Sugarloaf Logging Lingo

Binder-

A springy wooden pole used to tighten the chain wrapped around logs. It was also the cross pole on a log raft. The raft was held in place by binding pins

Birch Hook-

Like a pulp hook but with a more pointy end, which was needed to hook harder woods like birch

Boardwalk-

Planks put on booms enabling the loggers to work on them

Boomauger-

A three to four inch auger used to bore holes through logs to put boom chains through

Boomscooter-

Named for the highly maneuverable small boats that were used to drive logs to the mill on the river.

Bubblecuffer-

Named for the bubbles that bubble up around the cuffs of the rivermans pants

Buckboard-

A four wheel open carriage that used flexible wooden slats instead of springs between the axles. Also a bulletin board used to determine how much work the woods crews did. The Superintendent used the board to create competition between crews in an effort to get more work out of them.

Bucksaw-

A saw set into a deep H-shaped frame with two handles on either side of the blade using a turnbuckle tightener. Also called a wood saw.

Candy Side-

The crew of a high lead camp which has the best equipment. The other side is naturally the haywired one

Chaser-

Also called choker, a man who hooks and unhooks logs from a choker

Choker-

Wire rope used for yarding logs

Cribworks-

A platform for which logs were loaded on a train or sled. Also a square structure built from criss-crossed logs and filled with rocks. You see them in the middle of rivers that were once used for river drives

Cruiser-

An individual who estimates standing timber volume.

Double Bitter-

A double edged ax head as opposed to a pole ax which only has one sharp edge. One edge on the double bitter was thich, the other thinner

Double Runner-

A sled with two sets of tracks

Flume-

A trough for water used to slide or float logs down the side of a mountain to the mill. With this apparatus, loggers didn't have to use the river where the logs were more apt to jam

Glancer-

A log placed on the lower side of a sloped skidding trail to keep the logs on the trail while they're being skidded or dragged. Same as a fender skid, breastwork log, or sheer skid.

Haulback-

A line that returns the chokers to the woods after a turn of logs have been pulled in

Haywire-

Originally the wire that bound baled hay together. Now means broken, busted, crazy, foolish, flimsy or almost anything you think of that isn't as you'd like it

High Rigger-

The man who tops and prepares a high-lead tree for logging. A high-lead tree is a tree that has been limbed and topped, and from which blocks and tackle are hung for yarding logs

Jagger-

A sliver of wire rope

Jill Poke-

In a stream, a log with one end stuck in the bank, where it may cause a jam

KickBack-

a strong thrust of the saw back toward the faller generally resulting from improper use of the nose of the bar or the pinching of the bar in a cut. Kickback causes loss of control of the saw

Narrow Gauge-

A 2 foot wide train track

Peavey-

A stout wooden lever, five or six feet long, with a strong steel spike and adjustable steel hook at one end. Used for turning logs. Named after the inventor, Joseph Peavey, a Maine blacksmith

Pick Pole-

A 10-16 fpot long (usually spruce) pole with a twisted metal tip(worm). Loggers drove the tip into a log to push or pull it - the tip could be easily twisted out

Pole Line-

A telephone line - used before radios came into being

Ramdown-

A steep decline where sleds were apt to ram horses from behind when going down

Ripsaw-

A saw designed to cut a log lengthwise

Scoot-

Short, 8-10 foot long set of heavy double-ended runners attached by cross pieces. Used instead of a sled to haul wood. Could be hauled from the front or back

Skidder-

A yarding and loading engine that has a steel tower in place of a spar tree

Slasher-

A big gas-hydraulically driven saw used to cut logs lengthwise into four-foot logs

Sluice-

A chute used to move logs down really steep grades. At the bottom was a jump which threw logs into the air so they wouldn't pile up

Snubber-

A device used for braking sleighs down steep hills

Spillway-

In a dame, an opening to let logs through and down a spillway. Also called a sluice

Springboard-

Narrow platform on which loggers stand while falling a tree

Spurline-

Side railroad line off the main line

Tohaul-

A log jam or a rollway. It really hauls when it starts to give away

Tote Road-

The road going into the woods to a logging camp along which supplies are hauled (toted) from outside

Wedge-

A triangular-shaped peice of steel driven into where a bucksaw or cross cut saw has made a cut to help force a tree to fall. Also kept tree from pinching back at logger

Widowmaker-

A tree or branch blown down by wind

Whiffletree-

A bar of wood with a hook on it, used to drag logs out by horses. The horses' harness was hooked on to trace chains, which in turn hooked on to the whiffletree.

Windrow-

A row of brush piled on side of logging road to keep it out of the way