• Sunday-What'sUP February 11 - 06:11 am

"Decking logs at Skanee, year about 1909 or 1910" inscribed on the photo, this committee looks like their about ready to call the meeting to order. Today's Pasty Cameo explores a number of little known facets of the Lumber industry here in the Upper Peninsula, but we never discovered why this fine group of upstanding citizens risked life and limb to strike such a pose.

C-c-c-o-l-d this morning here in the U.P. I've got to go check the furnace, which doesn't seem to be keeping up :0(

Have a good week :o)

Love the old time pictures this week. They're great.

I believe my great-grandfather was killed when a load of logs fell on him. I bet that happened a lot back then.

What an informative video. How did you learn about oxen, not braking, and what is the UP Digitization Center?

I saw a couple of references to the inability of oxen to slow down the loads, for example this article on cattle (heading Oxen). There's a lot more info about their strengths and limitations.

The UP Digitization Center is a collaborative effort by libraries, schools, historical societies, and private individuals which has resulted in the most extensive online collection of visual and verbal history of the U.P. The materials on the website may be freely used worldwide for educational purposes.

Oxen will not back up either....made it difficult for the teamster to hitch up to a load.

Getting killed by runaway logs was a very real fear in my family, too. More than one of my Grandmothers friends and neighbors had been killed on the winding roads along the NE rim of Lake Superior/Hwy 17N. I have always respected the strength and intellect it took for each man to manuver the large cut trees. They were the future machinist of later years. Using only simple machines to load those trucks. Thanks Charlie.. lots of smiles on lots of faces this morning, with each new Cameo daily to look forward to.

Charlie, This was really great! My gr-gr-gr grandfather Barringer was a fireman and my gr-gr grandfather Barringer was a millwright at a mill in Muskegon back in the early 1880's. My gr-gr grandfather died quite early, so I have always assumed he had an accident. It is amazing how much death was tolerated in the logging and mining industries back in the day. You hear people whine about having to follow OSHA or MSHA regulations...a little historical context is always helpful!

Thanks for that mini-history of the logging industry. Like many of
us who hail from the UP or have family that does, this is a link to
our pasts. Like others who have written in, I also had a relative--
my Uncle Henry--who died as a result of logging. When a big tree
that the team had toppled, a smaller tree that was under snapped
back and hit him, breaking his neck. He was only in his thirties and
left behind a wife and three small children.

Whoops--that should have read "When a big tree that the team
had toppled fell, ...

I was verifying the facts on the phone with my dad while writing
the entry and enthusiastically sent it on its way without proofing it.
Live and learn.

Yup,my great grandfather left behind a wife and 6 children, one son and 5 daughters. I assume there were many, many men who died like this.

My grandfather, John Stanton, died on a logging train that flipped and killed him. There is a web site dedicated to him but I only type in John Stanton to get to it. My brother the smart one put it together. Wish I knew how to put the site on here it is very interesting.

Mikie,

Is this it?

http://dssa.habitant.org/stanton.htm

Thanks Heikki I am not that computer litterate.

There still are a lot of people killed and injured in the logging industry although I'm sure that it's a lot safer than in 1910. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal the three industries with the highest fatality rates are "Maritime Transportation"; "Agriculture"; and "The Forest Industry". You'd never guess what was listed as the highest injury industry? "Meat Cutter" or butcher.

Mikie,
After reading the whole page, I answered my question. I saw your surname. Very interesting story.

(Daveofmohawk)

I believe butchers would have the highest injury rate. Working feverishly all day with knives, the odds catch up to you eventually. My first job out of high school was in a slaughterhouse. After 9 months I knew it wasn't the career field for me. lol Other than bone nicks/scratches, I came very close to slicing my right hand to the bone when I erred in judgment. My hand slipped from the knife handle and left a shallow cut across the palm, but not enough to bleed. That's when I 'wised-up' and went on to cleaner work......a sawmill.

Did they ever catch that bad guy Been Login up there yet? I love comming here to read and now hear,and see all that this site has to offer. It dose go without saying, come on now who wouldn't, even if you never stepped foot in the U.P. But I don't say it enough,Thanks. My Brother sent me mail telling me of the weather UP there, very nice day hear in E.Tennesse.

This was in the Marquette "Mining Journal" and happened this January 22 on the road I rode the bus on to high school. You don't have to be involved in the industry to get hurt.

Logging truck spills load; no injuries reported

MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP — Two vehicles were heavily damaged but no one was injured when logs spilled off a logging truck on County Road 550 in Marquette Township Monday, said officials.

Jeffrey Loehr, 30, Christmas, was driving a southbound Loehr Trucking logging truck, pulling a pup log trailer, when the logs on the pup spilled into the northbound lane at 4:42 p.m., said Marquette County Sheriff’s deputies.

A northbound Jeep driven by Tammy Ryerse, 42, of Big Bay, swerved to avoid the logs but was pushed by the logs into the east snowbank. Behind Ryerse, a northbound Subaru driven by Patricia Chapman of Big Bay, came to rest on top of the log pile after riding on the sliding logs, officials said.

Both passenger vehicles received major damage in the accident. The logging truck and trailer were not damaged. Another logging company removed logs from the roadway. Loehr was ticketed for an insecure load.

Mikie--Just checked out your brother's site. Very interesting.
Also, were you the one who recommended reading Steve
Hamilton's "North of Nowhere?" A good and very quick read. I
finished it in a day. I think Precious bought it or gave it to you.

Kosk, as my brothers' site says, he and I are still friends. I would have liked to meet my grandparents but three of them died before I was born. I was very fortunate to have had my Great Uncle Charley Chaput who molded me into a card cheat and had the best stories to tell a young boy. He was 108 when he passed on. Had a great sense of humor. He and I would play pinacole {sp} with mom and one of his daughters. He and I would be partners and even though I was just five or so he had me cheating and we beat the girls all the time. Wasn't until I was in my twenties and working did I realize what a great teacher he was. Never had to cheat when I was older, but paid for my gas by playing cards with the old plumbers at lunch time. Those formative years were a help in my maturing years. I would sit there and talk and blabber till the others were not paying attention and then would skin them. Wish I could find someone like him now in my old age.

Mikie: I'm not sure they make em like your Uncle Charley anymore.
I used to play pinochle with the uncles when I was a kid too.
Nobody seems to play that anymore though we do play some good
rummy games out at the cottage whenever the relatives get
together.

My grandson Tim Ozanich likes to play Scrabble with his dad. Kenny plays with him, the only problem is that Tim can't spell or read. He is only four but Ken plays with him all the time. Kosk how is your son doing think of him all the time.

Very funny about Tim and his dad, Mikie. Our son is doing well.
Back at Fort Lewis, but he calls frequently. Bless his heart. Thanks
for asking.

We play pinochle every time we go to Michigan. We so look forward to that. We play a LOT. 3 of my sons know how to play too, so we've played some this winter with 2 of them. Lots of fun. I do like rummy too. Gin is my favorite. Cribbage is a great game too.