The sun., 1893-04-02

rersicus Work on the steep HoiIw.ys OF
the susquehsnns Region.

BREAKISa 4 L0a JAM
| rersiou. werss on the steep Hoiiw.ys Q,
the sesquehsnns Region.
PINE CREEK. Pa. March 29.-The most ex-
citing and dangerous period OF the lumber
mans always perilous life In the woods is now
approachine-that Is. the breaking in of log
piles heaped or ranked on the summits and
along the faces Of the long rollways that
border the streams in tho lumber regions.
These rollways 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 placing them In regular ranks
or tiers. and tho other by throwing or tumb-
ling thcm In jum5led heaps on tho ground
When they nre piled In the latter way the logs
lock. cross and key one another and 90 It FREE
duently occurs that some log. always in o dan
Rerous position. must be loosened before tho
rolling. humping. leaping mass can mako it's
laundering journey down the steep hillside to
its place In the water. The breaking OF this
key log is always attended with moro or less
risk to life or limb. This method Of banking
logs 10 called In lumberman's parlance O
rough and tumble" Many fatalities result
from 1t every year. while the square and reRu-
lar piles are manipulated with comparatively
little danger to tho men. and with much
greater facility.
In the regular piles. tier on tier. the logs are
started In o body down the roilway. and they
usually go down in one great heap clear into
the water. In the other way the logs are
dumped from the trails leading from the woods 8
to the banks. and lfe In a ragged. promiscuous
tumble from top to bottom OF the rollway. Tho
key log or logs may be at the very bottom or
the rollway or may be in the water itself. or
may be half way up the hill. The practised
eye Of the log driver quickly detects the point
in the mass Of logs where the trouble is.
There are always in these great jumbles
places where the logs have SO pitched and
ended and interlocked themselves that there
are openings between them to the ground. liIse
huge pitfalls. Some rollways are made where
both banks Of the stream arc high and steep.
In such cases dams are thrown across the
stream some distance below the rollway. with
hoode ates in them. BY the closing OF those
gates. the crests OF the dam being very. high.
between the banks. and SO raised and lowered
by the Ssss ths H.
and dropping them. in many cases finally
breaks the Jam without requiring the driver to
imperil himself IN the work.
artificial tide OF the, stream frequently fails to
release y particularly obstinate Jam, and moth
the key logs will break it down. The logs are
sometimes woven to9ether almost like web:
ill., Il s
YET a Log pile SO tightly. keyed that tho
not only risks. his life. but frequently loses it
be found so daring and with such low esti-
mate Of the value Of their lives as to make
@ GAp ss 1HHH ahH tMe ss's or M and
sttnate stnate keyLne Of a single log. and ready to
ts moved n half inch from its position. But
the occasion has only to offer. on the Sus1ue-
When . Jam q this KIND must Be- broken. the
way nimbiy but with caution % over s the % protrud-
Ing logs and treasheIoHs pitfalls often dsap-
from breaking and comp etlng itts crashing
log Is near the bottom the danger to
the T. iumberman Is. Of course. the greater.
kew may be most ndvantageously removed.
and he imm ediately goes to work to accom-
yhe hs one or To red
tons Of pressure from above. or 1t may require
II is when the key is broken that the driver
Judgment to escape from the rush Of pitching.
tossing laundering logs that he has started.
os s 81
pressing close behind him. until he is in a
place Of safety. In releasing Jam on Pine
In the succeeding rush Of logs and killed. The
fatalttf that attend the breaking into I" a
gions would startle people II made q special
Item In a report Of vital statistics.
The rush OF a pile OF logs down q steep roll
itself as any. one could wish to see. To see one
in pursuit Of a driver who has Just released It
from durance 10 a sight to appall the stoutest
heart. The stories these daring woodsmen
tell Of hairbrendth ESCAPES from death in log
other OF the moving recitals Of life In the woods.
and have robbed many a tyro OF his sleep after
listening to them around the camp fire.