The Marvelous Exploits of Paul Bunyan: As Told in the Camps of the White Pine Lumbermen for Generations During Which Time the Loggers Have Pioneered the Way Through the North Woods from Maine to California; Collected from Various Sources and Embellished for PublicationLaughead, William B.
General
The Marvelous Exploits of Paul Bunyan: As Told in the Camps of the White Pine Lumbermen for Generations During Which Time the Loggers Have Pioneered the Way Through the North Woods from Maine to California; Collected from Various Sources and Embellished for Publication
Laughead, William B.
Bunyan, Paul (Legendary character)
In these conversations the lumberjack often took on the mannerisms of
the French Canadian. This was apparently done without special intent and
no reason for it can be given except for a similarity in the mock
seriousness of their statements and the anti-climax of the bulls that
were made, with the braggadocio of the _habitant_. Some investigators
trace the origin of Paul Bunyan to Eastern Canada. Who can say?
[Illustration: _Logging Road near Westwood, California. White Pine and
Old Fashioned Winters made Paul Bunyan feel at home._]
* * * * *
PAUL Bunyan came to Westwood, California in 1913 at the suggestion of
some of the most prominent loggers and lumbermen in the country. When
the Red River Lumber Company announced their plans for opening up their
forests of Sugar Pine and California White Pine, friendly advisors shook
their heads and said,
"Better send for Paul Bunyan."
Apparently here was the job for a
Superman,--quality-and-quantity-production on a big scale and great
engineering difficulties to be overcome. Why not Paul Bunyan? This is a
White Pine job and here in the High Sierras the winter snows lie deep,
just like the country where Paul grew up. Here are trees that dwarf the
largest "cork pine" of the Lake States and many new stunts were planned
for logging, milling and manufacturing a product of supreme
quality--just the job for Paul Bunyan.
The Red River people had been cutting White Pine in Minnesota for two
generations; the crews that came west with them were old heads and every
one knew Paul Bunyan of old. Paul had followed the White Pine from the
Atlantic seaboard west to the jumping-off place in Minnesota, why not go
the rest of the way?
[Illustration: TRADE MARK REGISTERED]
Paul Bunyan's picture had never been published until he joined Red River
and this likeness, first issued in 1914, is now the Red River trademark.
It stands for the quality and service you have the right to expect from
Paul Bunyan.
* * * * *
WHEN and where did this mythical hero get his start? Paul Bunyan is
known by his mighty works; his antecedents and personal history are lost
in doubt. You can prove that Paul logged off North Dakota and grubbed
the stumps, not only by the fact that there are no traces of pine
forests in that State, but by the testimony of oldtimers who saw it
done. On the other hand, Paul's parentage and birth date are unknown.
Like Topsy, he jes' growed.
Nobody cared to know his origin until the professors got after him. As
long as he stayed around the camps his previous history was treated with
the customary consideration and he was asked no questions, but when he
broke into college it was all off. Then he had to have ancestors, a
birthday and all sorts of vital statistics. For now Paul is recognized
as a regular Myth and students of folk-lore are making scientific
research of the Paul Bunyan Legend.
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