The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1894-01-19
ELEPHANTS OF BRAINS.
HANDLE LUMBER AS WELL
AS HUMAN BEINGS.
In nritish Burmah They Use this fntsi-
hRent Pachyderni. Id thin Lumber
Businc's-A Couple OF Animals Boss
Thoir Drothron In tho Work.

In Hrieish Burmah They Use this fntel.
| likcnt Pachyderni. Id thu Lumber
Busins's-A Couple OF Animals Boss
Thoir Drethron In tho Work.
The display OF trained animals,
broken for show purposes. cannot
offer the slightest comparison in
interest to the trained elephants
exhibition one sees In the city OF
Moulmein, British Burmah. The
most sbsorbingly entertaining feature
of the novel sight is the paradoxical-
ly industrial character which the
work OF these huge Indian pachy-
derms assumes. 1t hardly seems
possible that the work OF sawmill,
usually done by human hands, could
be accomplished through the medium
OF the elephants trunk and the
elephants sagacity; nevertheless it
is fact that the Irawadi steamship
company uses some forty or fifty
elephants in tho operation OF its
sawmills ut Moulmein, and the teak
wood so largely entering into the
construction OF ships is here made
ready for the hands OF the artisan.
A gentleman lutcly returned from
a tour of the East gives an interest
ing account OF the manner In which
the mills are operated. Tho logs are
chopped in tho interior and foated
several hundred miles down the Sal
win river to the mill, which Is stu
ated on the banks OF the stream at
Moulmein. Here the logs are formed
into boom, and henceiorth tho
work OF transporting Is done by the
elephants.
The most wonderful, interesting.
novel. and almost Incredible feature
Of the entire combination is the
sight OF two monstrously large male
elephants, squirting them on. push-
ing. driving and frequently chastis-
ing lazy or recalcitrant member OF
the force.
Very few men are needed to di-
rect the elephants in their work.
From six to eight OF tho animals
usually work in the water. These
wade or swim, according to the depth
OF the water. to the long boom, and
loosening several logs Mt time tow
them to the shore ut certain point.
Each Of the company OF elephants
that convey the logs from this point
to the drying place has a chain at
tached to his neck and reaching to
the ground. At tho bottom OF this
chain is u loop. through which tho
log is run. A man directs the move
,hents OF the elephants In placing
tho log within the coil OF the chain.
Tho elephant picks up another log
by his trunk, and in this manner
drags two at a time to tho seasoning
stacks. About eight elephants are
employed in this capacity. The
work OF piling the logs to dry Is
done by two female elephants. Each
winds her trunk about tho log near
the end. and together they raise it
In n horizontal position and place it
on the stack.
After tho logs have dried suiii-
oiently they are ready for the mill
Two female elephants tako tho dry
logs from the piles and deliver them
to n herd similar In training to those
that work between tho water and the
seasoning stacks These convey the
logs to a track over which a small
car runs to the mill. Only ono log
at n time is placed upon this car.
As soon as log is In position on the
car an elephant, trained for this par
ticular part OF tho work. pushes the
car to the mill. Arrived NJ the mill
the log is pushed from tho car To a
carrier that passes beneath the buzz
saw. As soon us the log Is thus
transferred to the carrier the clc-
plant operating the cur returns for
another log. while another huge
beast trained to do the saving oper-
ates the carrier and pushes the log
against the saw. But tho interest
Ing part OF tho work does not end
here. for. as the log Is being rawod
into tho desired boards and timber
another elephant receives tho com
pleted material, piling the slabs IN
one side and the more valuable
product on the othur. but two mon
are required TO oversee and direct
the elephants used In saving the logs.
Another detachment OF tho hord is
used In carrying the lumber from tn.
mill to the yards and sheds For
,pis purpose very ionss Wheels close
:. --Sm othcr are used. 1horo are
elephants trained for loading the
| sawed material upon these trucks
while others push the loaded trucks
to the sheds. In tho lumber yard
are the ''pilcrs." or elephants that
take tho lumber from tho trucks and
place 1t in piles for further seasoning.
As stated before. there Is ons de-
tachment OF this strange army OF
laborer- which does tho "ki.chen
work" for tho hotol do elephant. ar
whatever tho feeding place OF these
blg fellows mny 10 called. says tho
Chicago Times Some may DO seen
carrying hay FOR the stables. bat by
far tho most interesting sight Is tho
preparation OF the food. This Is
composed ofgrass. bran and molasses,
and Is mixed In large vat While
some aro carrying those different
eomponcnts OF tho highly doloctnblo
olcphantino boarding house hash
others AFRO engaged In mixing n with
pestles, which they ddxtoropsly
manipulate With their trunks Tho
narrator observed one Of tho clio.
! plants suddenly stop work with tho
pcstlo and rofps. 20 WELD his mixing
stick any iurthor. Ono Of the two
big boss elephants was called TO
the scene and picking up tho ro.
calcitrants pcs,lo, boat him with IL
over tho back and hips until he whIn-
ingly returned 10 his work.
only about ton mon arc employed
IN directing tho work of tho entire
herd OF elephants Those who have
seen this novel mill II, Moulmoin In
operation oil agroo In giving II the
| cyad,t al h,t,, "a, y.aa,.., a.hItI