Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-02-12
AMONG TIMBER MEN.
PERILoUs LIVES OF WooDsMeN IN
THE WEST.
Thousands of Men Find Employment
How the Monster Logs Are Handled
Wages Average About sa.5O For
Day a In Camps.

Dny Lire IN ramps.
The timber industry OF the United
States has grown TO immense proper
tons. II ~ not conferred In Pennsyl-
vania. Wisconsin ana M~ichigan--the
far West has its share. northern Cali
fornia, Oregon and Washington turn.
ing out vast quantities Of fine wood
On the Pacific coast thousands % men
and hundreds OF vessels are engaged In
coastwise and export lumber traffic.
When a lumber company obtains pos.
session OF n tract of timber 1t proceeds
to build a camp commensurate with It's
needs, erecting a store. Offices ans
quarters for as many men as mar 20
needed to harvest the product. The
camp buildings are constructed Of logs
and are connexions, comfortable and
substantial, and the little community,
comprising officers OF the company,
loggers, a few families and some out
siders, numbers about 200 souls. Ths
loggers are generally single men, rough
by the very nature of the life and
surroundings. but withal good hearted
and generous. Their greatest fallings
are drink and the vices to which per-
sons OF their environment fall ready
victims. Their wages average about
$3.50 per day, and by working steadily
and RETAINING from dissipation they
could save money, but their severe
work makes them spendthrifts. and it
Is not recorded that many of their
number reach the stage of even com
Portable afluencc-several old mon who
have spent \ lifetime at the business
still work In the woods, dependent
IN the days wage to sustain them in
their years OF decline. The lumber
company operates g dining room at
which tho men obtain meals, paying
therefor at the rate OF $50 for 30 meals.
While they lodge in comfortable cabins
on rude beds, the expense of which lie
next to nothing. When a tree has been
spotted" for Telling the foreman of
the gang decides where IL shall fall,
determining the question by the con
tour Of the land, tho direction OF tho
wind, and the proximity OF other
trees. When these matters are set
tied an m cuts 4 deep niche In
the side or tho tree toward which Ii
is to fall, the bark IL trimmed of on
a line a little above the deepest part
OF the niche. and the large saw is
started from the opposite side and Is
operated until the heart OF the tree IL
reached. A cry OF warning Is given
for the protection OF any who may he
In the path of the monster which lie
about to fall. wedges are driven into
the clean cut made by the saw, and az
they are driven home with a sledgc the
tree is seen slowly to sway. then TO
fall gracefully forward and strike the
ground with a report as sharp as the
crack OF a rifle, mingled with which is
a tremendous boom, as Of a mighty
cannon. Then begins the work of trim.
ming off the branches and saving the
trunk into the necessary lengths, and
within a short time the 200 or 3O0-foot
monarch, several feet in diameter at
the base. and containing thousands OF
feet OF lumber, is ready for its varied
journey TO the sawmill. The logs are
taken up In bundles OF three or four,
according to their weight, and suspend
ed by heavy chains on the strong axle
of a pair OF logging wheels 10 or ~
feet high, to which horses are attached
and the monstrous load is moved with
ease to the railroad. Here, a log at
a time, they are lifted by horse power
to the "skids" on the diminutive fiat
cars. As Don as a train OF four cars
is loaded 1t is started by the small To-
connective and runs by gravity down
hill for ten miles to the chute, being
followed by the engine. which moves
the cars into proper position for un-
loading. Then m the most peril.
Gus and difficult part OF the transmits
sion of the timber TO the mill-the
movement down the swift stream.
Upon the accumulation Of 5000, 900 feet
OF lumber a gang OF 20 drivers" has
charge of guiding the floating con-
signment to the mill.-Utica Globe.