874 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



addition, another two weeks' investigation was made in 

 Clarks of the methods of mill stocking, the arrangement 

 and equipment nf the manufacturing ])lant. the manufac- 

 ture of rough and hnished lumlier and the system of 

 grading lumber. 



Our camp was situated within halt a mile nf where 

 lumbering was being carried on. A walk through the 

 pine woods led to a railroad spur, where the freshly 

 cut stumps, covered with yellow, sticky resin, the piles 

 of huge pine logs and the disorder of tops and branches 

 lying in all directions indicated that only a short time 

 had elapsed since the lumbermen had been busy in thi^ 

 district with their saws and a.xes. Nor had they ])r(i 

 ceeded in their work to any great distance. From oui 

 of the woods where the tall, rough barked pines stil! 

 remained standing, came the ringing blows of a.xe;- 

 and the sound of cross-cut saws. Occasionally an old 

 veteran wnuld begin to trem])le. then slnwly lean to one 

 side and, falling faster and faster, strike the gmunl 

 with a crash that shook the ground in the vicinity and 

 could be heard for several miles around. The fallen 

 tree would then be sawed b}' the sawyers into 1(>- to >i.)- 

 foot logs, which were suljsequently loaded (into eight- 

 wheeled wagons and slcjwly hauled by mules or oxen 

 to the side of the track, where they were piled on a 

 skidway. reaily tci be hoisteil to the log cars. by the log 

 loader and carried off to the mill. 



The lumber camp was another object for investiga- 

 tion. This little settlement bore the name of ( )akland 

 and consisted cif thirty or forty wonden iH)rtable houses, 

 a store for suiiplies and stables fnr the mules and oxen, 

 and was situated on the main lugging railrnad. Kach 

 house consisted of one story and two small moms abiau 

 12 bv 12 feet, and housed the lumbermen and, in man_\' 

 cases, their wives and children. They were owned by 

 the lumber company and were rented out to the men at 



1^ T^'' 



(.l-rrn.NG l.OOS ON THK CARS Willi .\ I. (11, I.(i.\1)|;r 



Th( 



vork of tht 



Vale I'orcstry students in the woods itichided the building, ef|uii-meiit and mainte 

 naiKc ul the logging railroad, an emifently praclieal experience. 



TO CL.ARKS. L.^.. OX THK LOC.GING TR.AIX 



Clarks is in northern Louisiana and it was near the little village that 

 the Vale Forestry students spent a liusy summer doing practical work 

 in the woods. 



a nKinthly rate of from S2 to S.'i. At the little store 

 and postoffice, also of the portable varietv, such a miscel- 

 laneous supply of got^ds were to be had as hats, shoes, 

 canned vegetables, fruit, cand\- and tobacco. 



.\s one examined the men who lived and worked 



there, he could not but realize 



whiit a thin, unhealthy-looking 

 lot they were, often very tall, 

 but slim and narrow-chested and 

 with constitutions undermined 

 with malaria or subject to at- 

 tacks of inieumoiiia, which fre- 

 (|uently proved fatal. 



In our own camp we led a 

 regular and. until the arri\al of 

 Ihe extreme heat in Maw 

 healthy life. I'.reakfast was at 

 ~i and at s e\'er_\one was sup- 

 posed to be dressed for the 

 woods, and ei|uipped with lunch, 

 water canteen .and whate\er in- 

 struments that were necessary 

 for hi> es]jccially assigned work- 

 for the (l;iy. Sur\'e\ing ;md 

 traverse work re(|uired transit, 

 lexel and tra\erse board and was 

 conducted on the ro.'ids. Tim- 

 ber estimating, on the other 

 hand, retiuired calipers and 



