Gypo or Jippo?

[bitzer]

I'm reading an autobiography that Icepick loaned me about a guy who logged from 1912-1937 in northern Wisconsin. He mentioned that Jippos are small contract logging crews with usually 3 or less guys. Piece workers that cut and skidded for larger lumber companies when their own crews needed a hand. I gathered that this was the definition prior to reading his, just wondering if anyone has any insight on the different spellings? Maybe just regional? The first time I ever heard of Gypo was on here. I just figured it was related to the logging lifestyle. Kind of a roaming people that can make it happen anywhere, like gypsies.

 

[Gologit]

And just to confuse things further, the old acronym GPO for Georgia Pacific Operations.

 

[slowp]

Gyppo is also used. That's how it is spelled in a book I found at a yard sale.

 

[northmanlogging]

gyppo, gypo, jips... whatever..

Started out as a not so nice slang for contract workers, once the job was done they migrated on to the next like gypsies, then around here anyway it became sort of backhanded slang towards any contract company outfits that would contract out to larger companies like Weyco, GP, SP etc. Some were large decently funded outfits, some were small under funded bootstraps bootstraps kinda deals.

Anymore at least locally its either crooks or single jacks, I prefer the the single jack variant as the the crooks are just crooks.

Some of the bigger outfits have a problem with the single jack operators, why I don't really know, but I hope its cause they feel threatend, cause us single jacks can get in and make some decent money where the big outfits would just flounder. Then once we make some money we tend to expand and become big outfits in our own right.

Face it Bitz yer a Gyppo and you should be proud, I am.

 

[bitzer]

No, its cool, I don't mind. I like cutting for volume. Makes me feel like there is a ****-ton of earning possibility. Skys the limit kind of thing. Keeps me going. I also start to get itchy as I'm wrapping up a job or if I've been going to the same woods for more than a month. Both of those things are happening right now. Kind of like the need to flee the scene of the crime. Thanks for the background info! Logger slang is always fun. The first time I ever heard crummy was on here too.

 

[treeslayer2003]

lol, bitz i never herd these words either till here......idk, im just a dum logger
i hate finishing a woods.........scrappin........cleaning.......sweeping roads........moving....no money in it.

 

[madhatte]

"Gyppo" is how I've always seen it spelled, too.