Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-10-06

woodlands, and timber that q few years
ago was not worth marketing on account
OF its distance from the old saw-mills Is
now easily available.
The portable saw-mill Is pulled into a
tract OF woods and Is numbered and set
mp. II Is a simple machine. There Is a
buzz saw that runs with lightning speed
IN n heavy frame. and On upright boiler
and engine. 1hs black smoke funnel tow
ers above the highest trees, and all day
pours a column OF smoke out of the very
heart Of the forest. The saw, whose slash
log strokes, sounding like the buzzing
OF great locust, may DO heard at q
long distance, rips up the timber
which has been fellsd in the
vicinity OF the mill. After that has been
sawed the mill Is wheeled further into the
woods. The forest disappears rapidly be-
fore It's steady advance. Aftor tract has
been cropped Of its wood the steam mill IL
driven into a new district, and the work az
destruction Is continued. The wood that
l. sawed Is mostly chestnut, oak OF birch.
IL Is sawed In TO planks or railroad ties;
the planks go 70 New York.
The frs portable saw-mill that visited
this town Is owned by Mr.. Peckbam, of
Colchester. IL has been at work on the
extensive forests west Of the city for three
or four weeks, and has sawed more than
one hundred thousand foot OF lum her. The
finty hills, which are good for nothing ex-
cert TO grow timber on, have been stripped
Of their wood, and the whole country over
which the machine has passed looks Scared
and deso!ate. Mr.. Peckham makes his
home In the woods while he is destroying
them. A rough plank building, in which
are three rooms, Is erected, few house,
hold utensils are gathered into II, and
Mrs. Peckham. who accompanies her hus-
band, COOKS and sews and washes for the
workmen. She II assisted in doing
her duties by the wife of one Of
her busl anI's employees. The bare Little
shanty is not without the enjoys things
| Of Connecticut village households; the
markets are not far away, there are rows
papers and books on the unplanod shelves,
| and Mrs. Peckham and lie helpma.e en-
/ 10y their life. There Is flavor Of ro-
nance In IT,. They nre in sight Of villages
| and trim homesteads, and they can see tho
/ gilded tips OF city church spires; at the
/ snme time they are not vexed by the little
| cares Of civilized life, and goss'ps AMI
I
| little settlement in the woods looks very
fright aud CHEEKY. Is lights stream
through the crannies in the cabin and
partially illuminate It's rude surroundings,
and the lack ground Of forest. Inside the
tired men sit about the rough table peruS-
ing old newspapers and telling older
stories, while the women sew. From the
door OF the cabin may lie seen the twink
ling lights Of villages on three sides. At
nine o'clock the lights are put out and all
go 10 led. Breakfast is eaten early,
steam Is made in the boiler, and at seven
O'Clock the whistle is blown for the men
10 go TO VOL k. The whistle is sounded
three times n day as In tho factories.
While Mr.. reCkham has been telling tho
woods in this town many persons have
visited him who desired 10 see n real lum-
Der camp in the heart OF an old settled
State. Thoy saw not only q woodland
machine shop, but also plain and humble
hou,eho that apparently was n happier
aud more contontel one than any other III
the town. Airs. rockham. a ne-lookin 7
woman. neatly attired, sat In the door in
an easy rocker, sc wing, AMI her pre.tily-
Dir ssed, tright-oye.l and healthy children
plnyed in tue brush about the shanty
Every thing was as neat as a pin inside
the Juilding. The floor had just boeT
swept, and all the articles OF furniture an
wearing apparel were system ltically dis
posed abou; the department.. A Water
bury clocl; licked on the plank mantel
there were books on the shelves, and a fev
wild flowers which the children hat
gathered gave forth a spicy fragrance In
goblet ON the table. Mira. Peckham'
assistant was making cake over
brisk fire in Connect cut range. Th
,ggs she used had been freshly laid by tn
hrus that were heard cackling In the Int
tieed coop outside. II the city people
after their call at this primitive house
hold, went away still uuccnvincsd tina
, foul air or no air at oil in houses is tn
cause Of all nervous diseases, they cor
tainly were satisfied that fresh air, an
plenty Of 10, is ~ least not detrimental {
health. NJ. Peekb am s house, like the old
fashioned ones q century ago, lacks moth
ing In tho way Of ventilation. II wa
erected by his men In q single day, an
they Lad no time to waste In making clos
! joints. a person in idle the house, in an
part OF It, can shake hands with a perso
) outside IL without the slightest difficulty
The wind blows through and under IL 4
freely as IL does through the woods, y,
teal hier chill lren than the Peckhnm boy
and girls never we're seen.
The portable saw-mill was first intr,
duced into this State about ten years ag
and its advent has since been viewed vii
disfavor by many men who are interests
in the preservation Of the forests. On Il
other hand, men better acquainted wit
. the grass anil tree producing quality
+, Connecticut soil, and who are not Unfit
enced by selfish IN olives, think that the
is no cause for alarm. A tract Of lar
that has been cleared, OF its timber W
: grow y new forest within twenty OF th;r
y years, and many OF the finest forests
! the State are on land that was In mowir
~ lots forty years ago. Stone heaps at re
J. dlar intervals in those forests, which we
piled up at the time tue land was In gras
VI attest the truth OF the statement.
MIR. Peckham has nearly completed
y contract for saving wood in this town.
moves his mill next TO East Haddam, In
u the big forests about the Devils HopyaT
10 not far iron the Connecticut river.
BUSINESS Is n profitable one; he can 50
n. ibout ten thousand feet OF lumber a da
=, and he works more cheably that the wat
a saw mills do;