Down by the River

An old photograph reveals a lost way of life

Creek or river landing, New Bern vicinity, c.1890.

by John B. Green III

The collections of the Kellenberger Room include several albums of mounted photographs of New Bern and vicinity.  This photo, although unidentified, is from a small album containing other photos easily identified as New Bern.  The scene is of a creek or river landing with people engaged in what was once a familiar activity all over eastern North Carolina - hauling logs to water deep enough to float them downstream to waiting sawmills.  Trees were felled and cut in lengths by axes and two-man crosscut saws.  A two-wheeled vehicle known as a log cart was then rolled into place over a log. The log was attached to the underside of the cart by grapples or log-tongs and one end of the log was raised by a winch-like device, allowing it to be dragged or "skidded" along the ground.

The photo above features a log cart hitched to a brace of oxen.  The cart has two wheels approximately eight feet in diameter, with a lever-operated winch above the axle for lifting the log.   Once delivered to the landing, the log was rolled into the water and connected with other logs to form a raft.  Flattened iron spikes with rings called chain dogs were driven into the logs.  Chains were then passed through the rings to secure the logs to each other.  A tug or small river steamer then towed the completed raft downstream to the sawmill. 

Chain dogs, found along the Neuse River waterfront, New Bern
Author's collection

The importance of the timber and lumber industry to New Bern's economy during the second half of the 19th Century and well into the 20th Century is evidenced by the number of mill-related paper items found in the manuscript collections of the Kellenberger Room.  What follows is a selection of business and advertising items related to the dozens of lumber mills that once existed here.

Trade card, Tuscarora Mills, New Bern, NC, c. 1870-1880

Selection of lumber mill billheads, New Bern, NC, 1869-1908

Advertising ink blotter, Neuse Lumber Company, New Bern, NC, ca. 1910

"The day was a perfect one" - the launch of the Charles G. Blades

Treasures from the Kellenberger Room

Featuring books, pamphlets, photographs, documents, and the occasional object from the collections of the New Bern-Craven County Public Library

by John B. Green III

New Bern's maritime history is long and extensive.  Anytime we can acquire a photograph or document illustrating some portion of this history we tend to jump at the chance.  Two years ago we secured a photograph album of views of New Bern taken by an unknown photographer about 1901.  Two of photos in the album are believed to show the launching of the lumber barge Charles G. Blades, an event which drew hundreds of people to the Neuse River waterfront on January 16, 1901.  A detailed account of the launching of what was said to be the largest vessel ever built in the state appeared in the New Bern Daily Journal the following day.

The Blades was constructed for the Blades Lumber Company at its mill located between Johnson and King streets, just north of the Neuse River bridge.  Named for company vice-president Charles G. Blades, the vessel measured 175 feet long with a beam of 28 feet 8 inches, depth of hold of 12 feet 6 inches, draft of three feet, and was capable of carrying 500,000 board-feet of lumber.  On the day of the launching scores of people clambered aboard for the brief trip down the ways and hundreds more crowded the nearby bridge and adjacent shore and wharves.  Ivy Blades, daughter of W.B. Blades, company president, broke a bottle of water across the bow while christening the vessel the Charles G. Blades.  The lumber barge began its slide into the river to the cheers of the crowd and a salute from the U.S. Revenue Cutter Boutwell.  The momentum of the launch carried the Blades nearly half way across the river before the ship was taken in tow by a tug and returned to the dock.

Citizens gathered on board the vessel before the launch.
The Neuse River bridge can be seen to the right.