IT IS A MATTER OF WEIGHT BY JERRY GUIN

Consider what the pioneers faced when trudging their journey west. Perhaps they chose a Conestoga wagon (the largest of the wagons) being up to 18 feet in length and eleven feet high while four feet wide. Depending on the weight of the cargo (up to 6,000 pounds),they used teams of as many as eight mules or draft horses or perhaps up to a dozen hardy oxen to pull the heavy loads.

Many westward travelers opted to take their journey in much lighter Prairie Schooners or farm wagons, sometimes employing two. The wagons weighed 1300 pounds empty and capable of carrying 2500 pounds of freight each.

If you can imagine, the cargo placed in one of these vehicles had to be staggering. The list of food for an average wagon carrying the sustenance of 3 or 4 travelers for 3 to 6 months of travel might look something like this,(all in pounds): Flour 150, corn meal 50, rice 5, beans 15, sugar 10, coffee 15, dried fruit 5, Saleratus (baking soda) 2, tea 5, meat (ham and bacon in barrels) 200. That list alone is around 500 pounds. Then add by choice, pickles, cheese, pickled eggs and canned goods. Many expected to supplement supplies with fish and wild game along the way.

There were utensils to cook with to consider. Dutch ovens, skillets, pots, pans, steel tripods. Two changes of clothes per person and multiple boots. Boots and shoes wore out in weeks to months on the trail. Then there was bedding, maybe a folding mattress, tent, lantern, personal items and first aid supplies. Shotguns and rifles, hand tools for wagon repairs, harnesses, rope, wagon jack, wheel chains, perhaps a spare wheel or wagon tongue, farm tools which might include a plow, broad axe, hoe, shovel, rake, mallet, hammer, nails, saw and such to be used hopefully at the end of the journey. Water at 10 pounds per gallon carried in a barrel strapped to the side of the wagon as needed. For washday, a washboard and tub, 25lbs. soap, alcohol, tobacco, some grain for the animals. Then there were other items to consider; books and bibles, possibly a sheet iron stove or a cook stove, a table, grandma’s rocker, hope chests, musical instruments and, and……..

Much to the pioneer’s chagrin, after a time on the trail, many found that though the wagon could hold all their cargo stacked to the top of the bows, it was a chore to move along on less than flat hard packed ground. River crossings became a big challenging nightmare as well as steep mountains. Animals tired out quickly from pulling the massive loads. Pa (usually the one who cared for and drove the animals) recognized it quicker than ma did. The load was too much and in need of lightening. All kinds of goods including stoves, hope chests, furniture, tables and chairs, beloved organ, metal tools and a potpourri of other items including food was jettisoned to give ease to the already overtaxed animals. Some traveled as far as Fort Laramie, labeled “Camp Sacrifice,” because of the large amount of items discarded to lighten the load, before continuing the journey.

The Pony Express certainly considered weight. The advertisement for riders told it all, Wanted –young, skinny, wiry fellows not over eighteen. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred!”

Young, (meaning they wanted someone with endless energy). Skinny, (they were considering the weight that the horse would carry) preferring the rider to weigh no more than 130 pounds. Perhaps the idea being that a heavier rider might exhaust his horse, which was most likely a mustang pony, before the next relay station. Taking in consideration that the riders urged their horses to a flat out run to get going (possibly for show) but surely slowed the animal to cool off after a time.

The custom made saddle itself, the horse’s bridle and the special made 1/8” thick leather mailbag (mochila) together weighed an average of 13 pounds.

There were 157 relay stations spaced out, at five to twenty miles apart, over 1840 miles of trail. The expected time to complete the delivery, using various relay riders and horses, was 10 days. To start with, the rates charged were $5.00 per half ounce of mail. That fee later reduced some. The short-lived Pony Express (18 months – April 1860 to October 1861) was doomed to extinction when telegraph lines strung from Missouri to California, reduced the delivery time of messages to mere minutes. Ironically, much of the lines followed along the Pony Express’s very route.

In a modern setting, when I sold lumber, I had to consider the weight of the lumber before offering the product for sale and making up various loads. At the sawmill, the fresh cut lumber is sorted, according to size, length, and grade then offered for sale by the board foot. A one-foot long piece of a 2x6 contains one board foot. One foot of a 2x4 contains two thirds of a board foot (.6667 on the calculator) so a bit of cyphering has to be done in order to come up with the correct board foot figures for various sizes and lengths.

The weight of the finished product is a big deal when presented for sale because trucks and railcars have a cargo weight limit. Trucks in California, mandated by law, weight no more than 80,000 pounds (weight of the truck and the cargo combined) when traveling the streets and highways. Other states vary, some as low as 76,000 pounds. An average flatbed truck and trailer will weigh in at about 28,000 pounds. Some weigh more and some a little less. That means the cargo can weigh no more than 52,000 pounds. If found to be over that weight limit, then the driver of the load is subject to a fine and in some cases taken to jail if the infraction is considered blatant. Railroad flat cars also have weight limits. The originator of the load would be the responsible party.

A freshly cut log, from the forest, weighs more than a log that has been stored (decked) for a lengthy time. Density of the wood (ring count) comes into play also. Let us take Douglas fir for an example: Larger sizes, such as timbers, are the first choice, cut from the middle of the log then smaller sizes from the remaining portion of the log. Due to the curvature of the log, the last size cut is 2x4making it the most volatile in weight range.

In the winter, the tree’s sap is down and contained near the bark. In the summer, the sap feeds the foliage. The 2x4 cut from fresh cut logs sometimes weigh 4200 pounds per thousand board feet. Meaning a truckload would amount to about 12,300 board feet. The 2x4 cut from older decked logs that have dried some, have less water content. An average load would be less than 3500 pounds per thousand board feet or a load would equal around 15,000 board feet. Is this too much math for you?

It all comes down to dollars and weight. Based on weight, the 12,300 board feet load cost the same to haul as the 15,000 board feet load. Retailers have to consider freight cost when pricing their products for sale and adjust accordingly.

Automobile and truck license fees, based on the weight of the vehicle, rise with the weight of the vehicle. Even the airlines today consider the weight of your baggage when charging you for passage. One airline has recently indicated that they may start charging customers by their own body weight rather than just a one for all ticket.

History records weight when considering freighting various goods. Our lives today revolve around the weight of almost every tangible item we buy. Retailers charge accordingly for freight or simply label the cost as shipping and handling.

Jerry Guin's short story, ASA PEPPER'S PLACE, appears in Wolf Creek: Book 6 HELL ON THE PRAIRIE is available here: http://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Creek-Hell-Prairie-ebook/dp/B00DPPFUPM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1381010190&sr=1-1&keywords=Hell+on+the+Prairie


His most recent novella, CHARLIE'S MONEY, is available here: http://www.amazon.com/Charlies-Money-Jerry-Guin/dp/1622084071/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1381010260&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=Drover%27s+Vendetta

DROVER'S VENDETTA by Jerry Guin

Ruthless and bent on avenging a misguided lost Civil War cause, one man’s discourse caused mayhem and the death of one drover while on a trail drive for the 3D ranch. After the drover’s death, Charlie Cox, a proud hearted top hand for the ranch, suddenly finds himself making a sworn commitment to avenge the wrongful death even before the drive is done. Charlie is greeted at the end of the drive in Abilene by more havoc rained upon himself and others by the same man. Remembering his promise of revenge, he is compelled to right the wrongs that have been done. Unwilling to wait on the territorial bound local law to settle the matter, Charlie sets out on a one-man crusade to find the man--a vendetta for justice--though it might mean that he would die at the hands of the very one that he pursues.


The following is an excerpt of the book:

“Where else do you suppose he would go?” Charlie asked.

John Sheeney half smiled, “It doesn’t matter where he goes, before long he wears out any welcome he receives. Skinner has lots of enemies, and some men he done dirt to when he rode with Quantrill have a long memory. They’re real salty folks. I’d be on the sly myself if I’d made as many enemies as Skinner has. Did he come and apologize to me for busting up my place or even offer to pay for it? No, why hell, he’s accused of rustling Jack Murphy’s stock, his own neighbor!"

Jerry Guin aka J.L. Guin, is a former lumber salesman, mushroom hunter and western writer.
He lives in extreme northern California with wife, editor and coach, Ginny.

Jerry is a member of Western Fictioneers and Western Writers of America. Jerry was born in Arkansas and has been all over the west. He’s written over 30 short western stories. Since joining Western Fictioneers in 20ll, his story Whiskey for Breakfast was in The Traditional West. He wrote Rectification for Six-guns and Slay Bells: A Creepy Cowboy Christmas and he wrote the first chapter of Murder in Dogleg City, book #3 of the collaborative Wolf Creek series.

A visit to Amazon’s author page for Jerry Guin and J.L. Guin reveals much of his most recent works.

Western Writer Jerry L Guin

1.   What was your first Western novel or story and was it published?

My first western short story was “Caught Red Handed” published by Western Digest of Calgary back in 1995.

2.   What Western writer or writers of the past were the biggest influence on your work?

Douglas Sharp (Western Digest).  He not only critiqued my work but challenged me to do more.  He taught me to speak more western; for example, using (most likely) instead of probably; limit the use of ain’t in dialogue and cut down my use of commas.    “Write the way people talk,” he said.  Eventually Western Digest published seven of my short stories before ceasing publication.  That’s how I got started in western fiction. 

Robert J. Randisi took a chance and included my story “Likker Money” in the anthology “White Hats” in 2002.  That gave me a big boost.  I’ve been trying to equal it since.  I’m very grateful for that opportunity.

Harry Drago – I love his factual authenticity.

Louis L’Amour  - A true master of fiction.

3.   Is there a particular scene from a Western novel that was so powerful when you read it that it stuck with you? Perhaps has become a scene you've tried to live up to/equal in your own writing?

It wasn’t a novel.   It was the short story “Wine on the Desert” by Max Brand.   The whole story is full of intense drama, very effective.   

4.   What's the first Western you remember reading from cover to cover?

Zane Grey’s “The Thundering Herd.”  I was in high school at the time.

5.   Who is your favorite historical Western figure, and why?

Bat Masterson.  Despite the call that he was a quick draw artist and killed untold numerous others, I believe history shows that he only shot and killed one man, in self-defense, after he was wounded by the same.   Why do I like him?  He was a standup guy that would not back down from anything.  I believe that he did more good than his embellished gunslinger reputation shows.   Bat, like Luke Short, was not a tall overbearing man but his demeanor and undoubtedly no-nonsense facial expressions and eye contact, when confronted, helped to make others think things over rather than push to conclude the outcome.

6.   How much historical research do you do, and how do you go about it?

I read a lot both historical and fiction.  If it is old west 1850 through 1900 then I’m interested.  I use the internet and Wikipedia.  I read reviews.  I go to libraries to look up facts.  Haunting used book stores is a hobby that I’ll never get over.  My desk is littered with historical findings.   

7.   How important is setting? How important is it to get setting right? What's the best use of setting in a Western as far as you're concerned?

You have to get it right.  Setting is a difficult thing, if not impossible, to talk about if you’ve never been to that locale.  When reconstructing the past, I feel that it is my duty to at least get things historically correct even if it isn’t pretty.   All those John Wayne westerns filmed in Monument Valley made good setting. 

 8.   How do you choose where to begin your story? Do you use prologues?

I try to show who my character is and why he is there then build the story from there.  Prologues will certainly set the stage to time and locale.  I usually do not begin a story with a prologue.  

9.    Do you do all your research ahead of time, or as you go along?

Mostly as I go.  Each story requires different facts to support the setting.  The cowboy era was different than the gold rush of 49.  Both time periods had their share of miscreants but oh so different. 

10.   Which of your characters do you identify with the most, and why?  Was there a role model for this particular character?

Charlie Cox “Drover’s Vendetta.”  He is just an ordinary cowboy caught up in circumstance that inspires him to do things others would shy from.  With a little luck he becomes a hero by just doing what he feels is the right thing to do.  I don’t have a particular role model.  If I had a wish it would be to emulate Charlie.

11.   Do you outline and plot your story or do you write as the inspiration or MUSE leads?

I rarely outline a story.  I let the story lead me where it goes.  I usually have the beginning down pat and sometimes I know how it should end.   The middle is the tough part.  I am used to writing short stories; I write the whole story then edit to cut out the unnecessary.   If I am working on a novel then I have to re-adjust, slow the story down in order to tie all the pertinent facts together without giving away or hurrying up the ending.    

12.   Are you a conservative in your writing and stick with traditional ideas for your characters and plots or do you like to go beyond the norm and toss in the unexpected and why?

I write conservatively following history, for time and place, as close as possible.   My stories are set in the traditional old West.  Its fiction so anything imaginable is fair game.  The unexpected can be refreshing and necessary to the story as long as it can be made believable.  Some of the stuff coming out lately has to do with vampires or science fiction.  I’m not opposed to some of it.  I just prefer to write about things the way they may have been traditionally.   

13.   Do you need quiet when you write, listen to music, or have the TV on and family around?

I don’t mind noise.  I have been doing something, my whole life, while noise surrounded me.  I’m usually alone in the room when I write.  I can tune out what goes on in the house.  

14.   Have you experienced the "dreaded" writer's block and how did you deal with it?

When I was in the Navy I was aboard a destroyer.  The ship’s motto was “This Can can do.”  So whenever I think of writer’s block I just sit down; edit the story I’m writing to the point I’m stuck at.   It helps to go to the beginning; by the time I get to the stopped part I usually can pick it up from there.  Sometimes I’ll take a break from writing for hours or days even.  The story doesn’t leave my mind though and often a new inspiration allows me to just get in there and get it done!  

15.   Who is your favorite fictional character that you have created?

Colonel Ben Buffington in the short story “All the Water you Want” in the anthology Award Winning Tales.  He’s so full of it he impresses no one but himself.

16.   Who is your favorite fictional character that someone else created?

Tyrel Sackett.  Circumstance dictated his response.

17.   Do you address "modern" issues in Westerns? Racism. Feminism. Downs Syndrome. Mental disabilities. Genetic disorders. Sociopathy. Immigrant questions. Brutality. Pedophilia. Any more?

Brutality and bullying, in some way, are addressed in most of my stories.  I will mention other touchy issues if they can be put in a favorable light for the victim.  I’m still trying to learn how to do that.

18.   Have you found that being able to self-publish through Kindle and Nook that you find yourself writing more of what you want rather than what the agent, editor, and publisher wants?

Yes, somewhat.  It is disheartening to sit and wait on editors, hoping that you have a chance but often do not even get a reply other than a printed form letter.  I’ve a novel set in 1853 titled “River Whiskey” that has sat for over a year at a publisher without word one way or the other.   Self-publishing is okay but you have to promote the work yourself.  It is much more satisfying to successfully write a given assignment and then see it in print.  

19.   Do you make a living writing? If not, what is your day job?

I’m compelled to write but I guess I never considered that I could make enough to live off the proceeds alone.   I’m still learning.   My day job was as a wholesale lumber trader.  I was fortunate enough to work for three different sawmills and made a decent living for my family for 30 years.  I later managed a propane distribution plant for a few years before I retired.

20.   What are you writing right now?

A novel about an 1870’s cowboy who collects on a bounty then learns there has been a bounty put out on him in return.    

21.   What do you plan to write in the future?

Western fiction; both novels and short  stories.   At some point I will write a sequel to “Drover’s Vendetta.”

22.   What made you decide to write Western fiction?

I can’t get enough of the Old West.  Western history is our heritage.  I like to see how western fiction is imagined then put to life.  I began by trying out the magazine markets then short story anthologies and decided that I would like to give it a try and work my way into novels.   So here I am.