SCRAPS OF LOCAL HISTORY. 39 



voters on the othsr. The Chatham party were late in appearing, 

 and did not arrive till 11 a. m. They took in part of the situation, 

 and Hea gave the command in Irish, to clear away the cable, 

 v/hich was done instanter. They were about two hundred or 

 three hundred strong. The Rankin-Street party, through Big Jim 

 Bass, then got the order to charge, which they did, and the air 

 was immediately full of stones, sticks and other missiles, and a 

 battle royal commenced, but the Cliatliam party were overpower- 

 ed at last and fled in different bodies — one through the woods, com- 

 ing out that night about Lamont's mill ; another also through the 

 woods, but only came out next day at Mill Bank, and the third 

 made directly back to their wharf, followed by the crowd of 

 victorious Street men. They crowded on board the steamer St. 

 George, Capt. Graham. There was a heap of coals lying on the 

 wh:irf, which the Street party used as missiles, and when she 

 arrived at Chatham there was four inches of coals all over the 

 decks, mute witnesses of the battle. When the day came for the 

 polling in Chatham, by mutual agreement of both parties the 

 polling was held at Carney's farm, one mile out of town up the 

 river, but for fear of reprisals both parties had reserves ready 

 armed. Cunard's forces were stationed back of Chatham, near 

 the residence of Dr. Fallen Cnow owned by R. A. Snowball), lOQO 

 strong, and the Rankin forces on the green above Morrison's mill 

 (now the Miramichi Lumber Cos rossing mill) about 500 strong, 

 and mounted men galloped back and forth between the polling 

 place and the reserves of both forces, a sort of signal moving 

 telegraph, bearing news, but the day parsed off quietly. 



Then the following days, when the polling was up or down the 

 river, steamers or sailing craft were used to convey voters and 

 fighting men to the polls by both parties. 



The day of the Siege. In some way a rumor was started that 

 the Rankin party intended to ship a gang of fighting men to 

 Chatham in reprisal to avenge some affront or irregularity which 

 had occurred. They vvere said to intend turning certain voters 

 out of doors with their families and tearing down their houses. 

 This was a few days after the Chatham polling and I think on a 

 Friday. The Chatham folks were not to be caught napping, so 

 every one was astir bright and early and down on Peabody's 

 wharf watching for developments, excejjt those tJiat were pre- 



