Audio
Oral History Interview with Vaughn Singletary
Transcript
Abstract: Vaughn Singletary was born in Perry, Florida and moved to Immokalee, Florida when he was about 12 years old in 1945. The Singletary family moved when Vaughn’s father took a job with Lee Tidewater company in the lumber industry. Eventually, Singletary began working with his father at Lee Tidewater. In this oral history interview he talks about working in the lumber industry, the process of laying the railroad, the dangers of the job, and his family.
CESAR BECERRA: Ok, Vaughn a tell us a little about the years before a you came to the Big Cypress and a how you came to work in the logging industry.
VAUGHN SINGLETARY: We came from uh, originally from north Florida around Perry they logged up there.
BECERRA: Yea.
SINGLETARY: My dad was in the logging up there. And I was about 12 or 13 when we come uh. We moved from there to Fort Pierce we stayed over there from about 1939 to about ‘41. Then we moved to Tampa and my daddy worked in the shipyard there for awhile then when they started this logging down here they wanted him to come down here it was during the war you know and they needed
BECERRA: Yea, yea.
SINGLETARY: Lumber and everything and they wanted to I mean I think in them days it was pretty easy to get a job you know they could take you from one job to another one.
BECERRA: Um.
SINGLETARY: And uh so we [inaudible] I think it was ‘45
BECERRA: ‘45
SINGLETARY: that summer of 45.
BECERRA: Um.
SINGLETARY: He stayed there to log for them and I think they been logging then about maybe a year when we got there if that long, they weren't very far in the swamp I know that.
BECERRA: So your father also worked uh with along side ya there out there?
SINGLETARY: Yea, he worked there before I did, I was going to school then, and then when I got old enough I went out and worked for I worked for my dad I think about six months then I went worked scaling wildcat. Began moving in some bulldozers, catapilars putting you know winches in the back. And they would pull em in and leave em you know somebody had to scale them, they got paid for how many full feet was in the log you know. It was a lot easier job than what I had the one I had was pulling cables.
BECERRA: Right.
SINGLETARY: And uh running hooking logs when they brang them in, they were kinda dangerous cause they what they had you know like overhead they didn't drag them on the ground them overhead skidders they came flying through the air tearing down everything it's hard to see I tell you.
BECERRA: Wow!
SINGLETARY: Them logs when they get em piled up, it would be piled 50 or 60 foot in the air. And it gets so high that you couldn't climb down cause you'd be give out and they'd be waiting on you to get back up there so you just about have to sit on that pile of logs. And sometimes them logs were rolling.
BECERRA: And the pile would fall?
SINGLETARY: Fall down yes. I was up there one time when it done that and I just caught a hold of everything that [inaudible] with pulled the line back and then they hooked and come in with a big ol pretty good size bailer run on big ol cables up in the air. And that thing flies to.
BECERRA: From what I heard um were the cables uh put up to some of the trees
SINGLETARY: Yea.
BECERRA: and then they were uh the top part and then the bottom part dragged over to the?
SINGLETARY: What they, what they would do they called potato trees when they go through there sawing logs they'd save them these trees,
BECERRA: Right they wouldn't touch them.
SINGLETARY: No they they knowed enough enough to mark 70 or 800 feet or I think 80 or 1600 feet at one time to the other and they would leave these trees where they could pull from here from there this way see they got to guy them trees off they have to guy them trees back together and put a block in that tree and guy that thing off to every stump and mangrove it he would put it in there. They broke that thing down then they had to drag them on the ground.
BECERRA: So they even had to stabilize the tree that they would put the uh the cables on.
SINGLETARY: Right.
BECERRA: Cause sometimes that, the skidder would actually pull over the tree.
SINGLETARY: Yea, cause see the tree in the back would be right there and they'd climb up oh I guess 20 or 30 foot they'd put that box, you know the cable ran through, and worked out two trees at the one down that they had right there.
BECERRA: Right.
SINGLETARY: And say you were uh pulling this one here what you would do is run is run around this thing see and fast it'd come up they be bringing the logs in then when we went back see it bring through back to that other. There would be oh I don't remember exactly now how far apart it was probably whatever they could pull 100 foot or more but they'd have to climb that tree with spurs get up there and really tacked that thing there and take that cable and really tieing that thing down cause there fire coming out of there. So when they started back logging down that trail they would uh start right there at the train pulling them and they were loading it up more and more but when they they were where they had a set of tongs on there and a scissor and they take them tongs and they big ol tongs and the water was waist deep in them days [Laughter] see I seen it all, you bury them tongs they ran out there to that swing out way out there throw it on a log and you'd pull it up there see, come back to that process it's up in the air you see. They had flagmen down there flagging to knock out they had a certain period say that water, I mean that tong in that a hook would fall the [inaudible] would get the hook and he'd be hooking in the log. He'd run over there and the other one taking the tongs and he'd pull say two or three up there as many as he could get and then sometimes they set that hook just like three logs.
BECERRA: Really?
SINGLETARY: You put the tongs on when they come out of there with four logs I mean we talking logs like that.
BECERRA: So they would go around three, clip into one and then they would all hold together and take it out?
SINGLETARY: They'd bunch them up with the tongs and then hook them. And then the tongs would take one to. And and you got to take off daddy cause you couldn't be around there when they tightened up on them on and so they suck it up everybody 50 foot the ground take it like I said terrible to log sometime would be headed. Didn't matter how big the tree was in the way when they hit somebody it'd knock em down they coming out of there I mean they be flying out of there when them logs. They bring with that when it was safe when [inaudible] knock the tongs out. And he was gone just [inaudible] given the high boss course he knew he watching you. He gave you time to get out the way.
BECERRA: Wow. Yea, how, how how big were the average size, just the medium average size logs that they were pulling out? And you said they pulled three or four out at a time, how big and?
SINGLETARY: I guess uh average uh probably on the little end they'd run anywhere from two to three foot on the small end you know, about like that.
BECERRA: Right.
SINGLETARY: Then they you know cypress they would be like that. I seen them pull one one time was 16 foot around.
BECERRA: Wow, wow!
SINGLETARY: But they wasn't ya know a whole lot of them they once found on the west main line was a pond in there I guess it had a lot of water about where they was in big logs in there enough for like a section there for some reason there was a great ol big one I mean they laid down there at the end would be it back up. [Whistle] And when it got that big they just pulled it in ya know just the smaller the log the more they could train.
BECERRA: Right, Right. Um, how many years did you work?
SINGLETARY: I worked for them I didn't work as long as uh my dad. Now he worked there the whole time until they shut down then he stayed there and maintenance work for them you know keeping up the camp and stuff like that matter of fact he started that before they ever shut down because see that old they didn't have enough logs got scattered but that [inaudible] skidder [inaudible] you had to have a [inaudible] you know to operate that thing. It was a thing.
BECERRA: It was quick so you needed a lot of—
SINGLETARY: They would come in you got you better have a log or you just worked yourself to death. I remember one day I went out there worked the first day I went to work with them we put eight trails they call it and I told daddy I ain't gonna do this. My hand was skint and I had gloves and pulling that cable they call it the Baby Line and they about four of us pulled it that's all you done all day. You started that skidder and you pulled it 800 foot that day. So what they do then they take that little line ran it through that block right there [inaudible] then they'd circle that big line back up to the skidder. Then they tie that little line on I think they called it the baby line cause I heard it was about like that.
BECERRA: The baby line was just to pull the big line through.
SINGLETARY: Yea, it was about the size of your little finger about like that. And that's what you had to do you had in other words they would be logging this trail you'd be over on this next one pulling the baby line back cause when they say knock out it's all over then they'd run you had to climb that tree and bring that thing all the way back around pull that big line back through that [inaudible] into the other one see.
BECERRA: Wow.
SINGLETARY: And then it's time to get back and go again so before you could get through hardly get that thing back where they done cleaned that trail out they'd be pulled probably 200 or 300 logs up of there.
BECERRA: A day?
SINGLETARY: Oh yea, they'd they'd bring 16 of them skeleton cars out there and that was an average day I mean kind of an average I guess about 16 of them they'd pile them up [inaudible].
BECERRA: How many logs per car?
SINGLETARY: I don't know exactly that but they took 40 cars [inaudible] they call em [inaudible].
BECERRA: Yea I've seen—
SINGLETARY: Like 40 come out of there a week when they first started when it was close a lot of logs they were getting two a week that was 80. But then they got further and further out and you know it took longer to go and time but they always I don't think ever done better than 40 cars a week. That's a lot of logs. [Whistle]
BECERRA: For about how many years would you say?
SINGLETARY: Say.
BECERRA: Since the begging of,
SINGLETARY: We started there about ‘44 and they wound up there about ‘67 or some where along in there.
BECERRA: Now this is, we're talking about Lee Tidewater right?
SINGLETARY: Right. So that was it now they fired him around there you know up here at Corkscrew you know is right over here.
BECERRA: Yes.
SINGLETARY: My daughter's got some property back over here in that old train runs right in her back yard.
BECERRA: Yes yes. Interesting yea. I followed their route and that is the end really of my report and the protection of the logs in the end unfortunately the destruction of the employment for many people so it was a [inaudible] a case you know.
SINGLETARY: The people could worked there they stayed there I mean they done it all they life and they knowed what they was doing and they take drag line in there and throw it in them trams they had to stay ahead then they had a girdling crew coming in and kill the cypress. About 6 or 7 months ahead.
BECERRA: Now those had to dry out?
SINGLETARY: Yea they had to lighten there load cause they loaded with water. You know [inaudible] make a girdle I'd have to climb the tree and go into the heart.
BECERRA: Dry it out?
SINGLETARY: They had to be about 6 or 7 months ahead of em so when they when they got to the end of the tram they still had to walk get off and had a little ol [inaudible] a bell like that. And they were sharp and they'd walk off in oh I guess 3 sometimes 4 miles they'd burn em you know where they was logging. And then they [inaudible] I'd say would [inaudible] in more tram and they'd lay in more rails.
BECERRA: Did you cycle all year round. Different people doing different things and that's why I wanted to ask you how many different positions did you you know do throughout?
SINGLETARY: Well that's all that I ever done all I ever done was that…
BECERRA: Track the baby line.
SINGLETARY: Yea I tracked the baby line up and cut and cut the logs for I guess about 6 months then I went to scaling like they call it scaling I find out how many board foots in em. With the caterpillar the cat the cat you know but some where up right up in there things get a little scattered they'd do better with the caterpillar then they could with [inaudible].
BECERRA: Right, right.
SINGLETARY: Now I think [inaudible] go in there they didn't have enough skidders cause see it's mostly the caterpillar.
BECERRA: Yea.
SINGLETARY: That's when we cutting down the main line swamp in there uh round 50 something like that 1950 or 49 or 50 they was they was using all skidders. But then like I say you know they would get right in cypress heads here and cypress heads over there and mostly went to caterpillar then the rest was in [inaudible] by safety it was strictly steady you know. That's the reason I went for them you know mostly for a little easer job you know all I had to do was sit there and made their money [inaudible].
BECERRA: Right, right, now that's an interesting, how, I mean I guess it's something that after a while you become experienced. How could you tell a tree how many board feet just by looking at it, some people were experts at that.
SINGLETARY: Yea, my dad could.
BECERRA: Really. Was it just something just experience could—
SINGLETARY: Yea, cause he'd scale logs to and he was you know like say it was a 32 x 34 foot, you know 32 inches by 34 foot long or 36 foot long he done it so long he would know they would say how could he do it. But at the time he had a kinda of a stick with a thing on the bottom you hook it and bring it up there an measure you know and say 34 or 36 and whatever it was and then uh usually when they sawed em down they was knocking them in along the rail. You didn't have to measure that I'd checked them ever now and them to be sure you know generally got the record. Uh, maybe 10 foot pole or something you had there you know, daddy measure right when you'd go down do that. But my dad now he really he went there and logged with them he'd run uh course he run them diesels skidders too but uh after he got there they rigged up that steam. I believe he was the only that knowed how to run it now I might be wrong.
BECERRA: Really.
SINGLETARY: Cause uh he he done it when he was a boy up in north Florida they'd get pine and timber and stuff.
BECERRA: Stuff, Harry the Harry [inaudible] is still today—
SINGLETARY: He come out of he come out of Georgia my Grandpa and he had this say big boy [inaudible] then he had six boys. And daddy was just 12 years old then. And they worked in the log with him and when on to where they used to ride horses back in them days cause they cause it called it baby line off, you know like in the Pine Island there you know then after the was the first World War they got all them big ol horses and they had harnesses on all on there and the they hooked that cable you had to ride wide open to say he could ride back there with that line then they'd take that line hook it on a log and it was just one log at a time when they coming back.
BECERRA: Back and forth.
SINGLETARY: Came by you, come by [inaudible] they had to ride two horses you'd have to beat him back up there then the other horse is dragging back there they got a little rest in between ya.
BECERRA: But it sure beats taking it out by hand
SINGLETARY: by hand yea, take all day
BECERRA: and waist deep in the swamp.
SINGLETARY: Sometime those cables get hung and knock the horses and rider and all down there on the ground. [Inaudible] reckon how they ever do that. But out there like I said it was a strictly overhead they had one one draft horse like I said knock skidder off the ground. My Dad run that when they first came down his contract was that and like I said they got that same skidder and everything and they wanted him to run it to. He run it I guess about 5 or 6 years.
BECERRA: Uh, Vaughn take this through and you have already some of the steps, uh but just basically not even in detail all the whole process of what happened at Lee Cypress. First of all one of my interests one of my interest is, who actually when out and and said this strand and this is the way were going through it, were there people just for that?
SINGLETARY: You had, you had to have what they called a timber crew, that was his job.
BECERRA: Ok.
SINGLETARY: He'd go and stay out there for a week at a time camping and going.
BECERRA: And, and, and cuing out a route.
SINGLETARY: He'd take the compass and prison hire that's all he had.
BECERRA: Hua.
SINGLETARY: And he'd go and he'd cut him a trail down through there and what he would do is count the trees you know as he was going. And uh like he'd go in there oh 5 miles and then he'd probably go and come back out over here another 5 miles back and he'd count all of them and then he'd might go down in there you know and I'm sure they explained [inaudible] you know
BECERRA: Just to just to look down.
SINGLETARY: and look down to see what was the best rout to go.
BECERRA: Yea, well I found out in one of the uh things I'm working with is 1940 aerial views that were available I was surprised that they did photograph extensively in 1940 and I'm sure the loggers logging companies used those.
SINGLETARY: Yea, they uh they would probably they could tell by the tree tops you know. I think it was in all. But you know [inaudible] is that guy they had about 1912 or ‘17 along in there something a couple of times bad fire and they said they would probably logged another 20 years longer if fire hadn't burnt up in here.
BECERRA: Yea.
SINGLETARY: You had to run a down log what they call a down log you know they don't hurt cypress really in that water.
BECERRA: Right—
SINGLETARY: It's like having a pure red [inaudible]. They sawed lots and lots of that.
BECERRA: Vaughn you might be interested I found in an old news clipping they used to use cypress as plumbing they used to bore out the middle on these hugh water plants in the 1850's and they would actually pump water through there the wood was so strong and so durable. I was fascinating um and the wood was back then very valuable.
SINGLETARY: I know they made a lot of uh coke crates out of that cypress
BECERRA: Right that's one of them.
SINGLETARY: and uh and uh what them casket out of there.
BECERRA: Yea, pickle barrels and stadium seats, right.
SINGLETARY: Now see cypress will shrink so what they had to do they'd cut it today and it be 5 years later before they could paint it. They'd go up there I think prepared it in every state for 20 miles would be like that [inaudible] it'd be a couple of mile down here that guy in his house you know that site right there.
BECERRA: Yea, I've seen the shop.
SINGLETARY: And they would cut it say they wanted a 2 inch out of it they would probably cut it a 4 inch.
BECERRA: Wow.
SINGLETARY: And let it dry,
BECERRA: It would shrink.
SINGLETARY: yea then when they knowed exactly how long it'd been out there and after it shrunk up then they run them things over it and [inaudible] pour in. If you built your house out green cypress gathered them up like that you [inaudible].
BECERRA: Raw cypress, you'd be looking out your house. That's amazing. Uh so the first step was the what you call the timber uh cruiser.
SINGLETARY: Timber cruiser was first then here come the drag line.
BECERRA: Then the drag line.
SINGLETARY: Filling up the drag, here and here comes the steel gang we call it laying steel.
BECERRA: Put in the rails I mean the ties and the rails,
SINGLETARY: Yea, the ties and the rails
BECERRA: only the main line, uh was the short the little line just there
SINGLETARY: Yea, they run em off.
BECERRA: To run them off to? The same gauge?
SINGLETARY: Yea.
BECERRA: Now was that considered a narrow gauge or normal?
SINGLETARY: It was it was a was normal.
BECERRA: Even the spurs, wow, I didn't I thought the—
SINGLETARY: No it wasn't a narrow gauge it was a big one. Coastline [inaudible] pick ride rail. They could could got a good track out of it. Like I say they go they lay steel and then here would come the skidder and all them putting the trains running [inaudible] they bring one load in at dinner of cars you know like he toted one skidder he'd pick it up he'd maybe get say 8 or 9 skeleton cars they call them there. He goes to the other and get it up and he cut down about 30 maybe
BECERRA: A day?
SINGLETARY: starting to get dinner he'd bring the load in at dinner that train would come all the way in. Old Number 16 [inaudible] you'd come smoking in there at dinner but what they got there that morning then that night he'd come back with another load.
BECERRA: Wow.
SINGLETARY: So uh then they had a see they had somebody was switching em you know what like one was running there and he'd get every every time he'd get a a car loaded he take it put in on one of those sides.
BECERRA: Ok, get it out of the way.
SINGLETARY: Then he'd put him another [inaudible] on there, by the time he got down there and come back there was nothing, another words he had to service the skidder.
BECERRA: Sure.
SINGLETARY: And then another one would be servicing the skidder see.
BECERRA: Right.
SINGLETARY: And then uh they had one that's all he done he just sat there and wait till they got say this skidder here would have a 8 cars and this other would have 8 and another one maybe have 8 then he'd go back into there and go down there and get them other then put them all together and there he'd go.
BECERRA: Ah, so at the end of the day he'd pull out everything he—
SINGLETARY: Yea, he'd come in there back down there soon as he unloaded that back to the woods he'd go, up and back. And uh.
BECERRA: Now from then on everything went to Perry, nothing was—
SINGLETARY: They bring them in there at Lee Cypress in there and they had another loader here big ol loader he'd load them in them gondola off these skeleton cars.
BECERRA: Ok.
SINGLETARY: And that made it steady bringing them in there cause he was steady with them. Then the..
BECERRA: So the final shipment went from skeleton cars to those hugh casket cars that I [inaudible].
SINGLETARY: They was square like this with arms out like this and the thing sticking up on the—
BECERRA: Right, so how many logs per skeleton car depending on the size?
SINGLETARY: Yea, depending on the size uh,
BECERRA: Cause I've seen
SINGLETARY: I really don't remember but they was quite a few on one of em.
BECERRA: Yea, I saw one shot with I don't know if it was in Lee Cypress but there was only three logs on one car, it was that hugh.
SINGLETARY: Yea, they had some big ones that that would be about it the real big ones but I imagine they had [inaudible] on em.
BECERRA: Alright.
SINGLETARY: I imagine they find a little more. And they bring em in at dinner then they close in that evening alright then the next morning they would bring them a load for that morning see and they just load them over there he'd be getting about out of logs by the time he'd bring em to them again.
BECERRA: Was there double shifts?
SINGLETARY: No, they they he'd work that morning till like I say he got up a morning he got a load waiting on him so they done brought it in that night.
BECERRA: Oh ok.
SINGLETARY: Alright, then he'd get up by dinner like I said he would be uh [inaudible] with what they brought in. Here it come to dinner early enough he worked on [inaudible]. I'd get him out da way cause ya had to have them cars to go back to they take them cars back. And little ol diesel engine there little ol doodle bug they called it shift everything around there as he loaded it you had to get em out of the way too you know. They get in there when they got I think it was about every friday night if I remember they got they was a train come from Perry it's from the Coastline I remember big big strong.
BECERRA: Strong Loco.
SINGLETARY: I remember about [inaudible] or something like that I mean [inaudible].
BECERRA: And that's so that the company sent a a hugh locomotive to haul out
SINGLETARY: Yep.
BECERRA: about how many cars were?
SINGLETARY: There were 40 cars.
BECERRA: Forty cars.
SINGLETARY: He'd bring uh 40 back with him they call it the big gang.
BECERRA: Ok, he'd bring back 40 empty ones.
SINGLETARY: Yea, he'd bring back 40 gondola back them there—
BECERRA: Leave them there and take 40 back.
SINGLETARY: He'd tie right on there and he'd go back.
BECERRA: So about once a week,
SINGLETARY: Once a week.
BECERRA: clock work.
SINGLETARY: I think it was on Friday, now I remember one time right in our yard he jumped the track there once. He was coming out with a load and a just about after dark he'd, I don't know what happened but he jumped the track and he had to walk on down slid that thing right on it took them about three days to get him back on that edge had to send for a really big ol crane that they've got you know, jacks and they were about to have another rail running to get him back up there.
BECERRA: So that was quite a problem but it needs to be fixed. No matter what.
SINGLETARY: Yep, and they sometimes they skidders turn over out there I've seen them laying on the sides in the ditch.
BECERRA: Yea, cause the skidders have a tall boom where the and I was going to ask you sometimes you get caught that it looks tough it looks like it could topple easy.
SINGLETARY: It was, see that they cut all that dead log they'd have to another word the they ran there more like I say setting on the track they still had the guy [inaudible] things out there and like I said that boom out there with all the [inaudible] and everything get back down where it went off. And sometimes they'd be yanking and adjusting with something and maybe it'll be ya know soft sand and stuff and the cable would break or something real quick away it'd go.
BECERRA: Wow.
SINGLETARY: They'd come out they'd be moving it and it just give way you know they'd be in uh [inaudible] they say. They usually checked it pretty good before they a they'd a moved it into a place.
BECERRA: Ah, so now who was after after they cut the route out and they knew which way they were going, who picked the tress? Was it up to the workers to pick them or they individually list—
SINGLETARY: No they have log sawyer boss.
BECERRA: Oh, there is another position just for that.
SINGLETARY: Yea, now let me go run through it and see if we could get it.
BECERRA: Ok.
SINGLETARY: Like I said timber crew was [inaudible] and drag line [inaudible] then uh before we could do they had another crew that cut right-a-way. I forgot that they had a man where the tram was going they'd have to cut a 60 foot right-a-way, they just saw down all the logs and all that alright. They was steady doing that had a crew doing that they cutting right-a-way. Then the drag line would cut and they leave trusses back it in there and they just the drag line just pick up some of them cypress logs about 4 big ol ones every truck [inaudible] of the water to run out you know. And then uh they'd go down that spur and get out all the logs out of there come back and pick up the steel and away to another one. So a the steal gang that's what they call them they always like a couple helpers and maybe one back there there was ripper I forget now how many rails a day they was laying they rip up and lay some down. They could come home after they got it set.
BECERRA: Everything was put back into the line.
SINGLETARY: I've seen them coming home at dinner, but they'd work they'd I mean you could say go ahead and lay steel they'd drop back every now and then but you'd tell them when ya'll laid say 80 rails you can come home. Pick up 80 rails and come home. They was working I'm telling you [inaudible] I mean everybody had the rhythm down they were singing and a going.
BECERRA: Wow.
SINGLETARY: And a toting some of them took some of those ol heavy rails and everything [inaudible] throwed them off of there and it's something to see.
BECERRA: Tough work. Tough work, uh the Washington Post called it the toughest logging job in America.
SINGLETARY: It was because I'm telling ya [inaudible]. When we worked coming out in yonder see [cough] now [inaudible] you better [inaudible] down. Water waist deep and everywhere you had to wade through there logging is got what you call water flows along.
BECERRA: Yea.
SINGLETARY: And ya ya could just imagine ya have your feet wet all day there wasn't no drying out. And uh slipping and a falling everything was cold when they tighten up back there you might run into a bunch of bears and here come those dang ol logs right by you you know it but you might not get running. But see they have a skidder they would have a log by them and half way down there they'd be a flagman and uh that skidder man watched him and whatever he said with his hands he'd have a little rag like so he'd say roll back into that flag you'd know just what to do. And you'd kill somebody if you didn't, you couldn't everyday just swat mosquitoes [inaudible]. [Laughter] Telling ya that's the truth.
BECERRA: Wow.
SINGLETARY: You couldn't be be moving around you'd have to take it you know now once he was balling jack coming off he'd get down there and do what he want to do but from there they had him back there working them logs and that's hard [inaudible] and uh when they got ready they hollering oh baby or something to ya and he'd flag em they'd he'd tighten up and they hollered at him again move it you know then he follow and they'd bring down darn things out of there blind. It's on that picture bringing a log in.
BECERRA: Yea, oh I'd love to see that.
SINGLETARY: You see more about what I'm talking about.
BECERRA: What was the community like when you first arrived there?
SINGLETARY: We come one time and then we left and come back we were gone about six months. Daddy come and then uh I think he met one of the superintendents and had a little trouble or something that the old man that was superintendent went on a big date or something and the assistant superintendent hired this guy that said he could get 24 cars a day. And daddy told him well you better get him cause I can't do it. I guess nobody out logged my daddy I have to say that cause he knew what he was doing. Said if I can't do it then he ain't gonna do it either, but you do ahead and get him you know. Then we went back to north Florida for about six months and then the superintendent there, Rich Tare, he got he come up there five times talked him into coming back. That guy got three cars, one a week, turned the skidder over twice, never did pull full cars. [Laughter]
BECERRA: Oh boy.
SINGLETARY: I I I don't remember my dad ever turning one over. See out there when I was out there working with him he was right there watching everything [inaudible] you know. He wouldn't take advantage.
BECERRA: Aside from the hard work it was also a challenge always.
SINGLETARY: Yea.
BECERRA: From what I'm seeing all these little bits you had to watch and it was an art form almost.
SINGLETARY: Yea, I tell ya I never did learn all that hooking that cable stuff up and I still don't know it all. Daddy knowed it man he could get down there and twist this cable and like double block it and triple block it you know he had straighten them things up and he made this other come through there. The county went down was working down there they had a grader run off the tram [inaudible]. Couldn't get that out of there and I told them about daddy. I had I imagine dad could get [inaudible] double block [inaudible]. And he [inaudible] yea I got through there he loaded everything up and drug and brought it out there took all that up he just took that little ol compressor and just burnt there on the cable is all he had to do so he just figure it out [inaudible]. Everybody said well we got to see it we don't believe it I said you better believe it daddy knew what he was doing. He unhooked like over here you know to a tree and he hooked the grader with the other one you see and then when we dug around there it just takes all the pressure of everything. And that stock truck run heaving down that tram that ol fixed up behind that [inaudible] just ripped it all up by the roots and everything brought back and everybody was fascinated they couldn't believe it. [Laugher] Told them I said I tell you couldn't even tie the cables just laid the body down on it. Sawed that thing out of there it was loaded you wouldn't believe that's all he knowed you know I mean that was his line of work cable and block and tackle and.
BECERRA: And he he enjoyed it?
SINGLETARY: Yep, he got along with the men they was all colored and like I said down there they lived on one side of us. We never had no trouble with nobody or nothing just everybody just knowed everybody I mean it was like one big family you know.
BECERRA: Work was uh was different parts of the work for different parts of people I mean colored people do certain things?
SINGLETARY: That was all that was a it was usually like dad he was usually he was the only white man [inaudible]. Cause most of the white people didn't know nothing about that kind of work and they didn't want to get you know but most all the colored they raised in that kind of work you see, they knowed what to do you know don't really care. And uh, like the skidder hand they called him up there he got make down that leaver you know he knowed he had to know what he was doing you know bring that thing in there.
BECERRA: Um, how many workers were there, how many numbers at the height of the—
SINGLETARY: I think daddy worked 18 if I remember with one skidder.
BECERRA: Yea, men under him uh...him
SINGLETARY: 13 to 18, and he was always short you see you know there was always somebody off.
BECERRA: That would be the average work crew at one stop?
SINGLETARY: Yea.
BECERRA: Now how about the whole community, how many?
SINGLETARY: Lord, let's see they I think there were 3 skidders, the train, steel gang.
BECERRA: Roughly how many people?
SINGLETARY: Oh, geez I think 200 and some.
BECERRA: About 200 to 250?
SINGLETARY: Yea, I'd have to really figure it up though, that steel gang had a crew a pretty good size crew, and they you had the people who kept up the railroad track section normally three three crew in with 6 or 7 in each crew. And then you have the train men you got foremen, engineers, and flagmen, 30 to a train. Then you got what they call pea-picking and the train would pick up the log and you got two men on them there.
BECERRA: They called it pea-picking?
[Laughter]
SINGLETARY: Yea, that's what it was called pea-picking.
BECERRA: Pea-picking.
SINGLETARY: Yea. Be working the rail pea-picking.
BECERRA: Yea. Who was uh who was the boss there. I mean who was the guy that—
SINGLETARY: When we moved here Rich Terrer. Rich Terrer, Terrer. Yea, Terrer.
BECERRA: So and and he was in charge of just everything?
SINGLETARY: Yea, he was the general superintendent.
BECERRA: Now, who was the parent company of Lee Tidewater? Was it Eric-Burton-Swartz was it?
SINGLETARY: Yea, it could have been now I don't know they uh you'd see Burton-Swartz up there and then uh I don't know if [inaudible] company there I never did you see no about that. I think there was.
BECERRA: But the company was known as Lee Tidewater?
SINGLETARY: I don't why they ever called it that [inaudible].
BECERRA: Um, how has the process go of making a grade to go out there, I mean was it just done [inaudible] or sometime was it done with corduroy type road how did they build up a grade?
SINGLETARY: They took that drag line and dig over here and get all they gonna get on both sides and pull her till you completely log [inaudible].
BECERRA: Yea.
SINGLETARY: There was a man but he [inaudible] covered up about 4 foot.
BECERRA: About 4 foot.
SINGLETARY: He had to drag it down cause there wasn't there wasn't no bulldozer or grader to level it but he'd do a pretty good job of leveling on the end. Then when the steel gang come they just throwed a drag line down they cleared it.
BECERRA: Um, you mentioned that they had put uh some cypress four cypress logs to have that, explain that to me.
SINGLETARY: They would uh like when he was building that grade he leave spot about as long from here to the fireplace. Then he just laid just laid them logs down in there you know side by side like sometimes three to a side or how big they was. And then they just bury them up there when they come to the railroad they just lay them ties right on them cross beam.
BECERRA: And what did that do?
SINGLETARY: That let the water if it start to flow right through there.
BECERRA: Now I got ya.
SINGLETARY: It really would get deep back on to there.
BECERRA: Ah, hua.
SINGLETARY: They still have that, you notice if you went down Scenic Drive where them culverts is?
BECERRA: Well I'm gonna take a look at that.
SINGLETARY: Everyone of them was a truss.
BECERRA: Oh, originally cypress.
SINGLETARY: Yea, if you go along there that it through that main road. You just look everywhere you see a pipe you say—
BECERRA: So every time every pipe you see they have removed the wood and put pipe in.
SINGLETARY: Wood out and put pipe in there I know it was a trusses so you just count em as you go by and you know just how many is in the main line there. And way up there the pond there they had what they called the east main line that went way back up in there. They logged all that out and the main line took it away.
BECERRA: Yea, yea, the line went up and then.. um—and uh was there a specific time of the year that you could work or you worked all year?
SINGLETARY: Worked year round. Didn't matter how deep.—
BECERRA: Didn't matter how deep it was.
SINGLETARY: Didn't matter how if you had to swim they'd work. You'd see in that movie?
BECERRA: I wanta see I'm dying to see that movie.
SINGLETARY: They recovered that coming out because he they just finished that trail and they were getting ready hook it and move back to where he was trying to walk the logs there I think.
BECERRA: I'm really, I so happy that that you all did that.
SINGLETARY: I had to have we got the film somewhere we had to say I didn't my oldest daughter went and had it uh
BECERRA: Yea.
SINGLETARY: put all together, whole bunch of little tapes different sizes I told her that I want to get that one off and just make just it.
BECERRA: Well, uh, Vaughn if it's alright with you we'd if you find the original tape we would do that for you you know and give you back the original and give you back a copy uh if we could have a copy we'll incur the expense you know it's important to us.
SINGLETARY: I know she two of em made and she give me one. And she kept one but we can't find ours but one of my other girls they mad at her she may have it. If it's not it's around here somewhere.
BECERRA: Well, if not—
SINGLETARY: But the original if I find the original I'll do you.
BECERRA: I wouldn't mind just having you know just getting copy of the video I'd love to copy the actual a film give you a copy of just that so that you can just have that and we can film of that.
SINGLETARY: Yea the other stuff on there you now what I say the other stuff on there is even on there about the storm or something and—
BECERRA: Yea, I wouldn't want you know mess with that.
SINGLETARY: About people going fishing and stuff.
BECERRA: And uh we want to make a really good copy if possible really nice.
SINGLETARY: Yea the film is a pretty clear in that thing. So we'll locate it I find it.
BECERRA: Ok.
SINGLETARY: So it may take me awhile, I talked to my daughter today and she's done give it to somebody that historian or something over there and they supposed to be running them a copy but I don't know who.
BECERRA: Well I'm looking forward to seeing it.
SINGLETARY: Yea, we'll get it it won't be…
BECERRA: Ok, just a couple more um, tell alright you told us a little bit about the risks, uh what are some of the problems and injuries that occurred out there?
SINGLETARY: You know for—
BECERRA; And fatalities and such.
SINGLETARY: Yea, you know that didn't have as much as you'd think for danger.
BECERRA: For the danger, yea.
SINGLETARY: I think they had leg bust arm bust and one guy got his leg cut off with a cable he that baby line he was drilling he was trying to open the head some of em believe he done it on purpose. They'll never know, I was there when it happened I mean I was over see they had a my dad on the steam he had a whistle and one whistle meant one thing and two whistle meant something and three meant somebody'd have to hurry. And uh I heard that thing go whop whop about jumped off cause I was working by him. Got over there they brought the motor car in they asked me would I could ride in him he had say he got his foot cut off and they put his foot up there it was in a rubber boot. And laid it right there on the motor car and we laid his leg up there and tied his leg and everything and brought him on in. But probably about a mile from there when I heard that somebody got hurt I took off a running. Cause you know I knew that was my dad's skidding and I was sure hoping it wasn't him.
BECERRA: But you didn't hear of any deaths at all?
SINGLETARY: I don't remember nobody really now it could of happened and nobody getting killed I don't believe now.
BECERRA: Alright.
SINGLETARY: But it might have.
BECERRA: But regardless everybody was always fearful if something happened you'd keep your open.
SINGLETARY: Yea, everybody was quick and fast they know when to move back and when to stand you know. When you saw that coming at ya it don't take but a minute everybody get out the way.
BECERRA: And you mentioned that diseases sometimes just from being in that water—
SINGLETARY: I don't know if it poison ivy or whatever it was in the woods but everybody got it colored, white, I had it it eats you up I mean just itch it was awful.
BECERRA: Um, so just to recapture this it was uh one time a week about 40 cars left about a average of 5 big logs to 10 little logs per car? I'm sorry no no on the big ones—.
SINGLETARY: Yea, no on the big ones I don't know how many they could carry, they would hold a lot of logs cause it was big. The thing on that one was about 8 foot deep they'd pile em on up and put chains over them you know. I heard they work the sides I don't know maybe 6 foot sides, maybe was there then they had things sticking up on the side with the chains and when they'd load all they could load you know then they still pile on and run that chain over them and lock em down. So it'd be piled on there and I just can't would be scared to say just how many they would have in there.
BECERRA: Well when they actually cut them down in the field, would out there did they pre-cut them to fit inside these cars?
SINGLETARY: Them cars was a…
BECERRA: How long were those cars?
SINGLETARY: I think they were about 50-60 50 or 60 foot long.
BECERRA: Wow.
SINGLETARY: So they they average cut wasn't that long you know they probably 38, 36, 40 or something like that.
BECERRA: So they always fit, they didn't have to
SINGLETARY: naw, they didn't
BECERRA: do any other cut once they, they just had to clean up the sides. I mean once it fell did they have to pick up the.—
SINGLETARY: When it fell they could go knock the top down they measure down get as much as they could get out of it know what I said that was usually probably 38, 44 I'd say 42 foot long I don't know whatever they could get they'd knock off but they didn't want to get down to little you know and uh but didn't mattered if they were holler or what to much they take cause well not holler but defective cause defective cypress was expensive.
BECERRA: Yea, now the the the most fascinating question I want to know is, in cutting it how long did it take to cut through that tree with them saws?
SINGLETARY: See when they started they used what they called old gator tail saws two men worked together.
BECERRA: Yea.
SINGLETARY: Cut it like that. Then it was them uh I believe it was about 50 about 54 when they started using chain saws. Then uh then they taught everybody how to use them but they up until about them I'd say half of the operation was cut by the gator tails they call em.
BECERRA: Ah, so first all the gator tail lets say about a a good 4 or 5 foot tree, how long would that take?
SINGLETARY: It wouldn't take em to long I don't know exactly but they could get it on through there pretty dang on time.
BECERRA: It was hard stuff.
SINGLETARY: And they had a guy with em that's all he done was sharpen the saw saws ya know.
BECERRA: Out there?
SINGLETARY: Yea, I don't know if he, he sawed to or they would uh they got time to doing that or not but I knowed they had they whole thing [inaudible] the things you know. All day and then when they got job they'd bring another so. Now
BECERRA: I've seen pictures when they went out into the swamp, tell me if this is right, they would lay the gator tail on their shoulder right, alright, carry whatever other gear through that swamp until they got—
SINGLETARY: And one guy would put it on his shoulder and he'd go and the with the water [inaudible] they could do that.
BECERRA: Two two you know per team.
SINGLETARY: Yea, my uncle I had a uncle, he was a good worker he got killed up there in north Florida in the fog and stuff...but he was a big, they called him big boy he bigger that I was now I look big but he was humongous I mean big. He would take two colored men to saw with him. One of em around here sleeping and didn't wake and he done be killed and again he done be give out take that [inaudible]. Now that's a Tuesday night down at the [inaudible] the colored people told me that now I didn't hear it from nobody else but them so uh. One time one of them po fellers was there said Mr. Vaughn you look just like you uncle Billy [inaudible], said I used to saw logs with Mr. Big Boy, and said uh he didn't take one guy with him he took two. And he say you know back them people making $1 a day, say he make sometimes $20 a day. All us all three said it wasn't up to us make $50 you know split three ways, he said he splits it and he said the main thing that man could saw I'm telling you.
BECERRA: Wow.
SINGLETARY: We was just [inaudible] I imagine his whole arm big around as my leg now muscle you know is all he ever knew. But that's how he got killed he a tree tell on the fork of another one and he didn't want any that wasn't leaning, in those days we'd walk off and leave em. But he couldn't saw but he waved like that and got that truck in there and while he was sawing on this one one of them limbs split out wasn't you know it was one of them freak things the logs laying there this one broke off and that log slid down his side and hit him behind the neck and just, they had to bring him out the woods and he was there broke all up take him up to Georgia got him near a hospital in them days, he died then around about 3 o'clock.
BECERRA: That was in north Florida?
SINGLETARY: Yea, he was down there on uh out from Perry at uh [inaudible] Swamp. That's what I think he was doing cutting cypress up there.
BECERRA: You mentioned he he split money out um I'm glad you mentioned that. How much did you get paid and did your father get paid in those days uh to work out there each day?
SINGLETARY: Anywhere from 75 cents to $1.25 an hour.
BECERRA: But did it depend on what how many…
SINGLETARY: Yea, what they were doing now, he was a skidder man he'd probably get $1.25 or something and then the guy that was pulling that baby line he probably get 80 cents or something an hour.
BECERRA: An hour?
SINGLETARY: Yea.
BECERRA: That was in 19 what?
SINGLETARY: Uh, 45 on I'd say cause it never did get to much better.
BECERRA: Really. And your father?
SINGLETARY: I don't remember, now I guess he did get paid but I thought but maybe they might have just paid him straight. You know straight salary. But I imagine about $1.50 a hour he'd make you see back in them days that was a lot of money you know all things considered. Ain't like it is now, you could buy a lot you know.
BECERRA: Now, back then along with being a logger out there uh getting paid that much. How did that compare with other jobs, was it good pay?
SINGLETARY: It was uh
BECERRA: I know it was honest work.
SINGLETARY: it was uh pretty close.
BECERRA: The average?
SINGLETARY: I left there and went to driving a a dump truck because I made a little more about probably a quarter more an hour you know and the work was easy you know and uh see if you went to work out there it'd be a raining storm thunder and lightening you didn't have no where to go but in the road. You just got your rain coat everyday rain or shine everybody had a rain coat....you know people don't realize that. Where you going, you out here in the swamp, you know boom bang lightening was everywhere and everybody getting wet and have to keep on working they didn't stop. Um,. So that's how come you hunt something a little better I mean you know I did [inaudible] you know. I guess I worked about a year with em but see I knew what what going on through my dad you know you'd hear him talk hearing what they are doing and all behind in there. I did work for about a year when I'd go out there [inaudible].
BECERRA: Now when they paid you that did uh I heard that they had their own currency?
SINGLETARY: They had no, they paid cash.
BECERRA: Paid cash.
SINGLETARY: If you get a number load.
BECERRA: So who got these special little currency type things?
SINGLETARY: Now that was long time ago back [inaudible].
BECERRA: Oh that was earlier?
SINGLETARY: Yea, well see
BECERRA: Before you arrived there?
SINGLETARY: Yea, that was up in north Florida in that log camps. They called it babbitt.
BECERRA: Babbitt, right. So they didn't do it in Lee Cypress? Not at all?
SINGLETARY: Never did, they was always strictly cash.
BECERRA: Well there's something I that has changed, I thought it was different.
SINGLETARY: I think Janes, I think Janes store had em there at that time cause people bought groceries. I think he had some babbitts you could buy you know that he would give you.
BECERRA: Oh. I'm gonna check with him cause ya cause he runs the Carnestown station.
SINGLETARY: I think that at one time he had some well it was his uncle or daddy I think owned the store he has now and they got a lot of farm so they was on the babbitt deal with the farmers you know like when they would be farming for them they would pay them off in babbitt but then they would spend the money there couldn't spend it nowhere else.
BECERRA: So but Lee Tidewater paid in cash?
SINGLETARY: They paid in cash.
BECERRA: When did they pay you uh.
SINGLETARY: Every friday evening.
BECERRA: Every friday evening. Where did the community go to get the money? Where?
SINGLETARY: When that [inaudible] train come in they [inaudible] over you'd stop eating you'd go in there and talk to them. They was a little ol window there and they they'd knowed everybody by name when I would walk up there they'd say hay Vaughn you know. And here you'd come they'd hand you over there and pile up there.
BECERRA: Did you knew how much you worked, did you have to where sign—
SINGLETARY: Yea, it'll all be wrote down on right on the little ol envelope how many hours you put in how much hours how much tax come out and everything right there and it was all cash.
BECERRA: Um, do you by any chance have any of those old envelopes?
SINGLETARY: No, I believe I wouldn't.
BECERRA: Do you have anything left over at all, you know one day if you get to—
SINGLETARY: Yea, if I get to looking around I may see something then I'll let you know.
BECERRA: Let me know. Um, who were some of the constant complaints living in that little community?
SINGLETARY: You know, they they uh just didn't have any to much in there.
BECERRA: There wasn't any.
SINGLETARY: It was boarding house there and some of the guys would come to work but they would all eat and sleep and go to work out there. Had one on the colored side a big ol board house same thing over there and they had them a juke over there where they they got to have theirselves.
BECERRA: Yea, right.
SINGLETARY: White people go ahead and get what they want to do they get some whiskey or beer and.
BECERRA: But a like you said before, the camaraderie was was friendly.
SINGLETARY: Yea now everybody knew everybody and everybody got along good there.
BECERRA: Good, good. Um, I got three more questions.
SINGLETARY: Ok.
BECERRA: Now, cypress was all they logged?
SINGLETARY: That was it.
BECERRA: That was it.
SINGLETARY: They wouldn't take no pine. Now C. J. Jones he loaded him a train one time for so many years there till he quit he been logging but his operation all together different then ours see he kept his rails together back to the ties logs or whatever he couldn't saw enough wood he could lay it right out there on the prairie.
BECERRA: Yea.
SINGLETARY: And uh when he got through with that—
BECERRA: We were digging some up here.
SINGLETARY: But anyhow when he got through with the train he wanted the them to go in there and get that pine on the back side of Fackahatchee in there. So they made a big I understand that he they'd use his train and then and Fackahatchee [inaudible] Jones was back in there on top of those pine rows behind [inaudible]. He'd take his own line road and his own dump truck built his own road back there. And they had log trucks to haul them down to the train.
BECERRA: So C. J. Jones even built a bigger grade on the site?
SINGLETARY: Yea, he got side marks you know how you been down to Scenic Drive?
BECERRA: Yea, right. He did that?
SINGLETARY: No, [inaudible] done that one but this was on up you know where the Alligator up there at I-75 and the alley?
BECERRA: Ok.
SINGLETARY: Just the other side of it you see a old iron rod road closing there. And he, see the tram road was over here and the swamp was where the train are and when you got through with the east main line it came out and went the other way. Then he dug him a tram across there with the drag line into the swamp, into their tram road. Then he goes all the way across the swamp, he gets all that pine timber down he trucked it out of there. That was his [inaudible].
BECERRA: But did C. J. Jones do cypress at all or did he just do?
SINGLETARY: He, I worked with him one time and I pulled pulled cypress like we'd be in a pine island you know and right there would be a cypress head close to the rail head we we would pull that cypress. Sometimes we would load it on the truck and take it to the railroad. We done that, I worked for him about a year.
BECERRA: Oh yea?
SINGLETARY: Yea, uh logged for him couple of weeks that's all we used was a bulldozer you know caterpillars pulling pine and then uh like I said they'd be a cypress in there and uh.
BECERRA: If it was close by.
SINGLETARY: Yea it'd be Lee Cypress went they'd start in there to get it but they'd be a lot of trees you know so when we'd run into it we'd cut it, load it, sometimes I have drove a half a mile to it but that getting to be a long ways you know this to it. Sometimes we pull em up like here and then on the weekends out there some of em decide something and let em on the dump I mean train take em to the tram road and uh they'd come in there with the pea-picker and load em up and gone.
BECERRA: To the, to the end to Jarome mill?
SINGLETARY: No but the cypress went on to Lee Cypress.
BECERRA: Right, uh but now the Jarome mill, how was his operation?
SINGLETARY: It just had uh it bring that pine in there they'd saw it up.
BECERRA: Cut it up.
SINGLETARY: Then they put it in dry kiln they called it. Like a steam room. Steamed it I don't know how long I never did get into that to much. I usually was around the saw mill but it it was a mess.
BECERRA: There you go.
SINGLETARY: Hassle I imagine you know. You see em on that that thing that run through that saddle there strapped them on there with straps. And that dang saw going there and that thing go through there [shoow] and that what they called a shotgun thing on the end where that cable pulled that thing up there pulled that spring gun when he released that thing it shoot me back 30 foot [inaudible] I don't know how they stayed on it they drew back [inaudible] like they kicked that log and [thung].
BECERRA: Wow.
SINGLETARY: That thing [some sound to imitate noise made by machine] through there and kick it back and go to wherever they could get it squared and then they whoever running that saw he he'd took to that log he knowed just what he'd been making. He get so many different pouring out of there he just [inaudible].
BECERRA: What ever he could saw.
SINGLETARY: That was his eye and that what he saw and he'd run on down that conveyor belt and get stacked. Then they carried it near that dry field. They usually done that but when I went to work for him he just a creosote it he put the creosote on it.
BECERRA: Yea.
SINGLETARY: And he wanted me to hunt him some tall pine trees and we got a lot of that and cut it up and but I prefered that a front road logging to that myself but he did the [inaudible].
BECERRA: Yea, now how did, how was the creosote business. How how did you extract that or how was that?
SINGLETARY: They uh he had a big ol well tank looking thing you know it's a big way to do thing but the rail fell in it.
BECERRA: Oh no.
SINGLETARY: And now you talking about narrow railroad a little ol narrow thing about the same deal a little ol Minnie [inaudible] so they run out on this rail without a cable on it they pulled it out of there and I think was about I guess along [inaudible] they just load up all they those loads bring em on the creosote cause they a backhoe whatever they'd load all them up and everything. Put it in there they had a big ol bolt on that door you'd have to bolt it all down sudden hot creosote were in there then they'd take the pressure [inaudible] and force it in there up down. Now cypress wouldn't creosote cause that's of the water in it you see how it was. It didn't work out.
BECERRA: Cypress has it's own protection to.
SINGLETARY: Yea it it withstands water they work the pine to. What they first do is they put it in the steam, that's the first thing, put them logs in there and then creosote em and backhoe. But it steams for I don't guess how many hours now it's been so long soon as the steam went up over all the poles you set you know then they shoot the hot creosote through it and pressure you could shush all the way.
BECERRA: Takes it nicely.
SINGLETARY: Then somebody get a special order the four squared timber you they had to be perfect cut. You had to get an ok to cut em to get out there saw them things perfect however they wanted them the way they ordered them.
BECERRA: So now, uh real quick, typical work day you would it would start at what time in the morning?
SINGLETARY: I tell you I started about 4 o'clock in the morning the train blew a whistle drag you out of bed. [Laughter] And all the dogs would get howling. [Laugher] Cats and—
BECERRA: So it was it was a effect alarm clock.
SINGLETARY: Yep, cause they had what they called see they had a crew there about 3 men keeping trains heated up.
BECERRA: All night.
SINGLETARY: All night, they didn't uh they didn't just—
BECERRA: Turn around.
SINGLETARY: Have a great big fire in there but they keep the fire going in the fire box, kind of a small fire.
BECERRA: So these trains would be on for a year?
SINGLETARY: And they had enough [inaudible] and load em at first dark with coal see they had a thing to pick up the coal and stuff that bin bring them back down there and fill up the tank full of water and keep out every car going in all the time you know about 4 o'clock in the morning say he come shooting the juice to it get a head of steam up on it and he'd come out on that horn pull everybody out of the bed [inaudible] then about 10 minutes later he was out get up and get dressed. Then it, everybody went and caught the train get on the train and everywhere out there in the woods.
BECERRA: How long did it take to get out?
SINGLETARY: Well that depends you know like I said at first you could get out there in 30 minutes 45 minutes but then. When they got on that [inaudible] they didn't home until 12 or 1 o'clock at night.
BECERRA: And it took about how many hours to get out there?
SINGLETARY: As I said from there to Corkscrew where they logged at night where it was 1 o'clock getting home. But it's average going out there they'd get home by dark you know say half way out the main swamp they'd be they'd be by there side and a they'd get in there about 7 o'clock about [inaudible] you know.
BECERRA: Um, ok so they'd leave early they'd go work so how about lunch, how did lunch go?
SINGLETARY: You just took your—
BECERRA: Took your own.
SINGLETARY: Lunch box or favorite sandwich with you.
BECERRA: They cut a whistle for a break for lunch?
SINGLETARY: No, you just look at your watch.
BECERRA: [inaudible] down.
SINGLETARY: When ever 12 o'clock come they stop for a few minutes and eat they wasn't even no hour of sitting around I mean everybody just come out to eat get back at it.
BECERRA: And then uh at night come home everybody be dead.
SINGLETARY: Everybody come home dragging it was bad you know didn't have no TV in them days. [Laughter] Well they did but it was the start of it but they didn't have no TV everybody was tired and like I said they went to bed with the chickens and got up with em.
BECERRA: So so everybody had a good nights sleep, everybody worked but uh…
SINGLETARY: You'd hate to hear that whistle that morning.
BECERRA: Now on Saturday was there work?
SINGLETARY: No, just five days a weeks every Saturday and Sundays off. Now I know daddy worked a lot over. Daddy would turn you on those big skidders he'd drive in because see uh I know somebody else want to learn it. That fresh out of them pipe they get dressed early and go over there steam pipe you know where it steams and I took the head of that [inaudible] right off [inaudible] them things there things pushing out and uh they even had a guy stay there all night. He was the night watchman kinda they called him but he kept that part of [inaudible] like a sidecar release. When they unloaded that thing they take one of them things down through there they they little ol house pick up the pea-picking and they'd pull in there and they'd set him off he got during the day he'd sleep.
BECERRA: Oh.
SINGLETARY: He'd kept that thing fired up and then uh they send coal down there to see. Drop it over there and he'd have to haul it over. The bin burnt coal for that thing.
BECERRA: The company provided you with all the tools, raincoat, you had gloves.
SINGLETARY: No, raincoats you had to buy over there.
BECERRA: Buy that, uh but some the main tools—
SINGLETARY: Even no they even the saws and that you had to buy em.
BECERRA: Oh yea? I didn't know that.
SINGLETARY: Yea, you could buy it on time or something else you know they'd figure how you would pay for it. They didn't furnish nothing they was kind of cheap outfit.
BECERRA: Cheap outfit.
SINGLETARY: You know I mean when it come to that dollar was a dollar you know. Of course back in them back in them days you expected it like that now you add 50 years back to that you really got trouble you know I mean people don't really but I heard from dad one time about logging up in Perry I supposed you know. There were some of them they was one superintendent over there he was mean to daddy. He'd kill em. He'd take em right out there in the woods if they didn't work he'd just disappeared and nobody would know where in the heck he went. And if they didn't work he'd beat em. Yes sir he'd just trowed his gun on and get him a stick or something and beat the heck out of em. And then what you call a [inaudible] couldn't move, couldn't sneak off. That's a long time ago but you know I mean this happened.
BECERRA: Yea. Um so I'm sure that you like you were saying the elements in [inaudible] these tools broke every so often and you had to made do with what how about when the locomotives were I heard they had to make their own carts sometime?
SINGLETARY: Yea, they had a shop there see all that stuff [inaudible] from what they called the [inaudible]. Know that like the wheel and they uh and every time it was worn out they have to take it to him and he'd wet cypress and pour in there and then they'd put a rag in like a rag box on the side and keep pouring it in where they keep going. Lot lot a [inaudible] parts they make theirselves there they blacksmith, bolts, everything.
BECERRA: Uh, this is a list of some simple questions you might think there silly but uh we want we want know just to teach the kids the younger folk um what life was out there. Um, what kind of clothing did did what was you know ya'all wear out there, any protective special gear?
SINGLETARY: Most of the stuff most of those older men they wore overalls you know the old. I didn't I ain't never had them so I just wore like levis and something.
BECERRA: Uh, and the average age of the workers ranged from?
SINGLETARY: They was they was roughly from 18 to 70.
BECERRA: Seventy, really.
SINGLETARY: You had to be 18 to work there.
BECERRA: Oh you did.
SINGLETARY: And uh, they had ages to 70 old fellow down there he was 70 years old. To get on you had to cut cross ties and that was there job they give em so much a cross tie [inaudible]. They had to go in there and find these old dead trees and they'd set there and keel right on two sides and saw em off. Bring em bring em to the railroad and they'd come down when they need em and pick em up.
BECERRA: Oh.
SINGLETARY: And as they got further and further they needed more and more ties see, so they had guys doing that and they had like I said the section crew keeping up the rail. Every crew [inaudible] ready.
BECERRA: Pretty complicated. But everything ran smoothly.
SINGLETARY: It ran smoothly.
BECERRA: Um.
SINGLETARY: Day to day and like I said they got 40 cars leaving out of there on friday and a lot of time I wonder how you know, used to stop and say, you know how could that do all the time you know I mean be going.
BECERRA: Um, and you said you were you're married shortly after you got there?
SINGLETARY: Yea, I was a when I turned 18 me and my wife got married and I worked there the first time there about 6 months and.
BECERRA: Did you meet her there or?
SINGLETARY: She's from Everglade City over there.
BECERRA: [Inaudible] ok.
SINGLETARY: Her daddy used to run the Rod & Gun Club, they from over there.
BECERRA: Oh, that's interesting. Very interesting. Um, and what when you did get married you have your own place in the in the?
SINGLETARY: Every like I said after I worked out there then we uh I went to work for construction then.
BECERRA: Right you took off pretty quick.
SINGLETARY: Yea, it we went farming I mean really you know I mean like I said I knowed all about the operation over there and worked over there for about a year maybe a little longer than that I worked there and at C. J. some. So then I found out that little more money a little easier to get in construction so from then I stayed in there the rest of the time.
BECERRA: What was the typical food in those days, I mean, fish I'm sure?
SINGLETARY: Well we had the same thing you got now about that.
BECERRA: Yea? Um.
SINGLETARY: We'd eat steak, and fish, and stuff.
BECERRA: Um, hang on you have you've pretty much answered all these. Um, we a describe C. J. Jones to me, the man himself.
SINGLETARY: He was a high strung type.
BECERRA: I see.
SINGLETARY: He wasn't paying but 75 cent an hour no matter what you done. You drove a truck or you sawed logs it was 75 cent you could take it or leave it.
BECERRA: Wow, and he had workers he had followers anyhow. It was work.
SINGLETARY: He'd cuss every breath. I mean he'd just like, you know I mean he I can't say the things he'd would say but I mean he would give em but they'd stay there. They might leave and go off for awhile but they'd show back up.
BECERRA: They'd come back, yea. But a but he was a powerful figure a personality, yea. And I heard he was a he really pushed off into the big a he went a long way with those trippers those railroads there those trams.
SINGLETARY: Yea he'd a—
BECERRA: I've seen on the maps he'd took it all—
SINGLETARY: Yea from the other side the they just laying out there on that prairie to go I don't know how they held up really I mean that was they just a lay like three rails and all that hanging there together I guess they had to keep em tightened up. And I heard of em when it gets real [cough] wet whether was putting out the fire even the tram got it. You know couldn't do some [inaudible] in there and go out. [Laughter] Now we was logging that stuff there was going out you could hear that train coming in about a hour and [inaudible] nothing. Now they was logging big stuff way back in there and so coming in you hear em tooting that horn coming in late at night.
BECERRA: Yea.
SINGLETARY: And they left about the same time the next morning before daylight cause to get to getting.
BECERRA: That's amazing. Was anything else you think of?
SINGLETARY: Not that I can think of I mean a.
BECERRA: Anything a you miss or [inaudible] out there or?
SINGLETARY: No I wouldn't take nothing now you know for the experience and everything like I said we liked everybody we got to know everybody and even after the camp broke down and everybody got scattered they still keep in touch with ya pretty much except most of the old people I tell ya.
BECERRA: You knew uh Monroe Graham by any chance and Ol Blue by any chance?
SINGLETARY: Yea, and Ol Blue.
BECERRA: We're going to be interviewing Monroe and Ol Blue some of those others. Yea there is not to much left.
SINGLETARY: I can't remember what Monroe done out there he was a logger I know and I hunted with him he had dogs and I had dogs.
BECERRA: And uh anybody else you you think might be around at all?
SINGLETARY: Well I know that was my dad was the skidder superintendent and Jim Davis, he's dead now, he's a cousin they were...one [inaudible] I got to go in the morning anyhow [inaudible]. But take the cap with ya.
BECERRA: Where's the cap?
SINGLETARY: It's over there. Now there was there a dad, Jim Davis, and Harold Day and one more guy and I can't remember his name and that was the whole of them. And uh they uh now all them now all them dead. They uh, yea, they were just you know the skidder foremen and then like I said Rich Tarrer was the General Superintendent and his brother was a separate Superintendent and then there'd be another foremen who was responsible for getting them logs out of there.
BECERRA: Well, we sure do appreciate your time and I've had a I've had a great time. I give this to you I got a lot of information from it to.
SINGLETARY: I guess I'm about the only white guy [Laughter] that's left that knows anything about that.
BECERRA: I think so.
SINGLETARY: I had a brother-in-law worked out there I believe he dead and gone a brother he dead and gone. I'm about the only, I believe that [inaudible] that I'm the only white guy around. Monroe and Blue probably and there might be some around Naples. There's some more living there but I don't know them but Monroe would know I'm sure.
BECERRA: Ok, well thank you so much uh I got some stuff in the automobile just to to we'll walk there when we walk out just to if ya see if you remembered of any little thing. Thank you so much Vaughn. It's a very big pleasure to come in here and talk with ya and I'm glad you're..
SINGLETARY: If you think of anything else bring it by.
BECERRA: Ok.
[End of audio]
Description
Vaughn Singletary was born in Perry, Florida and moved to Immokalee, Florida when he was about 12 years old in 1945. Singletary began working with his father at Lee Tidewater, a logging company. In this oral history interview he talks about working in the lumber industry, the process of laying the railroad, the dangers of the job, and his family. Interviewed by Cesar Becerra on June 29, 1993.
Credit
Big Cypress National Preserve
Date Created
06/29/1993
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