Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-06-01
IN A LOGGING CAMP.
low the Rough Woodsnen of the North
west Spend Their Time.

west Spend Their Time.
OF the hundreds of logging camp,
scattered through the pine forests ol
Northern Michigan. Wisconsin an,
Minnesota, the ordinary Eastern ma
1as little idea. A'camp is little vi
age of perhaps half dozen log cabin
situated in the woods. often from
% twenty miles from the nearest tow
or settlement 1t has population. OF
more properly speaking, crew,
from twenty to one hundred men. az
cording to the size of the operations.
md two or three women who do the
cooking and washing. In general
appearance the logging camp of to-day
doubtless varies little from those of
fifty years ago. Of the half-dozen
buildings of which the camp is COM
posed, one, the ''men's shanty," serves
rs a dwelling-house for the whole crew.
)ne for the boarding-house, or cooks
shanty," in which the cooks live, an
other for an office and store, and the
others for barns, blacksmith shop. etc.
The mems shanty is large, square
log cabin with no partitions inside,
there being simply one room, with
doors and windows at the ends. and
hunks built along the sides. one above
the other, a(ter the fashion of berths in
steamboat Each bunk has a straw
tick and heavy wooden blankets for
bedding. In the center of the ro m is
IN open space, in the middle of which
stands large sheet-iron heater or
stove, with the furniture, consisting of
few wooden benches, scattered
around near by. The crew of camp
made up with men of many nation
,lties. Besides Americans, there are
many Canadians and quite.a sprinkling
If Swedes. Norwegians. Danes and
Finlanders. The woodsmen are a
rough, hardy class of men. who live
rough life, work hard, and endure
many privations They are
usually single men, and their
worst enemy is whisky. They encounter
this luxury at short range about semi
annually. with unvarying degrees of
success in mastering it. Their dress is
Gather picturesque, their winter cos
tune consisting usually of red knit
cap, red or blue Mackinaw shirt (worn
in place of coat), gray pants, long
red stockings drawn over the pants to
the knee. heavy low rubbers on the
feet, wooden mittens, and perhaps red
sash tied around the waist Their
wages range from eighteen to twenty six
dollars per month, and board. The
latter is plain but wholesome, consist
ing of salt meats, bread, potatoes and
plenty of beans and like articles that
are easy to transport and preserve.
The food is usually well CO ked, and
no matter if it could be improved
trifle, the man who swings an axe te'
or eleven hours day in the bracin
pine air is apt to call it good grub. y
The men spend their leisure tim
evenings and Sundays in camp, an
the inside of the mems shanty in til
evening presents an interesting al
pearance They scatter themselv'
around, resting after their days Wort
and amuse themselves in various way
some are lying In their Dunks reading
some writing letters to distant friends
or perhaps the girl they left behin
them in Canada or far-away Norway o
Sweden, while cards. checkers o.
singing takes up the attention of til
remainder Nearly all are smoking
and the conversation is carefully inter
larded with profanity of the most fiuen
variety. Swearing is one of the ac
complishments of the regular woods
man, and he could teach a cow-bo,
new cuss words. All are in bed befor,
nine o'clock, for they must be up a
half-past four in the morning, break
fast at five. and be out in the woods a
six ready for work. The adage 'early
to bed and early to rise" is very strict
ly observed in logging camp. Har
per's Heekly.