The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-05

Breaking Log Jams On Steep RoIiways-
Chased by an Avaianchs of Timber

Breaking Log jams On steep RoIiways-
Chased by Avalanche of Timber.
wiiliamsport (Penn.) Letter. in New York sun
There are now being hauled TO the rollways
on the banks of the many streams by which the
lumber product of the Pennsvlvania pine and
hemiock forests reaches the booms at this CITY
100000 900 feet of legs-pine, hemiock, and
hard wood Ten years ago barely stick OF
hemlock timber was cut and run down the Sus-
ouehanna, that lumber not being thought
worth the trouble of cutting for market
This season tho bulk of the logs that
come down the river will be hemlock. The
most of the hemlock that reaches tho Williams
port boom comes from Clearfeld county, the
hemlock of that county having qualities superior
to any cut elsewhere-qualites so good that it
can be used just advantageously pine was
formerly used. The great pine forests of the
Susqnehanaa RAPIDLY disappearing. and, as
the case in the Delaware valley, the hem
lock must ut last be resorted to.
The great tanning industry. formerly confined
almost exclusively the counties of eastern
Pennsylvania and southern New York, has also
become thing OF the past and is now massed
In the great hemlock woods in the counties
drained by the Susquebanna and the Allehany.
The tanneries are playing the same havoc with
the hemlock timber in their new fields of opera
ton as denuded the Delaware and adjacent hills
of their forests, but il ia estimated that in the
great hemlock belt of Potter. Elk. Clearfed,
Sullivan, Cameron, Mexican and Warren coun-
ties there are still 90 000 900 cords of bark or
standing hemlock to be drawn upon.
The most exciting ana dangerous period OF the
lumberman's always perilous life In the woods is
wapproaching-that is, the ''breaking IN" or
log piles heaped or ranked at the SUBMITS and
on the faces of the long rollways that border
the streams in tho lumber woods. These roll
ways extend from the tops of high and abrupt
banks to the waters edge. There are two ways
of piling the logs at the rollways-one by laying
them in regular ranks or tiers. and the other by
throwing dropping them in jun bed heaps on
the ground In the latter method the logs Top.
cross and key one another and so it frequently
occurs that some log in dangerous position,
must be loosened at the risk of life and limb be-
to their place in the water. This style of pling
logs il called a rough and tumble Many fata!i-
ties attend it every year, while the square and
regular piles are manipulated with comparative
1y little danger, and with ten-fold greater facl-
ity.
In the regular piles, tier on tier, the logs are
started in q body down the roll way. and they
usually go down in one great heap clear into
the water. In the other way the logs
dumped from the trails and lie in a ragged.
promiscuous tumble from top to bottom Of the
rollway. The key log or logs may be at the
bottom of the pile. in the water. or half way up
the hill. There are always such confguratons
of the pile that there many openings like
great pitfalls here aud there. At some Of
these piles the rollways selected at places in
the creek whore the banks are high on either
side. Then high dams are thrown across below
with foodgates. By these dams the water can
be thrown back, and by manipulation of the
gates raised and lowered among the tightly
massed logs that it lifts them and generally
releases the JAM
But even where these dams are in use there
are frequently piles obstinate that nothing
but the skiIlful work of the lumbermen on the
key logs will break them down. The logs are
often woven together almost like web and to
the inexperienced spectator the task of unravel-
ing It. as it may well be called, seems beyond
human power But there never yet was log
pile so tightly keyed that the agile and expert
log driver of the Susouehanna could not break
down. although he may not only risk but lose
his life in doing It. 1t seems utterly incredible
that men could be found daring to make
their way along these icy. jagged and twisted
piles, with two thousand waiting logs above
them. held probably by the obstinate keyipg of
a single log, and ready to thunder down upon
them the instant that log is moved a half inch
from its position But the occasion is only
needed the Susouehanna and it's branches to
produce such men by the score, no matter how
great the danger may be.
The woodsman makes his way nimbly but
with caution over the protruding logs and across
treacherous pitfalls, frequent ly disappearing en-
trely beneath lifted group of immense
tmbers, he tries to locate the log or logs that
prevents the great pile from breaking and COM
plotting its lightning-like plunge into the stream
below. The log that makes all the trouble may
be near the bottom, which, of course, increases
the peril The woodsman's quick eye is not
long in demonstrating how the key may be most
advantageously removed, and he at once pro-
ceeds to accomplish his task. One or two blows
of his may be sufficient to remove the OBJ
struction that has defed the many tons OF pres
sure from above. 1t may require an hours
chopping and prying, and 1t may take days
hard work to break the jam.
When the key is broken. however, is the time
that the driver must all of his MIN bleness,
nerve and skill to from the rush of
pitching, tossing and laundering logs that he
has started. He leaps here and there, and
jumps from log to log in his flight, with the
avalanche of timber pressing close behind him.
In releasing one jam last season five men were
caught in the break and killed. The fatality
that accompanies the 'breaking in" of log piles
in the Susquehanna lumber regions would
starte the public if made special item in re-
ports OF vital statistice The rush of pile OF
logs down steep roilway unobstructed is as ex-
citing scene. in itself, as any one could wish to
ses A hundred logs rolling, tumbling and
roaring into stream will dash the water fifty
feet in the air. and leave the bottom of the
stream as bare the shore until the water falls
back again in foam and spray.