The Old Saw Mill Poem – Lanark County

 

Saw mill, grist and shingle mill established by Isaac Currie 1860 on the Fall River. Maberly. Photo: Library of Archives Canada 1870

The Old Saw Mill – By the Mississippi River–by Unknown

In a little town so still

There’s a building old and battered

‘Tis the old saw-mill.

It is twisted, it is tattered

From the toil of many years

The walls are scratched and shattered

Yet it shows no sign of fear.

The carriage growls and grumbles

As it journeys to and fro,

And the engine howls and mumbles

Making all the pullies go.

Perth Remembered

The belts all need relacing.

And the track is out of line.

The saw should have refacing.

Ere it splits another pine.

The melting snow is dripping

Through the knot holes in the roof,

But the saw goes on a ripping

She’s still running that is proof.

The saw-dust chain is whining

How that edger saw does throb

But the boss looks quite contented

Perth Remembered photo-PENMAN’S SAWMILL MIDDLEVILLE 1910

For it’s still doing the job.

No matter what the weather

The work goes on the same

There’s no excuse for stopping

For the weather man’s to blame

What’s it matter if its raining.

What’s it matter if it snows.

There is no use complaining.

And so that’s the way it goes.

 

Caldwell Steam Sawmill in Wilbur-photo from Ruby and Raymond Blackburn

 

At the edger there’s a fellow

Who is working all the day

He wears a suit of yellow

And he’s drawing steady pay.

His name is Erwin Downey

And across the track from him

Is the faithful Ira Deugo,

Who is working with such vim.

Eric Needham, known as Kelly

Is the man who piles the slabs

He is one of our best workers

Maberly-Mill

Yet he loves to stand and gab.

Joey Bowman helps the teamster

And is always in the way

Yet he does his best and that is worth

The very best of pay.

Wash. Sheffield from Arnprior

Is the sawyer of the crew

He pulls and shoves the levers

While tobacco he does chew

And our well known comedian

Who is anything but green

Perth Remembered—Penmans Saw Mill Gang–Middleville

Is the man who twirls the can hook

His name is Lornie Steen.

The boy who saws the slabs in lengths.

Provides us lots of fun

His name is Gordie Belford

But we always call him Hon.

The fellow that I near forgot

Is always on the go

He follows two good horses

And he doesn’t dare be slow.

 

Perth Historical Society Photo-Thanks to Brad Nichols, of Lanark, who advises that this is the former Caldwell Grist and Sawmill on the Clyde River in Lanark.

The horses too deserve a line

In this our loggers song.

The ever willing workers

Who are so true and strong.

And last of all the scaler

Who is the foreman too

Stands there all day and keeps the score

Of all the work we do.

He sees the boards come sliding out.

And always he’s the same

Through rain or shine through work or rest

Frank Needham is his name.

And here I end my story

Before Riverside park, there was Caldwell’s Saw Mill. Located approximately where the beach is now, this saw mill operated from 1869 to 1891. Photo- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

I hope you’ll think its fine

The story of the loggers

Who love the smell of pine.

Now if you plan on building

A barn or anything

Here’s where to get your lumber sawed

Just visit us next spring.

 

 

Related reading

Where Was Hunter’s Mill and Huntersville?

Memories and Mentions of Names in Maberly

 

thanks to the Sabourin Scrapbook