Bull Whackers to Whistle Punks Logging in the Old West by Nelson, Sharlene; Nelson, Ted - 1996

New York: Franklin Watts. New. 1996. First Edition. Hardcover. This is the story of loggers who worked in the forests of the West from the 1850s until the early 1900s. They brought logs to sawmills with oxen goaded by the bull whacker's stick and later with powerful steam engines that roared into action at the whistle punk's signal. This story begins in 1848 when James Marshall found gold while building a sawmill in the foothills of California's Sierra Nevada mountains. His discovery led to the California gold rush, with thousands of people heading west to seek their fortunes in the shiny metal. Others also headed west; those who knew that lumber and buildings would be needed to house all those fortune seekers. They arrived to find only a few sawmills, but huge forests of evergreen trees, which were perfect for making lumber. These tough men are chronicled in this book, including the unique language they created. 64 pages with glossary, further reading section, and index. Illustrated with vintage photographs and maps. 7 1/4" x 8 3/4" high .