Choker Setters at Work, Deep in the Woods - c. 1898
Chokers are lengths of cable with a sliding bell that are wrapped around logs in the woods, to allow them to be pulled out to the yard. In the era of this photo, power was provided by a steam donkey.
In this view, for some reason an actual choker is not visible - just the main cable to the steam donkey with its hook buried in the bark of the log. Perhaps the loggers are in the process of untangling their log pile. Or perhaps they are just creating an interesting pose for the photographer.
Choker setting was the standard entry-level job for loggers at the time this photo was taken over 100 years ago, and is still the entry-level job today. It requires a lot running, good balance, and tends towards the dangerous. Loggers are identified as John Neilson, Erick Erickson, Mort Anderson, Otto Olsen, sitting on log.
-- This photo is restored and printed by Old Oregon.
Photographer | John F. Ford |
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Location | Washington State |
Subject | Logging |
Decade | 1890s |
Print Maker | Old Oregon |
Original Type | Larger Print |
Size of Original | 6.1 x 8.0 inches |