THE DONKEY SECTION

 


A "crack-A-jack" loading donkey.  Portland lumber co. 1912.   Lee Johnson at the throttle, his first job running donkey.  photo from the post card collection of Alan Johnson

 

A late model Willamette two-speed yarder built specifically for high-lead logging, in use by Koster products in 1926.  This sled is in A-1 shape.  Drums were narrow but deep.  Steam jams were on main drum and two-speed unit.  Notice the absence of leaking steam.  Lee Johnson, the engineer, took pride in keeping the plumbing tight.  note the double-deck fairlead.  The use of this type of fairlead was possible with the haul back drum on top of the mainline with both drums installed in line.  Note the offset house which had definite advantages in shielding the operator from the weather.  Fireman Elbert Kelly is standing on the sled.     from the Lee Johnson collection  

 

 

 

                       

                   

                                                                                photo and description, from Merv Johnson's book, "In Search Of Steam Donkeys"

 

 

Kerry Timber Company, 1917.  This was an early two-speed yarder design built by Willamette, Lee Johnson at the throttle.  from the Lee Johnson collection

                        

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo and description, from Merv Johnson's book, "In Search Of Steam Donkeys"

 

As the years passed, the steam donkey evolved.  Some of these machines were very big and complex.  Pictured here is a slacker machine on display at Scotia, Washington.                                    ( Johnson collection)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The vertical spool or "Dolbeer" donkey named for it's inventor, John Dolbeer was patented in 1883.  This machine marked the beginning of mechanized methods of moving timber about.  This is one of the few existing Oregon donkeys that is in operating condition.  It is now on display at Camp 18 Logging Museum near Else, Oregon.  

 

Here is a view of this same machine from the front.  It was owned by Pacific Lumber company.  These picture were taken in 1973.

 

Machine No. 1 at Camp 18 Logging Museum, near Else Oregon.  Merv Johnson photo, 1983 from the Book: "In Search Of Steam Donkeys"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


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Interested people living in the Powell River, B.C. area decided to move a long-lost Empire donkey that was on a remote ridge up Powell Lake from Haywire Bay to the Powell River Forestry Museum.  Fortunate also, that they were able to find logs large enough to build a sled.  This Empire donkey, built in Vancouver, B.C., is a four drum yarder.
photo courtesy of : Powell  River Forestry Museum Society.

 

 

 

 

 

We logged with a real steam donkey near Battleground, Washington for four days on July 4 weekend, 2002  We used this 6.25 X10 Willamette wood-fired donkey.