Michigan loggers in 1890

[John Ziebron]

A friend emailed some historic photos and this one was among them. I wouldn't mind having that load slabbed up today. What I found interesting is that I don't think even a F350 could budge that load, yet it looks like they only needed 2 "horsepower".:D

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=1be26d1343&view=fimg&th=15916ef620f11f93&attid=0.18&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ-9uAXhaG546-4fgM48teeLpJiSBYrpi2W-4tzfVQuYoAuqqFii7I5twZIuJk-o9Q3e4z_UGkY48f3zxB-06sYViBbR030uDhx5UJt5F1vrlDEYkZw4CEPUdNs&sz=w1280-h960&ats=1482171279254&rm=15916ef620f11f93&zw&atsh=1

[glenn bradley]

Its so far in the past that I can't see the picture ;-)

[Rick Moyer]

Its so far in the past that I can't see the picture ;-)
LOL, probably burned it all up for heat!

[Bert Kemp]

yep he forgot to put it in or its lost in cyberspace:eek:

[Tom Stenzel]

Did a quick search with Google-fu (Michigan loggers 1890) and came up with:

349811

If it's not the picture John had in mind it'll have to do. My F-150 had more than 2 HP and wouldn't have pulled that load either.

-Tom

[Howard Garner]

I would disagree.
Given the same conditions, your F-150 would have no problem moving this.
The sled runners ran in an ice channel and the horses worked between the channels and had good traction
This was a standard for winter logging in the upper Midwest.
Howard Garner

[John McClanahan]

Good call, Howard. I was doubting the photo at first, but I remember seeing pictures of logging trails in winter. They resembled railroad tracks, but with ice rather than steel.

John

[Ole Anderson]

I have to wonder though, were these massive stacks of logs just for the camera? If the trail wasn't perfectly level moving uphill or stopping going downhill with such a massive load would be more than just a challenge, it would be impossible or deadly. BTW, my grandfather worked as a northern Michigan logger around 1905, but that would have been cutting second growth, not the nice big white pines that are likely in the picture.

Those horses must be thinking "oh, not again...".

[Yonak Hawkins]

That outside stack of logs, on the near side, looks pretty precariously supported.

[Randy Red Bemont]

Cool pic but poor horses!!

Red

[Myk Rian]

I have to wonder though, were these massive stacks of logs just for the camera?.
There are thousands of pictures like that. It was the way they did it.
Visit Hartwick Pines state park sometime.
http://grayling-mi.com/attractions/hartwick-pines-state-park

[Kev Williams]

if the average size of those logs is 20" dia, and the length is 12', and the wood weighs 38# per cubic foot, then each log weighs almost exactly 1000#, and I count 54 logs on that sled...

[Pat Barry]

How in the world did they stack them that high? Why in Gods name wouldn't they take smaller loads and just do more trips? I think its most likely a staged photo not a real depiction of the way they worked. If they did work that way they were nuts.

[Malcolm McLeod]

How did they stack? Photoshop.

Look at the lack of shadows between the logs.

[Ole Anderson]

How did they stack? Photoshop.

Look at the lack of shadows between the logs.

There are tons of pictures like that, way, way before Photoshop.

[John Vernier]

Yes, you don't need photoshop to explain the lack of shadows - and there are no shadows to be seen anywhere in the photo. It's just a typical dull gloomy Michigan winter day. I lived through many of them! No shadows and no detectable direction of sunlight. It gets tedious after a while. No wonder they played games like "stack the sledge."

[Mike Henderson]

You wonder how the guy on top got down. While two mules may have been able to haul that load, if there was any downhill, they were goners.

Mike

[Myk Rian]

Go to Google and search for Michigan loggers. Click on images.
So many doubting Thomases.