p. 5

the slide open for the passage of rafts during the fall prevented the company from making any further improvements, until the winter season should afford the opportunity of work.

In the meantime they were not idle, but made every effort, by negotiation and otherwise, to place the affairs of the Company in such a condition that advantage could be taken of the earliest opportunity for prosecuting the work of improvement of the slide, with vigor and energy.

They at last succeeded in bringing to their aid, men of capital and enterprise, and through them ample means were provided for commencing the work. A plan of operations was agreed upon, which consisted virtually of entirely doing away with the slide and laying a level floor at low water mark.

But before they had commenced work, a body of men took possession of the slide, under the direction of one who claimed to be acting under a contract made with a Committee of the Lumbermen, which bound the Contractor, as the Company have been informed, not to make the slide safe for the passage of rafts but to tear it out and entirely remove and destroy the Dam. Although notified by the proper Officers, that the company were prepared and intending to commence the work immediately, and requested to desist from their work of destruction, they still continued it, and intentions were made that force would be used if the Company attempted in any way to interfere with their progress. The Company then appointed to a Court Commissioner for an injunction A restrain the Lumbermen from their work of destruction, setting forth that they were prepared to go