The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-30
THE DOMINION OF CANADA.
Life Among the Lumbermen of
the North.
What Our Neighbors Across the
Border are Doing.
I'M M EN- Sc PORTS
aorsx or COMMONS.

HorsE or COMMONS.
OTTAWA, Ont, April 81, 1871
The opening OF river navigation is the signal for the
resumption Of the vast lumber industry OF this region
Of which Ottawa has become tho centre Few persons
even among those who engaged IN the trade out
Sdo OF Canada being either Of Its magnitude
Of the peculiar methods employed In cutting down and
shipping these great forests the seaboard cescrp-
ton OF the same will DO Interesting and IN
pructive. First OF the locality The Ottawa country
Is OF the few places tho continent wnerc em-
ployment can be obtained all the year round at the
same high ratio OF wages Winter, which Is the dull
in other agricultural DISTRICTS here the
busy provided there be an abundance OF the
ground TO permit sedging) and the workingman the
most rcmunerative Fully 80, QUO mon thus
poyed In the woods say nothing OF other thousands
Of men and women who labor In the lumber mills and
factories OF the immediate ncighborhood AMI Of tho
farmers who Till the soil
PINE DISTRICTS.
The pine producing districts OF Canada have area
north Of the ST. Lawrence OF about PSF, Ill square
miles, aud the district upon which the finer kinds OF
hard wood are to be found, wholly In part about
~ 600 square miles II has been subject Of discus
sion among practical that although such range
Of land may seem almost inexhaustibc, no provision
has been made for the renewal oil the supply. An In.
stance OF OF the evil consequences want OF fore
thought in such matters is fult In Western
Ontario. This district formerly covered with the
finer kinds Of hard woods, such MS oak, elm val
NUT but tho settlers, in their haste clear their
farms, cut down and burned Unfortunately millions
OF cubic feet OF timber which, had they been preserved
would nov prove mine 0. wealth Al present the
principal supply OF walnut, for Canadian uee,
comes from Southern Indiana.
OTTAWA
Tho valley OF the Ottawa-that portion which is
drained by the and its butaries--contans an
OF about &c. 900 square Tho river Is sup
posed to take It's system OF lakes situated
nbout latitude 40 deg north and longitude 70 deg.
west, and is about 600 mos in length 1t empties
into the ST. Lawrence the western extremity of the
Island Of Montreal and divides the provinces of Quebec
and Ontario, It's northern shore lying In tho former
and the southern in the latter. Many Of the large
tributary streams interscct It both sides are
not surpassed by the largest the old country
Ono OF these the Gatincau which Is about 500 in
length, separates the valley the centre in a line
running nearly perpendicular from north to south.
During the FIRST 800 miles of tho course
OF the Ottawa it Is the recipient OF a score
or moro OF streams and broadens into large
lakes, only two of which, however, have been sur
veycd Indeed, the forest solitudes which border on
its banks have been rarely invaded save by Indian
hunters and few wandering trappers belonging TO
BY deer and other wild animals II Indian tradition
may be credited of the numerous lakes into which
the Ottawa expands In this wild region nearly equal
In size to Lake Huron, but It's have
navigatcd by whitc mon. Perhaps hotter idea Of
the sparsey settled character portions OF terra
tncognic be had than from tho statement or the
tact that, ono stands here Parliament Hill and
looks northward, there is nothing savc or three
Thin settlements and these only few miles distant,
In other words, this is the jumping of place
Iourncying Artic-ward. About 800 miIcs from
Its source the Ottawa River becomes better
known, having been explored by government
surveyors, and here it expands into q long and
narrow lake bearing tho Indian nare Temlscamingue
This lake presents moro than ono inbred and twenty
milcs OF unbrokcn navigation and receives the drainage
OF region containing OF upward 900 square
miles, The name Ot-taw- wagh signifies the human
ear but the Indians in their harmonious language
termed 1t Kitche-sppi Great River, because Of the
mighty cataracts toaming torrents and furious rapids
tho gigantic cliffs and monster boulders that It's
journey toward the Few among Canadians
except those Immediately connected with tho lumber
business adventurous trappcrs in search Of FUR.
bearing animals, have the ull magninccnco
natures charms in this untrodden region. Yet the
time is hand when the railroads already pro-
jectcd and IN process OF construction will these
fisherman and reveal many glorious view whose
lovelincss has long been hidden IRON the eye Of man.
1t would cover too much space were TO attempt
scrpton Of the many picturesque localities along the
Ottawa-of the rapids down which the lumber is
brought from various portions Of tho interior and
through different rivers OF that wonderful reach known
Deep River because RATS with 100 iathoms
OF chain have been unable TO lind anchorage, and so
perfectly straight that ball projected with sufficient
force would follow the for twenty miles; Of
bold and lofty towers, bare and perpendicular to
height Of nearly eight hundred feet which give back
he
dian voydgcu; OF the Lake des Chats, with It's thirty
Of The Of bo Dy
only to Niagara IN height and extent and the hun
dreds Of other bits OF nature which ought attract
the summer traveller and VIII always compensate Tor
his time and trouble.
. LIFE or THE LUMBERMEs
hurry TO sketch the which the lum-
bcrmeu live construct their RATS and bring the same
First, IL should be observed that the prin-
the possession oil government the primary step the
manufacturer Is to obtain what Is called a timber
"berthn or '9mit" These sold by auction TO the
highest bidder, the price ranging from 81
to 81 SO per square mile. Theoretically the limit
10 ten miles square, or one hunorcd miles in
extent but owing 10 the Typographical features Of the
country they OF all sizes, twenty -four square
mcs upward Some Of the firms here possess timber
limits TO extent of TOO square miles and employ
= thousand more men ana several hundred spans OF
horses aud oxen. Frequently large farms COM
priscd tho proceeds OF which are consumed bv the en-
pioyes. From 100000 TO $500 900 frequently
paid out by single nrm annually. The limit holder
becomes yearly tenant OF the government at fixed
Ich anu IN auuiuou pays u uuty OF ohc-hait penny
per cubic foot OF square timber taken out ard sd.
each standard log OF twelve feet long and twenty
ono inches ~ diameter. Having secured tho limit
tho next step Is to despatch party OF experienced
scouts generally Indians hall.brceds, to examine
thc land and seek groves o. valuable timber. Tho
skill OF these soiitaught surveyors Is sometimes
markabe They Will explore The length and breadth
Of ibe unknown territory rcpor upon the value OF
timber, tho situation anu capabilities ~ tho
streams Tor noating timber and the facilities Tor
hauling and transportation. Having, with the
aid OF these Scouts selected desirable
simplest description, being generally built OF rough
logs. with raised hearth the centre Tor dr. place
and An opening IN tue roof for chimney. double
Of bcrths all round Tor sleeping acconmo
datlons, while from wooden iramo over a perpetual
IRE swings tho huge kctto. which, with tho accom-
panyns pot, serves all The purposes vi cookery The
domestic economy conducted upon strict temperance
principles tea being tho beverage OF the lun
bcrmcn: o. winch ,ncy consume enormous quantities.