Harvesting Wood

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Wood

Wood must be dry before it could be used for charcoal production and iron production. Wood cut in the late autumn and early winter proved to hold the least amount of water. For example, wood cut in April would typically contain 10 to 20 percent more water than wood that was cut in January. Wood cut in December and January was more solid and would dry faster[1]. Dead of decayed wood was of no use for making charcoal[2].

Woodcutters

A cord of wood is four foot lengths of wood stacked four feet high and eight feet long. Woodcutters could cut anywhere from a few cords to more than one thousand cords. Many woodcutters were farmers who supplemented their income in the offseason[3]. For example, between 1851-1853 Edwin Gault was paid for 1993.5 cords[4]. One must remember, however, that he may have had helpers whom he then paid. Colliers also became woodcutters during the winter months in order to get a full-years wage[5]. Payments for cutting wood varied greatly due to location and time[6].

Wood cutters comprised a large proportion of the workers at any charcoal iron furnace. At Hopewell Furnace between 1851-1853, 225 persons were paid for any type of work and 116 were paid for cutting cord wood[7]. At Hopewell, on average approximately two cords of wood could be chopped down in a single day[8]. Two and a half cords was the average at Hanging Rock District[9]. It was noted, however, that in the Hanging Rock District there worked "...Reuben Beverly, who was reputed to be the champion chopper of this region and who, it is said, could cut, split and rank eight cords per day indefinitely. His name was as familiar throughout the Hanging Rock field as was that of the lad who cut down the cherry tree"[10]. Crandall also indicated that he personally had "known many expert wood choppers who could chop, split and rank from four to five cords a day"[11].

Woodcutters sometimes delivered the wood to charcoal hearths, called "delivering in the ring". They were paid $1.75 for this wood[12].

  1. ↑ Overman 1854, 80
  2. ↑ Overman 1854, 83
  3. ↑ Walker 1966, 238
  4. ↑ Walker 1966, 238
  5. ↑ Kemper 1941, 10
  6. ↑ Overman 1854, 84
  7. ↑ Walker 1966, 239
  8. ↑ Walker 1966, 239
  9. ↑ Crandall 1906, 20
  10. ↑ Crandall 1906, 20
  11. ↑ Crandall 1906, 20
  12. ↑ Walker 1966, 239

References

  • Crandall, Elias. 1906. Reminiscences of the Hanging Rock District (Concluded). The Iron Trade Review, July, 19.
  • Kemper, Jackson. 1941. American Charcoal Making in the Era of the Cold-Blast Furnace. History 14. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior; National Park Service.
  • Walker, Joseph E. 1966. Hopewell Village; a Social and Economic History of an Iron-Making Community. Philadelphia: Univ. of Pennsylvania Press.
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