Historic Hood River
Logging Action
4-13-2016
Notes
This image is from a set of Dee mill pictures. It’s not the clearest image, but it’s rare to find a real action shot from this era. It looks like we’re seeing logs being unloaded from the logging railroad into the mill pond just above Dee.
Kenn
Cable unloading down the roll way, wonder if they earlier had logs large enough to have used a jillpoke.
Marilyn
I’m loving these Dee mill pictures. Hope there might be one or two showing the amazing west fork trestles.
Arlen Sheldrake
I agree Marilyn and "downtown" Dee….I have vague memories of a general store, etc in this once "booming" community. And I agree Arthur….all images don’t need to be pristine to give us a sense of place…this one certainly does display the real world in what is probably the 40s or earlier.
nels
The size of those logs on all the rail cars…..
L.E.
How are they getting the logs off of the rail car?
I remember the dump slip at the mouth of the White Salmon. It was for log trucks.
Longshot
It looks like there is a massive tower behind the railcar which is being unloaded. Maybe there is some kind of hoist system attached to the tower that pulls the stanchions up out of the one side of the railcar letting the logs roll free. Just a guess.
Kenn
The ties under the rails at the top of most roll ways were sloped toward the pond making it easier to roll the logs off.
L.E.
That makes sense. How do you know all of this stuff?
Kenn
LE, just from reading, observing and being around for a lot of years. I only once saw a jillpoke used, basically a spike ended pole anchored at the back, the spike put against the log at an angle and when the train moved the log was forced off the side. No power required at the site rather than the train engine.
The constant and amazing display of knowledge comes from Charlott and Arthur.