The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-11-05

beneath the log and operated the
saw. Of course this was a slow
process, but it was the only way
known at the time. The rash saw
and the mulay saw came in after
wards and were run by water power,
which was a decided improvement
over the whip saw. By the time
the century was half over the
circular saw was invented, by which
three thousand feet were cut in a
day-a feat which attracted the at
tention and wonder of the world In
the last half of the century improve
ments of this invention were made
that had never been dreamed of fifty
years ago. The industry has grown
so that railroads have to be built to
feed them with logs and haul away
the product. Some of these mills
located in the great forests n sup
piled with gang saws that rip large
stocks to pieces with each move
ment of the carriage, cutting hun
dreds of thousands of feet in a day
Truly the civilization of to-day is
hardly recognized as the same our
grandfathers built up. But we have
learned not to despise the day Of
small things.
Maj. John Davidson, who held
high position in this part of the State,
lived to add much to the civilization
that was enjoyed by the people one
hundred years ago. He vas an ex-
pert blacksmith, and
PROBABLY MADE THE FIRST BROADAXE,
with which building logs, sleepers,
joists and rafters were hewn for the
nice houses which we're built. In
many places the floors we're made
of nicely dressed punohoens. Much
of the symmetry and beauty of early
architecture were due to the use of
the broad axe.
Blacksmithing in the early years
was almost ranked with the fine
arts Vulcan was the god of the
forge, and of course every species of
work in iron sprung from him.
Everything made of iron had 80 be
forged in the shop. The great log
chain, as we'll as the drawing chain
with which horses pull our wagons
and plOws, our hoes and mattOOks
and axes, all had their origin in the
blacksmith shop. The cooking YES
sells came from the iron furnaces.
Nothing was bought ready made,
as we now see in the large and ele.
CANT hardware store. Other coun-
tries were no farther advanced than
ourselves, but had so pursue the
same course of civilization. AS we
now look back we naturally think
they made slow progress, but the
masses did not think so in fact, they
did not think about it at all they
we're satisfied, and only the discon-
tented few looked forward to better
times. To the unsatisfied and dis
contented we I'VE all the
ADVANCES MADE IN OUR CIVILIZATION.
IL our grandmothers could now
come back and take q peep at
elegantly furnished kitches, and sec
the fine stoves and ranges, our ket-
ties and agate wares, elegant cook
ing vessels, they would naturally
conclude shat they were only dream
ing of what might be in the distant
future. But they would not be
more surprised than our great gr nd
fathers would be TO see the wire nails
and the cut nails that are now in
daily use, instead of having she
blacksmith forge every nail that
is used in building our houses.
When we look back for one hun
dred years and take note of the
civilization of that period and G. M
pare it with the present, we wonder
how they accomplished so much
with the limited. means to work
with. If the house carpenters of to-
day were required to forge every
nail with which he built a home, he
would stand aghast at the undertak-
ing.
ITO be cOntinued.)