New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-17
NEW LOGGING METHODS.
STEAM AND ELECTRIC MACHINES USED
TO HAUL LOGS IN MAINE FORESTS.

Bangor Me June Is (SpeciaD-A few years ago.
when suggested an electric railway from
Moosehead Lake up the valley Of the Anegash
River in the very heart OF the Northern Maine
woods, the project ridiculed every hand as
impossible of execution in such rough country.
even II there would De any business for the road
when It should have been constructed. Now, how
ever trolley system is in successful operation in
the Dead River region. IN the toughest part Of
Somerset County. and is engaged in hauling heavy
loads of spruce logs-a greater burden than any
dnary electric line has TO carry.
The electric log hauler is the invention OF A. 0.
Lombard. OF WatervilIe. WHO is a mechanical
genius and has made fortune from various inven
tons in the last years. Some years ago Mr..
Lombard CONCEDED the idea OF building steam
log hauIe-. and made careful investigation OF the
subject before began work upon the machine
that he had in mind. He found that than
fifty years ago q Maine man had built a
log hauler. that it had failed to work
count of manifest faults in its construction.
TINS first steam log hauler had boiler and
CINE mounted upon a Of driving wheels five feet
in diameter. with spikes in the rims of the wheels
prevent them from slipping. but when the
chine htched 10 a load of logs the bearing Of
weight small portion of the rims that
the wheels whirred around like those Of loco
motive on a rail. while the spikes would dig
deeply into the snow that the machine would be
come stalled in hoIlows of its making. and
be unable move its weight. not to speak II
load of logs
To obviate this difficulty Mr.. Lombard provided
his machine with sort Of self-aying raiI-a set of
endless Iags. carried on ball bearings-which. while
preventing the wheels from digging into the snow.
affords them friction hold giving traction power
sufficient draw Ioads of logs acgregatng about
The forward end Of the hauler is carried
ny sled to which Is attached a pole a pair Of
horses is hitched to this pole and driven ahead TO
guide the machine. but the horses do hauling
The hauler has been in operation all this
winter and many trips has hauled four sled
loads of logs 5000 feet each. occasionally twice
that amount and as high as IS. 900 feet.
rough road the mechanism being such that the
machine adjusts itself knobs and hollows. The
seds are kept the proper distance apart by
means of poles placed between each pair. and they
follow the hauler around without trouble.
The steam hauler has for some months been doing
the work of thirty horses over seven mile road,
and while the expense of employing horses and feed
ing them would be very large. the steam hauler
but a few Cords OF Wood at no expense,
Having made a success with the steam hauler,
Mr. Lombard next turned his attention to the
construction of electric hauler. and this latter
some weeks at the camps of a large numbering
concern on Alder Stream, Somerset County. In
senbles the construction hatcars used ordinary
feet vide and its wheels. like those of the steam
hauIer endless lag bed, supported on
To SCI consrueed that the machine accommodates
itself TO all cradle knobs and other rregGaftJes IN
adjusted that, no matter what the position OF
he machine. they always turn Wltnln edCn OJner.
The machine is fitted with two IS horsepower
motors and a Westinghouse controller, and Is
o about four miles hour. under
ordinary circumstances over the axle of the
chine a rocker is pivoted and upon this is rested
the forward end of the load of logs to be hauled.
the rear end of the load being supported by a
common logging sled. Other sledloadS OF logs may
be attached in tow. The hauling capacity of the
machine is not yet known, but it is greater than
that OF the steam hauler which has drawn six
sledloads, aggregatng $3.50 feet. at trip .
The electric machine runs over a road seven mucS
IN length the usual trolley system being used
trees along the being the poles Power is
MIA q
I7-nch waterwheel is running under 40-foot head.
This wheel is belted directly TO Edison gen
orator and there also a steam engine of 20
horsepower for use in case of emergency IL
Iumina ting current is also supplied by the power
plant and the logging roads and landings are brill
anty lighted.
away for long distances back from the streams and
the hauls are much longer than formerly, the
steam and electric haulers are of great advantage
to lumber operators and it is believed that. with
the improvements that are likely to be made in
the machines Lombard's inventions will revolution
IZe logging methods in Maine.