LUMBERING IN PINE REGION OF CALIFORNIA. 39 



at curves. Corrugated rollers 8 inches in diameter and 12 inches long 

 are listed at $9 eacli, and ground rollers 4 inches in diameter and 12 

 inches in length at $4.50 each. Trip-lme blocks similar to those used 

 in yardmg are requned for the back line, and a large tailblock is 

 placed at the outer end of the line. 



Operation. — The bull donkey or roader is stationed at the landing 

 on the logging railroad. A second roader or swing bull may be 

 located farther out along a chute which is very long, crosses over a 

 ridge, or has as many as five yarders. Each bull donkey has a sepa- 

 rate crew and main and back lines. The line from the donkey at 

 the landing extends only as far as the swing donkey. 



The yarding donkeys are stationed at various points along the 

 chute, usually moving farther out as each setting is completed. A 

 so-called frog is built in the chute at each yarder setting, and the 

 logs are puUed into the chute by the yarder. When several yarders 

 are working on a chute, a branch must be built at each setting for 

 making up trails. If the timber is logged in long lengths, the steam- 

 saw bucking is done in the chute at the yarder. 



When enough logs are collected in the chute at a yarder to make a 

 trail, the last two logs are dogged together and the outer end of the 

 main hne is attached to the next to the last log. Either double 

 chain-grab hooks or a choker are used for this purpose. The latter 

 is preferred for difficult hauls. The trail of logs is then puUed into 

 the landing. The size of the trail depends upon the grade of the chute 

 and the size of the donkey. For downhill hauls the trail usually 

 contains from 10 to 16 logs, or from 5,000 to 7,000 board feet. On 

 a very heavy uphiU the average trail is from seven to nine logs, or 

 from 4,000 to 5,000 feet. The heavier donkeys now being intro- 

 duced should handle larger trails on downhill chutes. 



As a general rule, the more yarders on a chute, tlie cheaper the 

 hauling. Some firms, usually those using chutes infrequently, place 

 but one yarder on a chute and thereby incur an unnecessarily heavy 

 cost for chute hauhng. The only excuse for such a layout is a very 

 short chute with only one or two settings on it. On a downhill 

 chute under 4,000 feet in length with a yarder averaging about 30,000 

 feet b. m. daily, tlie crew is as follows: One lineman, 1 bellhop, 1 

 engineer, and 1 fireman. The belli lop does wliat gr(^asing is neces- 

 sary and the lineman does the dogging. Only six trips need to be 

 made daily, wliicli allows corisideni])le. tinu^ for resting. T]ie daily 

 labor cost is about SI 2.80. Wood is furnished by one man and a 

 horse, and water Is pumped to ])oth machines. Exclusive of cables 

 and chuie gn-ase, tlie average cost p(>r 1,000 icvt is about as follows: 

 Operation, 4.'] c(uits; fuel, I 1 ccjils; water, 6 ceuts; miiijiteuance, 

 12 cents; total, 72 cents per I ,()()(). 



