"The present moment is furiously small, a slot, a notch, a footprint, and on either side of it is a seethe of possibility, the dissolve of alphabets and of me. I do not know how I proceed or even if I proceed, because each present is all I have"(a slot, a notch)

While Scratchankle may have started out slow, it sooned thrived. With the realization of its potential in the lumber industry, Scratchankle's economy took off. The Blackwater River provided the perfect way to power mills, and to transport the lumber. Mills were constructed all along the shores of the Blackwater as the new industry took grip. In fact, so many mills were constructed that the name Scratchankle was abandoned for Mill-Town, which eventually became Milton. Trees were cut down left and right and, after preparation at the mills, sent floating down the river to the main docks of Milton where they could be shipped to New Orleans, and from there around the world. Milton quickly became one of the leading sources of timber in the southern United States, impressive considering its size(the population of Milton had still not exceeded 5,000). As time progressed it seemed the lumber industry in Milton would never even slow down. The town and its citizens thrived off the success. There were consequences to cutting down so many trees, however. As more and more trees were cut down, swamps began to form in the recesses left by their absence. Also, the diversity of wildlife began to decline as their habitat was destroyed. Still, Milton continued in its enterprise, even expanding upon it. A railroad depot was built in Milton, more to transport timber inland than to bring people to or from the area. A swinging bridge was built across the river to allow the train to cross while not blocking the way of the boats, which still transported the bulk of the timber. With each felled tree, the lives of the people of Milton seemed to improve.