Big Wheels, High Wheels or Logging Carts.
That photo of the "Wheels" got my attention. Those are what were called “Slip-Tongue Wheels" as opposed to a "Perry" type or “Michigan Wheels.” The slip-tongue wheels where developed in the south as early as the late 1880s and where improved upon into the 1900s and very much used in the hill country of Texas. The development of logging wheels probably dates back to Virginia and the late 1700s, early 1800s. They were widely used in the southern pineries.
The following from Bryant’s 1914 book “Logging: The Principles and General Methods of Operation in the United States:”
“Another type known as the “slip tongue” cart (Wheels) has a tongue 28 to 30 feet long, which slides between the hounds of the cart. When the cart is in motion the tongue is held in a fixed position by a catch which the driver may release by a trigger when ready to load. There is a roller directly over the axle, to which the grapples are attached by chains. Fastened to this roller is a short lever arm which is connected to the sliding tongue by means of a chain. The cart is driven over a log, the catch holding the slip tongue is loosened, the team backed up and the tongue slipped to the rear. The roller is so weighted that it revolves in a quarter circle, carrying the lever arm to a nearly vertical position. The grapples are then fastened to the logs and the team is started. The tongue slips forward, pulling the lever arm to a horizontal position, and raises the front end of the log from the ground. When the short lever arm reaches the catch on the tongue it is automatically locked. The team then starts for the skidway with the load.”
“High wheels of this character are especially adapted for a flat and rolling country with a firm, smooth bottom and an absence of heavy underbrush. They are usually employed on hauls not exceeding one-haf mile but occasionally are used for distances of from 2 to 2 ½ miles.”
“From two to six animals (sometimes more) are employed to haul log carts, depending on the character of the roadbed and the size and amount of timber hauled. Mules are preferred in the South, and horses in the North and West.”
There use in the west was generally in all of the western regions; the Pacific Pine Region, Rocky Mountain Forest Region and the Southwest Forest Region. The following states included in these regions were; eastern Washington – east of the Cascades, eastern Oregon – east of the Cascades, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona and parts of California.
Although, the Donkey engine was another tool in the western pine logger’s tool box, it did not displace wheel logging from the tool box. Most large and medium sized outfits maintained both donkey camps and wheel camps into the 1920s where there was mixed terrain with good “bottom.” Whether steam donkeys or horse drawn wheels were used on these operations depended on the terrain and ground surface of the area being logged. It was generally about 1922 – 1924 when tractors hooked to the wheels began to make inroads into the horse drawn type of wheel logging. By 1925 – 1927 horses had been mostly eliminated from the medium to large outfits in the west.
Also, of some interest, by the late twenties the tracklayers (tractors) were making serious inroads into donkey logging through-out the western pine belt. Higher output, lower costs and less stand damage being the primary reasons for edging out donkey logging generally.
If you’d like to view video clips on this subject follow these directions:
Although this is a fee site, for right now non-members can view the clips. TO's link is:
http://www.trainorders.com/
After the main page loads scoll down the page, looking for "Audio/Video Sharing Area" link, click on it. After that page loads select the steam logging links. They are titled; "Rail Landing - McGiffert," "FGS Log Train" or "Clyde Tracklayer."
Books on this subject:
Young, James A. and Budy, Jerry, “Endless Tracks in the Woods.” Crestline, Sarasota, Florida 1989.
Pripps, Robert N, “The Big Book of Caterpillar.” Voyageur Press, Stillwater, MN 2000.
Brown, Nelson Courtlandt, “Logging – Principles and Practices in the United States and Canada.” John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY 1932.
Bryant, Ralph Clement, “Logging: The Principles and General Methods of Operation in the United States.” John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY 1914.
Bryant, Ralph Clement, “Logging: The Principles and General Methods of Operation in the United States.” John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY 1923.
Jimmy "B"
Reno, NV