Vancouver Island Logging (1938 - 1944) Historical Footage

[@timothysullivan4130]

AWESOME video👏👏👏👍👍👍these MEN were as TOUGH as NAILS!!💪💪

[@justbe1451]

Such a terrific video, thank you for the wild time trip! I couldn't imagine riding the swaying tree after the top fell, never saw this before! Precious videos. ❤

[@kennethnevel3263]

Great logging history film . Hard work and much danger , men like this is what made the Canada and USA what we became . Thanks for the video . From a Pennsylvania Logger .

[@terrysmith7441]

Some of us broke our backs, packing 5 gallons of gas , a gallon of oil and a husqvarna 2100, half these guys today would qualify for disability just hooped their backs.

[@treeguyable]

Been climbing year round for 30 yrs.And running the business, fixing equipment, in the summer 100 degree heat, and freezing winters. Still do it every day at 63, the biggest , baddest trees around. Still feel humbled by these guys.

[@tracymesser296]

Sir you have my utmost respect!! I’m 63 and couldn’t imagine the hard work involved!! The Best to you and try to remember,you ARE 63!, take care!!

[@treeguyable]

@@tracymesser29664 now, took down a hellacious 85 ft oak tree over a house today, all climbing and rigging. Talk about a terrible lean the top 40 ft of the tree. Man I'm sore!

[@tracymesser296]

@@treeguyable my hats off too you sir!! ONE TOUGH SOB!!!

[@treeguyable]

@@tracymesser296 It was either shot of liquor, or a couple ibuprofin tonight, along with a hot bath. Shot of whiskey did fine.

[@tracymesser296]

@@treeguyable good deal!! I bet you sleep well!!

[@Karuminu2]

I was born and lived here on Vancouver Island my entire life. It's wild to see how everything looked before I existed.

[@michaelpaulholmes9667]

My dad worked for 40 years at Weyerhaeuser. I loved coming to work with him and smelling the pulp mill and helping him to spray paint the logs after measuring them. I remember a mountain beaver jumped out of a hollow log, and my dad's friend took his scaling stick and wacked it across the log yard.

[@s.a.hunter2132]

My husband's uncles are part of this history...they and their families lived on floating logging camps on the north-west coast of Vancouver Island, most of them worked as fallers. This is wonderful historical footage of those hard-working men of the day.

[@Drbilly123]

Hello,you look gorgeous and you smile is so beautiful please always wear that smile your face 😊😊

[@christuttle3980]

Worked For MacMillan Blodel Eve River Division for 25 years loved it😎

[@mikeviala3579]

My grandpa was a logger in the Cowichan valley in the 50's. One day he was putting the cable on a log when the guy at the controls fell asleep and fell forward on the lever. The log jerked up and sent my grandpa flying 20 feet. He landed in a pile of wood chips right next to a stump. Definitely dangerous work.

[@brendametube]

😮… that is crazy! You’re poor grandpa! I sure hope he got to retire early enough to enjoy some great years of rest and gladness.

[@dijonstreak]

ya can't get more Authentic folks !!! awesome....boy. i LOVED it

[@janebray9392]

Born and raised in Nanaimo, lived a 20 mile radius all my life. This video is Wonderful!! Thank you so much❤

[@wheelerequipment6617]

No ,,, thank you

[@Drbilly123]

Hello,you look gorgeous and you smile is so beautiful please always wear that smile your face 😊😊

[@PEEN-j1u]

born and raised on the island. this is some really greatfootage

[@camshaftP16]

Good stuff, the old sailing ship is now a wreck dive in Powell River BC

[@jonathanbarker1016]

I can say that never had relatives do any Logging .But did live in small logging town on the west cost of Vancouver Island .When I was a kid in the seventies .

[@viktorklempas4022]

I grew up in the Comox Valley, another area with a proud logging background. The resident farmers worked the bush in the winter and the farms in the summer. Much of my family history is documented in "Island Timber". Nice to see the film, reminds me of the old Super 8 movies my dad used to show us from his days in the bush.

[@LukeBluGuthrie]

Great book! Thanks for the memories

[@shaneb3792]

Stewart and Welch were in the mining business as well. There are a couple of mountain peaks named after them in the Cheam range mountains in Chilliwack

[@wheelerequipment6617]

Please tell more my friend ,,, this is interesting

[@richardnault-smithson321]

I'm old school,grew up in Sooke and set choaks most of my younger years.Love the old timey music.A lot of younger people might think their actually riding a donkey to town but i'm sure it was some kind of steam donkey or such. Great footage! Thanks

[@SwampDonkey530]

Richard Nault-Smithson Indubitably 👍

[@petertherepeatermustard3231]

"they're be gold in that there sooke me lad" said an old time faller to me once, not sure if it was true

[@lmtada]

Cool video. Thank You. Reminds me of remote Drilling Camp. Rig crew, cooks, slings, winches, pipe, picking up pipe, and casing. Very similar atmosphere.

[@mumbles552]

Great video! I was hoping to get a glimpse of my dad as he logged Franklin River, Renfrew, and later in the Squamish area around this time.

[@brendametube]

Even though I love the music… Every single lyric and every note… I’m also thankful for the section that has the real sounds to. I don’t think it can be appreciated enough, what a treasure this footage is.

[@rockfishmiller]

Now yer loggin! Absolute gold, thanks for posting this gem.

[@ZaneSoper-oz6ci]

I did this back in the day with my father he logged in Yale B.C. with a wooden tree! Old school.

[@timberridge2167]

So cool many of the same tactics still used to this day on the very few cable sides that are left

[@tonyjudygobin8250]

Really enjoyed that, thank you

[@wheelerequipment6617]

We are glad you enjoyed it

[@SwampDonkey530]

Many thanks to the maker of this video.. I’m all a ‘glow!! 🥰🙏🤟

[@lindabingham394]

hard dangerous work respect !!!!

[@ayrton7007PeCaPepepepe]

That people worked super hard to grown their cities, amazing

[@timberwolf5883]

I had uncles that logged around that time period (1935-50ish) and they lived on Great Central Lake in a float house and logged in those woods until the great central lake sawmill shutdown in 1952. They were expert fallers known everywhere in Port Alberni and the surrounding area. Their Names were Alvin and Clive (Gunny) Brown

[@brendametube]

Thanks for sharing your treasure piece of history with us! God Bless you!

[@brookbilney761]

Great film great songs!

[@richardgrumpywelsh2485]

It is great to see how they did the logging 100 years ago, they still use some of the same ideas

[@wrail5205]

Helps to visualise things my father spoke about , High Lead , Whistle Punk ,Donkey , Chokers , Cork Boots , Paris Boots , Bull Cook etc.

[@lindabingham394]

gosh darn cool splicing cable on site throwing the log grapple on the log on the run

[@rickbowker8624]

These guys were REAL men- balls of steel - like the iron workers of major city's skyscrapers they appeared to be fearless

[@terrysmith7441]

After falling I went to work with the Cake Eaters at the Pulp Mil, worst bunch of miserable rats I ever worked with.

[@lucassaueressig1411]

@@terrysmith7441 no brain guys in those areas

[@Valus]

I hunt the Cowichan valley and there’s old yarder cables, tracks and a few steam donkeys left up in the mountains. Awesome area to explore!

[@x13xmonkey]

Cool post ! Lived in Cowichan all my life.

[@edwardcarberry1095]

Hello there. Was wondering if I might recognize someone when he was young? He's gone now, he is missed!

[@terrysmith7441]

Agood book to read is Sometimes a Great Notion, oregon Eugene in the 60s, city kid goes to work with distant family, excellent book.

[@iantyree6363]

Coolest thing ever man, thanks for posting

[@wheelerequipment6617]

Thanks for the kind words,,,, ya super awesome. Alot more to come,,, slowly but surely

[@happycats5195]

Amazes me the size of the chokers. Must be 2 1/4 or 2 1/2". The bell must weigh 65 or 70 lbs. lol, hard work.

[@lewisfoster658]

Best dam ABC song I have ever heard. If thay would have thought me this song in elementary school I might have learned my ABC's Sooner. God bless.

[@johnnycrash3270]

Percy Logging 1979 Knight Inlet Best Experience of my life setting beads hook tender " Eskimo " Toughest man I ever knew

[@lewispaine4589]

That train at about 22 mins looks like one in Qualicum Beach or possibly the one by the main drag in Courtenay

[@carlwhitmee6332]

it is the one in Qualicum Beach, BS&W #4

[@NewBookz]

Wow! tree topping with an axe!

[@adecalungmilenial8047]

Nice

[@richardjones2455]

The dog looked happy.

[@joecistaro4551]

Great footage! Does anyone know for what reason they’d bother to ‘top’ the tree before the felling of it?

[@volodkobakowsky9800]

I think if they didn’t, the tree would shatter when it landed

[@graham2631]

Used for rigging gave you lift to haul logs out. "Spar tree" they called them. There's a few clips of a rigged spar tree with the block (pulley) hanging on it.

[@Rwsegee]

If you are ever on V.I. go to the forest museum in Duncan or Lake Cowichan. They have some really great stuff there.

[@brendametube]

@@Rwsegee thank you! We will be there for two months and I can’t wait to see the museum.

[@michellecarew7778]

After welding for 20 yrs im planning to get class 1 and drram of driving log trucks!!

[@TylerHayes-Handle]

Im sitting here thinking to my self this is the most dangerous shit I've ever seen in my life. These dudes are crazy

[@coreywickheim5607]

Where were you able to find a copy of this? Iv been looking for years as my grandpa had a copy on vhs in the 80s that I wore out watching on repeat

[@wheelerequipment6617]

Was donated to Wheeler Equipment with all the Washington videos. I belive Trican Machinary had this playing at the Truck loggers Covention at their booth in the 80s

[@MrYoubet]

does anyone have, pictures of the floating A-frame Washington steam skidder on sprout lake bc Canada

[@sandrastevens9777]

hey just wondering where i can get access to a copy of this or names of the people in this video.

[@sandrastevens9777]

some of these people are my family members .

[@MrChancebandit]

Seeing old timber forests will blow your mind

[@petertherepeatermustard3231]

none left now, odd tree here and there

[@MrChancebandit]

@@petertherepeatermustard3231 vancouver island ...stratchcona park has some amazing old growth . And lots of them

[@SwampDonkey530]

These tunes speak to me..

[@SwampDonkey530]

I got you 🤙Cheers from Manitoba

[@brianaldridge5272]

How can I find out who did the mandolin music? It sounded like Nate and Harley Bray, AKA The Bray Brothers.

[@TroyCenter]

3:40. Maybe the only time I’ve seen a chef ring a triangle in real life.

[@lawrenceveinotte]

were you aloud to talk in the cook house at meal time? i'm from back east, we had to keep quiet and if you didn't, the cook would kick you out, never happened to me, but i have seen it happen lol

[@christophersmith2871]

I worked in the "ole easty camps" as well.

[@lawrenceveinotte]

@@christophersmith2871 my dad owned a logging truck in NS for 60 years, the camps were Bowater Mersey camps.

[@graham2631]

I only go back as far as the 70's but never heard of that rule on the island.

[@siddokis2945]

My Dad and Grandfather worked in camps in northern Ontario, maybe that's why there was no talking allowed at our supper table.?

[@johac7637]

It was badmouthing the cook, that got you thrown out, the cook would make us burnt porridge if we didn't have his back, don't piss the cook off if he was good. Went to the bush at 16 left at 72, still have my 092 Stihl F&G supplied, can't hardly pick it up, 28lbs dry, no bar and chain, far cry from the old Canadian, Reds, etc, last saw had heated handle bars, been in a chair showing this stuff to kids, still kicking at 97+, hard work never killed anybody, my back talks to me though, I still go to about every loggers show and watch the kids.

[@jatimalangtv8161]

Nice, 🙏🏼👍🙏🏼

[@midbc1midbc199]

Why not figure out a verse for X Y Z.......song seems incomplete without them

[@hogansmith7075]

does anybody know who sings that version of the song that plays between ten and 12 minutes

[@lucassaueressig1411]

Yup

[@hogansmith7075]

@@lucassaueressig1411 who?

[@hogansmith7075]

@@lucassaueressig1411 who?

[@lucassaueressig1411]

@@hogansmith7075 idk

[@hogansmith7075]

@@lucassaueressig1411 very useful info thanks bud

[@triple6758]

Wait till these fellers get a load of a power saw, which is just coming about during this time.

[@lucassaueressig1411]

Cool

[@melissalongmire5853]

I've been logging for 30 years humble Timber cutter did I tell you what them guys are True Timber cutters it was hard he sure wasn't easy if they had the wheel and heart I said all my love out to all the barbers may God watch over you and keep you safe cuz at the end of the day we go home to our families and loved ones amen East Tennessee shout out to all you loggers

[@brendametube]

AMEN!

[@JDsooke642]

Anyone know the name of the song that started this video ?

[@nathanadrian7797]

the tune is "Sweet Betsy from Pike" I believe.

[@richardnault-smithson321]

I'm wondering if you or your kin are in these films? awesome stuff....Would'nt catch me topping a tree at 200 feet with nothing but an axe,my hat goes off to those brave men that put us on the map.I'll sip a whiskey for those boys

[@57Jimmy]

The difference between topping a 200’er vs a 40’er...you will live longer with the 200’er. It takes longer to fall to the ground!

[@mrMacGoover]

Nerves of steel they had to shimmy up those tall trees to axe off the crowns!

[@brendametube]

Definitely!

[@vcislander2509]

Song in the beginning?

[@vcislander2509]

Thank you for uploading this

[@vcislander2509]

Found it! The Grand Hotel by Ed McCurdy

[@wheelerequipment6617]

@@vcislander2509 we enjoy converting the old film to digitail ,, thanks 😊 for the likes and the views ,,much appreciated

[@johac7637]

Our Cook at Harrison Lake used to bang the 2 hunks of rail iron at 3AM during fire season, so as a prank we hung it in the cookshack, haaa he must of thought, jokes on them, no breakfast call, but no breakfast either, didnt piss in his porridge again, our Camp was towed onshore from the Lake at Spring Creek, still see some of the logs that were the skids in the Alders,

[@bertramrese4378]

its where i signed up 1980

[@jacobpoucher]

i expected to see a skadill comment.

[@davidwillard7334]

OHHH !! THIS !! MUST ;! BE !! BUCKIN !! BILLY !! RAY !!! SMITH'S !!! ANCESTRY !!! CHANNEL !!!!

[@treeguyable]

I asked for a flip, and you gave me a canuk.

[@davidrehaluk8620]

My grandpa hauler trail boat of logs by horse back In The day just to build a house for the government to tell him someone elce already bought the land.

[@stevenowell]

All the men were slim, trim and fit

[@jamesmiller7283]

Tough mofos earning a buck compared to the 200 plus pounders nowadays fiddling with joysticks to cut a board !

[@tipstolevelupinlife5837]

no -40. would of done this over oil field work.

[@tipstolevelupinlife5837]

Working with friends

[@lucassaueressig1411]

WhAt

[@terrysmith7441]

how many guys died out there in the bush, and in those days they raped it. I fell right of way to Jim Mitchell Lake, and Thelwood over Buttle lake, almost bought it twice and that wood wasnt even harvested as it was in the park. I never felt better in my life. 6 beers befor supper and 3 after, calories hah 3000 plus, and spitting railway spikes.

[@davidrehaluk8620]

Kid nowadays don't know what work is . . Young men lost there lives workk g now kids won't even give it a try no modivation. Eat shit sleep play videogames . God bless these men that built this industry

[@christophersmith2871]

The real men were the ones that died. The ones that lived didn't work near as hard.

[@graham2631]

@@christophersmith2871 l remember growing up and walking home after school and the mill was silent. Ment one thing a fatal accident mill never stopped for anything else. We would walk home quick go see if dad was home..... They all worked hard son.

[@edwardcarberry1095]

The Children the last 30 yrs have had the Globalist Agenda forced upon them . Fed soy to feminism them. It is funny to see the results. Most don't know hard work! The Globalists Agends have to be taken down!

[@lucassaueressig1411]

@@edwardcarberry1095 yes. Iam 27 and i agree. Too much shit to focus on the right path...

[@edwardcarberry1095]

Yes, distraction buy design

[@MrYoubet]

good video except for the annoying creep that is so irritating, singing

[@pejpj2890]

Sad. Old fools

[@graham2631]

Pity you young fool look at your hands look like a girls hands? To dumb to know.

[@terrysmith7441]

In the 80s I had a family to feed, and the idea of going into the house with no fresh air was best left for dark. Alot of guys would get crushed by a log and wet wood with weight , awful.

[@pejpj2890]

@@graham2631 ill ask your wife ;)

[@lucassaueressig1411]

@@terrysmith7441 miserable poor fellas

[@keithmorrison2514]

Steam engines run the show in the Bush and trains not gas or diesel think about that. Men were asked to work and the job was done, I have worked in the forest business for 22 years every day was extremely challenging and fun wish I could be there

[@Eric-zs1lq]

Dessert. Now. Vancouver Island

[@ArmpitStudios]

So interesting to see this sort of thing. Important historical significance. It would be good to transfer the original film to a better medium than the poor videotape that was used before digitizing.

[@Eric-zs1lq]

Clear cut. Island. Turn it to dust. No animals can live. Rivers dryed up. For your greed.