To the Editor:
This is a thank you note to those who helped cut a dangerous oak tree March 14. One night during a recent wind storm, a forked oak tree (75 years old, my son counted the growth rings) right at the edge of Snow Rd. in Lee Twp., split at its fork (about 12 feet up) down to four feet from the ground but it didn’t fall. Did the attached tree house (mainly in a nearby cherry tree) help any to keep it up? Probably not much. One heavy side hung over the road and the other over my garage.
Almost daily we checked the split seam for any more downward movement that would mean the oak was getting closer to falling. The seam only moved and opened slightly. We also lightened the side toward Snow Rd. by cutting two large limbs. So it hung there, but we intended to get it down before the leaves came on.
March 14 was a nice day, thank the Lord. It was quite a process to get it down; it couldn’t go the natural direction or the forks would take out a fence and a garage. Traffic was pretty intense with bikers going to Area 330 on Bay Rd., We had to avoid the fence which kept curious livestock in the pasture opposite the tree. I hoped we would avoid the garage. We had to clear the road quickly.
Starting at 9 a.m., the tree was down by noon. Our Lee Twp. Trustee Lewis Cline ran the saw and we used his 4x4 truck to pull the tree the direction we wanted it to fall. Johnny Lowdermilk was invaluable with his nylon rope and “sliding bowline” pulley and 40 foot fiberglass pole and a lot of experience. Roger Stacy (a nephew of Cline’s), thankfully was a drive-by volunteer from East Springfield. Samuel and Joseph, my sons, did some clearing and pulling the limbs with the tractor.
Thanks to all of you. And before going our separate ways, I said to everyone, “To God be the glory - we enjoyed His protection.” And I thank Him for the common sense and courage that we gain over the years to tackle difficult jobs like this one.
Doug Snode
Carrollton, OH
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