Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-09-21
lCoPYRIGHT SECURED.
CLEARFIELD COUNTY:
Or, REMiNiSCENcES OF THE PAST

From the commencement of m anufacturing
sawed lumber until within very recent date,
the business steadily increased, and we have
now about four hundred saw mills in the couu-
ty, the annual product of which has been
timated at 100, ,000, 900 feet, valued at market
at million OF dollars. This OF course does
not represent the full capacity of the mills
Many of the mills are owned by farmers who
only devote such time as they can spare from
the labors of the farm to running their mills.
a new system of numbering, which within a
few years has threatened to carry the saving
of the logs to other localities, has rendered
the business more RrecariOus and proven a
draw Back on home manufactures. The most
of the mills are driven by water power-a few
are steam mills. With here and there an ex-
ceptiOn, our mills are erected having in view
the manufacture of boards, plank, scantling
and such like lumber Very few of them are
shifted for saving lumber for large buildings
structures, and bills are rarely sought or
sawed. The lumber scarcely ever exceeds l6
feet in length. When exported, it is general
ly RATED first in platforms formed 10y making
the alternate layers cross each other. Ten or
more platforms then united to form raft
An ordinary raft contains from 80 to 60 VI of
boards. Five hands are sufficient TO run such
n raft over what is considered the dangerous
part of the stream, and two from there to mar
ket. The cost OF running such raft to mar
kct averages about 500. For the sale of their
sawed lumber, our raftsmen generally resort
to Middletown or Columbia, but many sales
,-ta IL, ~
of the choicest lumber is sent to market in
aIks built for the purposc.I These contain a
bout the same number OF feet as an ordinary
board raft. Frequently light timber RATS are
loaded with boards, and the lumber thus ex-
ported. The greatest part of the lumber
ed in this county is white pine. Hemlock
comes next in amount, and the trade in that
kind of lumber seems to be on the increase
the demand becomes greater. Cherry, poplar.
ash and oak not exported as much as for
merly. Two streams penetrating our county,
cause a small part of the lumber to descend to-
wards the Mississippi, but the bulk goes east
ward. Since the construction Of the Central
Railroad, another channel has been opened to
some sections OF the county. and a brisk trade
sprung up with Tyrone and some other places
on the road.
In 1905, David Litz inauguratcd system of
numbering which has grown to great mag1i-
tude and vastly benefited our county. The
first timber raft which descended our stream
was run by him from the Clearfeld creek, and
was composed of small house logs. The tim
Der business has been the business of Clear
field county. 1t is true that it is attended
with haGdships, exposure, and often ended in
disappointments and loss. 1t is certain that
but comparatively few engaged in it have sue
ceeded in amassiBg large sums of money.
But it was the business which has so much
advanced the prosperity of the county with
out it our section might have remained almost
uninhabIted. 1t enabled men to clear land
and at the same time provide the means for
purchasing the soil upon which they were ex-
pending the toll of their hands and the sweat
OF their brows.A 1t provided remunerating la
Dor for them and their cattle during that sea-
son in which they would otherwise have been
compelled to be idle for lack of work upon
their farms And this, in connection with
the branch of numbering already spoken OF,
has caused our citizens to leave home more or
less frequently, to mingle with people OF other
sections, and thereby gain new ideas and de-
Veiop their intellectual powers. LAUNDERING
has made us reading and thinking communi-
fy, and diffused more general intelligence a.
mong our people than is generally met with in
rural populations. The manufacture of square
timber commences after fall seeding. Trees
are selected to suit the kind of raft intended
to be made. These are feled, and whilst one
set of hands are engaged in Juggling and SEQ
rng in, another set hews the timber 1t is