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Page 82 JOHN DUBOIS
community. After this rush was over he was kept busy repairing his
product as it became worn. Children's boots and shoes were the last
to be made, and many a child recalls his adventures on a cold,
frosty morning in October or November when he was compelled to go
out into the frost covered fields in the early morning to chase up
the oxen to bring them in to be hitched up for the day, or the cows
to be brought in to be milked. On these occasions the youngster
would stand in the spot, where the animal had lain at night, to warm
his feet for the return trip. Children ran barefooted from early
spring until very late fall. Sunday morning the youngster washed his
feet and put a clean rag on his sore toe, and considered himself
dressed for the day. Schools were of three months' duration and
usually did not commence until December.
Wheat flour was worth $20.00 per barrel and wheat sold
at $3.00 per bushel on the barn floor. Fortunately the farmer did
not need to buy flour for he raised his own wheat. Other grains and
hay were of like price.
About 1859, the Blanchards located at "Home Camp" on
Anderson Creek and commenced lumbering. Other lumber operations had
sprung up affording the farmer a market for everything he could
produce. This had been accentuated by the Civil War and at the close
of the war the white pine timber of central Pennsylvania had become
a valuable commodity. The man who had purchased his land found that
he could make square timber in the winter from the pine which stood
upon the land he intended to clear, and which he formerly burned in
log heaps. The result of this was that each owner of land became a
lumberman in the winter time. If he did not have enough money to
finance his operation, he applied to the local merchant who would be
willing to purchase his timber either on the banks of the stream or
when rafted to market. A copy of the following contract indicates
how this matter was handled.
"An Article of Agreement made and entered into this day
of January, A. D., 1871, between Andrew Spencer of the first part,
and John Ferguson, of the second part, all of Clearfield County, Pa.
"Witnesseth, (whereof) that the party of the first part agrees to
sell to the party of the second part, what hemlock timber he has
lying on the bank at Lumber City, 3000 feet, more or less, at 4 cts.
per cubic foot, and what he has in the woods for 2 cents per cubic
foot, and to haul it for 2 cts. per cubic foot additional to where
the other logs are and furnish everything except the rope, and raft
it all in and put it in good running order for one cent per cubic
foot, and the balance that is lying after what goods &c he gets and
has got to be paid when return is received from lumber."
The country had not been accustomed to short credits.
Sometimes accounts ran for years, but when lumbering commenced there |
