The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-09-28
MONSTER REDWOOD TREES.
They Compose Most Remarkable Timber
Belt.

One Of the most remarkable timber
belts in the world stands in Humboldt
and Mendocino counties, California.
1t embraces Alas square miles, con-
tanning 5000, 900, 900 feet of timber.
With the aid of the microscope sclen-
lists have found the age of some Of
these trees to be nearly 5000 years.
Some of the fallen trees have re-
mained where they fell for 500 to
1000 years, SO it is estimated, with
scarcely any deterioration of the wood
Eastern tourists in California know
but little Of these redwoods (Sequoia
sempervirens). They usually see the
few mammoth redwoods of Calaveras
(Sequoia gigantea) and go home and
tell their friends about this disappear
ing tribe of giants. The lumber red
woods of Humboldt are less talked
about, yet one of its trees will yield
100000 feet of boards, and FIJI a
freight train with logs.
Telling these trees, which are $50
to $50 feet high, is fine art acquired
only by the most expert chopper. He
must have excellent judgment as TO
the lean Of the tree, and other
peculiarities which may affect the
direction of its fall. He drives a
stake 100 or $50 feet from the base
of the tree, and prepares level bed
In a direct line from base to stake,
and on that line the tree must fall.
An axekerf is then made on the side
where the tree is to fall. The apex OF
the obtuse triangle made by this kerf
points exactly to the distant stake.
The tree is cut one-third through
with the ak. On the other side of the
tree, opposite the axekerf, a saw kerf
is started. This is done by boring two
holes horizontally and driving in wood
en- pins on which the IL to 20 foot
saw rests until the kerf is sufficiently
deep to steady the saw. Broad, thin
iron wedges are driven in after the
saw to prevent the doomed tree from
pinching it. At each end of this saw
Gears are bolted on, which can be
removed and the saw withdrawn in
case of trouble. Wedges are made to
follow the saw until the wood dividing
the saw kerf from the axekerf is mar
rowed to a width where wedges can
be made to force the tree. with all its
great weight, to lean in the direction
in which it is to fall.
The tree is toppled over, and so
exact is the choppers work and calcu-
lation that almost invariably the fall
ing trunk drives the stake aimed at
when operations were begun. Any
error in the fall of the tree is likely
to cause the tree to break and cost
the lumberman more than the chop
per's wages for the month-SI2s.
These virgin forests are so densely
timbered that, if cleared at once, there
would not be room enough on the
ground for the trunks. "Peelers 1"
follow the choppers. With long steel
bars, flattened at one end, they pry
off the thick bark and burn it. Then
comes the cross. cut saw man, who
cuts the tree into logs. These are
transported to the saw mills by rail,
cut into boards and shipped to
| market.
Redwood is so free from resinous
matter that it will not burn readily.
When fired it chars. The immunity
from fire of towns built of redwood
lumber is remarkable. Large confa-
grations are unknown. This lumber
shrlnks so very little that it is used by
builders in a green state. The beauty
of the wood for finishing work is
marked, as it frequently has curly
face and also birds eye grain. This
redwood promises to be a popular
wood in the eocferp ctotac