SMALL SAWMILLS, THEIR EQUIPMENT, ETC. 49 
small jobs when the ground is adapted to chutes and the operator has 
some experience in chute building, their use is strongly recommended. 
The cost will not be more than that of a good road, which few oper- 
ators build. Moreover, the cost of trying to get his logs to his mill 
over a bad road will be avoided. Small operators seldom cut logs over 
18 feet in length, and these can be taken around a pretty sharp curve 
on a trailing chute. The operator must, however, build a good chute, 
or else he can not use it. 
Big logs should be peeled or rossed for chuting. The average 
cost of trailing logs in a chute varies from 50 cents to $1.50 per 1,000. 
Well-built chutes will, if kept in repair, last from 7 to 10 years. If 
not needed for that period the timbers can be taken up, and after all 
the spikes are removed can be cut into lumber. The usual grades 
for long logs are — 
Per cent. 
Dry chute 15 to 20 
Ice chutes 4 to 8 
Water chutes . 3 to 6 
For short logs, ties, mine props, and field posts the grades are — 
Per cent. 
Dry chute .' 25 to 35 
Iced chutes 8 to 12 
Water chutes 5 to 8 
Hardwoods are better than conifers for chute construction. The 
grade of inlet must be steep, and the outlet in running chutes should 
be into a pond of water of sufficient depth to keep the logs from 
striking bottom. 
LOADING LOGS. 
It is important to load in the right way, for every time a log is 
moved unnecessarily there is a cut in the operator's profit. 
Dig a hole for the gin pole deep enough to prevent the pole from 
sliding out but loose enough to admit of the pole being pushed back 
a few inches in order to clear the logs when the load is being hauleol 
away. Make the gin pole fast to the sway bars of the truck or sled 
with a short chain and grab. See that the truck or sled is in proper 
line with the front end of the logs to be loaded. Set up the skids 
with the ironed tips resting on the bunks or sway bars and (as this 
is addressed to portable millmen) use a crotch line with light swamp 
hooks on either end. Make each dog fast in the end of the bunk 
or in the side of the sway bar. After it is passed round the log 
hitch the loading line on the whiffletree or equalizer, start the team 
up slowly, and see that the log is coming fairly on to the bunks and 
not faster on one end than the other. Be careful that one end does 
not miss the bunk and fall between them on the reach or hounds. 
