Eau Claire High School - Kodak Yearbook (Eau Claire, WI)

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A XMANIGAN SHOOTING THE RAPIDS OF THE FLAMBEAU RIVER ABOUT 1895 sledges or toboggans themselves, but dogs pulled .the larger ones which were about ten feet long and fifteen inches wide. But how, questioned the lad, did they get supplies during the winter before the roads were opened? For this, Charlie my boy, they had the bateau. lt was a large boat with high pointed ends and used in all logging operations. The keel boat, too, was used. It was per- haps sixty feet long, ten feet wide, and propelled by poles which re- quired the undivided strength of twelve to twenty men to keep it in motion. Often they were poled up the river, loaded, and then floated down again. On the keel boat one man acted as pilot and the others were equally divided on either side of the boat. Placing their poles, which were steel tipped, on the bottom of the river they could walk ripidly in a stooping position to',the stern, and then quickly run back to their former places on the side of the boat and repeat the action. The Sioux Indians and lumbermen used the wooden ol' the canoe because it was more practical and substan- tial. It was made of a large hollowed-out log and pro- pelled by poles which were wielded by four men. 'AAs it was necessary to have a means of carrying supplies from one place to another down the river dur- ing the log drives, a Hat boat with a house on it was made and called the wanigan. ln this all the camp sup- plies were carried. Of various sizes and shapes were the logging sleds used in the camps. Some were pulled by oxen, some by horses and some by both. On the top of the high load ol' logs was 'perched the driver. dug-out to carry their supplies in place : 'T , ' A f g 'l..5FV I b fr .. - ., I if ' ' ' A Doc SLED What is the name of that thing they hauled logs to the river on? That's the 'go-devilf Everyone wanted to settle as near as possilbe to the lands bordering A COVERED WAGON ON BARSTOW STREET ABOUT 1865 river banks because of the great haul- ing expense done away with. These were known as 'go-devil' chances. Like a wish bone 'the 'go-devil' was shaped, and the log was fastened by a chain un- derneathf' Aw, I've heard enough about logging. Tell me about how people come here now, and about that stage coach you said that a man who came to visit us last week rode on. ln Charles' voice was a hint of restlessness, which made old Charlie wonder if the boy yearn- ed to move farther down the valley where he would not be so completely isolated from the rest of the world. Well, he said, the stage was very uncomfortable and slow, and it took a long time to get here, but it is far more comfortable than the covered wagon in which the old pioneers came. At night our friend stopped at an inn to change horses. 'He also described a journey he took on a steamboat,which

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A wistful, far-away look in the eyes of his grandson made the old man stop. To Charlie the story of his mother's heroism and her love for him, never failed to fan his burning desire to make himself worthy of her, to do some great deed to measure his manhood as she had mea- sured his value. The grandfather seeing the wistful look in the boyfs eyes, passed- to a safer subject. Because of the great wealth of the vast tim- ber lands, the Chippewa Valley gained a large population Lumbering was the chief industry and there was little farming done. By the time you were born in 1850 these operations were well under way, and the large Bgprgpg BARK CANQES QF WILD RICE CATH- forests were disappearing to be replaced by stump ING OJ IBWA dotted fields stretching for many miles, just as they do now farther down in the valley. I never out the trees hereg I love them, they shall stay at least as long as l. How many times had little Charles heard this declaration! And how earnestly it was said. The old man had no desire to better himself. He would not hear of clearing off the land, starting a farm, or building a more comfortable home. Silently theysat straining their eyes and ears to catch sight and sound of the canoes of the Indians in the nearby river. In their ntinds both could see the picture though nothing was visible now. A common scene it was then, the Ojib- way Indians gliding through the many streams. What a picture it was-the almost silent Hgure of the Indian paddling the graceful canoe through the blue rippling waters which were bordered by stately pine trees. The canoe was the Ojibway's chief means of transportation, for they seldom used horses or ponies as did many ofthe tribes. Skillfully were these canoes made of the best birch-bark, and light enough to be easily carried across the port- ages. By the score they were seen going up the 'river laden with supplies before winter set in. Fearing that his grandfather would soon sug- gest that they retire, Charles broke the silence A Duc-our, THE CANOE OF ras with, l'd like to hear again about the fur trad- Sioux INDIANS ers that lived around here. You didn't tell me how they looked. With an elfort, the other put aside the engrossing thoughts of his youth in which he had been indulging, and, after knocking the ashes from his ancient pipe he took up the narrative again. From many miles north they came, these grizzled fur traders, with their dog sledges. They were picturesquely dressed in baggy trousers, tucked in large awkward boots, heavy, brightly col- ored plaid shirts, and fur caps, made of the skins of small animals. The tails were sewed on in the back and were allowed to toss in the breeze. Often these fur traders managed the smaller I- . , , l I ,- 7 , BATEAUX, Aaour 1855 l

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he claims is very rapid and much faster than the steam engine. I-Ie knocked the ashes from his pipe, looked around to be sure that everything was safe for the night, and went inside. Charlie, with his chin cupped in his hands, sat dream- ing of a future time when everyone would have neighbors and swift means of transportation. His grand- father's voice calling, Come, boy, it's getting late, let's take ourselves to bed, aroused him from his rev- erie. We too, my readers, will take our selves over the ensuing years that saw young Charlie take up his resi- dence in Eau Claire and live here for the rest of his life. Upon his death one of our prominent citizens of today found a book he had start- ed to write on the history of Eau EAU CLAIREIS FIRST STREET CAR LAST STAGE CoAcH TO APPEAR IN EAU CLAIRE, ABOUT 1868 This picture was taken at Black River Falls. Claire. With this book as an au- thority he says: In 1879 the first street car or horse car made its ap- pearance in Eau Claire. The line ran from Shawtown to the Omaha depot, and followed the same street as it does today, except for a few months when the bridge over the Chippewa was being constructed. During this time it ran up the West Side and over the Madison St. bridge. lt also ran up Galloway Street. ln 1887 the electric system was installed and the horse cars done away with. This was one of the pioneer railways in the United States. The Hadley Ferry, which was the only means of getting across the riv- er, was just a short distance - not more than a few rods - from the site of our present Shawtown bridge. -Phyllis-Kelley, '29 r Y, u THE I-IADLEY FERRY, 1880