*** Source: History and Business Directory of Humboldt County, Lillie E. Hamm, November 1890, Eureka, Cal. *** ---page 045--- [ad] Headquarters For Useful Varieties and ORNAMENTAL ARTICLES J. E. Mathews [ad] HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY 45 "Perhaps I can better illustrate some of the peculiar qualities of redwood by mentioning some of the uses for which it is peculiarly adapted. Its durability above and under ground causes it to be well adapted for railroad ties and posts. These were formerly split, and that readily, to any dimensions required, but on account of the waste of the timber, sawed ties are now coming more into use. Shingles and shakes for roof covering are all made from redwood. When a man has covered his house with redwood shingles he considers that matter settled for life. For railroad ties and fence posts there was consumed in the year 1888 not far from 60,000,000 feet, and for shingles and shakes about 12,000,000 feet, board measure. "For tannery tanks it is peculiarly adapted, as the wood resists the action of the tanning solution. A tannery in San Francisco has been using the same tanks for ten years, and they are apparently as good as they ever were. Our wine merchants now use redwood vats entirely, because a certain insect found in the new juice of the grape, which destroys the pine vats by boring through them, dislikes the taste of redwood, and lets it alone. As redwood much resembles Spanish cedar in color, and imparts no odor to affect the taste of tobacco, it is now shipped quite extensively to New York to be used in the manufacture of cigar boxes. "But the principal use to which redwood lumber is put on this Coast is the outside and inside finish of houses, as from 40 to 50 per cent of the lumber sawed is perfectly clear, without knot or blemish, and much of this can be cut into planks six inches thick and under, and from 24 to 60 inches wide. It is well adapted for brackets, ornaments and mouldings of all kinds. While much of the grain runs straight, curly redwood can be selected, which, when polished and varnished, rivals rosewood in its beauty. "To the extensive use of redwood in our buildings is due, in a large measure, our immunity from large fires in San Francisco and neighboring cities. There being little or no rosin in the wood, a fire is easily put out, and when once extinguished it is with difficulty ignited." MODE OF FELLING THE REDWOOD, ETC. Most of the timber is now felled with saws instead of axes, as hitherto, it being found that the tree jumps better from the stump, and causes less waste by breakage, than when the ax is used. The trees are then barked and a fire run over the ground to burn up the bark and rubbish. Green redwood burns with such difficulty that the good logs are rarely affected by the fire. And now, when all that will burn has been consumed, begins the real labor of getting out the logs. For handling these monsters no ordinary road will answer. It must be wide, and smooth as a turnpike, all rocks and roots must be carefully removed, all hollows and gullies filled up; if the road is unlevel or soft, skids must be laid down. If the logs are small, of course, such care need not be taken, but for large timber it requires good engineering and much hard work even to build a good logging road. With the road built, comes the labor of rolling the logs into it. Cattle alone would be useless, except for the smaller logs. Blocks and tackle, often double, and some- [ad] Gibbard & Lever Manufacturer of Furniture and Every Kind of Ornamental House Finish Factory, 2d & C Sts. Eureka, Cal. [ad] ---end---