STRONG MAN'S FEATS

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3969, 7 October 1930, Page 2

STRONG MAN'S FEATS

NINETEENTH CENTURY SAMSON EXTRAORDINARY POWERS „ CARRYING rVIAN ON BEARD Even the astounding myths which surround the feats oi other strong men in Wisconsin have not been able to obscure on the Door County peninsula of that state the legendary prowess ot Allan Bradley, the “giant of Hedgehog Harbour.” . , Hedgehog Harbour is the name by which Gills Hock, Wisconsin, was known in 1855, when Bradley came from Dunkirk, New York, to cut logs, but instead turned to hunting and fishing for a livelihood, says the Milwaukee journal. , ~ Bradley and his feats of strength are described by Mr H. H. Holand in Old Peninsula Days.’ The strong man was more than 6ft tall, but so broad that he appeared to bo stocky. He measured more than 4ft around the chest, and the size of his hands and feet was remarkable Shoes were not made very small in those days, but none could be found to fit Bradley’s huge feet, so he had to wear moccasins. Some of the old settlers of the northern end of the peninsula have told in recent years of “ old Bradley,” who could cut seven cords of body maple in a day. Crosscut saws had not come into use, and trees were felled and cut into cordwood wholly with the axe. Bradley had a home-made axe that no other man in the vicinity could wield, and when he swung it chips weighing 11b apiece flew at every stroke. STRONGER THAN SIX MEN. Bradlev sat near by one day and watched * six men struggle in vain to get a big timber in place on a crib they were building. When they gave up and sat down to rest, he lifted the tog into position alone. Once when Bradley and Ransom Call, a larger man than he, were stacking a cargo of salt barrels on a pier at Escauaba, the captain of the ship, knowing that both men had reputations of tremendous strength, offered five dollars to the one who could keep longest without stopping at the task of piling the barrels. The gait barrels weighed 3001b each, They had to be piled three high. Everything went well u.ntil two tiers had been piled, and then it became necessary to swing the heavy barrels breast high. Soon Call was perspiring and puffing, and he finally took Bradley aside and said, “ Let’s quit this rushiiiig. The man who loses don’t get nothing for his trouble. If you’ll quit ffrst I’ll give you the five!” “ Quit yourself,” replied Bradley, “ 1 ain’t even warmed up!” Call heaved desperately at the task foi another half-hour trying to save his reputation ns a strong man, but finally he gave up. Bradley kept on till ail the cargo had been piled. SURPRISE FOR STOREKEEPER. While living on Washington Island Bradley went into the, crowded general store one day, and the proprietor, Ranney, with a wink at the crowd, offered him a barrel of ffonr as a gift if he could carry it home. Without a word Bradley swung the 4151b load to his shoulder and started, followed by the crowd. As he trudged on, covering the three-mile hike without a halt, the crowd became more ami more admiring and respectful, and when he swung the barrel to the ground at the door of his cabin he was heartily cheered Occasionally one of Bradley’s friends would grasp the “ giant’s ” full beard with both hands and swing off the door. Bradley would walk around the morn as if unmindful of the load. Tales of his great feats had been told far and wide, and when he was in Green Bay on a visit someone offered to wager that he could not carry an ordinary man across the room hanging from his heard. Ransom Call was there, towering above the rest. Bradley walked up to him and told him to take hold of the heard. Call was obviously the heaviest man present, weighing more than 2501b. He hung by the beard, and Bradley walked around and around the room until Call had to let go. ENLISTMENT IN THE CIVIL WAR. The big fellow enlisted in the Civil War, and it is told that he became separated from his party an a skirmish and was captured by Confederates. His musket was taken away and two men were detailed to take him to Che rear. As soon as he and his guards'had gone a safe distance from the others, Bradley seized the two rebels by their necks, swung them off' the ground, and cracked their skulls together as a sample of what would happen if they wanted trouble. Then he marched them off to the Union lines. Bradley became badly crippled with rheumatism m his declining years, and moved only with pain. Lie was an object of charity finally, and lived five years in the home of Captain John Noyes, a friend, while Noyes worked to get him a pension. Senator Sawyer was interested, and finally a pension of four dollars a month was obtained. It came too late, for Bradley was dying when the first remittance arrived. He died on February 11,. 1885.