The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-06-26
Making Shingles in a cypress Swamp,


The following extract, showing how
shingles are made in Delaware cypress
swamp, is from an article by Howard
Pyle in Hdrpcr's Magazine: AS we
plunged deeper into the swamp the trees
increased in size. Here and there 81
black. pool of water lay cleaning sulen-
ly, hiding, as it were, among n thick
growth of rank ferns and venomous-
looking flowers. Vine-covered expresses
rose high aloft, the inevitable streamers
of gray moss hanging motionlessly pen-
dent. The noise of the shingle- cutters
sounded ever more clearly, like the rap.
ping of gigantic woodpecker-"t tap,
tap, tap; tap, tap, tap "-as they chop
ped out the shingles, the sound of the
voices of the invisible workmen and an
occasional burst of laughter echoing
mysteriously in the gloomy and other
wise unbroken solitude; and so we came
upon the shingle center. ..
The workmen had just excavated q
log, the butt or root part within a few
inches of the surface of the ground, the
stem at the farther end some two OF three
feet below. At about twenty feet dis
tance from the butt young man was
busy saving through the log. His cheeks
were hollow, his features angular, gen.
eral cadaverous look betokening chills
and fever. The saw had handle only at
one end, like the instrument used for
cutting ice. The sharp end struck deep
ly into the glound ut every movement,
but was not dulled, because of the entire
freedom from grit of the soil, composed
as 1t is OF decayed bark and vegetation.
We watched with interest, taking a
sketch in the meantime, until the log
ri,
section about twenty feet long, and COM
paratively easy to handle. The gang,
composed of half dozen hands, now set
to work to raise it from its resting place.
with long levers of stout saplings, the
process accompanied with many grunts
and oaths. 1t was picturesque sight
the men in their red and blue shirts
straining and tugging at the giant log
that lay in its long, grave-like cavity.
AT length it starts at one end with a
sucking noise as it leaves it's oozy bed, is
gradually raised to the surface, and is
finally rolled bodily out Of its excava-
tion to the fresh air, where it lies like
some newly disinterred antediluvian
monster, huge, black and Shiny.
A purity good log" says one of the
men, as he draws the sleeve of his red
shirt across his sweat-beaded brow. p
When the log is thus finally raised it is
sawed into sections each about two feet
in length these are then split down to
the requisite thickness for shingles. The
logs are first discovered by means of Il
sharp iron stake, which is thrust into
the ground wherever slight mound
like elevation betokens the probable
presence of a log or logs beneath. If the
point of the st.ke strikes the hard sur
f,f sr,lf II Siul Ii CT
into the morass, the soil is cleared away,
and Il square foot of the stump exposed.
The practiced eye of the shingle man
can tell at once whether the log is useful.
the requisites for use being straight
grain throughout, with no knots, sound
ness and no decay. If sound, good
log, it is then uncovered, sawed through
and raised.
When tie log was completely raised,
our guide resumed his work. splitting
the sawed sections into shingles. TAX
ing seat on one of the dryest of the fallen
logs, he took large "chunk upright
between his knees. He used Il broad
knife blade, with long wooden handle,
which he placed on the log, driving iJ
into the wood with Il heavy hardwood
mallet such as is used by sculptors and
stone-carvers. At little distance from
him shaggy-looking fellow with red
shirt and patched trowsers was sitting
at shingle horse, shaving the split
slabs of wood smooth and tapering Be-
side him lay pile of clean, crisp-look-
ing shavings, emitting that odor peculiar
to well-seasoned cypress. The horse used
is the ordinary cooper's horse, and needs
no special description. From this point
the shingles are carried to the roadside,
to be handy for transportation.