. Annual report of the Forest, Fish and Game Commission of the State of New York . dustrial progressand development of the first settler was the first lum-berman ; and his work began whenhe felled the trees preparatory tomaking the clearing in the forestwhere he could build his log cabinand raise his food. Although the use of the axealone would hardly constitute lum-bering operations, as the words areunderstood to-day, still it was notmany years until a sawmill madeits appearance in each settlement,whereupon the lumber industry inall its principal details was theninaugurated. The fir
. Annual report of the Forest, Fish and Game Commission of the State of New York . dustrial progressand development of the first settler was the first lum-berman ; and his work began whenhe felled the trees preparatory tomaking the clearing in the forestwhere he could build his log cabinand raise his food. Although the use of the axealone would hardly constitute lum-bering operations, as the words areunderstood to-day, still it was notmany years until a sawmill madeits appearance in each settlement,whereupon the lumber industry inall its principal details was theninaugurated. The first colonists, owing to their limited resources and the undeveloped condi-tion of mechanical art, went without sawmills longer than the later settlers. Theyobtained lumber for their houses, barns and fences by the use of the axe, supple-mented at times by saws, large and small, worked by hand power. In the latersettlements, however, which in the beginning of the last century included three-fourths of the State, a sawmill was built in each locality within ten to fifteen years 237. 238 REPORT OF THE after the first family moved in. In many instances the sawmill preceded thegristmill; and in a few places the erection of the mill antedates the advent ofthe first settlers. The phrase lumbering operations, through long usage, is now understood asincluding all the work of the lumbermen from the felling of the trees to the sawingof the logs. So, any history of this industry should commence properly with theerection of the first sawmills. Prior to that time trees were cut down by thesettlers in clearing land and constructing their cabins. From the logs thus obtainedboards and shingles were rived out by hand, an axe and a wedge being the onlytools necessary to the work. The shingles were for the roof; the boards for thefloor, partitions and household furniture. This work was generally confined to thelabor of one man, and to the needs of his one house and little farm. But withthe erection
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