Framingham State University - Dial Yearbook (Framingham, MA)

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25 I found that I could easily push it down the track from the mill and even ride on it when I got it to going well. I might say that this sport took place fifteen feet above ground and was very enjoyableg but the thing absolutely refused to be pushed back. Now all I had to do was to run off and soon some of the help would want the car and so they would go after it. VVhen they were through with my plaything they would leave it at the mill. As soon as the men were out of sight I participated in another ride. This afforded me much amusement for some time, but one day I met with a surprise. Now some surprises are very acceptable but I will let you be the judge of this one. I was just completing one of my car trips when suddenly I was seized by some one back of me and lightly tossed into the sawdust piles several feet below. I got up, taking a load with me, and, although unharmed, I de- cided that my friendship with the car must come to an end. In this manner the summer passed with very little excitement until one day mother and I went for a walk to a charming spot, two miles distant, on an old wood road. Late in the afternoon we began retracing our steps when mother became aware of the presence of a panther which was calmly watching us. I was quite ignorant of the fact at the time and, by the way, continued to be for several years. As we proceeded, our unwelcome companion did likewise. From reports, I suppose I was a very troublesome child that day. My desire for flowers grew more intense every moment and I insisted on rushing into the bushes directly in front of the terrible beast. It seemed that our spectator was not very hungry because he did not give any signs of attack and, when we were about a quarter of a mile from the mill, he coolly made his departure. None of these seekers of prey came very near the buildings as they were afraid of the mill whistle. Thus ended a most delightful afternoon for me and an experience quite to the contrary to my poor mother. It was now nearly fall and the woman who had charge of the boarding house had so far recovered as to take up the work again. Consequently mother and I returned home. For the next few years, I failed to make any advance in my study of lumbering. About twelve years ago I went to a new home situated in the Connecticut valley, sixty-five miles north of my former dwelling. From this place I had a fine chance to watch the proceedings on and along the river. During the winter, men cut a great many logs and piled them along the water course. In the spring, when the water was high, the logs were rolled down the bank and they

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24: and chopped down the tree. Then they limbed it outg that is, cut OH' the branches. After this, oxen were hitched to the tree and, if it was a large one, it was drawn directly, to the millg otherwise it was left until they could get three or four and then they were drawn to the lumber yard by fastening one end of the trees to a sled and permitting the other end to drag. After this they waited their turn to be rolled in on the carriage on which they were run into the mill to be sawed by the large circular saw. If it was an average sized log a slab was removed and then two or three boards were sawed off. Then the log was turned over and a slab was taken from the other side. Then boards were sawed out until the log was used up. The slab or bark pieces were taken to a small circular saw and there sawed into short lengths. As each board was sawed olf a man placed it on a series of rollers and gave it a push sending it to a man outside. Here was a sled on which the boards were piled and drawn away to be piled or stacked. This was an interesting piece of work. First two poles were laid on the ground about ten or twelve feet apart. Across these the first layer of boards was placed. On this, about a foot and a half from the end, small strips or narrow boards were placed, running in the same direction as the poles and so on' until the pile was several feet high. All this care is taken to let the air have a chance to circulate through to dry the boards and season them. , Later these boards were drawn down the mountain and sent away for building purposes. Large derricks were also con- structed there. Now all this sawing, the running of the carriage, and so on, required power, which was furnished by an engine run by steam power. The water in the boiler was heated by the fire in the fire box underneathg this caused steam which went through a large pipe to the steam chest. This pressure caused the engine to work, turning large wheels over which were run large leather belts con- necting with other wheels, until all the machinery was in motion. The power is gauged by a brake. VVhen wood is sawed there is always sawdust. This could not remain beneath the saw as in hand sawing because it would soon be in the way. To prevent this it fell into a trough-like receiver called a blower. In this was an arrangement called a fan which was run by a belt causing a rush of air strong enough to blowl the sawdust far out from the mill. A point of especial interest to me was a regular track built for the dump car. This car was really a three-foot square on wheels. Child fashion I soon began to get acquainted with it.

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26 drifted down the current to lumber dealers, saw mills, or paper mills. Men were often seen out on the logs prying them apart when they got lodged. When big drives were sent they were gauged and directed by means of booms, that is a lone of logs the ends of which are fastened together. In this way bridge abut- ments, rocks, certain mills, and shallow water were shut off. Vermont has a great many portable mills. I know of a man who has six or eight of these. One was put up in the immedi- ate neighborhood of my home last winter. Of course I improved my first opportunity to visit it. I found the settlement to be quite a village in itself. All it lacked was a church and a post office. There were live buildings, mess house, sleeping house, store, blacksmith shop and a barn. About forty Scotch Canadians, were in the camp. Two men, cook and cookee, prepared the meals. The mess house was of great interest to me because everything was neat and orderly. It was a one-room building about twenty by forty feet. In the middle of the north end were two large cooking stoves, while there was a door at each end, one opening into a store room, the other out of doors. In the northeast corner was an entrance to the cook's sleeping apartment. This was- single boarded but covered within and without with red building paper. A small sheet iron stove made it very warm and cozy. The furniture consisted of three chairs, two stands, and a bed made of rough boards. Two or three rugs adorned the rough board floor. Two small windows furnished plenty of light. Now we will return to the eating apartment. Four windows furnished the light here showing an unpainted and much stained but thoroughly swept floor. In the northwest corner was a sink, while along the rest of that side was a wide shelf under which were attached drawers. Some of these con- tained. dishes and others food. The other side of the room had a row of barrels, holding flour, sugar, and potatoes. Large boxes of tea, spices, etc., were also visible. Two tables ran parallel to the length of the room. These were unpainted boards covered with white oilcloth. This top rested on boards that were nailed together in the form of the letter X. These served as legs. Long unpainted benches took the place of chairs. One end of a board, four inches by two and one-half feet, was nailed to a beam over each end of each table. On the lower end of this was nailed a board five inches square, a strip three inches wide and one foot long was cut out of the lower end of the perpendicular board. This, as a whole served as a lamp bracket