

Lumbering in Colorado 49 



such as log cutters, swampers, brush pilers, road builders, etc., 

 receive the minimum wage of $40.00 to $45.00. All wages in- 

 clude the keep or board of the men. In a few cases board is 

 charged for at the rate of $5.00 per week, but correspondingly 

 higher wages are paid. 



As a rule the ordinary Colorado lumber jack is an all around 

 good fellow and conducts himself as a gentleman in camp. As 

 long as he is treated right he is friendly and will do anything 

 asked of him. He is usually uneducated, rough in his ways, 

 and direct in his dealings, but certainly a congenial fellow. 

 Frequently he uses rough language. He always chews tobacco 

 and smokes a pipe. He drinks nothing stronger than water 

 while in camp but when he strikes town, nothing but the best 

 of whiskey and plenty of it is good enough for him. He drinks 

 to excess and the saloon keeper often gets the major part of the 

 season's earnings. But as soon as these little sprees are over, 

 he goes back to work again always happy and contented even 

 though he has spent a hundred or two hundred dollars. While 

 at camp there is generally very little trouble among the men. 

 Any little differences of opinion are always settled outside. 

 There are no hard and fast rules of camp etiquette. Talking too 

 much is the worst offense, and if this is not stopped in due time 

 the offender speedily leaves camp and never returns. 



The number of horses kept at each camp varies with the 

 size of the operations, the distance from the railroad and the 

 distance of the timber from camp. If logs are being skidded 

 for winter's cutting, two or three extra horses are necessary. 

 When the mill is running steadily and it is a one trip haul to the 

 railroad, three four horse teams can take care of the lumber. 

 When it is a trip and a half or a two trip haul, two teams are 

 sufficient. In a few cases single teams are used, but when the 

 difference in elevation between the camp and the shipping point 

 is great, four horses are necessary on each wagon. The extra 

 team is seldom needed in pulling the load down, but in hauling 

 the empty wagon up again. The grades are often very steep, 

 and the ascent is severe on the horses. An average mill requires 

 three logging teams. This depends to some extent upon the 

 distance the logs are to be hauled. During the first season's 

 cut often two teams can do the work, but as the timber is cut 

 further back from the mill another is necessary. Logs are 

 hauled either on sleds or on two wheeled carts, but in either 

 case four horses are used. Skidding for the mill requires two 

 horses, used singly. When extra logs are to be skidded, two or 

 three more horses are required. Occasionally the lumber 

 companies do not own all their own horses. In this case horses 



