The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-05-20

VA
n ~ four million poles, most of
them of cedar, are purchased
III ~ and used by the telegraph and
telephone companies OF the
United States each year. The average
life of these poles is from twelve to
fourteen years.
Three sources of supply are open,
the white cedar from the northern
lake region, Idaho cedar from the
Rocky mountain country and red
cedar from the Pacific northwest |
Cedar is used because Of its straight
growth, although in some regions red
wood. chestnut, fir and cypress are
employed
The cedar is the most durable and
It is the preferred timber. The red
cedar grows to greater height than
the other varieties, and almost all the
extremely tall poles are from the
states Of Washington and Oregon,
Twenty feet is the minimum height
for telephone poles.
The pole getting industry is dis
tinct from general numbering. 1t has
its own special crews and its own
special nomenclature, The sawlog
man is a lumberjack; the pole cutter
cedar savage. The cutting is done
in the fall and winter months, and the
hauling season Is from the early
/ freezing period till the spring thaWs.
Cruisers pick out and mark the
/ timber that is to be cut, and COM
pass man runs the lines. After him
come the foreman and the crew that
/ lay out the camp and put up the
necessary buildings to house the men
and horses and store the supplies.
Then comes the roadmaking.
Roads are laid out as nearly direct
as possible from the standing timber
to the landing place next the rail-
road. allowing for grades and eleya-
lions. Trees are cut down close to
the ground and a smooth bottom is
prepared for the road, which IS In
variably of ice. If snow precedes the
coming of the road gang ploughs are
utilized to get 1t out Of the way and
give the frost chance at the ground,
often swampy in character.
A number of tank sleds that sprinkle
water on the roadway are kept run
ming in alteration with a machine
called rutter, which cuts deep ruts
in the ice road as it slowly forms.
When finished the road Is composed
entirely of ice foot or so in thick
ness, with six or eight-inch ruts on
each side. These ruts are made for
the purpose of furnishing a place for
the runners of the pole-laden sleds to
glide through and thus make hauling
an easy task.
: Pole cuttinpis done usually by piece
work, but in order to prevent the
} cedar savage from hunting out the
punches of timber most to his liking
the foreman causes the strip for each
pair of men to work in to be marked
off by a line of blazes along the trees
He must confine his operations tc
merchandise timber, avoiding the
, crooked trees.
AS he goes he must make path
through which the trees may be rolled
or slid down to the road or SO that
the horse and chain that snake then
thither may be able to work witt
ease. This is insisted upon by his
boss. He must exercise skill in ma
king the cut trees fall in such a way
that they can be easily handled witt
branches and tops removed.
Hauling begins as soon as the roat
is completed and the cutters get
sufficient supply stacked up ahead
The peeling is usually left until afte
i the winter rush is over and the mel
are brought from the woods to thu
wards. The bark is removed elthe
with a heavy draw knife or by .
+ inch chisel with a four or fiTe-foo
/. handle called spud.
Q The pole cutters are usually SUP
| nIied with a list showing the sizes de
d sired Long experience enables then
r accurately to Judge the size OF ire
r at a glance. The smallest cuts ar
O seven feet tall and are sold for fenc
:. nosts Longer sticks are used TO
o shed timber. All over 20 feet go int
the pole class. This practically II
sures the cutting of all the stands.
AS each pole is cut it is marke
with the cutters number and checke
ND by man whose task it is to kee
r tab on the work. For detectives n
gets no credit.
L Sometimes at the railroad landin
k place, but usually in the assemblin
IS wards, the poles are sorted accordin
n to size and decked, which near
piled up. The greatest activity &c
IT lows the Christmas season, whe
W each crew Is working at top speed
X keep ahead of the next crew th'
ct handles the poles.
This top speed is again reached