Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-01-24
IN THE MANITOBA WOODS.
Life III the Shanties---A Chat with Il
Northern Tree-kilIer---A Hard
Life.

The approach of winter, saws The
Winnipeg Times, is always heralded by
the appearance on the streets OF num-
bers of rough, hardy-looking men,
commonly known rs shanty or lumber
men. These sons of toll follow one of
the most laborious of the many paths
of life, and are subject at all times of
the year to exposure of nc ordinary
kind. On Saturday evening last y re-
porter, while on his rounds, made the
acquaintance of one of these red-shirted
tree-killers. and after the disposal of
several rounds of Tom and Jerry" by
the reporter and several four-tinger
doses of ''forty-rod" by the shanty
man, the scribe remarked something
about life in the woods, and expressed
Il wish that he could spend winter III
the shanties.
You'd soon wish yourself back
again, said the knight of the Ak. Its
all very well for town folk TO talk about
'woodman spare that tree and hang
pictures of logging scenes in their
houses, but a week in a shanty, feeding
upon rattlesnake, pork, beans and
black strap would soon knock all TO-
mantle ideas out of their heads"
whats the nature of the work con-
nected with getting out logs?"
''Well, the first thing to be done in
the fall is the building of q shanty,
which is generally constructed of logs,
rooted with lumber. This is fitted up
inside with hunks for sleeping pur-
poses, in which hemlock or spruce is
commonly used as bedding The chinks
between the logs are packed with moss
and chips, and the shanty is heated by
means of what is called a 'caboose' or
open fireplace, from which the smoke
makes its exit by an opening in the
roof. The cooking is generally done
by man, who is often paid the high
est wages in the camp. The fare con-
sists of barrel or rattlesnake pork,
beans, potatoes, dried apples, and such
game as the men find in the woods"
Il should think such home would
be very comfortable, remarked the
scribe.
''Yaas, so it would; but you see the
trouble is, a shantyman doesn't get
much time to loaf around the house
Every morning two hours before day
light the fOrtman's 'Hurrah boysr is
heard, and in few minutes after the
whole shanty is alive. Some are greas-
ing boots, fixing helyes and grinding
axes, while others are performing their
additions and running their fingers
through their hair as a sort of apology
for combing. Breakfast over, the diff
ferent gangs set out to the scene of
their work, which in some cases is from
four to five miles from this shanty, and
as work is always commenced by day
light, you can easily see we have no
chance to be late risers. The men
work all day, merely resting to devour
their dinner, which is generally eaten
frozen or half-thawed by the side of a
log fire. About dusk start is made for
the shanty, which is reached long after
dark. Supper eaten, the weary men
bunk in and are soon safe in the arms
of Morpheus. So you see we have very
little time for going to theaters and
such like. Sunday is the only day we
have to ourselves, and that is usually
occupied in washing and repairing
clothing"
At this point the wood-pecker COM
planned of the dryness of the atmo-
sphere, and the twain Equored at the
expense of the reporter. Feeling some
what refreshed, our informant con-
tinued:
Life in the wood amt what it is
cracked up to be by a long chalk. Per-
haps you'd like to know something
about how we get our logs. Well as |
was saying, after the shanty has been
built, the foreman lays out his 9 cunts
and arranges the main roads for haul
inc the timber to the water or railroad.
Cutting is then commenced. A cutting
gang consists of five men, three AKIN en-
and two sawyers. Two men fell tree
and butt it, while the third axmln
measures off the log and tops it, the
rest being done with the saw. Directly
on the heels of the cutters follow tn
skidlers. Skidders consists in draw
inc the scattered logs to sideways, on
which they are piled. Roads are then
cut out to the sideways and the logs
loaded on sleighs and drawn to the
water or railroad. Sometimes when
cutting close to these points the logs
are 'slooped,' or one end loaded on a
small sleigh, and drawn in this fashion
to their destination. "
~ 0ii4o pOALAO 90 sup " 10 1ItIuC " OofAC
in supplies, after which the reporter
inquired what occupation the lumber
men engaged in during the summer.
80, we do all sorts of things. Some
90 railroading, others 90 down the
river on the drive. and some work on
farms and in the mills. l generally
take the railroad myself"
DO the majority ofs those working
on railroad construction go the to woods
in the winter?"
mot by dern sight. Some of them
go south and more go to jail. They
don't believe in exposing their delicate
constitu ions in the woods. The bill of
fare will hardly suit them, and the
axman applied the bottle to his mouth
with sound similar to that made by a
steam-pump when running dry.
But / should think they would have
a better time in the woods than in jail, "
replied the scribe.
.Wpl Won see these fellows bavo