The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-11-08
THE SCRANTON NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. NOVEMBER 8. 1900.

the quality of timber in n standing
tree are to be avoided.
1t is a most interesting sight to be-
hold one of these forest giants fail.
The process of cutting is affected both
through the use of the AK and the saw.
All axes are doube-fa through
which much time is saved in sharp
ening. Sometimes the axes start the
cut on both sides of the trunk and
at places about opposite each other
through the thickness OF the tree. Az
Ter the chopping has penetrated to u
depth of about two feet on each side
the saw Is then started in the lire of
the incision and the job completed with
that instrument. Generally, however,
the direction upon which the tree is
TO fall is determined and the cut Is
made in that side to the depth Of
from one to three feet. Then the
choppers pass to the opposite side and
begin saving at point several feet
higher than the place of the incision
AS the saw moves through the heart
Of the giant he begins to sag down
where the wound is gaping. In doing
this he lifts apart the cut and opens
the section which the saw Is making,
thereby keeping free play for the saw.
This is aided at times by driving
wedges at the place where the saw
entered. Presently it is apparent that
the section Is opening wider and wider
and the tree is beginning to lean away
from the cutters. They continue with
their saving u moment longer, then
Is heard the cracking of the wood
fibers in from the saw teeth. Another
swish of the saw and these increase.
They give report like the firing of
pistols and the rapidity of a Gatins
gun. The sounds, &c etting very rapid,
presently merge into O continuous
roar. Then. IL you are standing near
by and the tree is large, you will get
the impression that everything above
is coming to earth; that the whole for
est is falling. The great mass slowly
starrs to topple, cracking and eXplod-
ing ever louder at it's base, until with
Il fearful! momentum i! comes sprawl
ing down. cracking and crashing and
roaring and hitting the earth with q
crump md thump as If a whole broad
side of 13.inch bombs had simulta-
ncously struck bastion.
Prostrate. then. lies the forest giant.
a kind o! pitying sense comes over you,
as though YOU had been witness of Il
tragedy. The prone monster seems to
be some vast animal, which, after
stout resistance, had succumbed, ana
whose body is now stretched before
you for its final spOliation. This
sense is all the more pronounced as
you observe the choppers quickly run
over the trunk with their axes and
cut away all the branches. each limb
going like veritable amputation. The
great torso which emitted such a
sound and displayed such motion a
few moments ago is now low and help
less, giving scarcely whimper as its
parts are struck from it. Almost be-
fore you can recover yourself the long
stalk is bare of limbs and then the
men begin cross-cutting it into logs
or sections from "a to so feet, as long
as it is desired the boards into which
it is reduced at the mill shall be. This
done. tlie logs are peeled of their bark,
the croWbar being used to pry Off the
thick integument, which is sometimes
a. foot in depth, the log is turned with
iackscrcws. when such is practicable,
to get ut the under side.