The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1905-01-14

American pioneer eApttA 10 tucuNnttI
as matter or course.
The jobbcr OF course pushed his
roads az rapidly as possible, but was
greatly handicapped by lack OF men.
/ Winter set I'm early nnd surprised him
with several OF the smaller branches
\ yet 20 finish. The main line. however,
/ was done
AZ intervals squares were cut out
alongside. In them two long timbers
or skids were laid andlronwise for the
reception OF the piles OF logs which
would be dragged from the fallen
trees They were called sideways.
\ Then finally the seasons cut began.
The men who were 90 fell the trees
Roadway distributed along one bound
airy or a forty" They were instruct
cd 10 move forward across the forty
in straight line, Telling every pine
tree over eight inches in diameter.
While the saw gangs, three In number,
prepared 10 fell the first trees. other
men called swampers were busy cut.
ting and clearing OF roots narrow lit
tie trails down through the forest from
the pine 10 the skidway az the edge
OF the logging road. The trails were
perhaps three feet wide and marvels OF
smoothness. although no attempt was
made TO level mere inequalities OF the
ground They were called trayoy
roads 0french trayois). Down them
the logs would be dragged and hauled
either by means OF heavy steel tonss
or n short sledgc on which one end OF
the timber would bc chained.
Meantime the sawyers were busy.
Each pair OF men selected tree, the
first they encountered over the blazed
\ line OF their forty. After determining
In which direction II was 10 fan they
set TO work 20 chop deep cash In that
side OF the trunk
Tom Broadhcad and Henry Paul
picked out n tremendous pine, which
they determined 20 throw across lit
tie open space In proximity 20 the
trnyoy road. one stood 70 right, the
other left, and alternately their axes
bit deep. Tom glanced UP as a sailor
looks aloft
shell do, Hank, he said.
The two then with a dozen half clips
OF the AK removed the inequalities OF
the bark from the saws path. The
long flexible ribbon OF steel bcgan to
sing. bending so adaptably to the hands
and motions OF the men manipulating
that IL did not seem possible so mo.
bile an instrument could cut the rough
pine In a moment the song changed
timbre. Without word the men
Strengthened their backs. Tom nirted
along the blade a thin stream OF kero-
sene oil from bottle in his hip pocket
and the sawyers again bent 10 their
work. swaylng back and forth rhyth
mlcally, their muscles ripping under
the texture OF their woolens like those
OF panther under It's skin. The out
or edge OF the saw blade disappeared
Better wedge her, Tom" advised
Hank.
They paused while, with a heavy
sledge. Tom drove "A triangle OF steel
into the crack made by the saving
This prevented the weight OF the tree
from pinching the saw. Then the
rhythmical z-z-z mn. again took up
it, song
When the trunk was nearly severed
Tom drove another and thicker wedge
Timber hallopd Hank In long
drawn melodlous call that melted
through the woods into the distance
The swampers ceased work and with
drew 90 safety
Crack called the tree.
Hank coolly unlocked his saw han
die. and Tom drew the blade through
and out ,he other side.
The tree shlvcrod. then leaned ever
so slightly from the perpendicular. then
fell. at first gently. afterward with II
cresccndo rush. tearing through the
\ branches OF other trees, bending the
small timber breaking the smallest
ana az last hitting with a tremendous
crash and bang which filed the mir
with a FOG Of small twigs, needles and
the powder OF snow.
! Then the swampcrs, who have by
now alishcd the trnvoy road, trimmed
the PROSTATE trunk clear OF all pro
tubcrances. IL required fairly sklllful
Ak work. The branches had 60 be
shaved close and clear. aud M the
same time the trunk must not be
gashcd Aud often n man was forced
10 WELD his instrument from con
strained position
The chopped branches ana limbs had
now 10 be- dragged clear ana piled
While this was being finished Tom and
f Hank marked or and sawed the log
lengths. paying due attention 20 the
necessity or avoiding knots. forks and
rotten places Thus some Of the logs
were eighteen. some sixteen or four
teen and some only twelve feet In
length
Next appeared the transfers with
thclr little wooden sledrrs, their steel
chains and their tongs They had been
helping the skiddcrs 20 place the par.
allel and level beams or skids. on
which the logs were 10 be- piled by the
side ~ the road The tree which Tom
and Hank had Just fclIcd lay up n gen
tie slope from the new trnvoy road, so
little Fabian LnveQuc. the teAmster,