New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-06


IRON AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUsEl
LITTLE LAKE, Mendocino Co., CAL, Aug. 8.
Some years ago. before there was wagon road be-
tween Cloyerdae and MeDdocnO CITY, Big River as
n ia more commonly called up here the northern
coast the mail was carried on horseOr more usually
on mue-back and the mail rider was caught, on one
stormy and dark night, upon the road and found him
self unable to 40 further In this dilemma he took
refuge with his mule and the United States mails IN
hollow redwood and maR and mule lay down e0mforta-
bly, within its shelter. They had room to spare indeed
as saw when the stagedriyer pointed out the tree to
me and kindly stopped until examined It, AT road
side Inn 1 found they had rooted over hol-
low stump, and used 1t as capacious
storeroom They show you the not inconsd-
cradle remnant OF another redwood tree, from
which ties enough we're split TO lay mile Of railroad
track All these wero1arge trees OF course but there
s no reason TO believe that they the biggest OF
their kind; when you have Travelled for two or three
DAYS through the redwood forests OF the northern coast
Of California you will scarcely be surprised at any story
Of big trees.
The redwood seems to be found only the Of
California; It needs the damp air which comes from the
sea and which blows against the mountain Slopes
which the tree loves The coast from 80 miles north OF
San Francisco 10 the northern border OF Humboldt
County is dense redwood forest 1t is mountainous
and broken country aud the mountains are
cut at frequent intervals by streams some
into the interior by canons 40 OF so miles, and
dividing in their upper waters into several branches.
The man who admired the wisdom OF Providence In
causing great rivers to flow past large cities would be
struck with admiration at the convenient outflow OF
these streams for upon them depends the accessibility
OF the redwood forests the loggers and sawmi men
wbe are busily turning these forests into lumber At
the mouth OF every stream is placed sawmll and mp
tbese little rivers many OF which would hardly aspire
tn the dignity of creeks Missouri Mississippi log
gers are busy choppng down huge trees saving them
into lengths, and floating them down to the mills
QUALITIES OF THE REDWOOD
The redwood has the color Of cedar, but not its fra
grance it is a soft wood, unfit for shipbuhdlng but
easily worked and extraordinarily durable 1t IS often
used in this country for pipes and makes the best
fence-poss for 1t rots below ground and 1t is
excellent material for houses When vanished it keeps
fine red Color but without this protection 1t slowly
turns black by exposure TO the air. 1t Is most useful
aud important lumber, and forms not uninportant
part of the natural wealth OF California
The sawmills mostly large scale that about
every grows up village or town, which usually
contains several saloons grog-shops, one or two
billiardroOms rude tavern or two, doctor or two
several stores, and in church. There are
besides the houses of those mmen who have families,
shantes for the bachelors and usually one or two houses
Of greater pretensOns inhabited by the owners or local
superntendents Not easily accessible these little saw
mill ports rarely vieed by strangers, and the ac-
commodatons are somewhat rude but the people are
kindly and the country wonderfully picturesque and
well repays visit The absolute coast is almost barren
by reason OF the harsh, strong winds which pre-
vail during the greater part OF the year. The redwood
forests begin mile two back from the sea. The eli
Of this part OF the coast Is remarkably equal COOL
but cold all the year round; they have fires IN tho
evening July and do MT shut their DOORS except III
storm, in December. They the same clothing all
the year round and seldom have frost But when you
get out Of the reach Of the sea, only mile back you
find hot weather at this time OF the year. and in Win
ter they have snow quite deep sometimes III the red
woods
DANGEROUS AND UNPROTECTED HARBoRs
Where the little saw-mil rivers enter the there is
usually sort of roadstead-a curve OF the shore, not
enough to harbor, but sufficient to give anchor
age and lee from the prevailing northwest wind,
which makes 1t possible by different devices to load
vessels There are rivers in Humboldt County where
has not provided even this slight convenience,
and there-it being impossible to ship the lumber-no
saw-mls have been established Vessels are frequently
lost. in spite Of all precautions; for when the wind
changes TO southwest the whole Pacific Ocean rolls into
these roadseads and when gale is seen approaching
the crews anchor their ships as well they and
then go ashore 1t has happened in Mendocino Harbor
that schooner has been capszed OF her anchorage by
monstr0us sea- and Capt. Lansing told mo that In the
last 20 years he had over hundred persons
drowned in that port alone in spite of all precautions
The waves have cut up the coast in tho most fantastic
manner 1t rock-bound, and the rock be of
varying hardness mat the ocean, trying every square
inch every minute OF the day for thousands OF years,
has eaten out the softer parts, and worked out the
strangest caverns and passages. You scarcely see q
headand or projecting point through which the sea has
not forced passdge-whose top exceeds a little the
mark Of high tide; and there caves innumerable,
some with extensive ramfcatons. 1 was shown one
such cave at Mendocino, into which schooner drifting
from her anchors was sucked during heavy Her
masts snapped OFF like matches. and she was jammed
into the cavern OF her who could not leave her,
quickly she carried in, five chung by tie stern,
and saved by ropes lowered down from the rock
above two were crushed in the cavern nd the next
morning the vessel completely broken TO pieces
that not piece the size OF mans ever found
OF her hull.
MANNER OF LOADING THE LUMBER.
IsuppOse all saw-rnills pretty much alike those
this coast not only lumber of different shapes and
Sizes but they also planning and finishing apparatus
attached and in some, the waste lumber is worked up
with good deal Of and ingenuity. But in many OF
mills there is great waste 1t is probably pecu
liarity Of the mills this coast, that they must
provide to separate into two pieces the larger logs
before they small enough for circular man
age. Indeed, occasionally the huge logs split with
wedges, or blown apart with gunpowder in the logging
camps, because they too vast to be oated down to
the mill in piece The expedients for
loading vessels are often novel and ingenious.
For instance at Mendocno the lumber loaded on cars
at the MILL and drawn by steam up sharp incline, and
by horses off to point which shelters ANA affords
anchorage for schooners This point perhaps 100 feet
above the water-ne and long timber stages pro-
jeoted from the top and suspended by heavy derrcks
The car TO the edge Of the cliff; the schooner
anchors under the shipping stage 100 feet below and the
lumber slid down to her, standing at the lower
to check its too rapid descent with kind of break
When larger vessel is to be loaded, they slide the lum
ll..IAo nj liz Ii dnd In.