Misplaced Pages

#129870

39-497: In 1889 the 25-year-old Edward Vose Babcock , along with his brother Fred R. Babcock, founded E.V. Babcock and Company. For the next eight years, E.V. expanded his company, gaining national attention. In 1897, with the purchase of 6,900 acres (28 km) of land and choice hardwood timber in Ashtola, Somerset County, Pennsylvania , Edward, with the help of his two brothers Fred R. (known as F.R.) and Oscar H. (known as O.H.), incorporated

78-530: A commissioner in 1927. During his rule of Allegheny County he was successful in pushing through the opening of the Allegheny County Airport in West Mifflin , he also was instrumental in providing county help to the city for the opening of the triplet bridges ( 6th , 7th and 9th Street Bridges). He was also extremely generous, purchasing at personal expense 4,000 acres (16 km ) of land for

117-570: A safety principle. In British Columbia, Canada, the BC Forest Safety Council was created in September 2004 as a not-for-profit society dedicated to promoting safety in the forest sector. It works with employers, workers, contractors, and government agencies to implement fundamental changes necessary to make it safer to earn a living in forestry. The risks experienced in logging operations can be somewhat reduced, where conditions permit, by

156-452: A set of wheels over ten feet tall, initially pulled by oxen. As the logging industry expanded, the 1880s saw the introduction of mechanized equipment like railroads and steam-powered machinery, marking the beginning of the railroad logging era. Logs were moved more efficiently by railroads built into remote forest areas, often supported by additional methods like high-wheel loaders , tractors and log flumes . The largest high-wheel loader,

195-507: Is called underwater logging , a form of timber recovery. Clearcutting, or clearfelling, is a method of harvesting that removes essentially all the standing trees in a selected area. Depending on management objectives, a clearcut may or may not have reserve trees left to attain goals other than regeneration, including wildlife habitat management, mitigation of potential erosion or water quality concerns. Silviculture objectives for clearcutting, (for example, healthy regeneration of new trees on

234-595: Is not necessarily considered a type of logging but a harvesting or silviculture method. Cutting trees with the highest value and leaving those with lower value, often diseased or malformed trees, is referred to as high grading . It is sometimes called selective logging, and confused with selection cutting , the practice of managing stands by harvesting a proportion of trees. Logging usually refers to above-ground forestry logging. Submerged forests exist on land that has been flooded by damming to create reservoirs . Harvesting trees from forests submerged by flooding or dam creation

273-504: Is often far from professional emergency treatment. Traditionally, the cry of "Timber!" developed as a warning alerting fellow workers in an area that a tree is being felled, so they should be alert to avoid being struck. The term " widowmaker " for timber, typically a limb or branch that is no longer attached to a tree, but is still in the canopy either wedged in a crotch, tangled in other limbs, or miraculously balanced on another limb demonstrates another emphasis on situational awareness as

312-498: Is sometimes used narrowly to describe the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest , usually a sawmill or a lumber yard . In common usage, however, the term may cover a range of forestry or silviculture activities. Logging is the beginning of a supply chain that provides raw material for many products societies worldwide use for housing , construction , energy , and consumer paper products. Logging systems are also used to manage forests , reduce

351-402: Is then transported to the landing, where it is bucked and loaded on a truck. This leaves the slash (and the nutrients it contains) in the cut area, where it must be further treated if wild land fires are of concern. Trees and plants are felled and transported to the roadside with top and limbs intact. There have been advancements to the process which now allows a logger or harvester to cut

390-932: The "Bunyan Buggie," was built in 1960 for service in California, featuring wheels 24 feet (7.3 m) high. After World War II, mechanized logging equipment, including chainsaws, diesel trucks, and Caterpillar tractors , transformed the logging industry, making railroad-based logging obsolete. With the advent of these tools, transporting logs became more efficient as new roads were constructed to access remote forests. However, in protected areas like United States National Forests and designated wilderness zones, road building has been restricted to minimize environmental impacts such as erosion in riparian zones . Today, heavy machinery such as yarders and skyline systems are used to gather logs from steep terrain, while helicopters are used for heli-logging to minimize environmental impact. Less common forms of logging, like horse logging and

429-610: The Babcock Lumber Company on November 11, 1897. This company still operates under that name today. Now approaching the turn of the century, the employees of Babcock and Company rode cable cars to work, paying 5¢ in fare. In 1901, 30,000 acres (120 km) of virgin long-leaf Yellow Pine was acquired near Bainbridge, Georgia . After this, Babcock founded and constructed the first completely integrated Yellow Pine plant in Miller County, Georgia . Rift-sawn pine flooring became

SECTION 10

#1732851001130

468-545: The Ivory Coast; domestic Ash, Basswood, Cherry, Red Oak, White Oak, Poplar, Cedar, Cypress, Chestnut, Walnut, and Willow; along with African Mahogany and Mahogany from both Honduras and the Philippines; plus African Walnut, Rosewood from Brazil, and Teak from Thailand. Babcock Lumber Company states its purpose, "As it marks its 120th Anniversary year, the Babcock Lumber Company continues to seek new markets and constantly examines

507-622: The United States Government. This land became a major share of both the Great Smokey National Park and the Cherokee National Forest . With the simultaneous operation of these mills, Babcock Lumber Company was producing and shipping more than 1,000 carloads of hardwood per month. Inevitably, however, the company's timber resources began to diminish and the era of marketing its own production began to wane. Before

546-451: The builder", Babcock's administration had little time to implement much policy, they were too busy dealing with the triple threat of a massive steel strike that created much social dissension and unrest, the 1918-1919 flu pandemic that hit Pittsburgh especially hard, all this while at the family dinner tables and company lunch rooms around the city the women's suffrage movement tested the strength of families and employers. In 1925, Babcock

585-538: The company, and Fred became chairman of the board. Between 1965 and 1970, one additional company was purchased, and one more distributional yard was established. The company continued to open new yards and expand to new territories, achieving consistent growth. Softwood sales include White Fir from California and Oregon; Yellow Pine, Ponderosa Pine, Idaho Pine, and Spruce from Western and Eastern Canada; Redwood from California; and Cedar shingles and Pine mouldings. Hardwoods include woods such as African Teak from Ghana and

624-482: The entire tree including branches and tops. This technique removes both nutrients and soil cover from the site and so can be harmful to the long-term health of the area if no further action is taken, however, depending on the species, many of the limbs are often broken off in handling so the result may not be as different from tree-length logging as it might seem. Cut-to-length logging is the process of felling, delimbing, bucking, and sorting ( pulpwood , sawlog, etc.) at

663-459: The expansive " North Park " and " South Park " in the county. He retired in 1931 and died in 1948, being buried in Homewood Cemetery . Logging Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport . It may include skidding , on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars . In forestry , the term logging

702-462: The first snows — leaving little other than thin mineral soil and bare rock. In 1914, with the county virtually denuded of standing trees, the ground burned continually for 6 months. As a result, top soils that once produced huge timbers on the mountainside — including the largest tree ever harvested in West Virginia, a white oak some 13 feet in diameter just 10 feet from the ground — washed down into

741-493: The groundwork for North and South Parks, including major landscaping and road systems. He was inspired by the " Prairie Style " of landscape architect Jens Jensen , which used native plants and materials to construct naturalistic landscapes. The hallmark of Riis's design included familiar features of the Western Pennsylvania landscape. He used layered stones, a rich palette of native plants, and winding waterways to define

780-703: The highest fatality rate of 23.2 per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers and a non-fatal incident rate of 8.5 per 100 FTE workers. The most common type of injuries or illnesses at work include musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which include an extensive list of "inflammatory and degenerative conditions affecting the muscles , tendons , ligaments , joints , peripheral nerves , and supporting blood vessels ." Loggers work with heavy, moving weights, and use tools such as chainsaws and heavy equipment on uneven and sometimes steep or unstable terrain . Loggers also deal with severe environmental conditions, such as inclement weather and severe heat or cold. An injured logger

819-483: The logging industry employed 86,000 workers and accounted for 93 deaths. This resulted in a fatality rate of 108.1 deaths per 100,000 workers that year. This rate is over 30 times higher than the overall fatality rate. Forestry/logging-related injuries (fatal and non-fatal) are often difficult to track through formal reporting mechanisms. Thus, some programs have begun to monitor injuries through publicly available reports such as news media. The logging industry experiences

SECTION 20

#1732851001130

858-519: The manual logging era before the 1880s, the railroad logging era from the 1880s to World War II , and the modern mechanized era that began after the war. In the early days, felled logs were transported using simple methods such as rivers to float tree trunks downstream to sawmills or paper mills. This practice, known as log driving or timber rafting , was the cheapest and most common. Some logs, due to high resin content, would sink and were known as deadheads. Logs were also moved with high-wheel loaders,

897-623: The mills could fade entirely, the Babcock Lumber Company looked to new sources of income and new fields of operation. Babcock decided to utilize his trained salesmen and distribution resources of his company to shift its attention to the sale and distribution of products from other manufacturers In 1948, E.V. died at the age of eighty-five, leaving his company to his son, Fred Courtney Babcock. Between 1951 and 1960, Babcock Lumber Company purchased two of its competitors, as well as built two more distributional warehouses to keep up with demand. In 1963, E.V.'s grandson, Gordon Fisher III became president of

936-479: The narrow valleys and bottom lands, which had always been too narrow for harvesting productive crops or livestock. Uncontrollable soil erosion and flooding further degraded and depopulated the region. To this day, Tucker County and surrounding regions bear the scars of this remarkable conflagration. By 1933, most of Babcock's Tellico River land was sold to the United States Forest Service or deeded to

975-413: The output of scientific research for the finest and newest products to serve its customers. The company is proud of the continuity of its family of employees as well as its continuity of leadership. By dedication and persistence, through optimism and far sightedness, with integrity, honest and fair dealing, both inside and outside of the industry, the Babcock Lumber Company has indeed carved its initials on

1014-508: The park's character and create spaces "suitable for human play." Riis worked for six years to develop the North Park Lake and Boathouse as the park's signature features as well as park roads, trails, picnic groves, sports fields, pool, and golf course. In 1932, new County Commissioners hired architect Henry Hornbostel , who had designed many of Pittsburgh's greatest buildings, as Bureau of Parks director. Thanks to his leadership, North Park

1053-474: The public quickly came to love the "people's country clubs," and the County soon acquired another 500 acres. North and South Parks provided the foundation for the county-wide system, which expanded to a total of nine parks and over 12,000 acres from 1958 to 1979. Babcock hired Paul B. Riis , a nationally prominent landscape architect, as the first director of the new Allegheny County Bureau of Parks in 1927. Riis laid

1092-442: The risk of wildfires , and restore ecosystem functions, though their efficiency for these purposes has been challenged. Logging frequently has negative impacts. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal , including the use of corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission or from a protected area; the cutting of protected species; or the extraction of timber in excess of agreed limits. It may involve

1131-416: The site) and a focus on forestry distinguish it from deforestation . Other methods include shelterwood cutting , group selective , single selective , seed-tree cutting , patch cut , and retention cutting . The above operations can be carried out by different methods, of which the following three are considered industrial methods: Trees are felled and then delimbed and topped at the stump. The log

1170-449: The so-called " timber mafia ". Excess logging can lead to irreparable harm to ecosystems, such as deforestation and biodiversity loss . Infrastructure for logging can also lead to other environmental degradation . These negative environmental impacts can lead to environmental conflict . Additionally, there is significant occupational injury risk involved in logging. Logging can take many formats. Clearcutting (or "block cutting")

1209-585: The specialty of the mill, producing more than twenty-five million board-feet annually. The town of Babcock was established December 14, 1901 around the mill. Following this, the company headquarters was moved to the new Frick Building , in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . In 1905, The Babcock Lumber & Boom Co. in Davis, West Virginia began operation and the Tellico River Lumber Co. at Tellico Plains, Tennessee

Babcock Lumber Company - Misplaced Pages Continue

1248-458: The stump area, leaving limbs and tops in the forest. Mechanical harvesters fell the tree, delimb, and buck it, and place the resulting logs in bunks to be brought to the landing by a skidder or forwarder . This method is routinely available for trees up to 900 mm (35 in) in diameter. Logging methods have changed over time, driven by advancements in transporting timber from remote areas to markets. These shifts fall into three main eras:

1287-443: The tree down, top, and delimb a tree in the same process. This ability is due to the advancement in the style felling head that can be used. The trees are then delimbed, topped, and bucked at the landing. This method requires that slash be treated at the landing. In areas with access to cogeneration facilities, the slash can be chipped and used for the production of electricity or heat. Full-tree harvesting also refers to utilization of

1326-421: The trunk of the lumber industry throughout the world." Edward V. Babcock Edward Vose Babcock (January 31, 1864 – September 2, 1948) was a lumber industrialist who served as Mayor of Pittsburgh from 1918 to 1922. Edward Vose Babcock entered the lumber business from an early age. He ran successfully for City Council in 1911 and began making a political name for himself. Unlike his predecessor "Joe

1365-656: The use of oxen, still exist but are mostly superseded. Logging is a dangerous occupation. In the United States, it has consistently been one of the most hazardous industries and was recognized by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as a priority industry sector in the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) to identify and provide intervention strategies regarding occupational health and safety issues. In 2008,

1404-480: Was completed during the Great Depression using New Deal programs. In 1933, he established a Civilian Conservation Corps camp in the park housing 200 men to carry out his plan. In response to the suffrage movement, Babcock became the first mayor to appoint a woman to a cabinet-level position within the city. After leaving the mayor's office Babcock continued his political career at the county level, becoming

1443-483: Was converted into today's Tellico River Road.) The forests of the upper Tellico River basin, including its tributaries Bald River and North River, were clearcut . Beginning in 1907, Babcock's operations out of Davis began clear cutting the mountain ridges throughout Tucker County, West Virginia . This clear cutting, with its residual slashings, converted the landscape into a "tinderbox". By 1910, fires burned continuously — in some areas for years on end, from spring until

1482-402: Was elected Allegheny County Commissioner. Concerned about the rapid transformation of large areas of rural land into suburbs, Babcock wanted to set aside protected areas of land for recreation. To achieve this, he personally purchased two huge tracts of land, totaling around 4,000 acres. He sold the land to the county at cost to create North and South Parks. Although some were skeptical at first,

1521-639: Was formed. These plants, along with the Babcock Lumber and Land Company that was formed in 1907 in Maryville, Tennessee , operated more than 125,000 acres (510 km) in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. A logging railroad was built from Tellico Plains, Tennessee , up the Tellico River. A high trestle was built over Bald River near Bald River Falls. (The railroad up the Tellico River

#129870