154 LOGGING 



CREWS AND DAILY OUTPUT 



In the northern forests a crew usually consists of two or three 

 teamsters, one or more swampers and one skidway man. One 

 or more animals are assigned to each crew. 



In the open pine forests of the South where there is a minimum 

 of trail-building, one or more teamsters may work alone, doing 

 their own swamping and skidway work. The usual practice, 

 however, is to have swampers prepare the logs. 



The daily amount of work, measured in thousand feet, log 

 scale, performed by a team depends on the size of logs, the length 

 of haul, the character of bottom and the grade. The size of log 

 is an important factor because small logs show a low log scale in 

 comparison to their weight and while several may be skidded at 

 one time, their total scale may be considerably below that of a 

 single log which can be handled as readily and in less time. 



The number of logs skidded in a given time is not proportional 

 to the distance. Animals when once in motion will consume 

 less time travehng the second one hundred feet than they did the 

 first, provided the log is not so heavy as to require stops every few 

 feet. The time saved on the shorter haul may be lost very easily 

 at the skidway or at the stump. A soft or rough bottom or one 

 covered with large roots, stumps and other obstructions is pro- 

 hibitive of speed and cuts down the daily output. Steep grades 

 increase the number of logs that can be handled at one time. 



When skidding with two animals, either horses or mules, and 

 handhng timber that averages from six to nine logs per thousand 

 feet, log scale, a day's work, ten hours, ranges between io,oco 

 and 15,000 feet for distances up to 500 feet. A daily average of 

 10,000 feet during a month is considered good. For 750 feet 

 the average ranges between 8000 and 12,000 feet, log scale and 

 for 1000 feet, from 3000 to 4500 feet, log scale. A two-yoke 

 team of oxen will average approximately the same number of 

 feet per day as a good pair of mules or horses. 



BffiLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE ON CHAPTER XI 



Margolin, Louis: The Hand Loggers of British Columbia. Forestry Quar- 

 terly, Vol. IX , No. 4, pp. 562-567. 



