Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-03-27
IN A LOGGING CAMP.
Winter Life in the Wisconsin
Lumber Region.
CAMP SYSTEM AND IT'S INFLUENCE.
How Trees are Felled and Great Logs
Handled-incidents OF Very
Hard Life.


later, and the men are ready to set out
to work at @.
The air is eager and nipping in the
numbering region Of Northern Wiscon-
sin, and hot cornbread. potatoes. salt
pork. and smoking coffee do not &c
begging even at cock-crow.
These woodmen are as unsociable at
this matutinal meal as gilt-edged
habitues of clubs over their coffee and
omelet in coy city corners, for human
nature is about the same the world
over. The toiler in the logging world
faces danger each working hour and
wrestles with grim nature as his effete
club brother fights against passing dis
comfort and being bored.
Before the morning stars have paled
the dining-room empties itself of a
crowd mostly made up of Poles,
Swedes, Belgians. Germans, and Irish
men. They wear Fanatic shirts and
coats of yellow, red, or blue woolen--a
material known as "Mackinaw. In
some cases the trousers are off the same
piece, but ordinarily they are the Gus
tomary color and material worn by the
city laborers. Long red socks are
drawn outside the trousers, and reach
nearly to tho knee. Overshoes or heavy
cowhide boots and Scotch or fur caps
pulled far down on the head complete
an eccentric, dazzling uniform. These
cardinal colors are not selected for
their esthetic values, but as safeguards
from accidents in the dense under
brush. Falling trees and rolling logs
are trecherous foes and make long lists
Of mute victims.
A numbering camp has seldom less
than fifty men. while many have double
that number. The center of the system
is building of rude construction
called the "cook camp" 1t may be
divided into dining room, kitchen,
and slaughter-house, or it may unite all
of these offices without visible parti-
ton. This is the case in its rudest
state, under which circumstances the
appointments are dining table of
logs and chairs of genuine stumps
The table service in all camps is the
iron pattern" for knives and forks,
with dishes and spoons Of tin. If tho
cook is conscientious he can keep this
homely table equipment so that it is
not bar to good appetite. There are
travellers tales of chefs who perform
the rite Of DISTINGUISHING at weekly
intervals. but these artists are showing
on to the north and their brother Eski-
mos. The comfort Of camp life de-
ponds mainly upon the cook. He is
never handicapped by stingy supplies,
camps varying only in the use of fresh
meat. An ordinary bill of fare is
headed by salt pork, flanked by beans,
potatoes and turnips, and embellished
by mince, prune. or dried-apple pies,
pancakes and syrup.
Even at the evening meal thick hot
soups do not cause the woodsman to
relax and lend himself to conversation
and infinite jest, but tired nature con-
tents itself with long reach for hunks
Of salt beef and portly pickles. The
social side of the lumbermen is seen
an hour later in the 'men's camp"
when they gather round the tables to
become principals or spectators of
game of cinch or pedro. The low cell
ings, the half lights, and the dark,
eager faces make pictures that would
have delighted the old Dutch masters.
At least once a week enterprising
agents for jewellers. tailors, insurance
companies. or photographers come along
for the night and boom their wares by
singing new ditties and waking their
banjo or guitar to tuneful punk PUNK.
A really droll fellow can put his
audience into raro good humor, and it
often forms itself into cotilion, the
wags doing the feminine representation
with much humor.
Occasionally several camps unite.
and a real ball with real lassies will
set the whole region agog with festiv-
ity. There are many married men
with pretty sisters. law in the world
Of the woods. and now and then pro-
fessional lady-killer in the camp.
The "men's camp" is long building
fitted up with double row of hunks
like a gigantic sleeping car with the
bed service prepared for the public.
The resemblance ceases here, however,
As the hunks are equipped with ticks
filled with straw and sun6ry weather
beaten and uncanny comforters. Each
guest is sure of dirty bed-fellow, for
the beds are double and the dirt peren-
NAL.
This leads us up naturally to the
oete noire of logging life. which is I'M
cleanliness. Some camps require the
body garments TO be changed weekly
md provide plenty of hot water, soap,
md towels. Other camps allow the
men to go unwashed as long as they
Jan stand it themselves, which period
IS eleven months, that is, from the end
IF the dog days of one season to the
of those of the next. In the
summer they play baseball and swim
n the clear streams.
Pen and ink artists have portrayed
he baokwoodsmen as bad lot morally
Every camp has its share of men with