Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-08-17
How the Rugged Charcoal Burners
of England Live.

of England Live.
Captain Mayne Reid writes: OF the
three callings which form the subject
of this letter, that of the charcoal
burner is the most exclusive as regards
the men who follow it. They are few
in numbers, but have rarely any other
business, since charcoal-burning gives
employment at all seasons of the year
and, though apparently simple thing,
it is not so, calling for both knowledge
and skill. The material they have to
deal with is the "lop and top" of the
trees, for cordwood, and their modus
operandi is as follows: A floor or "pit"
is prepared by clearing the rubbish off
the ground, and then following out a
circular space some six or eight inches
in depth, but of no fixed diameter !;
this being dependent upon the guam
tity of wood to be "charked" in that
particular pit lying conveniently near
for carriage to it. In the center of the
floor four or five short, stoutish billets
are placed with ends touching. 80 as
themselves to inclose circular space of
a foot or eighteen inches diameter, and
on three the ends of the charking sticks
are rested slantingly and radiating like
the spokes of wheel. On the outer
rim ofthis first layer a second is placed
in similar manner; and SO on, till the
pile is complete, when it shows the form
of an obtuse cone or hemisphere.
Around the central axis, however, is a
hollow space or chimney, which has been
left open for the fire; and this, first
kindled at its bottom, by dropping
down some burning faggots, in due
time permeates the whole mass. But
before any flames show on the surface
the pile is carefully covered over with
a stratum of sods, and so kept, not an
air-hole being left open. Were the
wood allowed to blaze up, there would
be no charcoal, only ashes. And just
to prevent this is the "charker's" bust
ness-s thing of the night as well as
the day. 1t needs two men at least to
undertake the task, who in turn sit up
all night to watch the fires Of the diff
ferent pits-for there will be several on
the burn at the same time-going the
rounds from one to another, and patch
ing with a fresh sod or shovelful OF
earth any spot where flames may
threaten AN outburst. In fine, when the
fires burn themselves out the charcoal
is made thing, aud only needs sep
arating from the ashes and earthly mat
ter which have got mixed with it from
the superimposed soda.
The "charkefs" are paid for their work
by measure of the quantity of charcoal
produced, the standard of measurement
being a large oblong basket holding
about three bushels. The exact amount
of their earnings is not easily fixed, but
certainly they do not make fortunes by
"charking," any more than they could
by bark-stripping or the fabrication of
hurdles. These men stay nearly all
their time in the woods, never return
ing home, even at night, for weeks or
months together. They dwell in huts
erected by themselves-quaint affairs
of conical form made of poles set
sloping against one another, gathered
in at the top, and thatched with coat
ing of turf, just as are their charking
fires. Many of these huts aremade long
enough to hold half a dozen men,
though rarely occupied by more than
two or three. when there will be like
number of rude beds in them, with
full paraphernalia of cooking utensils.
Some of the bachelor "charkers," who
have no ambition to pay house-rent,
stick to these sylvan abodes throughout
the year, whether they be at work or
not.