The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

ABOUT LUMBERJACKS

THE LUMBER JACK WAS A BREED ALL HIS OWN. THEY HIRED OUT TO A
LUMBER COMPANY, FOR BED AND BOARD. THE CAMP THEY STAYED IN
CONSISTED OF A COOK-SHANTY, AND A BUNK-HOUSE, WHERE THE MEN
ATE AND SLEPT. THE BUNKS WERE BUILT TWO HIGH, AND FILLED WITH
STRAW, OVER WHICH THE WORKER PUT ONE BLANKET TO SLEEP ON, AND
TWO MORE TO COVER UP WITH. I'M INCLINED TO THINK THAT THESE
BUNKS WERE THE FORE RUNNER TO WHAT WE NOW HAVE. MM
I REMEMBER MY FATHER TELLING ME THAT $30.00 A MONTH WAS THE
WAGE A MAN STARTED OUT AT. THIS WASN'T MUCH, BUT THEIR
BOARD AND BED WERE FREE. CONSIDERING THAT A PAIR OF PANTS
WERE SOMETHING LIKE A DOLLAR AND A PAIR OF SHOES WERE LIKE
TWO DOLLARS A PAIR, THEY THOUGHT AT THE TIME THEY WERE MAKING
GOOD MONEY. ALL WAGES EXCEPT THEIR IMMEDIATE NEEDS WERE SENT
HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES. MM
THEY WERE A ROUGH AND TOUGH SORT OF MEN, BUT THEY WERE EVER
TRUE AND STAUNCH FRIENDS TO THEIR FELLOW WORKERS. THEY WERE
ALWAYS READY TO HELP A FELLOW WORKER IN TIMES OF GRIEF AND
HARDSHIP.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HOUGHTON LAKE