Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1896-08-27
AMONG BIG TREES.

sell IN California redwood forest WuhiH
indeed be at loss to know how to carry
on his business there. None OF the
met hods familiar to the craft in the Pine
IIoe ,.a,v ~ uuau AVIAN MIN Ia nanuiihg
these giant growths and he must start AS
~ - vrriss' g - irs-., w. 49, -! f'e
western woodman.
1t was my good fortune a few weeks
ago to spend several days in one OF the
largest lumber camps In Humboldt coun-
ty, In the centre OF the redwood region.
Accompanied by friend, former
Maine man W no has been for a long time
prominent in the lumber business on the
coast, | started from Eureka over the
mountains toward the scene OF the lum-
bering operations. Ii is summer, and
summer in California means only dry
ntse; coi..>4Gta;i. Ne .gaas E,e.. u,,p
in dust. They have dusty roads in Maine
sometimes, but never anything like what
prevails here Before we had driven five
miles our compilations were indiscernsble,
and when twenty miles on the way, only
irrigation was needed to make our ex-
teriors profitable farming territory.
Upward We rode among the mountains,
rising higher and higher till we could see
the country for miles around. Nearly all
the ranchers in the county are dairymen,
and thousands OF cattle filled every valley.
At one point we met a herd of several
hundred cattle being driven to market by
the rdQueroes and we were glad to draw
up on the roadside, leaving a. much OF
the narrow pass as we could for them.
As the herd approached us, the leaders
stopped, frightened Mt the unusual sight
of horse and carriage but the crowd be-
hind kept pushing Oh till the whole pass
waslfilied with the closely packed herd,
and urged on by the rdqueroes in the
rear, at length they rushed by. For
twenty minutes we sat in our wagon al
most stitied by the immense clouds OF
dust which they raised in passing.
Then We drove on through two or three
small towns to our destination, the mills
OF the Eel River Valley Lumber Co., W here
We were most Hospitality received by
the manager and his family. Later We
boarded the locomotive OF a logging train
and rode up the steep grade into the red
wood forest
Half mile beyond the terminus Of the
railway the beginning OF the work VIZ
found. The immense trees had been
feiled month or Two before, and nov
were being sawed iptu logs sixteen to
twenty feet in iength and varying from
eight to IWeuty feet in diameter
Most interesting Of All vas the opera
tion'ot hauling thc-e mammoth "chuuk,'.
down to The railroad. Neither horses nof
oxen are employed, alt the work being
done 10y donkey engines From the rail-
Nay station Il narrow ruad i made in the
hard clay up the hills To where tie logs
lay, and an endless rope OF " ire runs over
pulleys and through a heavy block at the
upper ends. Twelve, fifteen or twenty
logs are got into line in the road, securely
fastened end to end with chains. and the
"ieader A-u usually he largest log in the lot
fastened to the endless rope.
OF course II : long task 10 make up
such load, as the logs must be hauled
from ali sides to their place in the road.
but the use of the little donkey engines
makes it not only pos sble. but almost
easy
W hen the load i made up the "boss"
steps aside and touches an electric but
ton on a tree stump; from the station he
low comes a whistle, and IN moment the
wire rope higgins To move and the big
string OF logs starts with it. Men run
along ahead and throw water or the
road TO make it slippery and to prevent
the friction from firing the logs.
Attached 10 the last log j. small dag.
and for novel ride / would recommend
trip in it, hut a. the rope often ps-ses
over II and dispaees the passengers with
neatness and dispatch, ! found waking
preferab BILE.
Arrived at the railroad terminus the
legs are rolled upon the cars Dy steam
power, one log often making Vi carload:
then they 60 70 the mill, where saw ana
plane ana every q her tool is on giant
scale. The mill is worthy OF - deserip-
ton, but have already more than over
taxed ''ye editors - patience and 50 VIII
leave that for another time.
1t is almost impossible To imagine the
size OF these trees. but when it is said
that one tree Will furnish enough lumber
10 build ten tWo-story houses from sin
to weat her board, and leave fire-wood
enough to keep the COOK stoves IN each
Of them running for Il year, We get some
idea of their immensely.
That is California story, but II is true
+. W. LORD.
San Francisco, Aug. II, 1896.