Here is a concise summary of the provided text:
**Title:** The Logging and Milling of California's Giant Redwood Trees
**Summary:**
The text describes the process of logging and milling California's giant redwood trees. It begins with the construction of a railroad to transport the trees to the mill, followed by:
1. **Logging**: Surveying, felling (using axes and saws), and rigging the massive trees (up to 350 ft high, 20 ft thick, and 2,000-4,000 years old).
2. **Transportation**: Moving the logs to the railroad using donkey engines, heavy cables, and pulleys.
3. **Milling**: Unloading logs into a mill pond, cutting into boards using massive saws, removing bark, and grading the lumber.
4. **Distribution**: Seasoning and shipping the redwood lumber worldwide, highlighting its unique durability and resistance to rot, termites, and fire.
**Additional context**: The text also touches on the conservation of some redwoods, the tree's ancient history (dating back to the dinosaurs), and its former presence in now-cold regions like Alaska and Greenland.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text, numbered and in short sentences:
**Logging and Lumber Process**
1. A railroad is built to transport giant redwood trees to mills for cutting into lumber.
2. Surveyors lay out lines for the railroad before tree felling.
3. Ties and rails are laid before trees are felled.
4. Marked trees (with an "X") are used for moving other felled trees.
5. Trees are topped, rigged with cables and pulleys before felling.
6. Logs are cut to desired lengths for mills and carpenters.
7. Logs are transported by tractors, trucks, or dragged to the railroad.
8. Big tongs and booms are used to lift and move logs onto flat cars.
**Redwood Tree Characteristics**
9. California's coast redwoods are among the oldest living things.
10. Some redwoods can live up to 2,000 years old.
11. Redwoods are considered young at 350 years, mature at 1,000 years, and old at 1,500 years.
12. Redwoods can withstand forest fires.
13. Redwood lumber is valuable due to its resistance to insects, fungi, and fire.
**Redwood Species and History**
14. The scientific name for coast and Sierra Nevada redwoods is Sequoia.
15. Sequoia is named after a famous Cherokee Indian.
16. Sierra Nevada redwoods can grow up to 40 feet thick at the base.
17. Sierra Nevada redwoods may live up to 4,000 years old.
18. Redwoods are native only to California and a small section of Oregon.
19. Thousands of years ago, redwoods were found throughout Europe and Asia, including now-cold places like Alaska, Iceland, and Greenland.
20. Redwood history dates back millions of years to the time of the dinosaurs.
**Sawmill Process**
21. Logs are unloaded into a mill pond for easy movement.
22. The bark is removed and ground up for use as insulation.
23. Big saws cut enormous boards from the logs.
24. Boards with bad parts are cut out and the rest is saved.
25. Boards are checked, graded for quality, and then dried and seasoned.