The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-05

Of Altaville. Raggio Bros. have about 1000
acres of timber on San Domingo Creek,
four miles from Murphys, haul of from
ten to twelve miles, and Jones Bros. haul
from Aubreys, nine miles from MuIphys.
The logs are mostly snaKed out of the
woods in the winter time, both firms en-
ploying usually twenty-five men logging.
The hauling season lasts from May to De-
cember. Raggio Bros. have four 12-mule
teams and Jones Bros. five.
The logs are measured and paid for at
the mine by their diameter in inches, at
the rate of cent per inch per running foot
They are sixteen feet long, and run from
seven to twenty-eight inches in diameter
They are used without squaring, and prob
ably average as large as any mine timbers
in the world. They cost about 50 40 per
log, so the company pays out $50, 900 year
for this item.
There is great rivalry between the firms
and the teamsters as to which shall haul
the biggest load. 1t is mostly down-grade
to Angels, but it is a rough road, and there
are some up-grades where every mule has
to squat and do his level best. Two wagons
are used, with the larger load on the front
one. When the rivalry piles the logs above
the normal the team cannot start both
wagons at once; few links are let out in
the connecting chain, and the impetus
given the first wagon starts the second.
Man and mules have to be in harmony or
it is mo CO." The teamster is a big factor
in the pull. The teamster rides the nigh
wheeler" and drives with jerk line.
Yesterday the rivalry eliminated in the
two biggest loads ever hauled into camp.
When John GTisWell, teamster for Jones
Bros, started from the mountains he had
a couple extra mules hitched on ''by
chance" As he would turn in the saddle
occasionally and catch glimpse of the
pyramid of giant logs looming through the
cloud of dust, smile of pleasure and con-
tdence would irradiate his sun burned
countenance; visions of a crest-fallen rival
and foaming beer would alternate in his
brain, until the dreariness of mis- unhappy
lot, doomed to broil and choke in the sun
and dust the whole summer long, seemed
but the distempered fancy of dream.
Griswell sent on word that he wanted a
crowd and photographer to receive him.
And when the measurement at the mine
indicated a grand total of so logs and 727
inches, John Griswell was a rare phenome-
mona contented man.
Presently the tinkling naturalization
of bells and some cusswords of profanity
announced the arrival of the rival. The
mules were sweating and the wagon
creaking, but the driver was swearing.
The load looked dangerously big to John
Griswelrs experienced eye, but victors
don't usually swear-there was consolation
in that-and John Asbury hadn't ''hap-
pened" to add a couple more mules to his
team; he only had the original twelve;
there was assurance in that All the same,
John Asbury had 81 logs, measuring
TAI inches, beating his rival 2 logs and 20
inches, and all previous records.
By this time the excitement, through
telephone, telegraph and courier, had
spread to the mountains. The result was
unknown up there, and Joe Schacten, an
other teamster of Raggio Bros, swore a
great swear that his employers should not
be worstcd If he had to build wagon him
self; the team question did not bother
him; he had one that could haul anything
that would roll on wheels.
Well, they kept piling on logs until even
Joe Schacten cried Hold, enough!" And
Joe Schacten had heard of the photo
graphs, 100. Long before the cloud of
dust on the horizon indicated his where
abouts, tish-wagons, fruit peddlers and in
cidental travellers of all denominations
coming into Angels had aroused the in
habitants by tales of an enormous mountain
OF timber they had passed on the road:
and when an Indian runner finally brought
message from Joe Schacten himself to
have the camera ready, the town was de-
serted to meet him on the divide, where
the white tent of the photographer was
conveniently located.
When Joe Schacten finally hove in sight
he received an ovation. It needed no
measurement to tell that he was champion
teamster of the Sierras. His great load
rose up and swelled out like the reserve
pile of sawmill. He had pulled the hide
off few mules, snapped an inch chain or
twoy bent 34-ineh "ax'' a trife. but he
had got there all the same. As for John
Griswell, he will never forget this dav.
Nothing but daylight prevented his being
taken for ghost.
Joe schacten had seventy logs, ranging