Before chainsaws were invented, the logging industry in the United States & Canada was a seriously challenging occupation and we are only talking about 125 years ago. In the Pacific Northwest there were forests full of monster trees and cutting them down was done by hand.

	Look at the length of the two-man hand saw and heavy duty axes that they used to drop these tremendous trees. It is almost inconceivable to think of cutting down a tree this size with a hand saw.   After a tree was finally felled, it took a week or more to cut it up into sections that could be managed (somehow) and transported by train to a lumber yard.

Hollowed out logs became the company’s mobile office. Can you imagine stacking such logs to build a log home? Two courses would produce a 30' ceiling. Maybe that’s why it was easier to hollow out a tree.

	Maneuvering the logs down the mountain to the train was a complex job. I didn't do any research on this, but I would be willing to bet that many men lost their lives doing this dangerous work. One slip and a hunk of wood as big as a hotel is rolling your way! The other question that begs an answer is how did they get those logs up onto the flatbeds of that train?

The work required very strong men (and horses) working long days for minimal pay. Could you imagine doing this to earn a living?

We are accustomed to our modern conveniences like electricity and gasoline powered chainsaws, and it is always such a mind-boggling experience to see how such monumental tasks were performed before these conveniences appeared on the scene. Remember that the picture above shows a hollowed-out log made into a travel trailer. Our thanks to Chuck Amor of R & S Forest Products for this story

This Old House with a little help from Marvin have produced this ten page Replacement Window Guide that you can now download here. Choosing the right window can make all the difference in a room, from the look, feel and comfort of the interior space to energy efficiency and curb appeal.
When it’s time to replace your windows there are a number of choices to consider, from what type of materials to choose, how the window is installed, how it functions and the pattern of the bars dividing the glass.
By using this booklet from This Old House, you’ll be able to make sense of the many options available and learn how to compare products so that you can get the best replacement window for your needs.
This Old House
Replacement Window Guide
10 pages | 2.2mb download