The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-09-17
LOG CABIN REMAINS.
All Old-Time Equipment Gone Except
in One Instance.

The most enduring handiwork OF tho old
time miners was the picturesque log cabin
Tho rocker, the ground sluice, the long tom,
the arrastra and most all OF the crude i'm
ploments used by the pioneer gold disgers
have crumbled with decay, or lie bramble-
covered and forgotten in abandoned diggings;
but not the sturdy log cabin. This was
his don, his refuge, his home and the miner
built 1t not upon the sand, says the
Mining World. But tho appropriateness and
general utility of the log cabin were not
confined to tho pioneer days II serves
just useful purpose on mining claims and
in mining camps today rs it served during
tho early '4os and sos And so the cabin
IL still playing important part in the
development OF Americas mines and mining
Tho log cabin, or group OF log cabins,
give mining camp an air OF comfort. sol,
idity and permancnce. The here today and
there tOmorrGw camps are, arc those whose
half tent, hnlf boards. or clap board huts,
The sawmill is doing much TO make the log
cabin thing OF tho past, since il is fnr
easier TO build house of boards than one
OF logs. But the owner OF n claim, or the
builder OF n camp acts wisely and well when
he makes the log. cabin his architectural
treatise on rustic design or plea for more
of that "smpe life that we, hear and read
much about. but rather would have il
brief ''how to build it, article from an
old timers $ viewpoint
This may not seem worth while. not
through any tritcncss of subject, but be
man who owns claim, or who has an incl-
nation to stake one; firmly believes he
build cabin. Indeed, tho log cabin is the
simplest kind Of building, yet there are lot
they attempt to erect ono, Instead of
cabin, the result OF their labors is
OF, OF cross between pigpIsn and c1rn-crlb,
erect cabin is logs. These should all be
carefully selected and cut to proper length
before tho cabin is started. Some prefer to
ho lnp oh1 Thnrn
more accurately to each other also it makes
the house more snug, but il makes lot of
extra work and takes all OF the genuine
rusticity from the cabin. For an ordinary
cabin logs six inches in diameter are large
enough. They will last longer than logs of
eight ten or twelve inches, as is sometimes
used. Leave the bark on, but remove pro-
truding knots and defects.
After the logs are cut the right length
provision being made for doors and win
dows, comes the raising. This is easy, pro-
vided there are two or three half dozen
TO assist, with good dinner and plenty Of
apple cider in sight, MS was the case during
the ''log raisings' OF the early settlement
days. But the miner of today must content,
himself with an appetite kcened for bacon
and beans, dutch oven biscuits, and q pot
OF black coffee.
The logs are raised and laid crosswise in
tiers to the required height. tho angles being
formed by notch on euch side, about one
third Of the logs diameter in depth and
few inches from the extremity. The space
between the logs is made water-tight and air
tight by plastering clay or stufhng small
bundles of twigs sometimes combination
of both is used The interior is lined with
split lathes slabs the ceiling left with its
low~hanging beams. There must. of course,
be the wide fireplace: made of rocks and
mud. Placer miners frequently q short
section OF hydrauli6 pipe to top their chin
neys as it gives a better draft and makes
the fireplace easier to construct
The scnntIings for the roof are smaller
logs or poles, cut to At before they are
raised. Tho better plan is TO make them
amply long, that they may extend protect
ingly over, giving wide cool ewes for sum-
mer;; they may even be carried over four
or FIVE feet on one side, and the extra
cover thus afforded made in q porch or
.lean-to" The doors and windows are
deeply lodged. Tho space left for them,
especially the windows. should be accurately
computed before the cabin is raised, other
wise tho uneven jagged ends Of the logs
must be sawed and evencd when the sashes
are put in.