Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1914-06-25

the logging camp. 1t is a village,
miniature, consisting of hovel-like
cabins flocked about one end of al
long wooden structure which is the
cook house, Its position is about
the center Of the field Of operation.
The cleared space in which it stands
Is but a hole in the surrounding en-
closure of giant redwoods. Here "log-
ging" is carried N.
The Chopper with his keen-edged
double-bit axe, cross-cut saw, and In
%cidental equipment, leads the way. 1t
Is his duty to fell the trees. He must
fell them in such a way that their
crashing plunge to the ground will
not shatter them into splinters, or
render them useless because of cross
breaks. In addition, he must consider
the 'loggers," for the donkey engine
cannot pull mt giant through a dozen
others, so the choppers must place"
the trees. So valuable are these an
Gent trees, so much expert skill does
the placing" of big trees demand
that choppers work weeks, chopping
saving and wedging in order to lay
the monarch in it's cleared and pre-
pared bed.
After choppers come "%limbers,"
then "cross-cut sawyers." Finally
when the whole mountain side looks
like a huge slaughter pen fires are
set. In this way all debris, such as
limbs, brush, underground, are con-
sumed. This clears the way for log
gers 5
A short visit to the loggers intro
duces one to an appreciation Of the
dangers that Turk Sin the woods
Logging takes place in the wake of
1.-The fires. At the head of the road a
I donkey engine is stationed to load the
cars. Here loading is done with large
:, steel cables. So strenuous is the
grind of this work that the laborer
must be of athletic trend to be able
to endure the set days work. For
ten long hours the loader" is kept
on the jump in the fervor of the burn
ing sun. Men hop owe the huge saw
Hogs like tiny rats. A wave of the
hand signals the donkey tender" to
act with his steam. A single mis-in-
depreciation of these vague signs may
cause IN unexpected jerk on the line
and bring death to the workmen.
Again, the tremendous pressure that
pulls, strains and tugs with the mas
sive weight brings too much strain
on the cable, and a snap, a swish
Through the reach of its bite will
neatly separate a negligent mans
head from his feet with a cleancut
incision in m~id-section.
! "Swampers" are set to work clear
) ing the way for the rigging men. The
remaining branches, s%plintered strips,
| etc, are removed SO that the fielders
may do quicker work. This engine is
called the field engine" or often
! designated as logger" All the haul
ling is done with heavy steel cables.
These cables roll over a series of pull
leys, When the load reaches one Of
these pulleys, the cable is Stacked, the
ropes removed from the wheel, and
action is centered on the remaining
pulleys. The donkey tender" who
, controls the power, acts upon sig
malls given by the "Mhistlerpunk,"
Who is no other than some %youngster
4 receiving a salary of perhaps S35 per
month. One whistle signifies to go
son--in motion the same signifies to
stop, while two whistles call for slack
t and three to give all holds.
From the time the men finish their
breakfast until noon, there is never a
, pause, never a rest. only such az may
be caught at intervals due to some
temporary arrangement. In the field
where water is scarce the company