Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-11-08
DOWN THE LOG FLUME.
PERILOUS RIDE OF AN INJURED CAL
lFORNlA LUMBERMAN.

big logging camp in the Sierras, and
two of them brought the third, Ed
ward Lawler, down the Sierra Lum-
ber company's flume in box at night.
That they ever reached their destina-
anything else.
Lawler is the foreman of the camp
and he was caught between the ends
of two heavy logs. His left leg was
crushed and broken. and the mill doc
tor decided that to save his life he
must at once be removed to Chico, the
nearest town.
The accident happened shortly be-
fore p. m. Chico was % miles away
To get to the stage road would neces-
state a two mile climb up hill 1000
feet high to get out of the canyon.
After that would come hard, dusty
ride along the mountain ridge over
rough lava beds. 1t is long, tedious
ride in the day time. At night with
q badly wounded man in the wagon it
was impossible. There was only one
thing to do, to take Lawler down the
fiume, although it was dangerous
undertaking.
Accordingly, Lawler was brought
from the camp to the mil over the
logging railroad, distance of four
miles. A box, or boat, was built to
fit the flume, goodly supply of whis-
key was given the men, and they
started on their perilous ride at s p.
m. Word was telephoned to the diff
ferent stations along the line and
carriage was ordered to be at the Chi
co end. They arrived after midnight
and Lawler is now in San Francisco
in hospital, but it will be year be-
fore he is able to go about.
How did it feel to come down at
night?" repeated one of the men in
reply to question. That's some
ing I can't tell you. I simply held to
the box and listened every second to
hear the fiume crack and drop out
from beneath us. 1t was cold when
we started, but I perspired all the
way, and when l got to Chico I was
completely exhausted. It's a fearful
strain on man to ride down the
grade"
Th Sierra Lumber company's flume
was built more than 20 years ago for
the purpose of floating lumber from
the mill to town. 1t was the first in
the state and for years the longest.
Originally it was more than so miles
from mill to dump, and more than
million dollars was sunk in the scheme
hofnrn
The upper end was more than 1000
feet higher than the lower.
The fume is 80 inches wide across
the top and 20 inches deep, is shaped
like V and is supported on trestles.
Along the side runs a ten-inch plank
walk; telephone line is strung over
head; stations are built every few
miles to accommodate the men who
keep the lumber running smoothly and
the flume in repair. From $4,000 to
100000 feet of lumber day, for eight
months in the year, now pass down, at
an average cost of only 80 cents for
each 1000 feet.
AS the timber was cut the mill was
gradually moved down the canyon un-
til it has now reached its final resting
place, and the upper 90 miles of fume
has rotted away. The remaining 80
miles of the fiume furnishes one of
the most exciting rides which can
be taken. Sometimes men take the
ride for pleasure, but not often. Once
woman roue down. The flume men
ride on rafus, light, dry, 16-foot planks
piled wedge shaded, 20 inches wide at
the top and at the bottom and 10
inches thick. Strangers usually ride
on box, or boat, triangular box
built to fit the fume, open at the for
wad end, but solid aft. Against this
the water pushes and forces the box
alcng.
1t was on a box that the Lawler
party rode, and what astonished the
fume men was that the weight of three
heavy men. combined with the bump
ing and scraping of the box along the
sides of the fume. to say nothing of
the tons and tons of water piled UP
behind did not cause the lightly con-
structed trestles to give way. Such
thing has happened before. A fall,
especially on the grade, is sure death.
1t takes three and a half hours to
make the trip on raft, and save on
the five miles of so-called grade, the
fume men ride standing. 1t is a more
difficult trick than driving logs down
the Connecticut river, this balancing
ones self on narrow raft and fully
as dangerous.
Starting from the MILL the flume
passes over great sawdust piles; piles
as big in area as City Hall park in
New York and Is feet deep. So solidly
is the sawdust piled that the trees
have all been killed and turned black
as if forest fire had once ragged there.
Then for five miles it runs along the
side of the canyon close to the creek,
through dense woods which form
continuous green arch above At the
end of this first section is a station,
and here it is that the real ride be-
gins