The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-01
CUTTING SPRUCE
IN GREAT QUANTITIES.
This Timber, Once Dcspiscd,
Now Nearly as Valuable
as Poplar.
HAS BECOME BIG INDUSTRY
How the Great Logs Are Gotten
to Streams and Floated to
tho Place az Sale.
HAS BECOME BIG INDUSTRY
Especial to The Times Dispatch

Especial TO The m Dispatch.
FREELING, VA, November 3O.-Un-
til quite recently he1nlock timber,
better known as spruce, was not &C.
counted OF any commercial valuc, but
today 1t is worth nearly az much as
pop lar in Dickinson county. The
county boasts q greater quantity OF
this timber than does any other coun-
ty in the Southwest, except possibly
Buchanan. One popularity OF this tim
Der Is that 1t grows in the rougher
places, and along tho streams. It,
therefore. costs more to market 1t
than does other timber, In consequence
OF which 1t has not been worked out
before. The flrst-class poplar tim
Der Is practically gone. and now the
logging men havo turned to hemlock.
Last winter all the standing hemlockJ
trees from eighteen inches upward in
diameter at the stump that could be
purchased, changed hands, and the
work OF preparing them for market has
been going forward during the sum-
rner and fall. . is work has been going
on simultaneously In different sections
of the county. but perhaps the most
extensive works is on Pine Creek, in
the southwest part Of the county and
in Cumberland Mountain.
How It II Shipped.
LII Preparing Inc ItIlDeT LOE MARKET
1t Is first cut and the bark peeled
during the summer Wine the sap Is
up" For this work 20 cents per-
tree has been paid. Next the trunks
are sawed into convenient lengths for
hauling, and haulways from the hills
|, to the main roadways made by the
company. Making these haulways
ting the brush out OF the way. For
this making ready" process 40 cents
per tree has been paid. The largest
trees, which measure about four feet
in diameter. are cut Into lengths OF
sixteen feet, while the smaller sizes
are cut forty feet
The logs thus being made ready are
the log pit wi,n cams OF cattle. from,
foul to six yokes making the team.
The log-pit Is an arrangement by
which the logs are rolled from the yard
over elevated upports onto the log
wagon. Thence the logs arc hauled
with mule teams. OF two and three
spans, to the floating streams, where,
they are left till the coming of the
tide, which is to float them out. These
tides will bear them through the ia
nous breaks" of Cumberland Noun
tain to Big Sandy River. There they
will be caught and RATED Fastened to-
gether In raft-form), after which they
l van 10 oIillcu 70 LIZ uCWE-SITedm
markets--Catlettsburg. KY: Ports
mouth. O., N Cincinnati.
Finds Ready Sale.
The entire output OF hemlock tim
Der from .his county is being turned
to James Hatcher, OF PikesviIle, KY,
as soon as 1t Is put into the floating
streams. There the logs are measured.
branded and paid for at the price Of
8 cents per cube.
Mr.. Hatcher has carried on an ex-
~tensive logging business during the
past twenty years. and is reputed 20
have made a snug fortune out OF 1t.
ne has extensive works. in this county,
Buchanan county. Va, and Pix county,
KY. He Is builG.ng a narrow gauge
railway up Grassy Greek, in Dickinson
county. from the terminus of the Big
Sandy Division Of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Railroad. at Elkhorn City. upon
whic.l about 500 hands are employed.