24 Forest Club Annual 



by contract and stacked on the right of way. 



The main line haul to the mill is over a branch line of 

 a common carrier and the logging train runs as a regular 

 train over that line. An oil burning engine is used and be- 

 sides the logging cars the train hauls a caboose for passen- 

 gers. The crew consists of one engineer, one fireman, one 

 conductor, and two negro brakemen who do the unloading. 

 The train leaves the mill at 9 o'clock in the morning and gets 

 back at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The unloading, 

 switching, and checking-in are usually finished by 5 o'clock. 

 The unloading dock about 100 feet long is built of creosoted 

 pine with oak rolling timbers fastened by iron straps. The 

 outside rail of the track is elevated so that the logs will 

 roll off the cars easily. The unloading is done by hand, and 

 axes are used to knock out the wedges holding the chains. 

 Part of the load rolls off by gravity, while the balance is 

 rolled off with cant hooks. 



The cost of logging in this region varies principally 

 with the type of timber being cut. In the open Longleaf 

 Pine type of the ridges no skidway crew is necessary, no 

 roads have to be cut; and little swamping is necessary. Since 

 there is practically nothing to interfere with the bunching 

 and skidding crews, they are able to get out the maximum 

 amount of timber. Timber is better in this type, the logs 

 are straight clean and easy to handle on the skidways and to 

 load. 



In the slope type, where the stand is scattering and 

 where there is frequently a dense undergrowth, the cost of 

 logging is naturally higher. More men and more equipment 

 are required to get out the same amount of timber. If the 

 country is rough it frequently interferes with the laying of 

 the spurs close enough for a cheap haul to the skidways. 

 On hauls of over 300 yards or on hauls out of depressions 

 eight-wheeled wagons are used, but their use increases the 

 cost of logging since less timber is gotten out. Underbrush 

 makes it necessary to have a skidway crew, road cutters and 

 more swampers. It is so much more difficult to get out tim- 

 ber that carts average only 80 to 100 logs daily in this type 

 while they average 125 to 150 in the Longleaf Pine type. 

 Extra animals are required, for the work is harder and it 

 is necessary to rest the teams frequently, especially the 



