Previously, the Wall brothers, Caribou Joe and an old trapper named Sandy celebrate at the big New Year's Eve party.
Joe and his friends continued their discussion and drinking at the New Year's Eve party.
1912 had indeed been an eventful year. The railroad contractors, Fort George Lumber and Navigation along with Foley, Welsh and Stewart, started steamship freight and passenger service on the 315 winding miles between South Fort George and Mile 53.
Scow construction began on the river and provided a way to move supplies. Mile 49, Mile 52 and Mile 53 were established and had become much more than just mile posts on the railway.
The Pat Burns slaughter house, several large warehouses, two steamship docks, a new railway station, and the police barracks were all constructed in that year. A new school house was established and most of the children in the area attended. The first Boy Scout troop in the area was formed.
Thousands of railway workers were also camped in the area. Tte Jaune Cache had become a booming place.
John and Bill Wall were enthusiastic and proud about the changes and growth in their community. Joe shared their sense of pride. Old Sandy, on the other hand, looked at the changes as an invasion and couldn't wait to get back to his trap-line and the solitude of another long winter.
At the stroke of midnight, the men raised their drinks and the crowd sang Auld Lang Syne. Everyone in the dance hall wished each other a happy New Year and went right back to drinking. During the party many job offers came Joe's way. Thoughts of going legitimate began to appeal to him. There were other ways to make a living besides bootlegging. The Wall brothers needed help with their small pit-mill operation and, as the three men worked well together, Joe decided to continue working for them.
Later Joe could try the horse-logging operation on the hill above Mile 52. He had experience in this field of work, helping his father log for telegraph poles back in Yale. That was just prior to his move to the Interior.
In the spring, with all the stockpiled lumber the Wall brothers and several other mills had produced, another season of scow-building would begin. Labourers would be needed for this job and operators were always looking for drivers. A crew of four men was required for each of these huge river-barges.
In the next episode, A rude awakening, we'll explore the wonderful world of toe-rags. Joe discovers, first-hand, that there is something worse than a hangover.
