Amador ledger., 1906-09-14
BIG SAWMILL INDUSTRY.
From our Aukum Correspondent

owned by the door and sash factory
situated in Oakland. They are also
owners of the narrow gauge railroad
running from Diamond Springs to
the above mentioned mill.
The company Is composed of five
men. They have a modern mill,
equipped with the latest improved
machinery. None of the old fashion
ed circular saws are operated in this
mill. They are entirely band saws.
The first saw cuts the log up in
boards of all widths according to the
size of the log. They are dropped
upon revolving rollers which take
them to the edger saws, and the edges
ripped off from them. They run onto
an endless revolving chain, that takes
them to the second great band saw
that ripps them in two. To be more
explicit a two inch board a foot wide
arrives, it passes through the band
saw and becomes two one inch boards
Instead of what it was. The band
saws are endless saws, from six to ten
inches wide revolving upon pulley,
and going with ceaseIess and amazing
rapidity all day long. As the lumber
passes through the last band saw 1t
comes out all widths and all sizes, as
it comes to the saw. being ripped in
two. 1t is then graded by a man
known as the "grader" who has each
piece assigned to its proper station.
The common class goes to the yard,
where it is piled in huge square piles
ready TOR drying in the sun. The
better class is taken by the truck
men to where two endless chains
running parallel with each other, and
about twelve feet apart, revolves
constantly and slowly. The lumbe
is thrown on to the chains which
carry it up the incline to a huge
steam drying house, whose capacity
is something near a million feet.
Each day the foreman told me they
|
from the kiln, and loaded it on the
cars for shipment. The logging i:
done in two ways, by donkey engines
and railroad. The railroad runs into
the woods about three miles, and the
logs are brought into the mill Oh
cars. The other methods are done by
three donkey engines situated hal
mile apart. The "bul'' engine a!
1t is called, is within one hundred
feet of the mill. 1t is huge
engine and pulls the logs wher
dropped by the smaller engine TO
more than mile. They droE
from the chute into pond of water
in order to wash the dirt from til
surface of the log that has collected
on them in being pulled over tn
ground and down the chute. Thel
a side engine that is operated jus
behind the sawyer, pulls it longitude
nalIy forward when it is caught a
by the bull-wheel, and rolled on t
the carriages, where it is ready TO
the humming band saw that cuts
into lumber. When one side i
ripped off the "nigger" as it called
rises as if by magic appearingly GU
of the floor, and reaching out grea
huge iron arm bent down in to
hook at the point, grabs the log as l
with human intelligence, pulls i
over, forces. it back to its place, aut
drops appearingly into quietude an,
rest. The capacity of the mill is 9
, thousand feet per day. The com
pany built their own cars, with tn,
exception of the ironwork of the Ca
itself. The band saws are changed
about every four hours. The teetl
are ground sharp by an emory whee
connected with a unique piece O
machinery made expressly for thu
purpose. The saw is put teeth up
ward into the machine. The machine
is adjusted properly, the saw is put
into its exact position, and the emory
wheel placed exactly in front of the
teeth. The operator starts the mach
inc slowly to see that it is exactly
right, and after being satisfied that
it is right, starts the machine at full
speed. The machine now is doing
its work accurately, and as the emory
wheel touches each point, the fire
flies in brilliant sparks away from it.
The operator takes a seat and watches
Ianguidly and leisurely, the machine
that never makes a mistake.
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We elsewhere publish the candidates
cards of D. A. Patterson, for record
er; Q. X. jarvis, for assessor, and
Geo. A. Gritton, treasurer, all dem o.
cratic nominees. The treasurer and
recorder have served the people, the
later tor one term, and the former for
| three successive terms. Jarvis is a
new man, has never held a public
office but is we'll known throughout
the county.
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Copies of the license ordinance of
the City of jackson in pamphlet form
may be had at the Ledger office; price
| 15c. each.
Charley Sing, the we'll -known cook,
| having sold out his restaurant bust
ness in the Olympus Cafe, is open to