Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-04-24
Written for the chronicle.1
SKETCHES FROM THEVALLRY OF
-5. r. THE ST. CR0IX.
NUMBER THREE.
HUDsox, CWis.0 April 2. 1861.

| HUDSON, (hlS,) April z, 1861.
! From the time the St Croix Valley wa:
first settled by civilized men until the yeal
1857, the lumber business was paramount
to all other pursuits of industry, in fact,
nothing of any account was derived in the
Agricultural line until '57. The financial
depression of that year, and the complete
stagnatiOn Of all kinds of commerce and
trade, naturally drove hundreds of lumber
men to tilling the soil. some would, as a
matter of choice, have preferred sleeping
among the pines in winter, and navigating
the rivers in summer with no larger craft
than saw log, or batteau. --,s.
The foul wind blew somebody good in
this case, for the impetus given to farming
IN that and the following year, demOnstra-
ted the fact that the soil contained a source
of wealth equal to that of their former vo-
cation. Many of those continue the ag-
ricultural pursuits now. and others follow
both channels of business.
There are probably two thousand men
now engaged in the lumber trade Of this
Valley.
l will attempt to give you something of
an idea of this business, but in a single
sketch l can scarcely do the subject jus
tice. About the close Of navigation, the
different companies who intend numbering,
get their crews ready for winters cam
paign amsng the pines in the woods They
take with them -four, pork, beans, pOta-
toes and the like. for their sustenanee, re-
lying on their rifles for fresh piece Of
deer for a change, and with three or four
blankets to each man for their beds, are
ready for four months seige. A rude
shanty of logs and brush is thrown to-
gether upon reaching the scene Of opera
tons, which is an apology for their home
the place where they cook and sleep
They generally have two or three teams
usually oxen, to haul their logs to the banks
Of the streams, down which they are to be
driven.
Here they remain while the snowslasts,
which they improve to their utmost, often
working nights and Sundays endeavoring
10 outdo their neighbors in the same busi-
hess When the snow moves in the spring,
The lumbermen move with it. They take
advantage of the ''rise" of the streams,
Ind run their logs into the lake-a dis
.ance of from 40 to 100 miles The "dri- /
1ing" is the most exciting and also the
most dangerous part of lumberman's la
oors. Two or three crews generally run
heir logs together-eyery company having
1pOn each log their private mark
The current on these streams is very rap
d. and at places there are considerable
alls So expert are many Of the drivers I
hat they will ride common log at the rate
f from three to five miles an hour with the
Itmost ease and never lose their balance. I
occasionally the logs form gorge and are |
lied up one upon another twenty or thir- l
y feet high, and it often requires q num- 4
er of men several days to get tho huge I
lass in motiOn-at which time it behoOyes
he drivers to use the utmost care aad tact =
D prevent being caught and crushed in \
ieces. On the starting Of such gorge | b
ave seen logs eighteen inches in diameter :
roken in two as though they were reeds :
When the logs reach the lake they are
ecured in booms and RATED. Of late
ears a large amount of lumber has been :,
lwed before sending it down the river to
larket. but a large proportion of the logs !:
re yet sent below as they came from the L
-oOds. The RATS contain from six to
Eelye strings Of logs-each string con- :
inning about a hundred logs, which are ?
lstened together and form the raft, which Q
,vers over a half an acre surface. Six a
adde's fore and aft are constructed to fl
ianage it, cabin built upon it to cook in Il
nd it is ready to start for the southern Ii
!arket. It takes ten to twenty men to p
In one of these awkward crafts down to s.
Louis, and two weeks time. Tow
pats, kept for that purpose, pilot the Il
fits through the waters of lakes St CrOix n
I'd Pepin, and the rest of the way they Il
lift with the current. tal
1t is estimated that there is hundred
illiOn feet of lumber. or what will make y
to be RATED the coming summer, which n,
ould sen for at least 100000.
| J. S. E.