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James Madison University Libraries Special Collections
820 Madison DriveMSC 1706
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
Telephone: (540) 568-3612
library-special@jmu.edu
URL: https://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/
Julia Merkel
Administrative Information
Use Restrictions
The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collection Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).
Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.
Other Formats Available
All photographs have been digitized and are available online via JSTOR .
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], [box #, folder #], West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company Logging Photographs, 1927-1931, SC 0130, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA. 22807
Acquisition Information
Purchased from Green Valley Auctions, Inc. in March 2000.
Processing Information
In order to streamline the process of applying collection numbers, Special Collections staff completed a large-scale renumbering campaign in the spring of 2017. This collection was previously cataloged as SC 3037.
Administrative History
The West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company was incorporated in 1898 by William Luke and sons. Through the twentieth century it grew into a multinational wood products corporation and changed its name to Westvaco. At the end of the twentieth century it became MeadWestvaco.
Scope and Content
Of the 36 black-and-white photographs in this collection, 25 carry identification on the back that specifies locations in North Carolina (Moravian Falls, Crutchfield, Sanford) and Virginia (Newcastle, Fort Union, Naruna, Rhoadesville, Gordonsville, Burkeville), dates the photos from 1927 to 1931, and explains the techniques of cutting, peeling, and axing out knots of poplar and pine trees for pulpwood that are demonstrated in the photos. In a few cases the comments on the back criticize poor practices, indicating that the photos may have been intended for training purposes. "West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company, Tyrone, PA" is stamped on some photos; on the return address of the envelope in which the photos were housed, however, "Tyrone" has been crossed out and "Covington, VA" written in. Nine photos show African American workers; two show very young workers.
Arrangement
The photographs are housed in one folder.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Agriculture and state -- North Carolina -- History -- 20th century
- Agriculture and state -- Virginia -- History -- 20th century
- Agriculture and state -- West Virginia -- History -- 20th century
- Bark peeling -- North Carolina
- Bark peeling -- Virginia
- Bark peeling -- West Virginia
- Forest products industry -- North Carolina -- 20th century
- Forest products industry -- Virginia -- 20th century
- Forest products industry -- West Virginia -- 20th century
- Forests and forestry -- North Carolina -- History -- 20th century
- Forests and forestry -- Virginia -- History -- 20th century
- Forests and forestry -- West Virginia -- History -- 20th century
- Green Valley Auctions, Inc.
- Logging -- North Carolina
- Logging -- Virginia
- Logging -- West Virginia
- Lumbering -- North Carolina
- Lumbering -- Virginia
- Lumbering -- West Virginia
- MeadWestvaco (Firm) -- History
- Photographs
Container List
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Three men at a sawmill, two of whom are using cant hooks to move a logcirca 1927-1931
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Shenandoah Valley Railroad train cars at a depotcirca 1927-1931
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Four men work to saw a logcirca 1927-1931
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Two men standing with five stacks of logscirca 1927-1931
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Two men preparing to cut down a treecirca 1927-1931
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Two men using hand tools to peel barkcirca 1927-1931
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Man standing next to stack of pulpwood logs standing on their endscirca 1927-1931Scope and Contents
Text on photo (typed): Pulpwood left lying on the ground will take up water, and become mouldy and dirty. It pays to stick wood up on end, or rick it up loosely as soon as it has been peeled. It is then in shape to dry out well so that large loads may be hauled. Freight charges on wet, soggy, or green wood are high. To pay freight on useless water involves a loss for someone to sustain. West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co., Wood Dept., Tyrone, Pa.
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Two men stand in front of pulpwood logs in a criss-cross stackcirca 1927-1931Scope and Contents
Text on photo (typed): May pulpwood cutters throw the trees criss-cross to keep them up off the ground. Each tree is peeled thoroughly as soon as felled, and left in full tree lengths until the wood is dry. Then it is sawed up and hauled to the railroad. The wood is handled the least number of times, drys quickly, and is always off the ground. West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co., Wood Dept., Tyrone, Pa.
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Man standing next to a low-cut stumpcirca 1927-1931Scope and Contents
Text on photo (typed): Cutting stumps low saves timber in the biggest part of the tree. Then again, cutting a low stump will often allow you to make an extra stick at the top of the tree. Low stumps make it east to get wagons or trucks thru the woods or cuttings. West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co., Wood Dept., Tyrone Pa.
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One man and one boy demonstrate cutting low stumpscirca 1927-1931Scope and Contents
Text on photo (typed): Cutting stumps low saves timber in the biggest part of the tree. Then again, cutting a low stump will often allow you to make an extra stick at the top of the tree. Low stumps make it easy to get wagons or trucks thru the woods or cuttings. West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co., Wood Dept., Tyrone, Pa.
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Two men sawing a log with one man in the backgroundcirca 1927-1931
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Man peeling bark from a logcirca 1927-1931Scope and Contents
Text on photo (typed): Both the outer bark and inner skin may be taken off slick and clean during the peeling season. Note the large pieces of bark that have been readily removed. (next sentence crossed out) The trees have been felled "criss-cross" up off the ground, for convenience in peeling, as well as to hasten seasoning of the wood. West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co., Wood Dept., Tyrone, Pa. (handwritten) Why work all stooped over? It is usually possible to cross trees well off the ground.
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Man standing in criss-cross stack of logs while holding ax with another man in the backgroundcirca 1927-1931Scope and Contents
Text on photo (typed): They say, "Well trimmed is half peeled." It is true that much of the discouragement in peeling comes from tools striking knots or limbs that should have been chopped off close to the body of the tree. In fact, the trimmer should strike in with his axe just below the junction of limb and tree, leaving no projecting snags to catch the peeling tool. West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co., Wood Dept., Tyrone, Pa.
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Man standing by a log and holding a bark peeling toolcirca 1927-1931
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Man removing bark around a knot with an axcirca 1927-1931Scope and Contents
Text on photo (typed): Whether bark is on a smooth surface, or encased around a knot, it makes dirt in the paper if allowed to remain on pulpwood. It pays to put the wood in first-class shape as the trees are cut, rather than later on, when the knots are dried hard and the bark tight. West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co., Wood Dept., Tyrone, Pa.
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Two men using tools to peel bark from a logcirca 1927-1931Scope and Contents
Text on photo (typed): Both the outer bark and inner skin may be taken off slick and clean during the peeling season. Note the large pieces of bark that have been readily removed. The trees have been felled "criss-cross" up off the ground, for convenience in peeling, as well as to hasten seasoning of the wood. West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co., Wood Dept., Tyrone, Pa.
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Stacked logs with man and horse in background1927 July 11Scope and Contents
Text on photo (handwritten): Max Fleischer job. Gordonsville, Va. 11 July '27.
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Man standing beside a stack of stripped pine logs1931 June 8Scope and Contents
Text on photo (handwritten): One of Wm Allen's men with "stripped pine" near Burkeville, Va., 8 June '31.
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Man standing near several stacks of logs1928 September 10Scope and Contents
Text on photo (handwritten): Near Rhoadesville, Va. 10 Sept. '28. Small trees left for cuttings later.
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Man standing near several stacks of logs1928 September 10Scope and Contents
Text on photo (handwritten): Near Rhoadesville, Va. 10 Sept. '28. Small trees left for cuttings later.
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Three men in suits and hats standing outsidecirca 1927-1931
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Man standing near several stacks of logs1928 September 10Scope and Contents
Text on photo (handwritten): On W. C. Newman [illegible] job, near Rhoadesville, Va. 10 Sep. '28. Small trees left for cutting later.
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Hat placed on top of a high-cut stump1928 March 20Scope and Contents
Text on photo (handwritten): Stump peeled and then cut high enough to interfere with hauling. J. H. Clarke's place near Naruna, Va. 20 March, 1928.
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Two men standing among felled and peeled logs1931 June 10Scope and Contents
Text on photo (handwritten): Peterson & Black Fork Union, Va. 10 June '31.
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Four men standing among felled and peeled logscirca 1927-1931Scope and Contents
Text on photo (typed): Pulpwood left lying on the ground will take up water, and become mouldy and dirty. It pays to stick wood up on end, or rick it up loosely as soon as it has been peeled. It is then in shape to dry out well so that large loads may be hauled. Freight charges on wet, soggy, or green wood are high. To pay freight on useless water involves a loss for someone to sustain. West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co., Wood Dept., Tyrone, Pa.
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Two men standing among felled and peeled logscirca 1927-1931Scope and Contents
Text on photo (typed): Many pulpwood cutters throw the trees criss-cross to keep them up off the ground. Each tree is peeled thoroughly as soon as felled, and left in full tree lengths until the wood is dry. Then it is sawed up and hauled to the railroad. The wood is handled the least number of times, drys quickly, and is always off the ground. West Virginia Pulp & Paper, Co., Wood Dept., Tyrone, Pa.
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Man splitting a logcirca 1927-1931
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Man splitting a logcirca 1927-1931Scope and Contents
Text on photo (typed): Sticks that must be split will yield most readily to an outfit made up of a ten-pound splitting hammer and three or four iron wedges. If there is much splitting to be done, about $3 invested in the right sort of tools should be well worth while. West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co. Wood Dept., Tyrone, Pa.
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Man using tool to peel bark from felled treecirca 1927-1931
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Man sitting on pile of felled and peeled logscirca 1927-1931Scope and Contents
Text on photo (typed): A good way to peel large poplar is to saw the trees in 5 foot blocks. Then split the bark along one side, stepping on the edge of the bark and tramping it off as the block is rolled down hill. With smaller trees, an ax is used to ring the bark every 5 to 8 feet. Then it is pried off in sections with the ax. West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co., Wood Dept., Tyrone, Pa.
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Man using tool to peel bark from felled treecirca 1927-1931Scope and Contents
Text on photo (typed): A good way to peel poplar is to saw the trees in 5 foot blocks. Then split the bark along one side, stepping on the edge of the bark and tramping it off as the block is rolled down hill. With smaller trees, an ax is used to ring the bark every 5 to 8 feet. Then it is pried off in sections with the ax. West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co., Wood Dept., Tyrone, Pa.
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Man using ax to peel bark from felled tree1931 June 1Scope and Contents
Text on photo (handwritten): A. L. Duncan Newcastle, Va. June 1, 1931.
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Man standing among piles of stacked logs1927 July 19Scope and Contents
Text on photo (handwritten): R. E. Farmer pine Crutchfield, N. C. 19 July '27.
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Field near Moravian Falls, North Carolina1927 April 22Scope and Contents
Text on photo (handwritten): Near Moravian Falls, N. C. 22 Apr. '27.
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Man cutting log with an ax1929 April 26Scope and Contents
Text on photo (handwritten): J. W. Gilliam job near Sanford, N. C. 26 Apr. '29.
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Man using ax to peel bark from felled tree1931 June 1Scope and Contents
Text on photo (handwritten): A. L. Duncan Newcastle, Va. June 1, 1931.