Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1890-11-14
A NOVEL HALL.
It Is Made From One of Cali
fornia's Mammoth Trees.
Ten Men Took Seventy-Two
Days to Cut the Forest Giant.

Ten Men Took Seventy-Two
Days to Cut the Forest Giant
A novel hall is now on exhibition in
San Francisco which is only seven feet
in height and twenty feet in diameter.
1t contains nothing inside but row of
bright lights, yet it is an aged curiosi-
ty. 1t was made from section of
'Big Tree" Scquoia Gigantea, which
was growing until last winter in TI'are
Count Cal.
The tree is supposed to have stood
in the forest for nearly three thousand
years. 1t measured at its base ninety
nine feet in circumference, and its
height was three hundred and twelve
feet. Last January men were sent
into the forest to cut the tree when
snow was sixteen feet in depth around
its trunk. 1t took ten men seventy
two days to cut the tree, and several
months were consumed in taking out
the inner portion of the section and
preparing it for cxhib ton. at was
the hardest work | ever did in my
life" remarked one of the exhibitors.
The section composing the hail was
severed from the trunk at distance
eff twenty-eight feet from the ground.
No saw was long enough for cutting
through the large trunk, therefore it
was necessary to have one made for
this purpose. The Pacific steel wol ks
produced one as long as possi-
be, il beng twenty-five feet and re-
quiring eight men to work it, This
length fell short of what was needed,
but by fastening strong wire on either
end of the saw the section was at
length cut from the trunk. which was
sixty feet in circumference at this
point.
The section was separated into
several pieces. One which is now the
floor of the hall is a solid piece weigh
ing 10, ,728 pounds. 1t is one foot in
height by twenty feet in diameter.
Another piece of the same height
and diameter, makes the flat roof of
the hall. The various pieces were
transported to the city on fiat cars, and
freight was paid on seventy thousand
pounds.
AS one enters the large tent on Mar
ket, street, the section now made into
hall Is seen in the centre. 1t is
raised several feet from the ground
and stands on nine turned pedestal'
made from the same tree. Five or
six steps lead up into the hall, these
being also made from the tree. Much
Of the outer bark has been burned off,
leaving some of the remainder
blackened by the fire.
Many big trees have this blackened
appearance, caused, it is supposed, by
some great fire hundreds of wears ago.
In proof that the fire is of no recent
date, sugar pines from thirty to thirty
six feet in circumference, and two
hundred and fifty feet in height have
been found growing by the side of
blackened sequoia trees and showing
no signs of fire, proving that the pines
have grown to their large size since
the great conflagration.
Elegant souvenirs are carved and
polished by wood turner's at one side
Of the tent. All souvenirs B5iciiITtT- ffiScft r,
from the tree and its thick bark, found
one hundred feet up the trunk, where
the fire got no hold upon it. One hun
dred and thirty little bows were slowed
inside of this hall at once, not long
since, and another day eighty-four
girls and boys from the ages of seven
to fifteen, also one man, were all stand
ing in the tree-hall together. After
wards photograph Of the latter group
was taken, and is now exhibited there.
A swinging door was cut from the sec
ton and serves to close the opening at
the top of the flight of stairs.
In the floor of the hall a curiosity is
seen in the shape of tree bark several
inches s:".''"'{t is supposed tl.ac
some hundreds of years ago the tree
was injured at this spot from some
cause, and as the trunk increased in
size 1t grew around it, leaving the bark
inside as seen today. 1t is the inten-
ton to exhibit this section of the
largest tree ever cut in California in
various cities prior to being taken TO
the Worlds Fair at Chicago. -TNew
York Observer.