Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-02-17
FROM TREE TO BOARD

FKOM TREE 1U BUARD
MANUFACTURE OF LUMBER ON
PUGET SOUND.
The Timber Region Of the Pacific-The Log
sins Camp-lmproved Methods Of Logging
and Sawins-Modern "Sklddins' by Cable
-Sawins by Gigantic Band Saws-Amount
Of Standing Timber.
BY FRANK X. LAMB, HoQUIAM.
Extending from Alaska to the pass
OF the Tehachepi in California, and
from the summit OF the Cascade and
Sierra Nevada ranges to the ocean, is
the timber region Of the Pacific. In
the North the forest is almost un.
broken; as we come southwark into
Oregon and California, fertile open
valleys OF surprising loveliness alter
nate with the green clad hills.
Beginning at the North, the Alaska
cedar, hemlock and spruce-relics OF
forest that extends to the Arctic
Circle-give way in British Columbia,
to the Douglas fir, Western cedar,
hemlock and spruce of Washington
and Oregon. Passing into California,
we leave behind these well known
timber species and enter the home of
tree OF trees in size and grandeur-the
Redwood. With it are associated
cedar, and sugar and yellow pines.
Perched in small groves and limited
forests high on the western flanks Of
the Sierra Nevada, in the summer
bathed in eternal sunshine, in the
winter buried In mantles of snow, is
the redwood's greater sister, the Big
Tree.
For two hundred years our an.
cestors have logged" in the original
colonies; to-day little remains OF even
the great backwoods of Maine. The
lumberman, ever following close in
the footsteps of the pioneers. moved
in due course to the great pineries OF
Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
In each case the methods employed
were very similar. The logs were Of
moderate size; they we're cut in the
summer and either hauled immediate.
ly to the mill, or taken to the river by
which they could be foated to the
mill. This was usually done during
the winter, when sleds could be used,
and the logs were left upon the banks
or placed upon the frozen river until
the freshets of spring should float
them to the mills.
When the lifelong lumberman was
forced to leave the Middle Northwest
because the white pine was becoming
exhausted, and 60 to the yellow pine
and cypress Of the South, or to the
forests of the Pacific, new conditions
arose. In the South, no freezing
weather would form ice.sled roads.
and the timber sometimes grew in
swamps. On the Pacific, no forests
aided him in his work, the timber was
found in swamps, on level ground OF
on high mountain ridgee and above all
the size of the individual piece was 80
great, and the weight 90 enormous,
that his ordinary methods were i'm
practicable. New methods OF logging
were, OF necessity, introduced. DE.
cember, in the State of Washington,
though the latitude is that of Labra'
dor, means a temperature like that oi
Apri! in the East, with sunshine and
rain following each other in quick
succession.
The logging camp is in the heart ol
the primeval forest. Like guarding
sentinels. the great frs, from ten te
thirty feet in circumference, stand on
every side, with trunks straight and
columnar, rough, brown. .checkered
bark, and limbs like stunted trees two
hundred feet from the ground. The
small blue expanses of sky showing
between them apparently rests upon
their dark green. fantastic-formeC
tops. The "csmps"-rough, wooden
rectangular buildings, looking dimuni
tive in their massive setting Of green
are designated as "mess house"-th.
dining.room - and "bunk house,
the sleeping quarters. Grouped pro
miscuously about these are the shops
stables and other auxiliary buildings
Everything is temporary, everything
rough, suitably only for the rough
strong men who pride themselves OF
being woodsmen.
Work begins at break OF day, winte
or summer. Soon after three o'clocl
the cooks and their assistants begiI
the preparation OF the morning meal
Beefsteak, coffee, fried cakes ant
fried potatoes are served, with occa
sional variations. At the tap OF tn
gong the long files OF half.asleep mel
enter the dining.room. The meal i
eaten in haste and in silence. At th'
bunk houses the work clothes ar
donued and the "crew" leaves in I
body for the woods to begin the day
work. Nothing is SO delicious, 81
invigorating, as q cool, fall mornini
in the woods; nothing can be 90 dis
agreeable, 80 disheartening, as to star
out on q wet, drizzling winter morn
ing, when there is still scarce ligh
! enough to pick ones way along tn
trail leading down by the landing