The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-07-02
IN TIRE NORTH WOODS.
HOW THE TREES OF TIE AO'HON'
: oAcNs ARE SENT TO THE MILL

WORK of the 1,ocyers on LITE HiacS
Creek-A Vocation That Is DangeFo
at Times Cooks and Their Assistants
Wages.
During he last week In April last siilng
the snow disappeared from the greater
part of Little Black creek. and on ApriI
2S the drive began. On the morning %
the oSth the creek was running bank f"ll'
which meant a depth of perhaps loot or
fifteen inches over the riffs. The NH
men and log drivers, to the number %
forty. reached the ground carly. WINE
the greater part OF the drivers were dis,
tr;h,ited along the stream 10 break the old
Jams left when the water Tell year ago
one gang went to the dumps near the res
eryoir. and began to snake, as they SAID
the logs into the running water. These
logs foated along, lively spectacle. 'iH
they reached the first riffs. Here 'he!
bumped and rolled over the rocks III one
long spruce driven by the weight al
water and logs behind, and directed by a
glancing blow on big boulder that reared
Its black head fewinches above the wafer
was hurled end on between two big trees
that stood close together on the bank
It shot ahead till half its length was
ashore and then the end caught among
the roots OF IL big birch. II could neither
20 further nor swing around with the
current, and in less time than II takes To
write it the logs behind were piled over
aud around it and jam was formed. IN
few minutes 800 logs We're lodged there.
A big. humpbackei man, dressed III az
old SLOUGH hat that was ON the back OF
his head red shirt open over his chest,
brown trousers tucked into the tops Of
long legged red WOODEN socks, and pair
of shoes with spikes half an inch long
came along. He gave one glance at the
jam, aud then. dropping the cant hook he
had carried over his shoulder. went NJ
the stream and came back with an Ak.
Then lie gave nine blows Oh the up stream
side Of the long spruce log Just where II
rested against the tree OH the bank. Inc
log broke, and the jam Of logs continued
rolling and humping along over the rift.
The logs that lodged along the edges OF
the stream were allowed toromaiu These
usually lay with the down stream end
further out in the water than the ~
stream end. BY Sunday night there was
scarce rod Of blul. tJr twenty mlle'
where there was ~ io1. Where jams hdc
been broken as many as hundred log.
were piled along each bank Of the riff
within space OF Thirty ieet Sometimes
the logs would form piles ST thirty 81
forty Oh each bank, where they would lie
almost as ii designediy dumped there b!
the men one on top II the other the pile
not being over two logs long Tho5,
piles narrowed the stream until an active
man could easily jump over it, and the
water would Use up between the piles
crowning in tho middle and II double shC
depth Of what it was above Or below this
partial dam. Thus what might he cGllec
q natural sluiccway, since 1t was not built
BY man, was formed, and the logs, guided
by the opening sides OF the sluiceway
would 90 shooting through like arrows
The weather gradually grew colder, and
OF the fourth day the reservoir was
opened The water came down IN d flood
1t had got down to a jam Of perhaps 500
logs below what l. known a. the old BaX
ter mill. All abandoned structure, and had
lifted up the mass but had not cleared
the one key log which IL this case held
the Jam. The key log was lodged end on
against rock square IL the middle u the
stream, and tho other end was somew here
under the logs, above and against The
bank One Of the Wall boys ran out Oh
the IAN when he saw that II would not
move, and, finding the key log, put his
cant hook On il and gave it twist. II
failed to move Then lie threw his whole
weight Oh Ii, and the log rolled over ST.
easily that lie tumbled into the water,
right under the logs as they came rolling
and plunging down. Two companiona
had started out 10 help him, but q, the
logs moved they started back 10 the shore.
When they looked around again Wall was
nowhere IA sight He had disappeared
under the logs and they thought he was
being ground 10 pieces upon the stones OF
the rift Bu he was not. He had chung
10 the forward end Of the first log that lac
could get his hand on and III L second
more he bodied up between two hemlocks,
and u little latter he was standing ON the
bank and saying The old man viii give
ne thunder for losing that cant hook,
wont hof
The resources of civilization, a. ODono-
van Rosa would say, axe lessening the
dangers of log driving Dynamite is used
not only TO blast the rocks from the beds
| of the creeks, as it will be used this year
| in Little Black creek. but when jam Is
| formed in a large stream and 1t Is plainly
seen that one log holds the jam, charge
of dynamite blows the smithereons out Of
that log, while the ioggers look On IRON
safe distance, instead Of going down into
a gorge by rope and taking the chances
of getting ground up after the jam starts.
The log drivers get from s. to 81 day
and board. They work from daylight to
dark To feed and lodge them SO as 10
get the greatest amount Of work nom
them requires foresight and care. Six
comfortable shanties were built along
Little Black creek, before the drive began,
from three to five miles apart. The shan-
| ties were manned with q cook and two to
three assistants each. and stocked with
| stacks OF corned beef. pork. ham, Hour,
| potatoes, tea and coffee The cook ana
his men got p day each Breakfast was
served b. lantern light to the men VINO
lodged in hemlock hunks III the shanties
| Then the men were of, and the cook and
hi, help turned 10 and cooked the first
luncheon 1t consisted OF bread and but
ter, meat, and tea and coffee Each as
sistant strapped pack basket filled with