SKIDWAYS AND STORAGE SITES 141 



Logs are decked on level ground to a height of from 20 to 30 

 feet. They are elevated by means of the crosshaul, operated by 

 animals. A "decking" crew is made up of four or five men 

 and one team. The equipment comprises four cant hooks, two 

 pole skids 6 inches in diameter and from 8 to 10 feet long, and a 

 f-inch crosshaul chain about 40 feet long with a grab hook on 

 one end. 



The logs are brought to the rear of the skidway and are then 

 rolled by a "tailer-in" to the base of the logs already decked. 

 The end of the chain carrying the hook is then thrown over and 

 under the center of the log to be decked, after which the hook is 

 fastened to one of the decked logs just below the spot where it is 

 desired to place the new log. The free end of the chain passes 

 over the skidway and, if the pull is to be straight away, is at- 

 tached to a hook on the double-tree. 



After adjusting the chain, skids are placed against the decked 

 logs, and the team is started. Two "ground loaders" guide the 

 log straight up the skids using cant hooks for this purpose. 

 Logs with taper, crooks, large knots and similar defects seldom 

 roll straight and the ground loaders must be on their guard con- 

 tinually. A "top-loader" who stands on top of the pile of logs 

 directs the log to its place, frees the grab hook if necessary and 

 also directs the teamster. The direction of pull may be modified 

 to meet special conditions. For instance, instead of attaching 

 the chain directly to the double-tree it may be passed through 

 a block fastened to a tree directly behind the skidway. This 

 enables the team to pull at right angles to the direction in which 

 the log is traveling and is of especial advantage when brush, 

 boggy ground or other obstacles prevent a straight-away pull. 

 The chain may also be passed through a block and brought 

 forward over the skidway so that the horses pull on the same side 

 on which the logs are being decked. This may be desirable 

 where there is a bad bottom or some other physical hindrance 

 to the usual method of operating. 



Large skidways can be filled most economically when they 

 are built in tiers on slopes. The logs are then dehvered 

 above the skidway and rolled to the levels below. Large side- 



