The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-10-17
MAINE LOG DRIVING
IS DESCRIBED
800 Horses and Zoo
Men on Penobscot
Water Power Development STATED t.
Promote Rather Than Hinder Ioa
transportation

Tie present methods Of log driving
and numbering are well described in
Water-Supply Paper 279. Water 20
sources Of the Penobseot River Ba-
sim by H. X. Barrows and E. c.
Babb, recently issued by the United
States Geological Survey The
Maine timber cut in the winter of
l907-S is stated at about $4,000 O66
feet, board measure and Of this about
2@o,0OO.o00 feet were cut in the Penob-
scot basin. The principal CONNER
ca wood is now spruce. but cedar
and hemlock are also cut. The white
pine has been practically exhausted
The larger operator on the Penobsco.
the Great Northern Paper Co
employed during the winter of l9O7-s
in the Penobscot Valley 200 men and
more than 500 horses.
While it may perhaps be supposed
that the utilization of water for the
development of power interferes with
If it does not prohibit log driving. the
statement is made that as a matter
of fact the two industries in Maine
have worked together satisfactorily.
OF course this cooperation has in
volved more economical use of the
water, but it is stated that wherever
dam has been built to develop pow
er the conditions have, in general
been improved for log driving.
Log-eutting operations are begun
much earlier now than formerly.
During August many men are in the
woods building camps se.Hpin-
roads, and getting ready for the win
ter's cut. which is to be begun in the
carly fall After tn logs ar cpt
frey are "yafded@ in Convenient
places and when tn SHOW camas
thy are 5sulcd to the sandHa ~
Gated on the saare Of somr tributary
Of the rirar down which they are ul.j.
mately TO md their way. Wnta 4s
ice breaks up, the logs ale rolled Ia.3
the stream and float down on the
nigh stage In this way logs alo dli,-
cn Oh many small streams which are
almost dry sfter the first spring fresh
ct. At the outlets of many OF Iae
ponds are dans which hold tho sp4ius
waters back until lie logs are ready.
when, by a series of iushes. the LOGS
are floated down the smaller streams
to the larger stream below.
On many streams reservoirs are
formed for the purpose OF storing VA
ter to be used IN carrying the main
drive through the crooked and rocky
sections and in floating the logs over
the otherwise shallow places.
The different main drives are. in
general, controlled by companies in
corporated for the purpose and hay
ing certain powers from the state
The separate drives are usually bid
in by some responsible person who
has direct charge of operations.
1t is evident that the water is ro-
qured for driving at just the time
that it should be stored to meet the
needs of power plants, and that more
or less water is required for the drives
during the greater part of the sum
mer.
The survey report presents a series
of tables showing the cost of the
various drives per thousand feet per
mile and also on the basis of a ton
driven one mile The cost varies great
ly according to the distance driven
and the difficulties encountered, but
apparently the average cost Of driving
per ton-mile is 0.Sj cent, the highest
is 2.GS cents and the lowest o. cent.
Many things may be done to i'm
prove the facilities for driving logs
and thereby to effect economy in the
cost of driving and in the amount Of
water required TO float the logs.
Dams may be built for the storage of
water to be used during the drivin2
season, or for the purpose of creating
backWater thus making smooth an
otherwise rough stretch Of the river.
The whole pond storage may be lc,
out at one time, so as to furnish q
flush which viii float the log over
the shallow and rough places Rock,
and lodges may be blasted out of III,