Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-08-04
a New Jersey Log Nine.


-Four miles hey ond Woodbinc, out on the
sandy stretch cf old sea bottom or beach that
Is termed the Cape May Peninsula, we came
upon Dennisvile, where all the Dennises Of
all time had evidently settled
"We're all In the logein business" said u
tall, thin Dennis, yet ss lar as the eye could
reach not tree could be seen standing that
could make even the ghost oi a 'air log.
"They ain't CROWN" continued the man.
They're underground We dig tor them,
or spear them, as you might say. Here's
the tool and stepping into a low hut he
brought out n crowbar that, like everything
else, seemed attenua,ed and was stretched
out into long, slender pointed rod. I'VE
wade along continued the man. "and probe
with this i,eler, aud when we strike log we
feel around. and II it's good one we dig her
up, ard If il amt we let her soak; that's
| about the way of it,"
$50 down in Jersey you burrow for your
logs?'
That's about II, replied the man. "You
| kaow, we're obliged to be whit odd o, so;
| we've got the rame OF II, onnyhow.'
| "The secret of this business said my
friend, the geologist, sis that ages ago all
| this area was covered with a fine growth OF
large trees, and the same are found growing
10 some parts OF the swamp yet but they
have died out and fallen down aud sunk into
the soft mud and SO been covered up by
mould and mud, until many other layers
have grown over them; but in some remarka-
BILE way the wood is preserved, aud these
sunken ancient logs are just a. good tor
shingles and other articles AS they were when
alive; hence for years there has been steady
hunt for them and Dennisvil'e is a result Of
the in iustry. To the botauis, the tree is the
evergreen white cypress or cypressus thyoides
sempervirens, and the numbers that once
grew over this swamp aud that have been en-
'ombed are beyond conception. The trees
upon or near the surface are the only ones
available, and fortunately are the best, but
far below there are probably myriads OF 9th
ers turned TO stone and representing the past
geological ages of the EARTH"
81 tell ye," said an old farmer from this re-
gion, "that we're alvin on curious kind o
crust around here. In pint OF fact my farm
might ne said to be pearched on "A eg'lar
wood-pile; there amt no end to it, | built
u foundation TO barn some years ago dow
in Delaware on a swamp lot, and the further
down dug the more logs came on to, and
| reckon way down it's clean, solid wood
and when fire breaks out 10 the swamp
you want to keep your eyes peeled
now I'm a talkin'. How so? Well, I'll jest
give you little OF my experience. When
FIRST married my old woman ! bought a
patch right on the edge oi the swamp, and
the land ran right into it about halt a mile
That summer was monsrous dry, aud after
awhile the fire began to break ont, and atore
we knew it IT. had or pit up 10 within a thou.
sand feet of the house. But we got at il
with brush, and, as we thought put 1t out, anc
lid; but that night | was woke by hesriug &
crash SO loud that you'd 'a-thoueht the
hull house had gone down, and when eo
out there was blazing the fire right over by
my fodder-house. got theIe in about two
minutes, and tell ye I was scared There
wasn't hide nor hair OF the house, but deep
yawnin' hole, about fifty feet across and th'
Lord knows how deep, and burning red hot
just Ike Y, lcany. | tell ye got my iGlk
out of the diggins for awhile now. Fortu
nately it came on to rain the next day an,
soaked it out, and | ain't a-drawin' the lonl
bow when tell you that hull kentry ha,
been tunneled by the fire."