The tan bark industry was being carried on here quite extensively.

The bark was obtained far up the river and was being hauled down to the landing and corded in great piles waiting the arrival of a schooner which was especially chartered for this trade. The mountains were being devastated of their beautiful coat of mature evergreen oak to satisfied [satisfy] the craving of man for society’s sake. It was heartrendering and awful to look upon these beautiful young oaks being stripped of their covering leaving the forest resembling a cemetery. Great paths cut crisscross up and down in fact running in all manners of ways to accommodate the sleds and wagons used in soaking out the bark. Hillsides seemed to be mutilated more that the level ground. I suppose because it was noticeable to the eye being set off at a much better advantage than the level as it was hard to see over any space on the level, but looking at the hillside one got a very large scope of territory to gage at.

The process of tanning the bark was done by letting the tree stand and cutting a ring around it near the ground and another as far up as the limbs would allow or that is until the limbs became too small and thick there from ring to ring was chopped a slit and these with a flat bar, the bark was peeled off. The tree leftt standing to die. Thousands and thousands of these white ghostly sentinels dotted the mountain region of the upper Sur river.

No attempt is made at utilizing the wood only the bark is used. Small trees up to 6 in. in diameter are peeled, standing larger ones are cut down and left to rot and become fodder for forest fires. Conservation was badly needed here and wherever this industry is prevalent the U.S. Government should look well to the slaughter that is being made in our young timber.

While we were camped at this place a schooner swung into bay and anchored about 200 yds outside the line of breakers, it’s purpose was for taking off a ship load of tan bark. The bark was corded on a headland from which a larger crane was suspended and used for lowering large loads of bark onto a lighter. These lighters were strung onto an endless cable operated from an engine on the schooner while the loaded lighter were [was] being towed out to the ship an empty one was coming ashore. I obtained a few days labor at this work, also put in two days about ship running a hoist, in fact I worked with the ship until it was loaded and made ready for sea.

While the work was heavy and had to be rushed-while the weather was so the lighter could run, we nevertheless was [were] fed. There was [were] 5 meals a day, and good food and all man would eat. The AM. Was always pleasant with hardly a ripple of wind, but the P.M. Brought a northwester which increased until sunset.

I don’t think I ever worked at a more disagreeable job than handling this bark ashore when the wind blew [was blowing]. When the bark is peeled and starts to dry it curls until it is at least one l/2 the original size and the edges are like so many sharp knives cutting whatever it comes in contact with, but after continual handling these sharp edges are broken off and it can be handled with safety, but new at the first moving of it we had the butt of this cruel work. Almost putting us out of commission as our hands were simply cut in in hundred of places, the torture we stood, but the dust nearly put the work on a striking basis.

There arises from this bark, when dry and handled in the wind, a powdered barkdust containing tannic acid. Our eyes became almost blinded with this firey acid a tormenting and continuous smarting of fire which did not leave us for many days after the last of the bark was loaded.


Big Sur…NEXT