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Description
Photo--black and white: Photo, Black and white: Ralph S. Sturgeon, left-owner and operator and Wilbur Henningsen, holding the axe at Sturgeon Sawmill. This snap shot taken with box camera Wednesday, September 5, 1945. Wilbur was James Ejnar Henningsen's brother who was Sturgeon's partner. Caption taken from handwritten information on verso of photo by Ralph Sturgeon. "Wilbur was a good woodsman--that I found out in but a few days and he had done little of it. He came off a rigging job in Mare Island as a Boss about the time World War 2 was over. We first logged in Joy Woods in area & canyons sort of northwest of school the season before. Will & I used Dolbeer-Carson donkey--powered with a Steven--Dureau gasoline engine that Ed LaFont hooked up for us in the place of steam. This donkey came from Gualala back in late 1920's (or mid 1920's that is, 1926 I believe). Anyway after a few weeks A. J. Blaney, through the help of E. Fritz--University of California Prof (about end of W. War #2) was able to buy through Priority granted, his first crawler tractor--a war green T-D-14. Fron here on we got down to logging. A. J. & I fell most of the timber that year on Joy's. Denisio (sp?) Donati & John Donati fell a few to start where Will & I logged with donkey. Ejnar (Jim) Henningsen spent a few days bucking, but late run Sturgeon's Mill yard when we logged. Now this photo or snap-shot taken on our next move over on Ed Smith's Coleman Valley. We cut a strip of fir & redwood right up along Coleman's north line, or Smith's south line. Cut redwood fir some months before in winter did Steve Panoli & I (Indian from Stewarts Point.) His nephew peeled. After falling redwood for a day or two I'd leave until Steve got it bucked. I filed. In this picture is the fir I fell. I was head chopper & filed. Those that helped were Kenneth Sullivan (17 yrs old) Dad a doy or so, maybe more & Wilbur Henningsen. Andrew Jackson Blaney logged tractors & 1 loader (loader used from Point Reyes. 1--T-D-14 mid 1940-s or 1944, No canopy or winch 1--T-D-18 1950, fully equipped for logging 1--(7) 17-A Cat 1--(7) 48-7-E (1965 or about) Cat 1--(6) Cat One 175 Michigan loader After Ed Smith's, Steve Panoli & nephew, Elmer Panoli fell, bucked and peeled redwood timber (Steve Meeker tract) south of Occidental probably ½ to ¾ mil south, but not down road to Freestone but off Bittner Road, turning left out of town S.W. at end of Long bridge. "
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