Logging
Logging in america started out as a means to harvest wood for shipbuilding in the 1600’s for the british royal navy, and is considered one of the world’s most dangerous jobs. At first the major use of lumber was for ship building, but with the spring of the industrial revolution, demand increased. Towards the 20th century the midwest timber supply dwindled, so the pacific northwest came out on top as the center of the logging industry. When it started the men who cut timber were called “timber beasts”, they used hand saws and axes to complete their work. They would mostly cut trees down on river banks so it was easier to float it down, and it took less time.
Over time, methods and techniques have been re-invented. Loggers used to have to cut timber near a source of water so they could then easily use the water to transport the timber they had harvested. Soon enough the timber near the rivers had receded, so the loggers did the same. Once the loggers moved inland, they used horses and oxen to haul lumber, usually across terrain that wasn’t even half decent. Again an invention sprung up, the loggers created log flumes, which moved lumber through water filled troughs. Another concept was the log driving method, loggers banded logs together and pushed them down stream. Eventually they turned to making makeshift railroads, the mode of transportation was irrelevant, all the timber would end up in sorting yards, and once they were done there, they were sent on to saw mills. Loggers tools were axes and handsaws, today we use chainsaws and harvesting machines. The Loggers even created terms and vocabulary such as “faller” and “bucker”.
…
…s now stronger than ever,and I believe that it will prosper in the future. As the one of the largest industries in the united state, it will hold power for a very long time. Lumber provides an opportunity to build, and building is hands on creative working, i work best when i work hands on and building with lumber allows me to do that so i am enthusiastic about it. I also strongly believe that it will give me skills that i will be able to use later on in life, such as hard work and discipline and the ability to quickly solve problems.
Works Cited
“logging history”
Sanders, Ed “logging history” 2001
Jesuit University/NASA-supported classroom of the future “Timber Industry”2004