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Description
Photo, black and white: Photo identified by Jim Thorpe and Ralph S. Sturgeon and numbered "logging 96," JIM THORPE: Jim Thorpe's donkey at "Buckhorn" Early 1920--"Dad and Jimmie Thorpe. Old "Sindy" ready for work. Duncans Mill on Russian River owned this "side spool" before Bob Bittner bought it along about 1915. Bob's mill shut down in late 1922. Then Thorpes bought this steam donkey, also the steam engine. Crank shaft broke & they replaced it with a 11 x 16 Atlas from Meeker Mill. " RALPH STURGEON: "We have the same make 11 x 16 Atlas engine in our Sturgeon's Mill, Inc. 2150 Green Hill Road, Sebastopol, California ZIP 95472, but the flywheels were or are different. I don't know what became of Thorpe sawmill machinery or Sindy the steam logging donkey. Later Jim Thorpe spoke to his Dad about this said their sawmill was purchased by a man east of Geyserville and moved up to Pine Flat area. Was set up and it operated for a time--then burned to the ground. Couple years ago Jack Robertson of Graton, California told me his dad and others run this mill a few weeks, off and on. Hired two Franceschi boys to fall timber. Didn't say how they logged it. The lumber they used to build small dwellings in Graton. Jim Thorpe was but a lad but told his sister this past Wednesday, August 1, 1979, the day following our meeting here at home with Mandy Thorpe, her one twin Jewell Thorpe Chenoweth, and Tom Chapman from Butte Ridge--southwest of Occidental. Tom arrived at 9:20, Jewell from Santa Rosa airport at 10:30 as she said she would. Phillip R. Campbell flew her in, in a two motor plane from their sawmill some north of Annapolis, Mendocino County, California. Tom took notes, Jewell ran tape, I interviewed Mandy. Stopped at noon. Jewel had bought lunch at Treverso's Market in Santa Rosa. Continued after 1 o'clock until after 3:00. Tom went home, Jewel took her mother to Coddingtown, then to airport at 5 o'clock flight home. A most enjoyable interview visit--what a story. Anyway getting back to Jimmy Thorpe--he said they loaded this donkey at Bittner's mill on to solid tire Fageol truck of his Dad's and hauled it to Buckhorn Ranch (old stage stop). Truck reared up on steep pepper wood pitch east of Sugar Loaf, two had to sit on front fender!"
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