The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-10-11
TELLING A BIG TREE.
Entertaining Lord and Lady Dufferln on the
g Pacific Coast.


| Mr.. Reymur, in charge of the Green.
| vile Mill. rendered to Lord and lady
Duiferin the sight OF the telling Of a pine,
and early this morning their Excellen-
cIes came on board the Douglas, which
took them three miles. down the shore
where the monster was to go down. AS
we entered the forest every one felt the
effect of its towering propor.ions--so
much larger and higher were the trees
than any we had seen in the East. -..
The breeze signing high above among
| the stately branches seemed to be breath.
ing a requiem over the impending fate
| of The tree into which the aXmen had
already hewn deep cash on two sides.
1t vas about one hundred and seventy
i've feet high and six and haltfeet in
diameter near the earth. Instead of
| chopping from the greuhd-where it
would have been difficult to work owing
To the undeTgr0W Wth-the aXmen had
heWn inches through the bark about five
feet above the ground, and fixed in
these inches the spring boards on which
they stood. They were cutting the
trunk in two, therefore, eight feet from
Its roots.
1t would take about ten minutes TO
complete the assassination, and Mr..
ReJ mur collected the party in such
proximity to The tree that Lady Dutferin
was slightly nervous. The idea of such
giant falling upon one was indeed
enough to disconcert almost anybody.
II assure Your EXcellency," said Mr..
Reymur, "that there is not the slightest
danger. The tree will be sure to fail to
the right or the left. Still, if you feel
any apprehension you had better get be-
hind this big fellow here-thls cedar.
He'll protect YOU"
"Yes," said the Earl, "step, close to
the tree. in readiness. You Will feel
safer."
Chung! chung! went the axes.
You see how easily the men work."
said MIR. Reymur. "The spring boards
help them"
The axmen were athletic. graceful
fellows. They looked little enough.
though, attacking the big tree. They
somehow reminded me OF The Liliputians
binding CULVER. Still, the Liiputians
d:d 0lnd Gulliver, and it was evident
that the axmen would conquer the |
tree. The space between the two great |
gashes narrowed. At any instant we |
might eXpectthe tall.
ut Will begin as gently as YOU can
conceive" our guide said. "You will |
have to look second or two before YOU |
can distinguish that it is moving"
In half a minute more a slight crack |
was heard.
"She's goingW shouted one of the
choppers.
(which way will it go?" asked Mr..
Reymur, coolly, with his hands in his
pockets.
"To the right"
The aXmen descended from their
perches. with straining eyes the spec
tators gazed at the top of the tree, which
now began ma ajestically to move. 1t was
aHectlhg to witness that first sign Of the
giving way of SO noble a forest prince.
who had withstood the wild weather and
5azed. out upon the summers of per-
laps five centuries. His rugged limbs
'huddered as if in agony. His lofty
plumes waved farewell, farewell, to his
companions, and the distant noun
aims and the high clouds. Now, crack
ing below, he toppled towards his
loom. The sight OF him grew dizzy.
Fhe forest appeared to make obeisance
Q him as he reeled. Faster, faster.
The rush of his descent through the
branches ofhis neigubors sounded like a
'roan. And at last, with skurry and
oar as of deadly desperation, down,
loWn he came. and struck the ground
With hoarse ''boom" and shock like
IA o"A OhIuNhO1 CdLu6 u0dI Sink g,
ng Lady Datferin off her feet.
Lord Dutferin, who is up to all sorts of
adventurous larks, Immediately climbed :
he stump. Captain Hamilton, mount !,
ng the fallen trunk, paced it to the first !
ranch, and found the distance to be one :
undred feet. 1t is not uncommon for :
fifteen ana twenty thousand teet of tim !.
er to be got out ofsuch pine.
Mr.. Reymur then showed us the cor :
uroy road, the traction engine and one !,
f the OK teams, which are used in =
auling the logs out of the forest to the !
hore. The oxen do the rough pull =
ng to the road, where the engine takes
hem int tow. Smooth s'skids," or blocks
I hard wood are placed crosswise along '
he center of the road, and kept we'll :.
reased with dog.fish oil. The log is !,
arked on its under side, and slides over :
nese creased skids easily. The road :
xtended "a mile or two into the woods.
nd as the upper surfaces OF the timbers :
it were hewn fiat, it was q
lct, as Mr.. Reymur remarked to the '
that "you could drive I
coach and lour over it at a trot."-TN.
!. World. L
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