After photographing the construction of Breadsley Dam in 1955, Gerald French decided to rephotograph the finished dam site in 1958 for the Stockton Record. Shortly, a steam engine appeared pulling eleven log cars across the dam. Being a rail fan, French was hooked on photographing all aspects of the logging railroad.
He crossed the dam and began taking pictures of the activities at Breadsley Camp. French was quickly informed by George Colt, the bridge crew superintendent, that the general public was not allowed at the camp site. French pleaded, and pleaded for permission. Colt finally gave in and said, "Show up at Pickering's hiring hall in Standard on Wednesday at 8 am and I'll hire you as a bridge carpenter".
French remembers the huge lumber jacks at the hiring hall looking for work. As true to his word, Colt called in. "If looks could kill, I would have been dead," French recalled after being hired.
The photographs in this book were taken during the summer of 1958.
Gerald French has worked as a professional photographer in San Francisco. His photographs have been published in the National Geographic, Travelers Magazine and guidebooks, Time, Newsweek, Life and many international publications. He has written a photographic guide book titled Sights and Scenes of San Francisco and Sonoma.
Pictured above is Gerald French, in the Shay locomotive cab. The picture was taken in 1958.