The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-08-16
Trees, Logs and LII

Up the Saginaw III W, lie region.
reached either by the river or it's tribu-
tarles, the great pine saW-log, often
three feet in diameter, has it's birth.
Pine forests, now rapidly thinning out,
once covered several thousand square
miles around the headwaters. Enter
ing that lumber region in the late au-
tumn, the lumbermen establish camps.
round which during the whole winter
long the axes resound; the tall trunks
fall, and i'll sections are rolled to the
adjacent streams for the spring floods
to bear. away. Floating down to the
main river, the boom men pick out
out each owners logs as identified by
the brand, and gather them inside the
booms, which may be curtly described
as long tree-trunks chained together at
the ends, often inclosing a smooth wat
OF surface of several acres. The coves
of the Saginaw-called locally bayous,
term borrowed from the Lower Miss
issippi-are especially adapted for the
gathering and organization Of these log
armies. The military metaphor, in
deed, has peculiar fitness here, for the
logs are mustered side by side in COM
panies, held together by rope fastened
to each log by device not unlike the
domestic clothespin. AS these logs
down stream are worked up by the tire
less mills, these upper booms are drawn
upon for more, until the freezing river
finds them quite empty, and another
winter comes Oh to yield its fresh sup
ply.
But the saw-log's story becomes most
dramatic as it nears the mill and, loos-
ed from the restraining rope, is stcered
into the glade of open water that leads
up to the wooden slide. Enter now
the great lumber mill, and we shall be
in at the saw-log's death. Down the
slide on a wooden railroad runs heavy
truck, fitted with two cross lines Of
heavy IRON teeth. With a plunge it
dashes below the water, still holding its
place on the rails. Then three giant
logs are floated above it. At signal
the steam is lot on, the machinery re.
yersed, the strong chain holding the
truck tlghtens. and the truck itself be-
gins to ascend. The sharp teeth catch
the logs, which, in a trice, are lifted
dripping from the water, whisked up
IKE tw1gs LOO feet to the mill, and roll
ed OIL opposite the first set of saws.
Inese saws are two in number ; one set
below is of the buzz variety, perhaps
' 1ooo III NAtthAo1OA, ttllu CuIClIK. ULCEe-
fore, through three.foot log but as
this semi i-diameter is often insufficient
for big log, a second and smaller buzz
placed above and in front Of the first,
cuts the slice, which otherwise might
still hold fast the slab. One of the
largest logs weighs a number of tons,
and human strength alone would never
suffice to tnrn it after one of it's sides
has been stabbed.
just here comes in a beautiful piece
OF powerful mechanism. At the touch
of the lever a stout beam, armed with
iron teeth, rises by the forest Titan's
side. 1t snatches the wood, and. in less
time than words can tell it the log is
tumbled over, and the framework,
rushing back and forth with amazing
speed, has driven the edges of the tree
athwart the saws, until the once rough
stick stands forth a symmetrical square.
Then, In another instant it Is shifted
below the gang, set Of ordinary up.
right saws placed an inch apart, and Of
ten with thirty or even thirty-five
blades. Below an ordinary circular
planer revolves in front Of the gang