Nothing intrigues me more than the site of some former building that has been forgotten by most people long ago. Sometimes a mere hole where a building stood is fascinating. Here in Harlan County the first buildings were made of logs and very crude yet it was a great center where people walked and worked everyday.
One of these such places was high up in Pine Mountain Log huts as the one shown here dotted the mountain and served as a resting place for men who toiled day in and day out.
Many hardships came their way but Harlan county was blessed with enourmous amounts of fine timber. Early pioneers had contracts to cut down the timber while others hauled it up and down the mountain side on skids. The transporation was free after it reached the river.
Shack Built For Crew
There was nearly ten miles of wooden track across the mountain. A small engine known as the "dinky" pulled the logs along the track. It required several head of cattle to snake the logs to the "dinky."
The "shack" consisted of a stove, a bed or cot and a table. Kegs and small boxes served as chairs. Some times the workers went home on Sunday for supplies. The general store operated by Marion Smith and Cam Ball kept most of the logging supplies needed such as coal oil, tools and a few staple groceries. Charlie Smith clerked in the store.
There was little need for coal oil lamps."Every night at dark we built a fire outside and sat around and talked," an old timer said. The mosquitoes were so bad, he explained, the fire smoked them away.
Up At Daybreak
"We always got up at daybreak," said one of the loggers. They ate soup beans and "bull dog gravy" almost every meal. "Bull dog gravy" was easy for the men folk to make.
"A little grease, water and corn meal is all it takes," said one of the men.
The boarding house at the edge of Incline was managed by Looney Banks. The work hands who were paid at the end of the week received "a dollar a day and board or a dollar and a half a day and board your self.
Sometimes they growled and complained about the "grub" but ate it any way. An old circle saw by the door was used as a dinner bell. When the cook had dinner ready he beat on the circle saw with a stick and it was heard ahalf a mile away.
the men came racing like mad and ran over each other getting to the table. After supper the work hands went out to the yard to rest. One of them who always ate more than his share was heard grumbling, "I've eat so much of that vinegar pie my teeth are on edge.
Some of the work hands were
Sunday February 15, 1953
Volume 52 Number 38
Pages 1 & 8
