fresh, while you and I can only remember a part of what is in our minds and do not always succeed in getting that out. It may not occur to you that I always speak with some diffidence, fearing that I shall not say what ought to be said and what is expected. We can always talk in a beaten track, but to get at something fresh and carry along the minds and hearts of your hearers with you, is given only to the man who was born with the germs of oratory in his brain and heart. Sometimes even the orator may wave his magic wand in vain. The smitten waters will not let out the silver stream. To the gifts of nature must be added culture, training and extensive reading, to bring out thoughts and words that charm, please, entrance and electrify the mental and spiritual man. I willingly confess that I have none of those gifts and requirements. "Give me this day my daily bread" has too long shut out from me and many others the enjoyments that come from intercourse with the writings of great minds of the past and present, heroes and heroines, who have delved deep into the mines of thought and creation, that all the world who could and would should rise into that higher intellectual, moral and spiritual life that ennobles all here, and will at last raise them to paradise.
I would greatly enjoy meeting the choice spirits who made our Pacific coast trip so memorable. May this time reunion at Omaha lead to others. Mr. R. B. Squires will probably represent the Minneapolis squad at Omaha, and he has a royal tongue, if you can get it wagging, but to do so, say something about Washington and Squires not being able to tell a lie; Washington about the cherry tree and Squires about his room mates upon the Pacific coast trip. You have known him long and well. If he behaves badly, see to him and remember that he can do much worse. Should he get out of money, give him an opportunity to either buy or sell lumber and his financial larder will be amply restocked. Please remember me in great kindness to yourself and all who may re-unite and rejoice with you next Friday at 2 p. m. at Omaha. Very truly yours,
WILLIAM C. BAILEY.
When Mr. Bronson had finished reading the letters, Mr. Barry, of the Northwestern Lumberman, was called upon and spoke in a reminiscent way of the trip which brought so much pleasure to people on both sides of the mountains.
Of the excursionists the following were present: Mr. and Mrs. T. D. Smith, C. W. Russell, R. G. Tyler and wife and T. Tyler, a pair of Bloomers, one hailing from York, Neb., and one from Council Bluffs, Ia.; L. C. Bricker and wife, J. C. Walker and wife, F. H. Crombie, Wilbur Martin, W. I. Carpenter, John W. Barry, of the Northwestern Lumberman, and Leonard Bronson, of the Timberman.
Two Pairs of Minneapolis Twins.
The Shevlin-Carpenter Company, of Minneapolis, was represented by two old standbys in the lumber selling business. H. D. Pettibone has traveled in the Missouri river territory for lo! these many years. In fact, he lives in Kansas City as much, if not more, than in Minneapolis, although the latter place is his home. This time he was accompanied by Mrs. Pettibone. Frank Karrick, the other Shevlin-Carpenter Company salesman, has talked lumber to the retailers around Omaha since the early days of the old firm of N. P. Clarke & Co.
The C. A. Smith Lumber Company was not a whit behind, for it had a good pair to draw to on the ground. Mell Eaton has been selling lumber and sash and doors for the past 15 years, and W. E. Martin, if he has not traveled that long, knows the value of a No. 1 board or a piece of 2x4 as well as the next man.
A Curious Specimen.
One day last spring while Mr. Fisher was passing by the slasher in the mill of the Cordz-Fisher Lumber Company, at Birch Tree, Mo., he noticed a very peculiar formation in the end of a 12-inch board, which had been slashed off as worthless. Picking it up he discovered the almost perfect outline of—well, what is it? Here is the picture—a bird of some kind. A Lumberman representative, who called soon afterward, brought the board to Chicago and had it polished and framed, the frame consisting of a combination of woods including red cedar, white oak, cypress, yellow pine, hard maple and white pine. The frame was made by the True & True Company, of Chicago, and when completed the framed board was sent to the Omaha exposition and may be seen in the exhibit of the Missouri Lumber & Land Exchange Company in charge of Mr. Riner.
The photograph shows the knot formation without being retouched or pencilled in any way, representing the knot just as it occurred in the log. If the visitor is the least curious on the point he will find on taking the picture—for that is what we will call it—down and turning it over, the same figure is on the reverse side, and a little use of his knife on the back will demonstrate to him that the thing goes clear through the board and a number of them might have been made from the piece by resawing it. Mr. Fisher is justly proud of this rare
A CURIOUS SPECIMEN OF MISSOURI SOFT PINE.
curiosity and the Northwestern Lumberman joins him in sharing this feeling and is glad to contribute a frame made up from the woods of which this paper is the accredited exponent.
A Pretty Badge.
Carpenter & Flournoy, of Minneapolis, was the only firm from the north that gave away a souvenir badge. Messrs. Carpenter and Hughes were on the ground personally looking to their distribution, and the badges were beauties and no mistake. Beneath a gilt pin was a bit of
TRANS MISSISSIPPI EXPOSITION
LUMBERMAN'S DAY, SEPT. 9TH
satin American flag, suspended from which is a reproduction of the features of George Washington, in colors so artistic and charming that all the ladies who saw the badges insisted on having one. Around the edge of the medallion was the inscription: "Trans-Mississippi Exposition, Lumbermen's Day, Sept. 9th." On the back side, showing the inherent modesty of the firm, was the statement: "Compliments of Carpenter & Flournoy, manufacturers and shippers of west coast products." As this firm makes a specialty of Washington state lumber and shingle products, the picture of Washington was most appropriate, it being their trade mark.
Retail lumbermen present, not securing one of these badges, can have one sent to them by writing to Carpenter & Flournoy and making the fact known. In fact, they will gladly send badges to all dealers in Nebraska desirous of having one for a souvenir, upon application, providing, of course, their supply does not give out. The giving out of this badge was a great stroke of enterprise on the part of Carpenter & Flournoy that will redound to their credit.
Some Northern Lumbermen at Omaha.
The first white pine manufacturer to strike Omaha for Lumbermen's day was Eugene Shaw, of the Daniel Shaw Lumber Company, Eau Claire, Wis., who arrived Thursday morning, accompanied by his wife, and George T. Thompson, the cashier of the Chippewa Valley band, of Eau Claire, and his wife. This quartette from Eau Claire visited the fair Thursday afternoon so as to get their bearings for the next day.
On the late train Thursday night, George S. Long, of the North Western Lumber Company, arrived on the scene, accompanied by Mrs. Long, and the Eau Claire party became a sextette. John H. Rowe, of Minneapolis, who travels for the North Western Lumber Company, also took in the celebration Friday, stopping now and then to book a few orders for lumber.
On Friday morning's train from the north came Col. R. L. McCormick, manager of the North Wisconsin Lumber Company, of Hayward, and wife and mother. Mr. McCormick was very much pleased with the exposition, which indicates the push and enterprise of the people of Omaha. Two of the North Wisconsin Lumber Company's salesmen were on hand, Scott Chambers, who makes the Missouri river territory, and W. W. Cleveland, who travels in Nebraska and Kansas.
W. I. Carpenter and J. A. Hughes, of Carpenter & Flournoy, Minneapolis, also arrived Friday morning. Mr. Carpenter was accompanied by Mrs. Carpenter and they remained over until Sunday night.
Charles O. Goss, vice president of the Winona Lumber Company, Winona, Minn., was on hand early Friday morning and met W. H. Byers, the company's salesman. Mr. Goss officiated as referee at the log rolling contest, and now his friends call him "Judge" Goss.
Midway Notes.
W. J. Foy, who has charge of the George A. Hoagland sales department, at Omaha, has a military reputation throughout Nebraska, and was kept busy during the past week meeting soldier after soldier who had returned from the front. Up to about a year ago Mr. Foy was an active national guard man, being the ranking captain of the First regiment. His duties in the sales office became so great that it was necessary for him to resign, and now that he might have been with the boys at Manila, he is, metaphorically speaking, kicking himself during his waking hours.
J. W. Berry, of the Jewell Lumber Company, Jewell, Neb., says that so far as he can see Nebraska generally will have about as good a lumber trade this fall as it did last fall, and he knows that will be the case in his particular locality. "I do not wish by this," said he, "to convey the idea that there is a full crop or anything like it; in fact, Nebraska will do well if she gets half a corn crop, but it must be remembered that corn is not the only resource of Nebraska, though of course it is the principal one. There is a great deal of old corn on hand, and this is going to pull us through in great shape."
George A. Hoagland, of Omaha, and William Buchanan, of Texarkana, are great hunters, and of recent years have been exchanging trips, the territory being alternately the western lakes and Florida swamps, and some of the boys say that they will not be at all surprised to hear of these two lumbermen down in Florida in the near future.
Paul Bartlett, of the Curtis & Bartlett Company, Lincoln, Neb., didn't carry an umbrella, even though it was sadly needed. The fact is he needed both hands to shake hands with his numerous customers, whom he has the pleasure of knowing personally.
P. F. Mahoney, of Greeley, Neb., who is now interested in five yards to the extent of about $50,000, says that the reports of the Nebraska corn crop do not do her full justice, as there is much old corn in the country, and that it is largely held by speculators who will hold it for a good price. "You can readily see," said he, "that this means the farmers will get a better price for the half crop which they have, per bushel, than they could if there had been a full crop; and take it all around will get almost
as much money for it." Lumbermen know what this means, of course.
W. F. Norway, of the Chippewa Lumber & Boom Company, Chippewa Falls, Wis., was on hand and most vehemently denied the report that he had a little norway in stock. "White pine," said he, "and white pine only, that's what I have to offer."
There is one man who will testify to the fact that F. F. Sayre, of the Sayre-Newton Lumber Company, Denver, Col., was not at the exposition solely for the purpose of looking around, and that men is George Long, of the North Western Lumber Company, Eau Claire, Wis. Sayre was introduced to Long, and of course Sayre did not want to buy anything in particular, and Long in turn didn't know as he was long on any particular thing; in fact, didn't have anything to sell. But a bystander noticed that it was not more than three seconds after Long had named a price on five or six cars until he had Sayre's order for the same snugly in his little pocketbook. It was not because the price was low or the stock good, or because Sayre wanted it or because Long wanted to sell it; oh, no; just because they were both good fellows and wanted to have something to remember the occasion by when they each returned to their respective homes, that's all.
There is, perhaps, no other individual courting the trade of the Nebraska lumbermen who enjoys so large a personal acquaintance with them as D. C. Bradford, of the Bradford-Kinsler Lumber Company, at South Omaha. In fact, it might be said that he put in the day, together with Mr. Kinzler, in saying "how do you do" to the boys, and agreeing to report duly the various opinions expressed of the weather man. Mr. Bradford said that undoubtedly the shortage of the corn crop was affecting and would affect the volume of trade in Nebraska. Not that there was not the demand for the lumber, but when people lose something, or think they have lost something, in a material way they become less liberal and are not nearly so apt to buy, even though they are abundantly able to pay. "This," said he, "may of necessity cause us to shift our territory a little bit, but the volume of trade will probably continue about the same with the change of territory."
One of the most welcome visitors to Omaha and the exposition was Charles Curtis, of Curtis Bros. & Co., Clinton, Ia. This concern has been identified with the trade in Trans-Mississippi country from practically the time that the Trans-Mississippi country began to use sash, out of this great concern has been a source of pleasure to many lumbermen in the territory, and not a few of them availed themselves of this occasion to shake hands with Mr. Curtis, whose energy and push have contributed to the success of the firm in such a large degree, and more particularly in these later years since his brother, George M. Curtis, has been representing his district in congress.
J. S. White, of the H. F. Cady Lumber Company, appeared on the scene with a mackintosh and an umbrella and made it his especial duty to see that every visiting lumberman was as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. He did not carry with him the city directory nor the telephone list, but for the one reason that this was not necessary. He knew both, or seemed to, at least, without any necessity of a reference, and of course was a very handy man to have around. Incidentally it might be said that he answered all questions concerning the midway with a little greater readiness than he was able to answer some others. This strange freak in his memory he accounted for from the fact that he said it was their good fortune to sell a good deal of the lumber used in an about the exposition and that the teamsters had a great deal to say about things down midway.
M. T. Eddleman took occasion on Lumbermen's day to bring his wife and daughter to the exposition, an example which was followed by many others.
Wilbur Martin, representing the Grays Harbor Commercial Company, was there too, but he kept pretty well indoors, saying in explanation that he couldn't figure quite so well when the rain dropped on his paper. He was selling, or rather he was figuring, and those who know him know that when he figures he sells.
L. E. Deemer, who represents the sash and door department of the Chicago Lumber Company, said that he thought the weather was an excellent reminder of storm sash; that it was an ill wind that blew nobody good, etc. L. E. is always "onto" his job; sometimes on to some other fellow's, too.
The Lumberman is always glad to meet A. Barnett of McCook, Neb., but was particularly gratified to meet him on this occasion because he was accompanied by his wife. That he would say something nice was a foregone conclusion, but it wasn't expected that he would put it just as pat as he did, for he said: "I have read your paper ever since I began the lumber business, piling lumber at a dollar and a half a day."
James Shearon, who has charge of the business of J. V. Switzer, at Fairbury, Neb., was doing the exposition and forming the acquaintance of his fellow lumbermen. He was accompanied by his son Harry, in soldier's garb, the latter having just returned with the Second Nebraska regiment from the south.
Did anyone see any of the buildings leaking during the rain storm? Well, hardly. And this is no small compliment to the "Rubberoid" roofing, a new composition roof, which was placed on the market by the H. F. Cady Lumber Company.
Another man whom Nebraska lumbermen were delighted to meet, and for many of them this was their first occasion, was F. C. Denkmann, of Weyerhauser & Denkmann, Rock Island, Ill.
David Dean, of the Dean Lumber Company, Lincoln, Neb., while a new dealer there, is by no means new to the lumber trade, and Mr. Dean personally enjoys an extended acquaintance throughout the state—a fact that was apparent to any observer by the number with whom he shook hands, even though the rain was pouring down.
In any count of the lumbermen of the state of Nebraska, O. O. Snyder, of O'Neil, must be included or the list will be sadly incomplete. While Mr. Snyder is not an old man, yet he is no chicken, having been born 1861 at Winterset, Ia. He entered the lumber business in 1884 and now has a line of yards along the Pacific Short line in Nebraska, and, by the way, his yards make money. That's
Frank Colpetzer,
Master of Ceremonies for Lumbermen's Day.
what he has them for. Mr. Snyder has so thoroughly learned his job that he makes money and makes fun all the time while he is doing it. He is one of the jolliest and withal most refined fellows that you can meet in a day's travel on the prairies of Nebraska—or anywhere else, for that matter.
President A. J. Bonekemper had so much on his hands that he turned the matter of presiding at the called meeting of the association over to that able and popular secretary, J. C. Cleland.
George W. Gribben, of Lincoln, Neb., was on hand to meet the many lumbermen with whom he is acquainted. Mr. Gribben is not a lumberman himself, but there are few lumbermen in the state who have not an intimate acquaintance with him, for he is engaged in wholesaling coal, and a more prominent and active coal man is not to be found in the state. Mr. Gribben confines his sales to the dealers strictly, which is one of the elements of his phenomenal success in the business.
C. L. Chaffee and H. N. Jewett could be distinguished from time to time between rain drops making hay while the sun shone. As it did not shine much the time was
J. S. White,
Of the Omaha Committee on Entertainment.
used in greeting newcomers and in pointing out objects of interest to sightseers. Mr. Chaffee reports that while the crops are more or less injured, north of the Platte, there is a pretty fair crop and but little complaint.
Dan Saunders, of Kansas City, said that he came to have fun, but more particularly to be dead sure that there was somebody there to represent the yellow pine end of the lumber business.
It is a rare thing to find a person who is practically beyond being surprised, but once in a while a person of such presence of mind is come across. Such a fellow is H. A. Gabriel, of Clinton, Ia. While on the midway the boys put up a little job on him, giving one of the little waiter girls—and she wasn't very little, by the way—15 cents if she would walk around and kiss Gabriel on the cheek. She accepted the offer and Gabriel got a smack which would have surprised most men, but not Gabriel. He simply stood back and said: "Well, my dear, now I'll give you a quarter to repeat it," and she repeated it. Gabriel thinks that's one of the practical jokes in which he is ahead.
Big Con Crowley talked for the Northern Lumber Company, of Cloquet, Minn., which he represents in the southwest, and seemed to be pretty much at home among the lumber dealers of that section.
Another salesman for a Cloquet house was Norris R. Wentworth, of the Johnson-Wentworth Company. Mr. Wentworth has been spending much of his time lately in Nebraska, where he has been having a good trade. He is a quiet, careful salesman, who has lots of friends. Sunday night he left for points in northeastern Nebraska along the Omaha road.
The heavyweights among the white pine salesmen were Scott Chambers, H. E. Wood and Con Crowley. Scott was busier than anybody's boy, looking after that Namekagon soft pine that the North Wisconsin Lumber Company makes, while Wood didn't miss any orders for the Mississippi River Logging Company, of Strickland, Wis. The concerns that the three represented are all good ones, and it is a wonder how the dealers could make up their minds which they preferred to buy from.
M. L. Elsemore made a good bojum at the Hoo-Hoo concatenation. In quoting prices for the Rust-Owen Lumber Company, of Drummond, Wis., down in Nebraska the past year or two, Mr. Elsemore got his voice in good training for the duties of bojum. It is safe to say that there wasn't a member of the Nebraska excursion crowd of last March, at the exposition, who did not remember the Rust-Owen Lumber Company, the Daniel Shaw Lumber Company, and the host of other good concerns along the line of the Omaha railway that gave them such royal entertainment last spring.
Here are the names of a few of the Nebraska dealers who journeyed afar to Omaha on that memorable day, September 9, 1898: L. W. Garoutte, C. N. Dietz, Lincoln; H. Morgenstern, Auburn; Mr. Dean, of the Dean Lumber Company, Lincoln; James W. Kearns, Auburn; Mr. Fried, of Fremont; Ed Tucker, Howe Lumber Company, Howe; President Bonekemper, of the Nebraska Lumber Dealers' Association; S. J. Whittier, Blue Hill; C. G. Roane, Campbell; F. P. McCormick, Bertrand; C. A. Galloway, Holdredge; H. St. Martin, Havelock; Mr. Barnett, McCook; "Uncle" D. P. Rolfe, Nebraska City.
A bunch of northwestern Nebraska dealers who have fine yards along the Omaha railway, and who were in attendance, consisted of the following: Walter Holmquist, of Oakland; George Little, Little Lumber Company, Lyons; E. C. Huston, of the Huston Lumber Company & Son, Lyons. Mr. Holmquist is pretty well known among the white pine manufacturers from his occasional visits to Minneapolis and other mill points.
"Old Kit," otherwise known as C. H. Kitridge, the Fairmount, Neb., retailer and philosopher, viewed things from an experienced standpoint, Friday, it being his second or third visit to the show. He reported business so good that he could hardly get away from home for a day.
Joe Copeland, of Fredericksburgh, Ia., retailer, accompanied by his family, took in the midway, Friday, having only one thing to regret, and that was the absence of Chet Carpenter, the heavyweight retailer of Fredericksburgh, who is quite a chum of his.
E. M. Warren, chief of the white pine grading bureau, with headquarters in Minneapolis, enjoyed the log rolling contest just as much as if he had once been a river driver himself. After devoting Saturday to business, Mr. Warren put aside all cares and spent Sunday on the midway facing a stiff nor'wester and keeping a sharp lookout for some one else wearing a straw hat. He couldn't find anyone so attired, however.
The white pine salesmen didn't quite monopolize the affair by any means, as the following aggregation of southern pine talent on hand is evidence: Harry Swartz, Central Coal & Coke Company; Ray Oliver, Rust & Oliver; Luther Creason, Turner Lumber Company; R. A. Norton, Norton Lumber Company, and R. L. Oliver, Lutcher & Moore Lumber Company, all of Kansas City; and Ben Collins, of the Monarch Lumber Company, St. Louis, Mo. Dan Saunders was also there, holding up his record as a capital fellow.
The Rice Lake Lumber Company, of Rice Lake, Wis., was ably and creditably represented by R. L. Andres, who has been making the Missouri river territory this year for this well known white pine concern. Mr. Andres made his headquarters at the Millard.
W. F. Vincent, well known as a retail lumber dealer at Sterling, Neb., is now selling lumber on the road for that old, reliable Minneapolis house, the E. W. Backus Lumber Company. Mr. Vincent was shaking hands with his old friends among the retailers at the exposition, Friday.
Among the Omaha wholesalers who did all they could to entertain the visiting lumbermen was D. C. Bradford, of the Bradford-Kinsler Lumber Company, of South Omaha; A. G. Mucke, who travels in Nebraska for the same company, and H. B. Huston, another itinerant for the same company, were giving their old customers and some new ones the "glad hand."
Does anyone suppose that Capt. T. H. Stevens, the popular Minneapolis jobber, would miss a lumbermen's celebration at Omaha? Not by a long way. The genial captain spent too many years in Sioux City in the lumber business to let an opportunity of this nature go by. He was on hand bright and early and gave the younger fellows a pointer or two on how to do the matter up brown.
Some people call him "Reddy," but however that may be, W. B. Arnold is always ready to figure an order for the Frost-Trigg Lumber Company, of St. Louis.
B. L. Van Cleave talked yellow pine for the Long-Mansfield Lumber Company, of St. Louis.
W. C. Shull, the Sioux City line yard man and member of the firm of J. & W. C. Shull, was accompanied by his young son, a promising fellow, who already show indications of making a shrewd lumberman when he is a few years older.
The Cloquet Lumber Company, of Cloquet, Minn., was represented by Mr. Dickman, its Missouri river territory salesman, while Mr. Dickey, a salesman with a somewhat similar name, took care of the interests of Chris Mueller & Sons, the popular Davenport, Ia., manufacturing firm.
Thomas Francis Mahoney, the Greely Center, Neb., retailer, who was the life of the excursion up north last March, has lost none of his ginger. He went into Hoo-Hoo Friday night, and discovered that he and Col. Dick Flournoy used to be next door neighbors when they were lads. As neither of them was aware of the fact before, there is no opportunity for damages from either side.
W. W. Catlin went down from Minneapolis, where he manages the sales department of the Shell Lake and White River Lumber Companies, of Shell Lake, and White River, Wis. At the Paxton he was reinforced by "Ambidexter" Joe Woodward, the tall pine of Nebraska, who wanders around among the retailers of the prairie state. "Billie" Catlin used to travel more or less down in that territory and was at home in his old room in the Paxton.
J. C. Barclay, who used to travel for W. S. Hill & Co., of Minneapolis, in the southwest, is now a manufacturers' agent at Council Bluffs, Ia. He took the street car and came over and hobnobbed with the visitors.
A party of Omaha lumbermen discovered doing the midway Friday afternoon consisted of D. C. Bradford and Al Kinsler, of the Bradford-Kinsler Lumber Company, South Omaha; C. N. Dietz; Gould Dietz, of the Sheridan Coal Company, and J. S. White, of the H. F. Cady Lumber Company. "Billy" Norway, with the Chippewa Lumber & Boom Company, Chippewa Falls, Wis., was chaperoning the party.
T. R. French, of Lincoln, says that Nebraska's crop is very fair, and that a great deal of lumber is being used throughout the state this year. Mr. French is a member of the wholesaling firm of Wixson, Bronson & French, of Rhinelander, Wis., and lives or rather makes his headquarters at Lincoln, spending most of his time out visiting the dealers of Nebraska, where he is very well known, having traveled in that territory for many years. His firm expects to handle about 10,000,000 feet of lumber this year, a large part of it going into Nebraska. They are now running their planing mill overtime to fill orders. Wixson, Bronson & French have a good stock of dimension, small timbers and inch lumber, and are in a position to furnish a nice lot of all white pine No. 3 boards.
M. E. Nichols, of Minneapolis, is looking after the Nebraska trade of the Amery Lumber Company, Amery, Wis., and so found time to run into Omaha for Lumbermen's day.
The "Omaha" Road Carried the Crowds.
The people from the northwest rightfully think there is no other railway like the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, for it is the route which they take from Wisconsin and Minnesota points and the Twin cities to the Omaha exposition.
The Omaha's fine train out of Minneapolis every night contains several vestibuled sleepers, and by leaving Minneapolis at 7:10 p. m., Omaha is reached at 9 o'clock the next morning. Every comfort is given the traveler, and, in fact, traveling over this road is made a luxury. It is the shortest route between Minneapolis and St. Paul and Omaha, and is doing the lion's share of the business.
General Passenger Agent Teasdale believes that the visitors to the exposition deserve the best service to be had, and he is giving it to them. For those who do not care to travel at night, a morning train leaves Minneapolis in time to reach Omaha at 11:50 at night. It keeps W. G. L. Tucker, the advertising agent, busy telling the public of the improvements and comforts the Omaha has to offer, despite the fact that he is an old newspaper man, and knows what it is to get off a chunk of "rush" copy.
John F. Wilcox, the Minneapolis sash and door manufacturer, was right at home with his friends in the trade in the southwest. He rode the camels on the midway, drank punch at the state buildings, and marched with the Hoo-Hoo to the Pabst building. He had a good time, for he was with Jack Hughes much of the time, but when he started home Saturday night he forgot to get his excursion ticket signed at the depot, and had to pay full fare to Minneapolis. Of course a man isn't supposed to have much money left after spending several days in Omaha, but by taking up a collection from several lumbermen friends of his who happened to be along, he managed to make the riffle.
