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Logging Practices

Today the Riverside Sawmill's logs are cut with chainsaws, skidded by skidders and brought into the mill on logging trucks. The mill's logging practices haven't always been like this, however.

Before 1953, the logs were notched with an axe and cut down with cross cut saws. The fallen trees were limbed and cut into shorter, more manageable sections. They were then skidded to the Shuswap River bank by horses. The logs waited at the edge of the river until spring when the river was high and then they were dumped in. By the end of May the river run was complete and the loggers would go to Enderby for a day of fun! About the time that logging trucks started becoming more widely used the fisheries complained that the river runs were upsetting the fish beds and so it had to be stopped. Trucks were now used extensively.

Before 1953, many mill operations were still done be hand. The only powered parts of the mill were the headsaw and edger. The logs were turned and moved by hand after they'd been cut. In the early 50's the mill acquired a forklift which made the labourer's job easier. Prior to this the lumber and logs were moved by hand. There was no technology back then, and a lot more waste. The woodchips were not utilized as they are today. Telephone poles were peeled by hand by walking backwards, peeling with an axe and up until the late 40's railroad ties were hand hewn with a broad axe.

Mellissa Woloshyn, Rob Wiebe, Corey Davyduke
ALF School 1989