THE UNIVERSITY

OF ILLINOIS

LIBRARY

'UiNois HKTOBiMi ma

A Raft Pilot's Log

THE I'^'ARY

OF THE

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Captain W. A. Blair
Aetat 54

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

A History of the Great Raft-
ing Industry on the
Upper Mississippi
1840-1915

by
WALTER A. BLAIR

Master and Pilot of the " Ten Broeck^'

The Arthur H. Clark Company
Cleveland, U.S.A. 1930

Copyright, 1929, by
The Arthur H. Clark Company

J

r

Contents

Introduction 15

Qj» Early River Days 23

i Beginnings of the Rafting Industry .... 33

Beef Slough 47

Mv First Year Rafting, 1878 55

The Great River THEN (1878) and now (1928) . . 77

The Noted Raft-boat "Silver Wave" .... 95

The LeClaire Navigation Company .... 121

Pleasant Rafting with the good 'Ten Broeck" . 135

The Green Tree Hotel 149

What became of the Raft-boats 171

The First Use of a Steamboat to push and handle a

Raft 191

The First Boat built to tow Rafts .... 195

The Largest Rafts 203

One Freak and a Pair of Twins 209

^ Some of the Men Prominent in the Rafting Indus-

d TRY, 1840-1915 211

:* Sawmills and their Owners 255

Complete List of Raft Pilots, 1840-1913 . . . 265
o
r" Rapids Pilots who handled Rafts over the Upper,

y OR Rock Island Rapids, in the order of their ser-

r- VICE FROM 184O-1915 275

Jj Rapids Pilots who ran Rafts over the Lower, or Des

5 Moines, Rapids 277

^ Chief Engineers of the Rafters 279

3 Raft-boat Mates 287
Output of Logs from different Streams into the
•c^ Mississippi, compiled from records in the office of

5>

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

THE Surveyor-general of Logs and Lumber at
Saint Paul, Minnesota, and from the Archives
OF the State Historical societies of Minnesota

AND Wisconsin 289

Appendix I: List of Raft-boats, their Masters and

Owners, 1883 293

II: List of Raft-boats in commission, 1890,

WITH names of their M ASTERS AND OWN-
ERS AS PUBLISHED IN THE Davenport Dem-
ocrat, February, 1890 .... 299
III : List of Raft-boats from Davenport Dem-
ocrat February, 1893 305

This is the last authentic list the author can find.
It shows numerous changes from the list of 1890.

Index 3^5

Illustrations

Captain W. A. Blair (aetat 54) .... Frontispiece
Steamer Morning Star of Davenport in 1911 . . 22

Steamer Dubuque 41

This successful steamer owned by the Northern Line, was
built at Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1867. She was 233 feet long, 36 foot
beam, and 62 feet wide, over all. The "riot" occurred on her at
Hampton, 111., July, 1869. She burned in Alton Slough, March,
1879. From photograph taken at Winona, Minn.

Steamers Stillwater and Lady Grace .... 49

The Robert Dodds shown in the foreground, is going out with
one-half of her raft. The view shows a group of raft-boats at
the office of the M. R. L. Co. in Beef Slough, which in 188+
turned out 674,000,000 feet of logs and kept 75 towboats busy.

Steamer LeClaire Belle 57

One of the best and most successful boats of the old raft fleet,
1873-1890. Captain Sam Van Sant owned one-half interest. The
author was clerk and watchman in 1878.

Steamer Clyde 61

Iron hull, side-wheel rafter, built at Dubuque, Iowa, 1870,
for Ingram and Kennedy. Changed to a stern-wheeler by J. M.
Turner and A. F. Hollinshead about 1889. Now (1929) towing
pig iron on the Tennessee river and owned by The Arrow
Transportation Co. She was the first iron hull on the upper
Mississippi -very fast but hard to steer and often broken down.

Steamer Pauline 65

Built at Stillwater, Minn., 1879, for Durant, Wheeler and
Company. Engines ten inches by six feet. Owned and operated
later by Captain J. M. Turner of Lansing, Iowa.

The Artemus Lamb with an excursion party , . 71

Owned and operated by C. Lamb and Sons of Clinton, Iowa,
1873-1898.

Steamer C. J. Caffrey 79

Rebuilt at Rock Island for Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann.
Launched in 1875, in charge of Captain O. P. McMann of
Clinton. She had a long and successful run.

lo A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

The Clinton Nigger 83

Invented by Chancy Lamb in 1874. The ends of the guy-lines
were made fast on the outside corners of the stern of the raft.
By running this double-spooled "nigger" to which the guy lines
were fastened, it paid out on one side and took in on the other
and kept an even strain on the lines. By this "nigger" the tow-
boat's stern was swung to either side and held in any desired
position to control the movement of the raft.

Steamer Charlotte Boeckeler 87

A large, powerful boat, owned by Shulenburg and Boeckeler
of Saint Louis. Captain Robert Dodds, master and pilot. She
was well built at New Albany, Ind., and came out 1881. Her
engines were fifteen inches by seven feet.

Steamer Dexter 91

This was an old boat when McDonald Brothers of LaCrosse
added her to their rafting fleet in 1874 with Captain Peter
O'Rourke in charge. She was dismantled at La Crosse, Wis-
consin, 1887.

Steamer Silver Wave 97

This steamer was originally called the D. A. McDonald. It
was built at LeCIaire, Iowa, in 1872. Owned by Van Sant and
Musser Transportation Company of Muscatine, Iowa. The
author was clerk and "nigger-runner," 1879-1881.

Steamer Mountain Belle loi

Originally a packet on the Kanawha river. Was brought into
the rafting business, 1874, by Hewitt and Wood of LaCrosse,
Wis. She was later owned by G. C. Hixson and then for sev-
eral years by McDonald Brothers of LaCrosse. Her last years
were spent in the excursion business at Saint Paul with Wm.
McCraney as master and owner, under the name of the Pur-
chase. She had a long and successful career, and was finally
condemned and dismantled by Peters and Son, at Wabasha,
1917. She never had a bad mishap causing any great loss.

Tightening Crosslines with Spanish Windlass . . 115

The lines holding the raft together and keeping it straight
had to be frequently tightened in the manner shown. The Span-
ish Windlass consisted of two light poles about four inches
through at the butt ends. One called the "upright," about six
feet long, was firmly held in a vertical position by one man
while another man carried about the ten-foot pole called the
"sweep." The hitch caught in the bight of the loose line could
in this way be wound around the upright until a good strain
was secured and, held by the windlass, laid down flat.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Steamer Kit Carson 123

A large, powerful rafter with no unnecessary upper works
to catch the wind. She was built at Stillwater, 1880, for Cap-
tain A. R. Young and the Burlington Lumber Company. Sara
Hitchcock was her head-pilot for several years. Then she was
sold to J. C. Daniels of Keokuk, and Gara Denberg became
her master and pilot. McDonald Brothers were her last owners
in the rafting business. She was sold south and wore out at
Memphis.

Steamer C. W. Cowles 127

This excellent rafter was built at Madison, Ind., 1881, for
the Fleming Brothers of McGregor. Later she was owned by
The Valley Navigation Company, with Joseph Buisson as mas-
ter. Then Captain George Winans bought her, and when he
quit rafting sold her to the Deeres of Moline to tow their
houseboat "Narkatana.'' They put a new hull under the same
cabin and named her "Kalitan." She is in excellent condition
today.

Steamer Ten Broeck 137

This was a large, powerful rafter with three boilers, and
engines seventeen inches by four and one-half feet. Built at
Stillwater in 1882 for Gillispie and Harper. In 1886 The Le-
Claire Navigation Company bought her and the author took
charge for six years. She was low and wide, very little affected
by wind and would out-back or out-flank anything in the river.
Photograph taken four miles below Lynxville, Wis.

Steamer W. J. Young, Jr 141

A handsome rafter, built in 1883 for W. J. Young and Com-
pany of Clinton, Iowa. She is shown towing a half-raft of
logs. She was 160 feet long over all and 34 feet wide, with
engines fourteen inches by six feet.

The Famous "Green Tree" at LeClaire, Iowa . . 151
Reproduced from an original photograph taken in 1880.
This elm's trunk is 13 feet in circumference and its branches
have a spread of 93 feet. It is the only Iowa tree in the Hall
of Fame. The little towboat shown is the Jennie Gilchrist.

Residence of Brigham Young, Nauvoo, Illinois, 1845 . 157

Old Home of the Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith . 157

Still standing in Nauvoo, Illinois.

Steamer J. W. Van Sant II 173

Towing a "double-decker" raft of logs. Built in 1890 and
burned in 1907. Shown here in the foreground being hitched

12 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

in behind and pushing the big raft down river. The Lydia Van
Sant is made fast across the bow of the raft and by pushing
ahead or back, as directed by the pilot on the "J. W." the
bow-boat moves the bow to the right or left giving the raft
a different direction or "point."

Watching the Morning Star going to Saint Paul,

1912 183

The Old Way — Steering by hand .... 183

Fountain City^ Wisconsin, Bluff 450 feet high . 193

Steamer Belle of Calhoun and Grand Tower Rock . 193

Steamer Louisville 197

Owned by Durant and Wheeler of Stillwater, Minn., dur-
ing the seventies. Captain R. J. Wheeler was her master. She
was subsequently owned by Knapp, Stout and Company of
Dubuque, Iowa, and Saint Louis, Mo., with J. H. Wooders
and later Andrew Locken as masters. She, with other boats of
this company, were bought by McDonald Brothers of LaCrosse,
Wis., about 1883, and Captain L. A. Day became master and
later R. M. Cassidy. She was worn out in the service of Mc-
Donald Brothers.

Old Time Rafters lying at Read's Landing, 1871 . 205
These boats are waiting a rise on the Chippewa to bring
out their lumber. Left to right they are Hiram Price, L. W.
Crane, Annie Girdon, L. W. Barden, Buckeye, Clyde, St. Croix,
Wm. Hyde Clark, and Silas Wright, all adapted except the
Clyde.

Captain S. B. Hanks 213

Lived to be 98.

Captain J. M. Turner 217

Of Lansing, Iowa.

Captain E. J. Lancaster 225

Of LeClaire, Iowa. Long on Stillwater and Eclipse.

Captain E. W. Durant 227

Of Stillwater, Minn. President of Durant, Wheeler and Com-
pany.

Captain Joseph Buisson 231

Of Wabasha, Minn. President Valley Navigation Company.

Captain Cyprian Buisson 235

Of St. Paul, Minn. Twenty years on the Steamer B. Hershey.

ILLUSTRATIONS 13

Captain Paul Kerz 241

Of Galena, 111. On Steamers J. W. Mills and W. J. Young,
Jr.

Captain J. M. Hawthorne 247

Of LeClaire, Iowa. 88 Nov., 1927. Still piloting.

Captain Sam R. Van Sant 251

President Van Sant and Musser Transportation Company,
and LeClaire Navigation Company.

Steamer Morning Star 261

Built in 1911. 250 feet long, 70 feet wide, over all. She had
excellent passenger accommodation and could carry eight hun-
dred tons of freight. On her first trip, with a special party, she
went from Davenport, Iowa, to the mouth of the Mississippi,
no miles below New Orleans and from there to St. Paul,
Minn., and back to Davenport. The author was in charge until
1918 when she was sold to a Cincinnati company. She was the
last large boat in the St. Paul trade.

Henry Whitmore 269

Engineer. Fitted out first real rafter.

The Last Raft 281

Captain W. L. Hunter with steamer Ottumwa Belle, 1915,
Hudson, Wis., to Ft. Madison, Iowa.

Map of the Mississippi and its tributaries . . . 311
Especially prepared by Max Mayer to illustrate this volume.

Introduction

To make my story more intelligible to readers not
acquainted with rafting or steamboating, I will explain
some of the terms and expressions used frequently in
our daily work:

To keep a raft-boat going on steadily required a
double crew; that is, two pilots, two engineers, two or
four firemen according to the size of the boat, two ash
haulers and two watchmen or "Nigger-runners." Half
of these are "on watch" (on duty) at a time and the
other are "ofif watch."

On a few boats they stand straight six-hour watches
changing at breakfast time, dinner and supper time,
and at midnight or i A.M., but on most boats they stand
the "Dog watch" in which they divide the day in two
and the night into three watches changing after break-
fast, dinner and supper as usual but at 1 1 P.M. and 3
A.M. or at midnight and 4 A.M.

To "call the watch" means to wake up the other pilot,
engineer and firemen who are to go on duty. This is the
pleasant part of the watchman's life. The mate on raft-
boats and his crew on deck do not stand any regular
watch. They are called up when needed. They often
get "all night in" but sometimes they strike what is
called a "Dutch watch" which means "twenty-four
hours and come on again."

The men in the deck crew are entered in the Portage
Book as Seamen but in practice are called Roosters,
Rousters, Rousthands or The Men as "Get the Men out
and tighten up the lines" a common order.

i6 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

A boat's "nose" is the extreme point of her hull for-
ward, generally called the "bow."

In John Hay's story of Jim Bludso and the "Prairie
Belle" he has Jim cry out- "I'll hold her nose agin the
bank till the last galoot's ashore," and every paper or
book that has retold this story has used the word "noz-
zle" instead of "nose," making it ridiculous.

A steamboat has many nozzles. One on the loose
end of every section of fire hose and one in the lower
end of each chimney to confine the exhaust from the
engines.

A green man may speak of "hiring out" to work on a
boat, but one soon learns to use the word "ship" instead.
He signs a "Shipping List" or "Shipping Articles," a
form of contract.

The question is often asked why we use the feminine
pronoun in speaking of a boat. Why always say she?
I've heard many reasons given :

Because it takes a smart man to manage her.

Because no two of them act alike.

Because they need a little touching up with paint now and then to
look right.

Because her title is not complete without a "husband." (Until
recent years every American vessel's Arinual License had to have some
one named in it as "Ships-husband or Managing-owner.")

Because she moves with such grace and quiet dignity.

Occasionally some one builds a freak so homely and
awkward looking that we all refer to it as "it." No one
uses the feminine in speaking of it.

We always say "make it fast" instead of "tie it up"
and we say "let go" or "let her go" instead of "untie it"
and in speaking of a person looking sickly or run down
we say he "looks like he's all let go."

We use quantities of rope, good manila rope that

INTRODUCTION 17

comes in large coils but we don't have any ropes on the
boat or rafts, thej^ are all "lines" from the small quar-
ter-inch stuff to the heavy inch and three-quarter check
lines.

In running rafts through bridges or a piece of nar-
row, crooked river where we have to divide the raft
and take one-half through at a time the usual way is
to move the boat over on the outside half or piece -
then let go all the coupling lines except one at each end
of the raft, back the towboat to kill the headw^ay and
get the stern near shore in a favorable place. Then the
mate sends the linesmen ashore in a skiff with the end of
the check line which they make fast to a tree and the
mate takes turns with the bight of the line on the check
works built on the piece near the stern and when he gets
a good strain on the check line, the two coupling lines
are let go, the boat stops backing and proceeds with her
piece while the mate lands his piece by judiciously
rendering and then holding his line on the check works
till the piece swings in to shore and stops.

Then the linesmen pick up the mate and his helper
and overtake the towboat.

When below the bridge or bad place the pilot lands
his first piece; goes back up and gets the second piece
and when below the bridge or bad place that he "split"
for, he backs the second piece in beside the first one;
keeps on backing to hold it up against the current while
the crew put back and tighten up the lines that hold the
two pieces together. This is "coupling up," and when
completed the pilot backs the whole raft out in the
river and lets it float while they move the boat over to
the middle and get her all "hitched in" to proceed
down river.

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

This whole operation at a bridge is called "double-
tripping."

Another way to run bridges is to move the boat over
on one piece, let go the coupling lines and back on the
boat's piece while the other one floats ahead until it can
be swung in just ahead and made fast close up to the
bow of the boat piece, making a "double-header" only
a half-raft wide and two rafts long. By backing slow
this long timber mass can be placed in shape to slide
through the draw span of most bridges.

When below the bridge and clear of the shore the
two pieces are coupled up again while floating along
and the boat moved back to her place in the middle on
the stern of the whole raft.

After bow-boats came into common use some pilots
quite frequently "split on the pier" at bridges like La-
Crosse, Dubuque or Sabula where each side of the long
or pivot pier was open and clear, and the shore span has
a sheer boom or stationary "fence" to slide through on.

"Splitting on the pier" meant moving both the tow-
boat and the bow-boat over on the piece that was to run
the span on the outside of the long sharp-pointed draw-
pier.

Holding on to the other piece with coupling lines
till they got it in shape, to let go so it would float and
slide along the fence or sheer boom the two boats one
at each end of the other piece, could back it out so it
would slide along the outside of the long pier and with
a little shoving by the towboat it was soon placed beside
the floating piece and coupled up.

This was a very clever performance when properly
done and was the quickest method of all.

Saddle-bagging an island, bar or bridge-pier meant
drifting or settling down on to it sideways, to either

INTRODUCTION 19

break in two or to wallop around it horseshoe shape
and hang there.

This was a very serious affair and the usual comment
by the deck crew was that "He (the pilot) made an
ape's tail of her."

Aside from that derived from experience and ob-
servation I gained a lot of information about rafting
from George Tromley and Stephen Hanks who were
engaged in the work from the start; from E. W. Du-
rant, James Hugunin, George Rutherford, J. M. Haw-
thorne and others who learned the river while pulling
an oar on floating rafts before steamboats were used to
tow them.

I learned most from Sam R. Van Sant who built the
first real raft-boat. He was my employer for four years
and my associate in business for forty years thereafter.
He was always well informed about the rafting business
outside of our own boats and their operations.

All these men I have mentioned were not only intel-
ligent gentlemen but careful in their statements and
dependable for their good judgment and their honesty.
They never gave me what the slang users call "a bum
steer."

In the material I had saved up to use in this work
were the lists of raft-boats, their owners, their masters
and home ports found in the appendix. These were
made out by Captain Van Sant and myself and pub-
lished in local papers. We were careful in preparing
these lists and know they are correct.

Lists of pilots, engineers and mates were made out
later from memory. The list of pilots is complete for I
had excellent help to make it so. I know the other lists
are not complete but we could do no better.

I have been greatly assisted by many kind friends

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

who have shown a genuine interest in my task by hunt-
ing up and sending me photographs to illustrate the
work and information to guide or correct me. I want
also to acknowledge the courtesy of my Publisher, Mr.
Arthur H. Clark, for his valuable suggestions and
changes made in the preparation of this manuscript.

I want especially to acknowledge my indebtedness to
my friend. Captain Fred A. Bill of Saint Paul, Minne-
sota, who edited the Life and Adventures of Stephen
B. Hanks, published in the Saturday Evening Post of
Burlington, Iowa, 1921-1922, and who has made many
original and interesting contributions to the Burlington
Post and other papers that have encouraged the study
of what the preceding generation was doing on our
great waterway.

The Burlington Post also published Recollections
of the Old River by Captain J. M. Turner of Lansing,
Iowa, from which I secured some of the most interest-
ing facts in the captain's long and successful life.

The Burlington Post in August, 1926, began publish-
ing the Memories of Captain Sam R. Van Sant, my old-
time employer and long-time business associate, who is
better known as Ex-governor of Minnesota for two
terms. The chapters are very interesting but it is impos-
sible to get the governor to furnish copy regularly. Al-
though eighty-three past, he is so active in G.A.R. work
and politics that the Memories were laid aside during
the presidential campaign.

My information about early logging on the river
above Saint Anthony's Falls was derived from the
Personal Narration of Daniel Stanchfield published in
the Minnesota Historical Society's Collections, vol. ix,
pages 324-362.

My authority about operations on the Saint Croix

L\TRODUCTION

river is based on a paper read at the Monthly meeting
of the Executive council of the Minnesota Historical
Society, April 1 1, 1904, by Captain Edward Durant of
Stillwater -see Minnesota Historical Society's Collec-
tions, vol. X, part ii, pages 644-675.

Authorities for early operations on the Chippewa,
Black, and Wisconsin rivers are History of Lumber
and Forest Industry of the Northwest, G. W. Hotch-
kiss, Publisher, Chicago, 1898, and an article on Water-
nimy and Lumber Interests of Western JVisconsin by
John Milton Holley, A.B., in "Wisconsin Historical ^o-
ciety^s Proceedings 1906," pages 21 1-21 2 - through the
kindness of Annie A. Nunns, Assistant Superintendent.

My authority for the output of logs through Beef
Slough Boom 1867- 1889 and for that of West Newton
Slough, 1889-1896 is the American Lumberman, James
E. Defenbaugh, vol. i, 1907.

For the output from West Newton 1897 to 1904, I
could only get partial reports from the Surveyor-gen-
eral of Logs and Lumber of the State of Minnesota and
from other sources which enabled me to make the esti-
mate given. It is very close to the actual figures.

The reported output of the Saint Paul Boom 1888 to
1916 is complete as given by the Surveyor-general of
Logs and Lumber of Minnesota.

My authority for information about the organization
and operations of the ALR.L.Co. or "Pool" as it was
usually called is The Mississippi River Logging Com-
pany - an historical sketch by Matthew G. Norton,
1912. Mr. Norton of "Laird Norton & Co." of Win-
ona, Minn., was a prominent member of the company.

The records of the rafting industry are nearly all
scattered and lost. I cannot fully express my gratitude
to those who have helped me gather up and arrange

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

all we could find in order to preserve some reliable
information about a great, useful, profitable, and inter-
esting activity that began in 1840 and ended in 191 5.

Steamer Morning Star of Davenport in 1911

Early River Days

I was born November 17, 1856, in Galena, Illinois.
Galena at that time was noted for its rich and produc-
tive lead and zinc mines, for its many fine steamboats,
prominent and successful steamboat men, and big river
commerce.

Captain Smith Harris and his brothers Scribe,
Keeler, Meeker, and Jack, Captains Orrin Smith,
Charles L. Stephenson, G. W. Girdon, Adam and Ste-
phen Younker, Paul Kerz, N. F. Webb, and E. H.
Beebe; Pilots William White, Thomas Drenning, Will
Kelly, John Arnold, George Tromley, Stephen B.
Hanks, Hiram Beedle, William Fisher, John King, W.
R. Tibbals; and Engineers Henry Whitmore, William
Myers, James Hunt, George Griffith, and Sam Max-
well, were some of those actively engaged. I still re-
member them in those happy boyhood days when I
found so much enjoyment playing around the old Ga-
lena levee, and watching them loading the handsome
big steamboats with pigs of lead, sacks of grain, or
barrels of pork, for which Galena was noted.

Galena was then the largest and wealthiest city north
of Saint Louis, with more of a population than it has
today. It is on the Fevre river, five miles from where it
enters Harris Slough, which opens out into the Missis-
sippi six miles above Bellevue, Iowa. Fevre river and
Harris Slough were both deep then. Boats, fully
loaded had no trouble getting out into the Mississippi,
and boats like the "Northern Light" or the "Grey

24 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Eagle," two hundred and fifty feet long, could turn
around in Galena harbor. When I was there, a few
years ago, with the "Helen Blair," we had to back all
the way out of the river, and turn in Harris Slough.
The "Helen Blair" was only one hundred and eighty
feet long. The old, deep Fevre river has been filled up
by the soil from the cultivated hills. Besides the large
steamers that ran to Saint Louis or Saint Paul, there
were smaller ones, like the "Alice Wild," "Charles
Rogers," "Belle of Bellevue," the "Sterling," and the
"Willie Wilson," engaged in local work, towing wood,
sand, and lumber, coming and going to and from the
Mississippi.

I have in memory a few days that stand out with
more than ordinary interest. One was a fine afternoon
when Matt Lorrain, a boy two or three years older than
I, took me out rowing in a nice skiff named "Mab," and
generously shared with me a sack of peanuts, which he
said cost five cents. I recall nothing of the three hun-
dred and sixty-four other days of that year.

One of Galena's noted characters, in those days, was
a little Irishman called Conny O'Ryan. Conny had a
strong dislike for steady employment. He didn't object
to a short job now and then, if the pay was good and the
jobs didn't come too close together. He spent most of
his winters in jail. Once, toward spring, Owen M'-
Gaughy, one of Conny's old pals, took him up some
tobacco, and, when about to leave, asked "Will you be
soon out, Conny?" He replied, "Me time is pretty near
up, but Mr. Pittam says I may stay in, a few weeks
longer, if I behave mesilf." One day, as winter was
coming on, we asked him what he was going to do this
winter, as they would not keep him in jail there any
more. He answered, quite cheerfully, "I'll go over to

EARLY RIVER DAYS 25

Dubuque, so I will, and get good and drunk and break
in some man's window and they'll sind me up for three
months. Divil the lick of work will I do till spring."
And that is just what he did.

In 1857, the Illinois Central railroad extended from
Cairo, at the extreme southern end of the state, to Ga-
lena, in the northwest corner, with a branch from Am-
boy to Chicago, and was then the longest railroad in
the world. The Galena steamboats connected this great
railroad with the entire Northwest and it gave the boats
regular and reliable connection with the East and
South. These conditions, while they lasted, were mutu-
ally advantageous to all concerned, and many snug for-
tunes were made by members of the Galena and Min-
nesota Company and a few independents.

The lumber handled by the Galena yards nearly all
came from sawmills on the Wisconsin river. It was
floated down the Wisconsin and Mississippi and towed
up the Fevre river by some of the small boats, or pulled
and poled up by hand, when the conditions were favor-
able.

Logs to supply the local sawmill came from the
northern pineries in the same way. Considerable Ga-
lena capital was invested in lumbering in the Wiscon-
sin pineries. Many of the men who worked on the boats
as deck-hands in summer went up to the pineries in
winter and helped cut and bank the logs and in early
spring, to get the logs down to the sawmills.

Naturally some of these men were engaged to help
float the rafts of logs or lumber down the Wisconsin
and Mississippi, earning good money while getting
back to their summer jobs. In doing this, a few of the
more ambitious chaps developed into "raft pilots" who
knew the river, and either piloted for so much per

26 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

month, trip, or season, or took contracts to run rafts of
logs or lumber for so much per thousand feet. In the
latter case, the Pilot-contractor hired and paid his own
crew, besides furnishing the necessary kit of ropes
(called lines) to hold the logs together, making the
raft strong and stiff, and also to check and hold it when
landing. Some tools were required; besides axes, crank
augurs, pike poles, snatch poles, pikes, and peavies. A
prudent pilot would also provide a supply of plugs,
lockdowns, and brail-rigging, for repair work. Last of
all, he must have two safe, easy-rowing skififs. These
things had to be good or trouble was sure to follow. A
pilot or company that was known to be niggardly or
indifferent about the kit, often had to take men who
couldn't get work elsewhere.

Furnishing the provisions, or "grub," was not so par-
ticular a matter, for little was expected in the way of
variety or delicacies. Salt meats, flour, cornmeal, beans,
and potatoes, with coffee and sugar, filled the bill. No
milk or butter was expected, but molasses, then plenti-
ful and cheap, was sometimes furnished.

George Tromley, William Simmons, and David
Philumalee were the only "floating pilots" living in
Galena, remembered in my boyhood. Later, when
steamboats were used to guide and tow rafts down the
river, the term "raft pilot" applied to a pilot who pilot-
ed a raft and the boat towing it. He had to have a
government license to pilot the steamboat, while no
license was required to pilot a floating raft. Those
pilots were usually called "floaters," to distinguish
them from others running rafts with steam towboats.

My father was engaged in a retail lumber business,
first in Galena, and afterwards in Princeton, a smaller
town, on the Mississippi. He secured all his supply

EARLY RIVER DAYS 27

from floating rafts that would land above our yard so
we could pick out the cribs and strings that had the
kinds of lumber we wanted for our trade.

While this work of selection was going on, the pilot
usually stayed at our house. I spent much of my time
on the raft with the crew, and was always glad to be
invited to sit up to the table with them at meal-time;
not because the food was better or even as good as we
had at home, but it was different, quite different.

I was greatly interested in the talk of the crew, espe-
cially in their arguments. I asked many questions about
the Wisconsin river, the Dalles, Little Bull Falls, and
other features I had heard so much about. Some of the
information they gave me was correct perhaps; at any
rate it was colored up enough to create a strong desire
to see that wonderful river. For over forty years I have
been planning a voyage in an old-fashioned raft-skiff,
from Stevens Point to its mouth. I have crossed the
river many times, on the railway bridge, near its mouth,
but never rode a mile on its surface.

IVIy favorite pilot was Joe Blow, an old Frenchman
of Stevens Point, of whom we bought lumber every
year. He was intelligent above the average, and had
such a delightful Canadian-French dialect and such
agreeable manners that no matter how late he stayed
up and talked, Mother could not drive us children to
bed until Captain Blow went upstairs.

He owned the raft or an interest in it, and did his
own piloting down the Wisconsin to the Mississippi,
and down the Mississippi to Saint Louis, including both
the Upper and Lower rapids. His crew were nearly all
"Canucks" like himself, and they treated him with
marked respect.

The Mississippi has an average current of two and a

28 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

half miles per hour. A floating raft would have the
same speed if there were no wind, but it was very much
affected by even a light wind, and had to be tied up for
any moderate side or down-stream wind. Much time
was lost on this account, and even a short trip in dis-
tance often turned out to be a long one in time. One
windy spring. Captain Blow was six weeks from the
mouth of the "Wisconse" to "de Rapid," only one hun-
dred and fifty miles.

The pilots wanted calm weather to run the rapids,
because it was impossible to tie up, in such strong cur-
rents, if there was much wind. A favorite place to wait
for daylight, or calm weather to run the Upper, or
Rock Island rapids, was under the bar, in front of Har-
vey Goldsmith's place, above LeClaire, Iowa. When
half a dozen rafts, with their crews of from twenty to
thirty men each, were held up here for a few days, with
nothing to do, they had high old times.

In low water these rafts had to be cut up into several
sections and extra oars shipped up on each end and men
taken on, so the sections could be kept in the narrow,
crooked "steamboat channel," whereas in ordinary
stages of the water the whole raft could be run down
"raft-channel."

This low-water work made good business for the
"rapids pilots" and "trippers" in LeClaire and Mon-
trose, who received four dollars for the fifteen mile trip
"bucking" an oar from LeClaire to Davenport, or from
Montrose to Keokuk. This was hard on the owner or
contractor though.

I guess "bucking" an oar on a floating raft was the
best exercise to develop the lungs and all the muscles
that has yet been found. It certainly produced a strong,
husky lot of men.

EARLY RIV^ER DAYS 29

The oars or sweeps by which the raft was handled,
consisted of stems twenty feet long, usually young tama-
rack poles, about twelve inches thick at the big end. In-
to this was pinned a pine blade fourteen inches wide,
about twelve feet long and two and one-half inches
thick at the end attached to the blade, and sawed taper-
ing to one and one-quarter inches at the outboard end.

Each string of the raft had one of these oars hung on
a head-block across the end and held in place by a two-
inch oak pin, working in a long slot through the oar-
stem near the big end, and driven deep down into the
head-block. This made the heavy oar balance nicely,
and with a big, strong man at the end of each of eight
to twelve oars, directed by an intelligent pilot, very
satisfactory work was done when the weather was calm.

Rafts of both logs and lumber were made up of long
strings each sixteen feet wide and about four hundred
feet long. The string was composed of logs placed in
rows, close together, side by side and butt to butt, and
the rows held together by sixteen-foot poles laid across
the string and fastened to each log by hickory or elm
lockdowns and wooden plugs. The lockdown was bent
over the pole, the ends stuck down into one and one-
quarter inch holes in the log, and then the plugs driven
in to hold them.

Lumber was built in strongly framed cribs at the
mill where it was sawed, and slid off into the river by a
tilting cradle on which it rested.

Rafts were not made up to size until they were safely
out on the Mississippi. About seven cribs long and
four strings wide was the usual size run on the tribu-
taries.

The crew lived on the raft on its voyage down to the

30 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

mill, where it was to be sawed, or to the market to be
sold.

There was so much objection to any structure that
would catch wind and cause more work at the oars, that
they were contented with very small tents made of
rough boards. If any ambitious members of the crew
built higher shanties they were usually told to knock
them down, the first windy day. Failure to comply
with this suggestion frequently resulted in a fight that
was sure to end in defeat for the owner, because the
pilot or the rest of the crew would knock it down any-
way.

They generally had a low wide "cook-shanty" in
which they sat down to eat; but often the cooking was
done with only a cover to keep the rain ofif the stove,
and the grub was served out in the open, the men stand-
ing to eat. The success of the cook depended more on
his ability to lick any man in the crew than on his skill
in the culinary art. Even the pilot had to give in to the
cook, at least until the end of the trip. Most of the cooks
were only known by their nick-names, such as Sailor
Jack, Spike Ike, Calfskin Ben, Steubenville Jim, Kelly
the Cutter, Hayden the Brute, Slufoot Murphey,
Double Headed Bob, and many more just as musically
named ; all good cooks and most of them agreeable
when sober, but real bad actors when liquored up.

One day two of them especially noted for their skill
as cooks and also for their bibulous habits, met in the
Lansing boat store and strange to tell both of them
sober.

After friendly greeting Hayden said to Luker, "I
thought you were on the 'Cafifrey'."

"I was."

"Why leave her; she furnishes well?"

EARLY RIVER DAYS 31

"I couldn't give satisfaction, I was paid off."

"Where did the Icicle come from, the cabin or the
messroom?"

"Why the messroom, of course. The officers were
delighted with me work The captain had tears in his
eyes when I left the boat; but I couldn't please the
men."

"Well Jimmie Luker! I'm really surprised that a
'cuke' of your experience should fail to handle a com-
mon situation like that. Why didn't you fill them up on
sweet stuff -pie and cake and candy?"

"That's just what I did. I sat up nights making
candy and gave them pie and cake three times a day
and for midnight lunch and then the reprobates set up
the howl for 'puddin' and I quit her right there."

Beginnings of the Rafting Industry

The first lumber run from Lake Saint Croix was
from Marine Mills, in 1839; the first logs from Still-
water to Saint Louis by S. B. Hanks, in 1843 ; the last, a
lumber raft in August, 191 5, to Fort Madison, Iowa,
by the steamer "Ottumwa Belle," W. L. Hunter, pilot.

The Mississippi River Logging Company began
operations on the Chippewa river, and took over the
work begun by the Beef Slough Boom Company, in
1871, and increased the output steadily, reaching its
maximum about 1892, when over 600,000,000 feet
passed through its booms in a season.

In 1 889- 1 890, the works were moved to West New-
ton, from which three hundred million to six hundred
million feet were turned out annually, until 1909, when
the exhaustion of the timber supply caused a final shut-
down.

The first lumber was rafted down the Chippewa
river in 1831, and from a small beginning the industry
developed rapidly.

The following large companies were engaged in saw-
ing pine lumber and sending it down the Chippewa
and Mississippi rivers:

The Badger State Lumber Company

The Eau Claire Lumber Company

The Daniel Shaw Lumber Company

The Lafayette Lumber Company

The Northwestern Lumber Company

The Union Lumber Company

34 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

The Valley Lumber Company

The Dells Lumber Company

The Sherman Lumber Company
Also Ingram, Kennedy and Company; the great
Knapp, Stout and Company which cut two billion feet
of lumber in sixty years, from 1836 to 1896, and the
Chippewa Lumber & Boom Company, which cut 325,-
000 feet a day, vv^ith 75,000 lath on the side.

There was lively work bringing this down the Chip-
pewa to Read's Landing, where small rafts or pieces
were made up into a large Mississippi raft for down-
river.

Sawed lumber and timber were fitted at the rear of
the mill into a frame or heavy crate sixteen feet wide,
thirty-two feet long, and twelve to twenty inches deep,
made of grub plank two inches by twelve inches, held
together by heavy two-inch pins of hickory or oak,
holding top and bottom sides and ends all solid to-
gether. This made a "crib," the unit which was built
on a movable platform that, when tilted, would let the
crib, slide down, into the river.

A number of these cribs, fastened in regular strings
by strong couplings of plank fore and aft and also cross-
wise, would make a raft of perhaps twenty-four cribs
for the Chippewa, and from one hundred and twenty
to one hundred and sixty cribs for the Mississippi.

Until the middle sixties, all rafts of both logs and
lumber, were floated down by the current and kept in
the channel and clear of sand bars, heads of islands,
bridge piers, and other besetting dangers, by a crew of
strong, lusty men, who used large oars or sweeps on the
bow and stern. There was an oar at each end of every
string of cribs, so that a raft of ten strings had a bow
crew of the ten best men, and the other ten pulled on

BEGINNINGS OF THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 35

the stern. All were under the direction of the pilot,
who hired and paid them off, and usually had fair con-
trol of them.

The first trace of rafting on Black river was in 1844,
when Myrick and Miller sent some logs to Saint Louis,
but about two years before this, the Mormons had got
out some timber for their buildings at Nauvoo.

This timber was sawed in the mill of Jacob Spauld-
ing, at Black River Falls. The mill, built in 1839,
seems to have been the first to begin cutting on Black
river. The greatest output was in 1881-250,000,000
feet.

Governor C. C. Washburn, prominent in lumbering
on Black river, had his home in LaCrosse, Wisconsin,
and organized the LaCrosse Lumber Company, in
1 871. He was born in Maine, taught in a private school
in Davenport in 1839, and in 1840 was elected county
surveyor of Rock Island county.

John Paul, C. L. Colman, N. B. Holway, W. H.
Polleys, G. C. Hixon, Abner Gile, Oran and Levi
Withee, Sawyer and Austin, A. W. Pettibone, P. S.
Davidson, G. B. Trow and McDonald Brothers, were
all engaged in extensive logging and lumber operations.

The earliest lumbering was probably done on the
Wisconsin river. Pierre Grignon had a sawmill operat-
ing in 1822, and possibly earlier, on Dutchman's creek.
Some of the product was floated out and down the Mis-
sissippi, but records are very meager. By treaty with
the indians in 1836, Governor Henry Dodge secured
the rights for lumbering, and by 1840 many mills were
located, and some in operation.

The first raft taken through to Saint Louis of which
we have reliable record, was run by Honorable Henry
Merrill, who took charge of it at Portage, Wisconsin,

36 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

rebuilt and refitted it at the mouth of the Wisconsin
river, and delivered it in Saint Louis in 1839. The early
saw mills in Galena and Dubuque were supplied with
logs prior to this long trip to Saint Louis.

By 1857, three thousand men were engaged in lum-
bering on the Wisconsin, and the value of the log crop
was estimated at $4,000,000.00. As all the lumber had
to be floated out of the Wisconsin and down the Missis-
sippi, rafting grew into a great business, and was
handled quite systematically, by a hardy, rough, but
industrious and reliable lot of men, working under such
floating-raft pilots as Dave Philomalee, Bill Skinner,
Bill Simmons, Wild Penny Joe Blow, and Sandy Mc-
Phail.

Some went through direct to Saint Louis, others ped-
dled by string or crib to dealers in the towns along the
way, and the trips would often end at Davenport, Mus-
catine, or Quincy. Then the crew would take passage
on a steamboat going north to start another trip down.
They had no work to do going up river, and usually
made it one long carousal, so that by the time they
reached the mouth of the "Wisconse" or Black river
they were broke and glad to go to work again.

Some of the pilots worked by the month, others by
the season or trip, the "company" paying all expenses
and taking all the chances; but a few had their own kits
and ran the rafts under contract - so much per thousand
feet, or so much a string.

From 1870 to 1875, I had considerable acquaintance
with these raftsmen, on account of my father's lumber
yard at Princeton, Iowa, which received all its supply
from floating rafts, mainly from the Wisconsin.

Daniel Stanchfield cut the first logs on the Upper
Mississippi, above Saint Anthony's Falls, in 1848.

BEGINNINGS OF THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 37

These logs were sawed into lumber by the first mill
in Minneapolis, owned by Franklin Steele and others.
It began sawing in September, 1848, by water power.

The business increased rapidly, and settlers and im-
migrants poured into Saint Paul and Minneapolis. In
1856, the surveyor-general reported scaling 6,000,000
feet of logs for Borup and Oakes alone. These logs were
run over the Falls to be caught in the Saint Paul boom,
where they were rafted and floated down river to other
sawmills, a large number going to Saint Louis.

Rum river was cleared of obstructions in 1850, and
logging on this tributary increased from 6,000,000 feet
in 1850, to 33,000,000 feet in 1854.

The output of the Upper Mississippi above Saint
Anthony's Falls rose to 678,000,000 feet in 1899, and
totaled 11,000,000,000 feet for the fifty-two years from
1848 to 1899 inclusive.

From i860 to 1887 very few if any logs passed over
Saint Anthony's Falls for down-river mills, as the many
large mills in Minneapolis sawed all that came down
from the Upper Mississippi and its tributaries within
the state of Minnesota.

In 1888 the Saint Paul boom was opened, and rafting
logs for down-river mills was carried on here quite
successfully. When it finally closed, in 1913, the sur-
veyor's record showed an output of 1,555,854,900 feet
during the twenty-four years.

Some pilots took pride in their work and the ap-
pearance and good performance of the crew, and made
few changes during the season. There was marked dif-
ference in piloting even a floating raft. A bright, sober,
intelligent pilot, who learned the drafts of water at
different stages, would make better time and give the

38 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

men less work in bucking the oars. Such pilots could
always get rafts to run and men to run them.

On lumber rafts, the crews usually had a board
shanty where the cooking was done, and little low dog
houses, improvised to sleep in. On long trips, such as
from Stillwater or Read's Landing, Minnesota, to Saint
Louis, they would fix up comfortable bunks, as they
had all kinds of lumber to use and a good floor to start
on. On log rafts they usually depended on flimsy tents
provided by the pilot, and the conveniences of life were
very meager, but the work was healthful, and the life,
and excitement, in the open pure air, gave them good
appetites and excellent digestion. They usually had
plenty of good plain food, and strong coffee. They
seldom had any ice, in the hottest weather, or any milk.
Sometimes, delayed on a long hard trip, when the
pilot's money or credit gave out, these men were just
as resourceful as any of General Sherman's soldiers, on
their March to the Sea.

The country above Dubuque was very sparsely set-
tled, and the little towns far apart, but it is pleasant to
reflect that there is no record of a raftman dying of
hunger. An angry farmer, who missed a fat two-year-
old heifer one morning after a raft had passed down,
overtook the raft by a long, hard row in a heavy skifif.
The dressed carcass lay on the logs near the center of
the raft, covered with a piece of white canvas. The crew
was divided and crouched at the corners of the raft,
while the old French pilot sat alone with his head
down, when the farmer appeared and questioned him.
Old George said, "My friend, I'm glad to see you. I'm
in big trouble. My crew^ are all afraid of me." "How
so?" "You see," he replied, "that white ting down

BEGINNINGS OF THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 39

there? - small pox, one of my best men, the cook. I stay
and work with him all night but 'taint no use. Now,
my friend, you look like brave man. I want you to help
me take the cook ashore and bury him." But the farmer
was gone; nearly fell in the river in his excitement and
hurry to get away.

On reaching a raft's destination - Dubuque, Burling-
ton Iowa, Hannibal Missouri, Saint Louis, or else-
where - the pilot would ship his kit and provide deck
passage on a northbound steamboat back up the river.
The pilot, of course, took cabin passage. These return-
ing raftmen had no work to do going back up river.
There were often several raft crews on each steamer.
Having been paid at the down trip, all had money.
Every boat had a bar, and "red liquor" was in demand.
The fighting was confined to the lower or main deck,
where it annoyed only the boat's crew and other deck
passengers. On one occasion, though, these orgies de-
veloped into a riot, on the steamer "Dubuque," and
several negroes were killed or driven overboard and
drowned. The rioters then took charge of the boat for
a few hours, and the cabin passengers were in terror,
until officers intercepted the "Dubuque" at the Clinton,
Iowa, bridge, arrested the rioters and took them ashore
for trial.

There has been much noise made about the "riot on
the steamer 'Dubuque' " in books and magazines, espe-
cially in recent years.

The trouble started easily through the mistake or
oversight of the captain or mate in placing a negro at
the head of the main stairway forward to keep Irish
raftmen from entering the cabin to get their "Morn-
ings Morning" or "Eye-Opener."

There was a bar on the "Dubuque" in the front end

40 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

of the cabin and "lower deck" passengers were welcome
patrons as a rule. These raftmen had been patronizing
the bar quite liberally all the way up but the bartender
accustomed to handling them kept them in good humor
and within a safe limit; but while lying at Rock Island
and Davenport some of them drank a lot up-town after
the boat's bar was closed for the night.

She left early in the morning and when these men
woke up after the night's debauch they wanted whiskey
and wanted it bad.

The officers in charge should have been prepared to
take care of this matter. It was an awful mistake to put
a negro there to meet the situation.

Deck passengers were not allowed to eat in the cabin
at all ; they got grub from the kitchen down on the main
deck. It was whiskey they wanted, not breakfast, and
it was no place for a negro in front to turn them back
f rorn the bar.

I don't know what river these raftmen came from
but think they were from the Wisconsin, as the major-
ity of them were Irish; while on the Black, Chippewa
and Saint Croix rivers, the Canadians and Scandinavi-
ans were the most numerous.

I never heard raftmen from Black river spoken of as
more belligerent than others; nor did I ever learn of a
single instance of a real raftman assaulting or injuring
a woman or a child. They would fight when in liquor,
and this was not unusual on shore in those days.

When a boy I saw more fighting and more blood shed
on one Saturday night in the little town of Princeton
than I saw among raftmen during my twenty years
among them.

The riot on the "Dubuque" was the only afifair of the
kind that happened during the seventy-five years of the

THE unm

OF THE

BEGINNINGS OF THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 43

rafting period. Because it was so unusual, much was
made of it.

While clerk on the "Silver Wave" late in the fall of
1879 we had a husky crew of real raftmen which in-
cluded "Ole" a big Swede and Tom Cleeland an Irish-
man of good size and build, who was called one of the
best men "in the woods."

We had to lay over night at LeCIaire on our way
down. All the cabin crew (captain, pilot, mate, en-
gineers and cooks) lived in LeCIaire, our home port,
and all of them had gone home for the night leaving me
in charge.

Before leaving, the mate reminded me not to let the
deck crew have much money; so when they were free to
go up-town all came up together and I handed them one
or two dollars each and told them that was all they
could have - "mate's orders." All O.K.

At 10:30 P.M. five or six of them came back for more
money. I tried to persuade them not to go up-town
again - to go down and turn in for a little sleep before
four o'clock but they were insistent. So I gave in grace-
fully, saying, "Boys, you know this is my first season
on this boat and I don't like to break orders, but you
fellows have always treated me nice, so here's a dollar
apiece; spend that and come back and turn in for the
mate will be after you at four o'clock, remember." "Oh,
das all right." "You been dam good fellar," said "Ole,"
and off they went and I thought I was done with them.

Just before midnight I heard them come on. After
some noisy talk back in the deck room, four of them
including Ole and Tom came up-stairs and into the
cabin and demanded more money.

I was stirring up the fire with a big poker of three-

44 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

quarter-inch iron, three feet long. I swung the door
shut with the poker stuck down in the fire and the other
end out.

I told them the safe was locked and I was going to
bed. "No more money tonight, Olie." Big Olie an-
swered, "Yas; das all right," and went out.

The two smaller men again demanded more money
- all their money. I opened the front door and suc-
ceeded in persuading one to go out and down but I had
to use force on his partner, but got him out and closed
the door. Then Tom Cleeland lit his pipe and re-
marked, "That is a rough way to put a man out."

"Well," said I, "he wouldn't go out when I told him
to - I had to put him out, I'm running this place, ain't
I, Tom?"

Tom smiled and said, "Well, you can't put me out
that way."

"No, Tom, I know that, you're too big for me and I
hear you're a hard man to handle. But Tom, I'm in
charge here and when I start to put you out, I'm going
to do it."

"The hell you will. Just try it," said Tom. By this
time with my old gloves on I grabbed the end of the
long poker, jerked it out of the fire, about eighteen
inches of it red hot, and made for him, and in full tones
told him to fly or I would mark him for life. He caught
my idea instantly and acted on my advice. I had no
trouble after that -we got along fine until the season
closed.

Carrying these raft crews and their kits back up
river, while sometimes not a pleasant business, was
always a profitable one, adding a large amount to the
earnings of the packet companies, with very little

BEGINNINGS OF THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 45

added expense. Naturally the packet companies were
against the use of towboats helping these rafts down
river and carrying back the crews.

One of the Northern Line packets, going up river in
the night, ran into a raft, under way, and did it con-
siderable damage. George Tromley, the pilot of the
raft, made a claim on the Packet Company, when he
delivered his raft to Saint Louis. He was told to leave
his bill and they would submit it to Captain Hill when
the steamer "Dubuque" returned. Captain Hill refused
to O.K. the bill and Captain Tromley's lawyer libeled
the steamer "Dubuque" in United States District Court.
The bill was then promptly paid, with costs.

Some time later, Mr. Tromley, with his crew, were
in Saint Louis to go back up river on the first steamer,
which happened to be the "Dubuque." Not long after
starting, Captain Hill met Mr. Tromley near the office
and bar, and began raking him for making such a big
noise to the company and libeling the boat. Mr. Trom-
ley, in his pleasing manner and rich Canadian dialect,
said, "Well, Captain Hill, I bring my crew and ride
your boat today, don't I?" "Yes." "I pay my way for
all my people, ain't that so, Mr. Clerk?" "Yes, that's
true, Mr. Tromley." "I ride on your boat before, ain't
I, wit my crew and kit?" "Oh, yes, Mr. Tromley, you
have traveled with us many times. You are a good cus-
tomer." "Always pay my way, don't I, Mr. Clerk?"
"Yes, indeed, Mr. Tromley." "Then," turning to Cap-
tain Hill with his peculiar smile, he said, "Now, Cap-
tain, you hear what the clerk say, and these gentlemen
(passengers) they all hear too. Now when you come
and bring your boat and crew and take ride on my raft,
don't you think it only fair you pay your fare same as
I?"

46 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Captain Hill was glad to call all hands to "splice the
main brace" before supper, and all trouble was over.
Mr. Tromley was in many ways the brightest and most
interesting character I met in forty years on the river,
three of which were spent under his tutorship in learn-
ing the river.

Some years later Pilot Tromley was running on the
rafter "Silver Crescent." Captain Mitchell, a much
younger man, was very excitable and one day after
striking the LaCrosse bridge he got terribly worked up.
Mr. Tromley took charge of the affair and in a few
hours the crew had the raft in good shape again and the
"Silver Crescent" was shoving it full head toward its
destination.

After clearing up, Captain Mitchell went up to the
pilot-house and sat down quietly holding his face in his
hand, for several minutes.

Then, rousing up he said, "Mr. Tromley, I believe
I'm going crazy!"

Mr. Tromley turned around and with that merry
twinkle in his eyes and in the kindest manner said,
"Why my dear friend! Are you just find that out?
There's a many people on this boat could told you dat
good while ago.

"Now captain let me tell you someting! It ain't no
use to get so dam excite. I been on this river long time;
more than you have; and have had all kinds of trouble
raf's broke up, raf's 'ground on san bar, hit bridges,
caught in fog or storm but I never yet heard of a saw
log come up in pilot-house and kill a pilot." The cap-
tain laughed heartily and it really helped him.

Beef Slough

The Beef Slough Boom and Improvement Company
was organized in 1867, and chartered by the state of
Wisconsin to catch, sort, raft, and scale all logs coming
down the Chippewa. These were turned into Beef
Slough by a sheer boom at the head, and jam booms
farther down were used for holding the run in high
water. The company was allowed to charge sevent>'-five
cents per thousand feet for logs, and two cents each for
cross ties.

It was soon demonstrated that this was a great im-
provement over separate operations by individual own-
ers, and when this company was taken over by the Mis-
sissippi River Logging Company, in 1873, it was soon
evident that the sufficient capital and vigorous and
intelligent management of this organization would take
excellent care of the Chippewa outfit and keep the
large mills regularly supplied, as long as the timber
supply held out.

Beef Slough is a branch mouth of the Chippewa
river, leaving the main stream at Round Hill, and fol-
lowing down along the high Wisconsin blufifs for about
twelve miles, opening into the Mississippi just above
the town of Alma, Wisconsin.

By dredging and digging at its head, and removing
obstructions in its course, the diversion was much in-
creased into this slough, and then a long, heavy sheer
boom placed diagonally across the Chippewa, not only
turned all the logs into Beef Slough, but greatly accel-
erated the current and gave good water to work on.

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Thousands of piling were driven and many booms
placed, and pockets and chutes arranged, so that the big
crops of logs were saved. They were sorted, rafted and
scaled, with check works and guy line pins, all ready
for tow boats to hitch into, and were taken away and
delivered to the big mills down river as fast as the
seventy-five steamboats on the Upper Mississippi could
go up and down.

During the busy season, between 1200 and 1500 men
were employed in Beef Slough, and the work was han-
dled with great system and energy.

While Mr. Weyerhaeuser was seldom seen at the
Slough, his spirit was always evident. Mr. Irvine in
the earlier years lived at Wabasha, and was at the
office nearly every day, with George Scott directly in
charge. Other men were E. Douglas, at the rafting
works, D. J. McKenzie, head scaler, Kinney McKenzie
in charge of the "dropping," Duncan McGillivray as
assignment and delivery clerk, and Pete Short handling
the catch boom at the mouth.

The steamer "Hartford," under Captain Henry Buis-
son, was busy dropping out half rafts to places of safety,
where they would lay at owner's risk until taken away
by some other boat.

The steamer "Jessie Bill," under Captain Lew Ma-
lin, was doing all kinds of company work, while the
"Little Hoddie" was "bowing out" and towing batteaux
crews back up to the works.

Twice a day the local steam packet "Lion" passed up
through the lower end of the Slough, landed at the
office to let ofif mail, passengers, and a little freight, and
then out through the "cut ofif" on her way to Wabasha,
Minnesota.

There was no railroad on the Wisconsin side, and

X'o '~r.

2 c >

5* — V

4- o

5 r »'

TiiE u asv
OF THE

BEEF SLOUGH 51

Captain H. C. Wilcox had a nice trade between Alma,
Wisconsin, and Wabasha, Minnesota, making two
round trips a day.

All the bosses and many of the men working in Beef
Slough were Scotch-Canadians, who had been lumber-
jacks back home on the Ottawa or Saint Maurice, and
their quick, decisive speech with the burr on it, pleased
me very much. You could not throw a boom plug at
any crew and not hit a Macdonald, or a Mackenzie,
and probably get one back from a Duncan.

Each raft was composed of two pieces (halves) of
three brails each. A brail of logs was six hundred feet
long and forty-five feet wide. The rim was made of the
longest logs, fastened at the ends with about a thirty-
inch lap, by a short, heavy chain of three links. A two-
inch hole was bored nine inches deep in each log, and
a two-inch oak or ironwood pin, with a head on it was
put through an end link of the chain, and driven hard
into the hole in the boom log. These logs, so fastened,
made a strong boom or frame (with just enough flexi-
bility to suit the job) into which the loose logs were
carried by the current, and skillfully placed endwise
with the current, by men, using pike poles and peavies.
Then one-half-inch cross wires were placed and tight-
ened, to hold the boom and logs together and prevent
spreading.

When a brail was completed, two men with a double-
headed skif¥ or batteaux, would drop it down, by the
current, one to three miles, and snub it in, where later
two more brails would be landed beside it. Then a fit-
ting crew would come and drop the three brails even at
the stern, fasten them together, build "snubbin works"
and other things necessary to complete a "piece" or
"half raft" all ready for a boat to hitch into.

52 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

When the tow-boat came to take these pieces away,
she would move alongside slowly, while the mate and
his men threw off the cross lines, reaching across the
three brails, and the windlass poles, with which they
were drawn up and made taut.

Then they would turn the boat around (not by any
means an easy task in such a close place), hitch her
into the stern of the raft, with head lines straight out to
the check works to back on, and breast lines from her
head to the right and left, to keep her stem, or nose, on
the butting block, and guy lines out from the midship
or after-nigger to the stern corners of the raft, to hold
the boat in any desired position.

The butting block was a big log securely fastened,
by timbers and chains, to the stern boom, to tow on.

Then part of the crew ran out the long A lines, run-
ning diagonally across from the outside booms, crossing
X like in the middle (these to keep her straight and
prevent buckling), and others put on the corner lines
to prevent the heavy strain on the guy lines from pull-
ing the corners back. The mate with one or two good
men, put on and tightened a heavy monkey line, to help
the butting block. When this was done, she was all
ready to back out, with the "Little Hoddie" hitched in
across the bow, to back or come ahead, moving the bow
to right or left, to clear the other pieces on either side
of the channel, just wide enough in places to let the
bow through, sometimes the outside booms rubbing on
each side. The mate and a few men watched close to
loosen her up if she caught anywhere.

Sometimes she would catch and foul, and tear a brail
loose, or make a drive. Then came the call "tie up, the
catch boom is closing," and a general tie-up of two or
three hours would follow, till the loose logs ahead were

BEEF SLOUGH 53

secured. Usually, though, all went off wonderfully
well, and she soon passed the closing boom and out of
the Slough into the Mississippi. Soon they tied up
under a bar or on the foot of an island, while the boat
went back to the Slough and got her second piece.

When coupled up, these two pieces made a raft two
hundred and seventy-five feet wide and six hundred feet
long. They contained 800,000 to 1,000,000 feet of logs,
weighed 3500 tons, and covered three acres.

The output from Beef Slough was 12,000,000 feet in
1867, 26,000,000 feet in 1869, and 10,000,000 feet in
1870.

From the time the Mississippi River Logging Com-
pany took control, in 1871, the annual output increased
quite steadily, until it reached 535,000,000 feet in 1885,
405,000,000 feet in 1887, and 542, 000,000 feet in 1889.

In 1889, the operations were transferred from Beef
Slough to West Newton Slough, a little below, on the
opposite side. They were conducted by a new company,
but it was composed of the same stockholders, and
headed by the same officers.

Not only the logs belonging to the "pool," as it was
called, but all logs coming down the Chippewa were
handled and delivered to their owners in regular raft
shape, on the regular charges allowed by the state
charter.

There were over 2,000 different marks on the logs
scaled up and passed through the Slough. The way this
was done was certainly a fine demonstration of effi-
ciency and square business methods.

West Newton reached the peak of its business in
1892, when 632,150,000 feet of logs were rafted out.

Using West Newton as a base required the driving
of the loose logs out of the main mouth of the Chip-

54 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

pewa at Read's Landing, and down the Mississippi to
the head of West Newton Slough, and to place a big,
long sheer boom above the mouth of Beef Slough, to
throw the logs over toward and into the head of West
Newton Slough.

These loose logs between the sheer boom and Read's
were often too thick to run through, especially when
the Chippewa was rising, and it was common for steam-
boats to have to tie up for a few hours until the heavy
run was over.

From 1892 the output decreased steadily until 1904
when the "great game" ended for good. This was be-
cause the supply of pine accessible to the Chippewa
and its tributaries was exhausted.

In 1909, the Mississippi River Logging Company,
of Clinton, Iowa, was dissolved, after a most highly
successful career, during which nearly every one of its
members became millionaires.

During the period of its greatest activity, the officers
were: Fred Weyerhaeuser, of Rock Island, Illionis,
president; Artemus Lamb, of Clinton, Iowa, vice-pres-
ident; and Thomas Irvine, secretary.

The principal members of the company were :

Youmans Brothers and Hodgins Winona, Minnesota

Laird, Norton and Company Winona, Minnesota

Winona Lumber Company Winona, Minnesota

W. J. Young and Company Clinton, Iowa

C. Lamb and Sons Clinton, Iowa

D. Joyce Lyons, Iowa

Dimock, Gould and Company Moline, Illinois

Weyerhauser and Denkraann Rock Island, Illinois

Rock Island Lumber and Mfg. Company Rock Island, Illinois

Musser Lumber Company Muscatine, Iowa

Hershey Lumber Company Muscatine, Iowa

Shulenburg and Boeckeler Saint Louis, Missouri

My First Year Rafting, 1878

My service on the Mississippi river began late in
March, 1878. I had finished the winter term as teacher
of the intermediate room in the public school at Prince-
ton, Iowa. About 1 1 P.M., I boarded the nice steam
raft-boat "LeClaire Belle," bound for Savanna Bay,
for a raft of logs for Carson and Rand, of Burlington,
Iowa.

The "LeClaire Belle" was owned by Captain Sam
Van Sant of LeClaire, Iowa, and S. & J. C. Atlee of
Fort Madison, Iowa.

Captain Van Sant was her manager, and he put me
on her to do what clerking there was, and with Will
Davenport, who became my partner, I stood regular
six-hour watches running the nigger-engine while tow-
ing rafts down stream, and as watchman going up river.

As clerk, I had to keep the log book, the time and
expense books, buy all supplies, fuel and sundries, and
pay for them. On the delivery of each raft, I had to get
a receipt for it, showing the number of strings, or brails,
and the scale in feet, and draw enough money from the
mill company, to whom we delivered the raft, to pay
the trip's expenses. The crew were all paid up at the
end of each trip, and also all bills for supplies.

Captain Van Sant impressed upon me the importance
of keeping close watch of my cash book and the neces-
sity for balancing my cash at least once a day, as the
work in the office was often done in a hurry amid more
or less noise and confusion. I am still grateful to him

56 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

for getting me started right in discharging a duty which
in time became a habit that saved me from loss and
worry, and gave me real pleasure.

Getting on board late at night, I took the berth as-
signed to me, by the mate, but did not sleep much. At
breakfast I was made acquainted with James Hugunin,
master and pilot, George Tromley, St., pilot, R. B.
McCall, mate, Thos. Wright, chief engineer. Add.
Mikesell, assistant engineer, Wm. Davenport, my part-
ner, Ben Shipley, cook, and Harry Carleton, cabin boy.

Later I became acquainted with the firemen, John
Shannon and Martin Larkins. She had eight or nine
men on deck, of whom I remember only one, Johnny
Bagley, who often helped me by "watching the nigger"
when I had some work to do in the office, and he posted
me about my numerous duties and steamboat rules and
ways of doing things. Old Martin, the fireman, also
took interest in me, reminding me what my rights and
duties were. While I made a few bad cracks, of course,
with their help I made rapid progress in getting into
my place. We all were on the boat at the close of the
season, during which we ran logs from Stillwater, Min-
nesota, to Atlee's mill in Fort Madison, Iowa.

The "Belle" was only six years old, with hull, ma-
chinery and boilers in excellent condition. She had a
nice, comfortable cabin for the officers, with kitchen,
pantry, and mess-room at the after end.

The office was directly in front, and was fitted up
complete, including a good, small safe with combina-
tion lock. I was proud to work in this little office, and
determined to hold the job. Nothing but gatling guns
and police dogs could have driven me away from it.

The pilot and mate were kind and helpful from the
start, as was the assistant engineer, and before the sea-

S--S

MY FIRST YEAR RAFTING 59

son closed, the captain and chief engineer became
pleasant and agreeable.

The "Belle's" oak hull was one hundred and twenty-
five feet long, twent>'-two and one-half feet wide, and
drew twenty-eight inches light. She had two boilers,
and engines fourteen inches bore by four-foot stroke,
applied to a stern paddle wheel. She was a nice, easy
boat to steer and handle, and was real fast when run-
ning light, but slow when loaded down with coal.

When we reached Savanna Bay, the next morning
after I "shipped," we found that the raft had been laid
up so long that the rope booming was all rotten. We put
in the whole day rebooming it and getting it ready to
run.

That night we had a snow storm, and it was late the
next day when we got the two pieces dropped down
through Sabula bridge, and coupled up below Dark
Chute, after dark. Here I got into my first trouble. I
took red lanters to hang on the outside corners of the
raft next the channel.

As walking logs was a new thing to me, I took a
bright lantern to light me back to the boat. I hung my
red lanterns all right and was carefully picking my way
back to the boat, when a piece of rotten bark, covered
with snow, gave way, and I fell, hurting one knee. My
bright light got wet and went out. I had to crawl back
on my hands and one knee. The other was stiflf and sore,
but I managed to avoid exposure and gaffing.

When we delivered the raft at Burlington, Mr. E. D.
Rand paid me in full and gave us an extra one hun-
dred dollars on my explanation about the delay and
extra work in getting the raft ready. This settlement
pleased our manager when I reported to him about col-

6o A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

lecting one hundred dollars more than the contract
price, as he had not suggested claiming any extra pay.

The "LeClaire Belle" made one trip to Saint Louis
during low water in September. She made this trip
under charter to the Eau Claire Lumber Company.
Captain Peter Kirns took charge and Captain Hugunin
went with him as pilot. He did not need a clerk, or had
one of his own, so George Tromley and I did not get to
make this trip, but were transferred to the "Silver
Wave" until the "Belle" returned.

On this trip the "Belle's" lumber raft was put
through the new Keokuk canal. Coming back up, while
locking through, some of the crew gathered a lot of
persimmons, which were growing plentifully along the
canal-side. They ate all the ripe ones, and carefully
put some green ones where I would find them. Fortu-
nately I boarded the boat long before daylight on her
return, and had my first experience with green persim-
mons before there were many around to witness my
struggles to get my mouth back in shape so I could talk
and eat my breakfast. I threw the others all overboard,
but claimed I had eaten them and liked them. Any one
who has not tried eating green persimmons should try
a few to get the correct idea.

On our first trip to Stillwater, Minnesota, for a raft,
there was much to see and enjoy. I had never been
above Dubuque before, and that is where the fine blufifs
scenery begins.

Many fires on the blufifs at night added much to the
natural grandeur of the Great Canon. At that time,
wood cut on the blufifs was the principal fuel used by
the many steamboats operating north of Dubuque.
Every spring, too, there was a lot of brush to be burned
away. The work was usually done at night, and cer-

Wc ir 'ARY

OF THE

USlVEBSiTY OF iLLlKOlS

MY FIRST YEAR RAFTING 63

tainly presented many beautiful pictures. I stood the
forward watch, 6:30 to 12 A.M., and 6:30 P.M. to mid-
night, so I had plenty to look, at, and often stayed up
until long after my partner came on watch.

There were no wing dams in the river then, nor one-
tenth as many sand-bars, but there were a few crossings
that were bad every season during the low water period
(usually during August and September). Places like
Bellevue, Queen's Blufif, Chimney Rock, and Beef
Slough bars were wide and shallow. I have seen eleven
boats aground on, or waiting to get over, Winona bar.
These were the first places to which the wing dam or
jett>' system was applied with success that led to its
adoption for the entire Upper Mississippi.

The old penitentiary of Minnesota was located at
Stillwater. While the crew was fitting up the raft, I had
some business ashore, and leisure enough to visit the
state prison, in order to get a peek at Cole Younger. He
was in for a long term for aiding Jesse James in robbing
the bank in Northfield, Minnesota. This was consid-
ered a great feat then, but would be a very tame afifair
in these progressive days.

Cole Younger was a well built, handsome man. After
serving many long years, with excellent behavior, my
old employer. Captain Sam Van Sant, having become
governor of the state, pardoned or paroled him, and
took a real interest in him. He had paid the penalty
and had become a changed man.

On our second trip to Stillwater, we laid there all
night to clean boilers. The streets were full of men
who had come down on "the drive." They brought the
log crop from the woods, down the little tributaries
into the main stream, the Saint Croix river, breaking
jams, sacking, rolling, and following them down into

64 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

the great catch booms at the mouth of the Saint Croix,
where it empties into the head of Lake Saint Croix, at
Stillwater. This beautiful lake is thirty miles long, and
empties into the Mississippi at Prescott, Wisconsin. It
made an admirable place to hold rafts, and store logs
and lumber ready for towing down river.

These strong, husky men from the woods wore blue
or red mackinaw jackets and high boots, with calks in
heels and soles so they could hold their footing on loose,
slippery, rolling logs.

They were here drawing their pay and most of them
spending it freely. The places of amusement and re-
> freshment were doing good business. After their fling
in town, many of these men put in the summer season
on the raft-boats engaged in towing logs and lumber to
mills and yards down river.

Durant, Wheeler and Company had a fleet of nice
raft-boats, and handled a good share of the output from
the Saint Croix. Captain A. R. Young had the big tow-
boat "Minnesota," Captain Hank L. Peavey had an
excellent boat the "Penn Wright," and Isaac Staples,
who had a part in everything in Stillwater, was build-
ing two fine raft-boats, the "Isaac Staples," and the "I.
E. Staples."

The "Helen Mar" and the "Ada B." were laid up
and for sale. I wanted one of them badly, but could not
raise money enough, and my employer, who was will-
ing to take a chance with me, thought the outlook was
not good anyway. The year 1878 was a dry season, and
not a busy one on the river. Conditions changed the
next year for the better, and improved right along for
several years. The "Mar" or the "Ada B." would have
been a good buy.
The "Ada B." was bought by United States engineers

MY FIRST YEAR RAFTING 67

and rendered many years of excellent service. When
she was condemned and sold, in February, 1924, I was
the successful bidder. So I owned her at last, over forty-
five years after I first saw and wanted her. I soon sold
her, at a profit, but let her go with great regret, as she
was a peach to work with. The United States engineers
condemned her so they could buy the Mayo's pleasure
boat "Minnesota," to replace her. I got the "Ada B."
for $1250.00, and the United States paid $35,000.00 for
the "Minnesota."

As my duties going up river were very light, I could
spend considerable time in the pilot-house, where I
could be learning the river. Pilot Tromley gave me
every encouragement, and I will always hold his kind-
ness in grateful recollection. He was a French-Cana-
dian, and, not having learned to read, had retained
much of his native dialect, using many expressions that
were just delightful. Though not educated, he was
bright and well informed. He was a pleasant man to
meet casually or to stand watch with, day and night.
Though he had been on the river forty-five years, and
was about seventy years of age, he was straight, hand-
some, and healthy, not only the liveliest person in the
crew but the best company I ever had through a sea-
son. Several years after, when I was in charge of the
"Ten Broeck" and the "J. W. Mills," I had him with
me as my pilot-partner. He was just the same genial,
kindly, fun-loving, old Canuck as when he gave me my
first lessons in piloting, on the "LeClaire Belle."

In 1871, Taylor Williams opened coal mines at Rap-
ids City, Illinois, at the upper end of the LeClaire
Rapids and soon built up a big trade supplying coal to
steamboats, at LeClaire, Iowa. The coal was loaded
into small cars at the mines, one and one-half miles

68 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

from the river, and these were run down by gravity to
the river bank, and dumped into barges, holding 1500
to 2000 bushels. These barges were towed over to Le-
Claire by the handsome little steamer "Jennie Gil-
christ." This coal was found at the right time to help
steamboating on the Upper Mississippi, especially the
rafting. The raft-boats could fill up on excellent coal
at LeClaire, at eight cents a bushel, or two dollars a
ton on the barge. Some of the boats could carry enough
coal to make the round trip up to Beef Slough and
back, while others would have to take on wood up river.

There were many regular wood yards, where good,
dry wood was ranked, close to the water, to supply boats
landing for it at any time, day or night. The most no-
table wood landings were Harringtons (below Belle-
vue), Finley's (above Dubuque), Saint Louis wood-
yard (below Guttenberg), Frenchtown, Clayton, Dave
Morrell's (at the mouth of the Wisconsin river), Fred
Worth's and Dave Worth's (above McGregor). At
Lynxville, Wisconsin, Tom Bright and Lish Randall
had wood flats loaded ready to be taken in tow and
unloaded under way. Jim Latshaw and Bill Tibbetts
sold wood at Victory, and Charley Ott, Pearl Oliver
and Jo Franzeni, at Bad Axe, also had wood boats and
were considered experts in loading it for sale. By put-
ting all crooked limb wood down in, and placing nice,
straight split wood on top, an expert could take thirteen
cords off the bank and make a good showing of what
measured eighteen to twenty cords in the flat boat.

John Witte had a good yard at Brownsville, and
there were others at Hammond Chute, Queen's Bluff,
The Stone House (above Winona), Fountain City,
Richtman's, Belvidere, and West Newton. John Harry
had wood in flats at Alma. Above Lake Pepin, we

MY FIRST YEAR RAFTING 69

could wood at Trenton, Diamond Blufif, or Smith's,
and we could get good, coarse, dry slabs at Glenmont in
Lake Saint Croix.

We thought our expenses were high then, when we
were only paying two dollars a ton for good coal, two
dollars and fifty cents a cord for dry oak. wood, and one
dollar and tvventy-five cents to one dollar and fifty cents
a cord for slabs, piled on the bank, at a few mills that
catered to this trade.

We were paying men on deck twenty-five dollars a
month, thirty-five dollars to firemen, ninety dollars to
chief engineers, and sixty dollars to assistants, sixty dol-
lars to the cook, and fifteen dollars for his helper, on
boats that only carried their own crews.

On some boats that carried families and friends of
the owners, they paid ten or fifteen dollars more to the
cook, and carried an extra boy in the cabin.

Living was good, for supplies were plentiful, and
very cheap compared with present prices. Ice was two
dollars per ton, eggs ten to fifteen cents a dozen, meat
six to ten cents a pound, with liver and bones for the
dog thrown in, potatoes twenty to fifty cents a bushel,
cat fish ten cents, buffalo fish eight cents, crappies and
sun fish also eight cents, and frogs' legs seventy-five
cents a dozen. Pancakes and "jambolaye" were our
standbys for breakfast, and our strong suits in desserts
were "Sally Lunn" and "Dead man's leg."

Going down stream with a raft, at the rate of three
and one-half to four miles an hour, I frequently had to
take one of the skiffs and two linesmen to row it, and
pull ahead of the tow, to get ice, meat, milk, and fresh
vegetables. Going ahead to Fountain City, we could
get our skifif loaded, and easily catch the boat while she
was backing the bend in Betsey Slough. At Winona, I

TO A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

would step off while she was double tripping the
bridge, and have everything ready at the river side to
load in the skiff when she came down with the second
piece. We always pulled ahead at Lansing, as it was
our best fish and vegetable supply, and a handy place to
get ice and mail.

Gaunitz brothers ran the boat store at Lansing, Iowa,
many years, and had a nice boat trade. Their books
show that they once had twenty-four steamboats at their
pier during the twenty-four hour day. At another time
they put up and delivered seven hundred and twenty
dollars' worth of goods to boats in one night.

In nearly every town along the river you would see
the sign "Boat Store" on one or more stores on Front
street. This usually meant only a grocery store that
catered to the steamboat trade during the day and eve-
ning. Some few gave a night service too.

However, there were only a few real boat stores, such
as Ward and Brady, at Saint Louis; Hansen and Line-
han, and Diamond Jo stores, at Dubuque, Iowa; Mc-
Donald Brothers and P. S. Davidson's at LaCrosse,
Wisconsin, where they kept groceries, rope in all sizes,
blocks and pulleys, shovels, picks, hand-pikes, axes,
peavies, augers, and all rafting supplies and tools. They
had a sail-loft, where tarpaulins and canvas covers of
all kinds were made. I always loved the smell of oakum
and rope that came from up-stairs.

During good water stages, we made round trips be-
tween Stillwater and Fort Madison in ten or eleven
days. When the river got low and we had to double-
trip from Read's Landing, at the foot of Lake Pepin to
the foot of Coon Slough, it took us fourteen to sixteen
days.

In ordinary stages of water, our boats could follow

THE ini?i«V

OF THE

UHWERSITK OF ILUKOIS

MY FIRST YEAR RAFTING 73

"down the shore," or raft channel, on the Upper, or
Rock Island rapids (fifteen miles long, extending from
Rock Island, Illinois, to LeClaire, Iowa), but we al-
ways employed a special rapids pilot, and we never
started over until daylight. When the river got low, we
had to double-trip the rapids part way at least (that is,
take over one-half of the raft at a time), with a smaller
boat on the bow to shove ahead or back into, the narrow
crooked channel.

These rapids pilots became very skillful in their
work. There was a sharp rivalry between them for
trips, when business was dull. During the busy sea-
sons, they all had plenty to do. At the time I began
rafting, 1878, J. W. Rambo and D. F. Dorrance had
nearly all the rapids work, but J. N. Long was edging
in whenever he got a chance, and soon held his own
with the others.

Each of the pilots owned or had an interest in a bow-
boat, which assisted in getting these big rafts over in
low water. The pilots' own pay and their share in the
earnings of the bow-boats meant a good income, but
they spent it freely, and had very little left when the
business ended. D. F. Dorrance and John Smith had
the first regular bow-boat, the "Prescott." Then Dor-
rance bought the old "Wild Boy," cut off her cabin, and
after using her one or two seasons, dismantled her, and
used her machinery on a nice, new boat, built at Le-
Claire, and called the "Pilot." John McCafifrey had
part interest in this boat. He also had gotten into this
rapids game, after resting up from his arduous and suc-
cessful operations in running logs and lumber by con-
tract.

At this time, Rambo and Long were using the "Last
Chance" as their bow-boat, getting a percentage of her

74 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

earnings, she being owned by the LeClaire Navigation
Company. I was on her as master all season, and while
she was engaged on the rapids, in low water, I learned
to bring her back up between trips while the rapids
pilots rested for another trip. This was a fine chance
for me to learn the rapids, and I embraced it, and soon
had removed from my pilot's license the phrase: "The
Rock Island Rapids excepted," so that the license
allowed me to pilot from Saint Louis to Saint Paul and
Minneapolis, and to Stillwater, on Lake Saint Croix.

Dorrance later sold the "Pilot," and built a larger
boat called the "Irene D." at Kahlke's boatways at
Rock Island. Her engines, twelve inches by eight-foot
stroke, were built by Kattenbracker and Weithe in Le-
Claire, and she was a strong, fast boat.

Then Long and McCafifrey had the "Jo Long" built
by Swain at Stillwater, with engines twelve inches by
six-foot stroke. She was very fast and more satisfactory
in every way than the "Irene D."

Meanwhile, Captain J. W. Rambo and his backers,
which included Mr. Jacob Suiter and Joe Manwaring,
built the "West Rambo," neither as large or fast as the
others, but she was a handy, useful craft, and did a lot
of work.

The "Pilot" was still owned at LeClaire, towing rock
to Davenport, and the "Jennie Gilchrist" was there,
towing coal. This made five nice, light, handy boats
that tied up at LeClaire every night.

The rapids pilots' fee for a straight, single trip down,
was ten dollars. If he had to double-trip from Duck
Creek or Stubb's Eddy, it was fifteen dollars. In low
water, when they split the raft, at LeClaire, and put it
down steamboat channel with a bow-boat, we paid the

MY FIRST YEAR RAFTING 75

pilot nventy-five to thirty-five dollars and from forty-
five to ninety dollars for the bow^-boat.

When we had good water, and no fog nor wind to
delay us, we got coupled up and under way from below
the Davenport bridge by 9 A.M. and had an easy, open
run, with no bridge, to Burlington, Iowa, reaching
there at daylight the next morning. After splitting the
raft in Rush Chute, we coupled up below the bridge
about 8 A.M., went on down and reached Fort Madison,
our destination, that day. We delivered the raft to the
sawmill, got our lines and other stuff aboard, and were
off up the river again by evening.

Our expenses were divided under five headings :

Portage, or salaries and wages.

Fuel, including coal, wood, etc.

Provisions, including ice and all eatables.

Sundries, such as oil, rope, tools, packing, etc.

Rapids expense, including pilotage and bow-boat
service.

At the end of each trip, I closed up these accounts
and sent each owner a statement taken from the books,
something like the following :

Steamer LeClaire Belle
Statement Trip No. 10 — June 20 -July 2, 1S7S

EARNINGS

Running 14 strings of logs, Stillwater to Fort Madison,

for S. & J. C. Atlee, at $110.00 per string $1540.00

Towing barge Fairport to Red Wing 100.00

Two Round Trip passengers Davenport to LaCrosse 30.00

$1670.00

EXPENSES

Portage, 13 days $ 468.33

Fuel, 13 days 260.15

Provisions IO4.55

Sundries 159.06

76 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Rapids expense up and down 35-0O 1027.09

Profit.- $ 642.91

We often made trips when we had no earnings outside
the raft, and some trips were lengthened by fog, storm
or some mishap.

I can't remember how many trips the "Belle" made
that season, but I do recollect that she was over seven-
thousand dollars ahead, when she broke her shaft,
above Eagle Point, on her last trip down, in November,
1878.

Captain Van Sant then chartered the "Artemus
Lamb," which came up, and after taking the "LeClaire
Belle" to the Diamond Jo boatways at Eagle Point,
hitched into our raft and delivered it to Fort Madison.

This ended my first season on the river, which had
been interesting, pleasant and profitable. I saved my
wages, for there was no opportunity' all summer to
spend money.

I recall, however, one evening in Burlington, Iowa,
when the boat was double-tripping the bridge. I had
seen the cards announcing a lecture by T. DeWitt Tal-
madge on "The bright side of things." The ticket was
fifty cents, and I was there greatly enjoying this fine
treat, when I heard the "Belle" whistle for the landing.
Reluctantly but hurriedly, I withdrew from the hall
and reached the river bank as the boat came in. They
put out some lines, and I then asked the captain if they
were going to lay over in Burlington, and he answered
"Yes." I told him I was sorry I didn't know that for I
had left a fine lecture in the interesting part. He then
urged me to hurry back to the hall. I did so and en-
joyed one of the best things the great orator ever gave
to the public.

The Great River then (1878)
And now (1928)

During the year 1878, there was considerable life on
the Upper Mississippi aside from the rafting business.
There were many small, local packets running in short
trades, like the "Charles Rebstock," or "Albany," be-
tween Davenport and Clinton, the "Ella" between
Ferryville and Lansing, the "Vigor" between Browns-
ville and LaCrosse, the "Robert Harris" between
Fountain City and Winona. The "Penquin" ran be-
tween Alma and Winona, the "Lion" from Alma to
Wabasha, the "Ida Heermann" from Read's Landing
up the Chippewa to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the "Phil
Schaeckel" from Read's up to Menominee, the "G. B.
Knapp" between Prescott and Taylor's Falls, the
"Maggie Reany" from Stillwater to Saint Paul, and
the "Belle of Pepin" between Pepin and Lake City.

The Diamond Jo Line operated the new steamer
"Josephine" between Fulton and Burlington, and also
had the "Diamond Jo," the "Josie," the "Imperial,"
the "Arkansas," the "Tidal Wave," the "Libby Con-
ger," and many barges, operating between Fulton and
Saint Paul.

Also, the consolidated Keokuk-Northern Line packet
company had a large fleet of fine, side-wheel steamers
like the "Minneapolis," "Minnesota," "Muscatine,"
"Belle of LaCrosse," "Northwestern," "Red Wing,"
"Clinton," and "Lake Superior," and the stern-wheel-
ers "Annie" (later the "White Eagle"), "Grand Pa-

3 f •

THE U!?«R^

OF TIJE

THE GREAT RIVER THEN AND NOW 8i

ters. Their quarter Indian blood showed plainly in their
looks and habits. All three were highly esteemed by
their employers and associates on the river. Captain
"Cyp's" last piloting was done for me on the large side-
wheeler "Morning Star," running from Davenport to
Saint Paul. I have never met a man who had more in
him to admire and love.

Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann had the "C. J. Caf-
frey," a powerful raft-boat, rebuilt from the United
States side-wheel snag-boat of the same name. Captain
O. P. McMann, of Clinton, Iowa, was her master and
pilot for many years.

W. J. Young and Company, of Clinton, Iowa, used
the "J. W. Mills" as their family boat. She was not
large, but was strong and well fitted up. Paul Kerz, of
Galena, Illinois, was her captain. Later, when Young
and Company built the "Douglas Boardman," a much
larger and finer boat. Captain Kerz, and his excellent
engineer, Conrad Kraus, also of Galena, were trans-
ferred to her, and for a time she was the family boat
until the "W. J. Young, Jr." was built. She was the real
queen of the raft-boats. Captain Kerz died in Galena
in 1893.

Another fine, powerful boat was the "Blue Lodge,"
owned by the Clinton Lumber Company. She had been
an Ohio river towboat. During the low water season,
1878, the Diamond Jo Line had her under charter tow-
ing grain in barges.

Captain Van Sant and the Musser Lumber Company
of Muscatine, Iowa, had the comfortable steamer "Sil-
ver Wave," and she seldom made a trip north without
a few "people in the cabin," as extras are called. Not
only was Captain Van Sant a charming host, but her
chef was equalled by none. I am sure Joe Gallenor's

82 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

cooking had much to do with the popularity of the boat.
I spent three busy and happy seasons on the "Silver
Wave," and never failed to appreciate Joe's cooking.
He w^as not expensive either, a poor cook is that, for so
much is wasted, not eaten, but thrown down the "dollar
hole," as they called the chute from the kitchen to the
river.

Joe Gallenor was the most inveterate practical joker
I ever knew. He played jokes on all of us. Time and
again, when I was aroused before breakfast, someone
would call "when did you get promoted?" and on turn-
ing my head around, would find a thin, warm pancake
cosily resting on each shoulder, as epaulets. He had
placed them there so quickly, as I was passing, that I
had not noticed his act.

J. A. Hanley, now a dignified and successful lawyer
in Davenport, Iowa, was our cabin-boy on the "Silver
Wave" in those days. Of him I shall have more to say
in the next chapter.

Captain A. R. Young, of Stillwater, Minnesota, had
the largest and most powerful of all the raft-boats. She
was called the "Tow-boat Minnesota," to distinguish
her from the side-wheel steamer of the same name, a
Saint Louis packet. Her engines were sixteen inches by
six feet. She was used in floating-raft days, to tow fleets
of rafts through Lakes Saint Croix and Pepin. While
towing down river, Sam Hitchcock and Frank LePoint
were her pilots.

Shulenburg and Boeckeler, of Saint Louis, had a
splendid boat, the "Helene Shulenburg." That prince
of good fellows. Captain Robert Dodds, of Saint Louis,
was master of her, W. B. Milligan, of Davenport, chief
engineer, and the genial, versatile James Henry Harris,
his assistant. Harris always took great pride in keeping

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Of THE

THE GREAT RIVER THEN AND NOW 85

the engine-room well painted, with bright tools, shiny
copper oil-cans, brass bell-pulls, and pictures, all as
neat as a lady's parlor.

McDonald Brothers, of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, had a
large fleet of raft-boats, but they made no effort to make
them attractive for passengers, and seldom carried any.
W. A. Suiter, their office manager and manager of their
boat store, told me, in later years, that while he had
handled all the business of the McDonald fleet for
twenty-seven years, he had not ridden five miles on one
of their boats.

When we had young people with us for a trip, they
often wanted to go with me, in the large skiff, when we
pulled ahead to get mail and supplies while the boat
was backing some bend or double-tripping a bridge, or
simply towing down river. In the latter case, we had a
long pull on the oars to catch her.

One time, two fine young ladies from Muscatine,
Iowa, were with us two full weeks while we made two
short trips from Beef Slough to Lansing, Iowa, and
then on to Muscatine. Being out so long from our base
of supplies, I had to make many trips ashore to replen-
ish our stores, and if in daytime or evening, the girls
always wanted to go along. They always bought candy,
nuts, or cigars for the two linesmen, so they made no
complaint about the extra load to row.

One day, though, the girls didn't care to go, nor the
next time either, and of course I did not urge them,
much as I enjoyed their company. It was my first sea-
son on the "Silver Wave," and as one of the girls was
the daughter of one of the part owners of the boat and
the Lumber Company, I didn't want to be fresh.

I wondered, however, why those girls quit the shore
trips, and was pleased when on our last two days out,

86 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

they asked permission to go again. Then I got the ex-
planation. Joe Gallenor had told them that seriously he
didn't think it safe for them to go with me. Pressed for
a reason, he told them that I was subject to fits. "A
good fellow, and we all like him. It's too bad, but-,"
he said, and Jim Hanley stood there and declared Joe
to be telling the truth. Of course I forgave the culprits
on the ground that they really meant no harm, but were
just jealous, that was all.

In one party that we carried on the "LeClaire Belle"
was a very fastidious maiden lady of mature years, one
of those self-considered "unclaimed blessings." She was
not satisfied until I gave up my room to her, and I then
had to move in with the mate. The second morning out,
she quietly and confidentially informed me that some-
thing had to be done to remedy the situation. She said
she had been kept awake two whole nights by bed bugs,
and she blushed deeply when she named them. I was
sure she was mistaken, but thought it best to humor her
and asked her what we could do to get rid of them.
She told me to get a solution of corrosive sublimate and
apply it with a feather to the mattress and springs. At
LaCrosse I purchased a fifty cent bottle of the deadly
mixture and took it back to the store room to Harry
Carlton, the cabin-boy, telling him exactly where and
how to use it. I then told Miss Thompson what I had
done and that we hoped she would have a good night's
rest. She did, and thanked me kindly, and she was my
warm friend ever after.

But some time later, one dull day, we took everything
ofif the store-room shelves to check up. Shipley found
a bottle with a poison label, which had never been
opened, and held it up, saying "What in h — is this?"
The cabin-toy turned red and confessed "Why that's

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THE imm

OF THE

THE GREAT RIVER THEN AND NOW 89

the bed-bug poison the clerk bought at LaCrosse to kill
the bugs in his room, but I forgot to use it." Shipley
said, "Throw it in the river for we might make a mis-
take and get it in the pudding sauce, and make some of
the rousters sick." "No," replied Harry, "it might
make some of them sick, but no danger of it killing
them. They could season their cabbage with paris
green and enjoy it." We did not find any more bed-
bugs on the boat, so I can safely recommend corrosive
sublimate as an effective remedy.

The water was very low in August and September,
1878. Packets and raft-boats were having much trouble
on the crossing from Queen's Bluff over to Hammond
Chute (one of the mouths of Black river). Here the
current, leaving the bluff, spread out over a wide, shal-
low bar. This situation was remedied by a long, low,
cheap dam, of willow mattresses and broken rock,
which narrowed the channel, and caused it to scour, or
cut deeper.

This is the first "wing" dam I can recall. I think it
was the first one on the Upper Mississippi. Its success
led to the adoption of the system of improvement in
vogue since that time. Wing dams, with their bases on
shore and projecting out into the stream from one side
of the river, or both, carry out the "jetty" plan of Cap-
tain Eads, which he used so successfully in deepening
the channel through the South Pass into the Gulf of
Mexico.

Now (in 1927) we have three hundred wing dams in
the thirty miles between Prescott, Minnesota, and Saint
Paul. There are over four hundred between Winona
and Wabasha, Minnesota, a distance of forty miles, and
they are quite numerous all the way down the Missis-
sippi as far south as the mouth of the Missouri. In ad-

90 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

dition to these wing dams, many miles of shore protec-
tion work has been done to keep the banks from caving
and falling in.

This work is done by first clearing the bank of trees
and stumps, grading it down to a thirty degree slope,
and then covering it with long, wide mattresses of wil-
lows, loaded down and held in place by a layer of eight
to twelve inches of broken rock.

Now, boats are running close along a rocky shore, or
past the ends of these hundreds of jetties. In many
places, where they leave a channel only four hundred
feet wide, safe navigation at night demands a thorough
knowledge of the river, skill in steering and handling a
boat, and a good searchlight to pick up the buoys that
mark the ends of the most dangerous of the dams.

The improvement has given us a narrow, crooked,
rocklined channel, deep enough for practical naviga-
tion through the low water season, but dangerous and
difficult to run at all times.

When I began, there were no rocks in the river from
Clinton, Iowa, to Saint Paul, and, in fair or good stages
of water, the pilot followed up a shore until he came to
a certain mark, a high-topped tree, a break in the tim-
ber, or the mouth of a slough or foot of an island, from
where he would cross over to some object on the other
shore, and so on, often following up one shore for many
miles.

Nowadays, however, the pilot has his boat out in the
middle of the stream finding his way between a lot of
dams, covered with water, which flows over them thus
hiding them, but not being deep enough to carry the
boat over without sticking.

Had this improvement work not been done (even
though much of it poorly carried out) there would

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THE imm

OF THE

THE GREAT RIVER THEN AND NOW 93

have been no practical navigation of the Upper Missis-
sippi except in time of high water. The large amount
of sand and mud carried in by its northern tributaries
w^ould have formed in large, flat bars w^ith very shallow
water flowing over them. The river bed has filled up
tremendously in my time. Many big sand-bars have
formed and are now covered with timber, and more are
forming. A channel has been maintained, largely, by
contracting its width. They have nearly reached the
limit in this direction. From now on, much money and
energy will have to be expended in pumping new
deposits out of the channel. Left alone, in three years
this river will not be navigable at an ordinary stage of
water, let alone during low water.

Why don't the United States engineers stop most of
this inflow by protecting the soft, sandy banks of the
Lower Chippewa and Wisconsin rivers from coming in
and washing out into the sluggish Mississippi? A small
amount spent in that way would help the situation
greatly.

If a man had a cellar that had to be pumped out
every time the water came down the gutters of his
street, don't you think he would find the hole that was
letting the water into his cellar, and plug the hole? I
have never heard of a United States engineer suggesting
any such remedy, nor will they consider it when some-
one else suggests it. They call for more money and more
pumps. They don't want to save money. They all know
how to spend it, and seem to enjoy so doing.

The Noted Raft-boat "Silver Wave"

After we put the "LeCIaire Belle" with her broken
shaft in charge of the Diamond Jo Boat Yard at Eagle
Point in November, 1878, I paid ofif the crew, and took
the boat books and my personal belongings to LeCIaire,
Iowa.

Arriving there on a Friday evening, I left the books
at Captain Van Sant's residence and the next day se-
cured comfortable quarters with a Mr. Wilson who
lived five miles west of LeCIaire. On Monday morning
I began a four months' term of school at Browns Cor-
ners.

Mr. Wilson was director, as well as my landlord, and
had three daughters (very nice girls) attending my
school, so our relations were very intimate.

Mrs. Wilson was an excellent cook and a very pleas-
ant, jolly woman. I enjoyed the winter very much. It
was an excellent neighborhood. We had singing
schools, spelling matches, debates, parties and dances
for our evening diversion. The winter passed quickly
and when school closed the river was open and the
raft-boats were starting out.

Captain Van Sant placed me on the "Silver Wave"
to fill the same positions I had on the "LeCIaire Belle"
in 1878. Captain George Rutherford was her master
and pilot and to my great delight George Tromley, Sr.,
was on her as pilot so I could go right on with my pilot-
house lessons.

The "Silver Wave" was a larger and heavier boat

96 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

than the "LeClaire Belle" and very hard to steer. Like
most boats at that time she had two skeg rudders and
only one balance rudder.

About this time someone in building a new boat gave
her a basket stern with three balance rudders, and she
was such a fine handler that no more skeg sterns were
built and when hauled out for repairs all the old boats
had their skegs removed and were given all balance
rudders. When this change was later made on the
"Silver Wave" it helped her greatly both in steering
and backing.

When I joined her early in the spring of 1879, Henry
Whitmore of Galena, Illinois, was chief engineer and
James Davenport of LeClaire, his assistant. Dan Han-
ley, still living in Davenport, was our fireman and his
younger brother James was cabin-boy and assistant to
Joe Gallenor the cook, where he learned all kinds of
mischief and devilment. "Jimmy" as we called him
then, is now a dignified and successful lawyer in Daven-
port, Iowa, and he has not lost any of that spirit of
devilment that kept the crew of the "Silver Wave"
alternating between fun and fear while he and Joe Gal-
lenor lost sleep in studying up some new trick or joke
to put over on us.

Mr. Whitmore was not only an excellent engineer,
but a fine mechanic. When a young man he spent four
winters in the Broadway Machine Shop in Saint Louis,
learning blacksmithing and machine work and he held
the best jobs in the Galena and Minnesota Packet Com-
pany during its successful career.

During the first half of the season I stood watch with
Mr. Davenport and had little to do with Mr. Whit-
more as he did not seem very friendly. During late
July and August we laid up three or four weeks as the

Of m

t^^^;yEBSuV G? LLU^SG'^

THE NOTED RAFT-BOAT "SILVER WAVE" 99

low water would not permit rafting logs in Beef
Slough. To fill in the time and partly cover the ex-
pense, we ran several short excursions. On one of these,
an evening trip, with our boat full of merry dancers,
she "ran through herself." That is, she broke the wrist
pin on the port crank, and this let the piston head, rod
and pitman go forward with such force that the main
cylinder on that side was cracked and ruined. This
crash and the escaping steam caused quite a scare for
a few minutes; but we kept them reasonably quiet and
in a very short time Mr. Whitmore disengaged the
broken engine, shut the steam oflf from it and was able
to keep the boat going after a fashion on one engine and
took us back to LeClaire, a little late but all right.

We had to remove the old engine and get a new
cylinder cast by Williams, White and Company of
Moline.

Before the new cylinder was ready. Captain Van
Sant received word that the Chippewa river was rising,
that rafting would be resumed in Beef Slough and to
proceed at once to take care of Musser and Company's
logs.

When the new cylinder came we worked two days
and the intervening night getting it "shipped up." We
hardly stopped to eat, and never mentioned sleep till we
had her going up the river again. After this job Mr.
Whitmore wanted me on his watch and arranged it so
I stood watch with him the rest of that season and all
the next. He took interest in showing me how to do
things. I helped him at the forge and anvil, got to be
his favorite striker, and was proud of it. We made all
the stirrups for the wheel, and kept all the mate's raft
tools in good shape, and during the summer he made

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

several fine hammers and finished them off as nice as
any store goods.

We said Uncle Henry (as we called him) could
make any tools required in the engine room but mon-
key wrenches.

In those days there was a great movement of "harvest
hands" northward, from Missouri and Kansas to the
great wheat fields of Minnesota. On one of our trips
we picked up an even hundred of these men at five dol-
lars each for Winona. This fare was for transporta-
tion only. They could sleep on deck anjrwhere and get
sandwiches and coffee at the kitchen; only a few of
them paid fifty cents for a full meal at the cabin table
as they were out to earn and save money.

At noon the next day when passing Spechts Ferry,
twelve miles above Dubuque, our main hog chain on
the port side let go on top of the after main brace. This
let her stern down on the side and put wheel, cranks,
pitmans and engines in such a twist we could not roll
the water wheel over.

The pilot headed her for the shore, her headway car-
ried her there and the mate and crew got lines out to
hold her.

Captain Sam Van Sant was riding up with us this
trip fearing we might have some trouble with so many
deck passengers.

When the boat was tied up he came back to see the
situation at our end of her and he looked pretty blue.

Speaking to the engineer, he said, "Well, I guess the
only thing to do is to send these men to Winona by rail
and then have the boat towed to Dubuque Ways for
repairs."

Mr. Whitmore said, "Captain, you do what I direct
and give me some help and I'll see what we can do."

S,o 5 t;

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Of THE

THE NOTED RAFT-BOAT "SILVER WAVE" 103

The iron where it had broken was five inches wide and
three-quarters thick and it was a clean job to weld it
with our little outfit.

It was awfully hot, close in under the bluffs that
afternoon, but before the supper bell rang we had her
stern back up to place and the chain with that weld
held her until she was dismantled many years later.

We had no trouble with our passengers and they
made better time with us than if they had taken a regu-
lar packet that made frequent stops and handled con-
siderable freight, and the five hundred dollars passage
money they paid added just that much to the net profit
of the trip.

Nearly all our work was running log rafts from Beef
Slough, Wisconsin, to the Musser Lumber Company of
Muscatine, Iowa, that owned a half interest in the
"Silver Wave."

About this time The Musser Lumber Company and
Captain Van Sant incorporated the "Van Sant and
Musser Transportation Company" that continued to
the end of the rafting business.

I remained with the "Silver Wave" three full sea-
sons; two of them with Captain George Rutherford
and one ( 1 88 1 ) with Captain Lome Short who gave me
great encouragement and opportunity to practice on
the river and before the season was over he would let
me "take her" anywhere night or day and fortunately I
kept her out of trouble and made life easier for him.

We had very high water in the fall of 1881 and some
landings were hard to make. On one trip we had a raft
for the Clinton Lumber Company. At Dubuque I got
orders from them to bring the raft "to our mill." Cap-
tain Short knowing the landing to be swift in high
water had everybody up, skiffs and check lines ready

I04 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

and the engineer had a clean fire and plenty of steam.

We got it landed at the mill all right early in the
morning. Then the superintendent, Harry McGIynn,
came down in ill humor and refused to receive the raft
there; said they could not hold it, wanted it up above
in Joyce's Slough and wanted to know "why in h- -1
we didn't put it there." "Because your letter we got at
Dubuque told us to bring it to the mill." He said, "Yes,
but I wired you last night in care of the Sabula bridge
to put it in Joyce's Slough." "Well, we did not get your
telegram. Don't know why, but through no fault of
ours the raft is here and we can't take it back up the
river and don't intend to try, so here we are."

I went up-town and consulted a good, sensible
lawyer, then returned to the Lumber Company's office
and we compromised. They gave me a clear receipt in
full for the raft "Where is as is." Then we agreed to
leave our kit on and assist the steamers "Chancy Lamb"
and "Lafayette Lamb" in putting the raft up in Joyce's
Slough.

Taking one-half at a time and using all three boats
we soon had both pieces up where they wanted them,
when they put on their lines and we took ours ofif.

We were all down and coaled up ready to start back
up the river before dark and everybody was in good
humor.

That lawyer charged me three dollars for his advice.
It was a good investment.

Before leaving Clinton that evening we got a news-
paper account of the accident to the little steamer "Jen-
nie Gilchrist" the night before. The Western Union
Railway was under water between Hampton and Mo-
line. The "Jennie Gilchrist" made a few trips carry-
ing freight and passengers, while this condition existed.

THE NOTED RAFT-BOAT "SILVER WA\"E" 105

and left Davenport about 8 :30 P.M. with a few passen-
gers and some freight on a barge. She passed up
through the government bridge all right, but when
about up to the location of the old railroad bridge she
had a breakdown on one engine and before the engi-
neer could get her cleared up to work the other engine
alone, she drifted down to the government bridge, her
upper works caught and she capsized. Some of the peo-
ple were saved by getting on the barge and others were
rescued by skifTs from shore, but there was some loss of
life.

The "Jennie" was raised, repaired and had a long
and useful career after this accident.

The "J. S. Keator" of Moline, Illinois, broke her
shaft late in the season. We had finished our regular
work and were ready to lay up for winter when we re-
ceived orders to go to Gordon's bay for a raft that the
"J. S. Keator" was going for when she broke down. The
water was high, the weather nice and the "Silver
Wave" made a quick and very profitable trip, the last
in 1881.

The winters of 1881 and 1882 were my last experi-
ences in teaching; my fourth in the same school at
Browns Corners. I had grown to know and like every-
body in the neighborhood. They were very kind to me
and I had become so attached to the scholars that I left
in the spring with genuine regret.

In addition to the many boat stores where we pur-
chased supplies there was a well conducted wharf-boat
at Bellevue, Iowa, that carried a good stock of boat sup-
plies. It was in charge of a fine old man named Peter
Shiplor who had been a clerk on the packets and knew
how to cater to the steamboat trade.

It was handy to land at going up river as we could

io6 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

get ice, meat, and provisions aboard in a very short time
and Mr. Shiplor always had our mail ready for us.

Going down river we would always pull ahead in
the skiff and tie up to the wharf-boat, load in our sup-
plies and be ready to pull out to our steamer as she was
towing by the town.

In 1880 there was an epidemic of small pox in Belle-
vue but we had not heard much of it while up river
and on our way down I went ahead as usual with our
skiff and got needed supplies.

It was nearly six o'clock when I got back to the boat.
After I saw the stuff taken out of the boat and properly
put away I went upstairs and took my seat at the supper
table with the captain, engineer, mate and watchman.

Someone inquired if there was any truth in the ru-
mors about a small pox epidemic in Bellevue.

I told them all I knew about it. That Ben Stuckey
the watchman of the wharf-boat had had it and was
now nursing others who were sick with it. That Big
Jake the colored man who did the hauling for the
wharf-boat, was very bad with it. They did not think
he would live through the night. That Mr. Shiplor was
having a hard time running the wharf-boat as no one
would come to work with him. That it was pretty bad
up town. There had been several deaths recently and a
good many new cases. But I found myself alone at the
table before I finished my story. I don't remember just
what they did call me, but when the cabin-boy heard
what I said he ran back to tell the cook and as a result
I got no more waiting on and the other "watch" would
not come to supper until I had left the table.

Then to make matters worse, we tied up two miles
below Bellevue under a high bank and cooled down for

THE NOTED RAFT-BOAT "SILVER WAVE" 107

all night to clean boilers. After 9:30 P.M. all the crew
except myself were in bed and asleep. I had to stand
watch until midnight and then call my partner who
would watch until breakfast.

I soon wrote up my log book, recorded a few bills
paid that day and balanced my cash. It was very quiet
and I soon got sleepy as I had missed my usual after-
noon nap on account of business at Dubuque and Belle-
vue. To keep awake I got up and walked decks. About
II P.M. I saw several lights coming down the road
around the bend above us from the direction of Belle-
vue. A little later I could hear several voices back up
on the high bank but they were not close enough to
make out what they said. My curiosity was aroused and
as the voices continued I cautiously walked the logs,
got ashore and found a place where I could climb the
high bank and found myself in a cemetery close to the
part>' burying the latest victim of the small pox. Big
Jake, the colored teamster from the wharf-boat.

When I roused my partner at midnight and got him
up we had our lunch and casually I mentioned the
affair I had witnessed in the cemetery and remarked
"There may be another before morning. If you see
lights and hear voices up there, you'll know what's do-
ing." I said, "You knew Big Jake, didn't you, Jim?"
"Yes, and I don't want to hear any more about him."

I suggested that perhaps it would be just as well not
to mention the funeral to the crew when he called them
at three o'clock to wash boilers and pump up, but when
I got up for breakfast I found they knew it all and some
were in favor of putting me ashore. Of course they
couldn't do that, but I had my breakfast alone and no
one wanted my company that day.

io8 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

On long trips we received little mail and few papers.
Only a few "Firebox reports" ' and "Cook House" ■
dispatches were in circulation to kill the monotony.

Sometimes we made the run from Beef Slough to
Muscatine without landing. After delivering our raft
at Muscatine or elsewhere we got our kit off the raft
and stowed on the boat and aside from stopping at
LeClaire (usually) for coal we raced all the way back
to Beef Slough without landing.

The "Silver Wave" could run well when she was in
good trim. She needed a good load on her head. On
one trip she ran from LeClaire to Beef Slough in
twenty-nine hours and thirty-seven minutes. The dis-
tance is three hundred miles. This run has not been
beaten by any raft-boat to my knowledge.

There was considerable racing with other boats in
those days. Mr. Whitmore was always proud of his
boat and did not want her passed.

If some one reported a "smoke ahead" he always got
busy and wanted to get close enough to read the name
even if he could not pass her.

The prevailing opinion is that racing on the river is
dangerous. The movies generally show an explosion of
boilers as a natural feature of a steamboat race. This
is all wrong. The safest time to be on a boat is when she
is in a race.

The engineer, firemen, mate, and watchman are
awake and alert on the main deck. The pilot is taking
pains to do his very best steering, the captain is in the
pilot-house or close by to give any needed assistance and
the rest of the crew even to the "slush cook" are inter-

' Unconfirmed "Steamboat news" attributed to the firemen.
- Unconfirmed "Steamboat news" attributed to the cooks.

THE NOTED RAFT-BOAT "SILVER WAVE" 109

ested and ready to "trim ship" or do anything else to
help their boat win.

I have never known a boat to explode her boilers or
have any serious accident while racing.

There have been a few explosions - not while rac-
ing- that could only be accounted for by the facts that
engineers do sometimes get tired and sleepy and when
conditions and tired nature are too harmonious, they do
go asleep and the water in the boilers gets too low.

Steamboat boilers must be built according to United
States laws, of the very best material and subjected to
very rigid tests by the United States inspection service
before they can be used. They must stand a cold water
test one hundred and fifty per cent of the steam pres-
sure then allowed. A set of boilers to carry one hundred
and eighty' pounds steam pressure must stand two hun-
dred and seventy pounds water pressure test, and this
test is applied at least once a year as long as they are
in use.

If I thought boiler explosions a mystery I could not
have slept so comfortably over them for fifty years.

Search lights or electric lighting had not come into
use during the time I was learning the river. We had
kerosene lamps and lanterns for lighting and the only
thing we had to help the pilots landing at a bad place
or hitching into the raft at night was the miserable old
"torch basket." This was an iron basket about the size
and shape of a ten-quart pail, that was hung on the end
of five foot iron handle.

Using dry pine kindling cut up fine to get a good
start we fed the torch with crushed resin a little at a
time and then occasionally more wood.

This made a lot of smoke and some of the time a

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

pretty fair light, but it required close attention and at
best was generally criticized by the captain and pilot on
watch.

The watchmen were expected to have a barrel of
kindling and a bucket of resin always ready so we could
flame up the torch on short notice.

This would have been easy enough but for the cooks
who frequently stole our stock to start or hurry up the
fire in their big range.

After running two or three nights without landing,
perhaps just as the watchman was nearly ready to turn
in the whistle would blow for a wood pile and the
"skipper" would call for the torch.

Rushing down to start it, it was no uncommon thing
to find the kindling barrel empty and the resin pail
nearly so. Frequently we would find part of the kind-
ling and some of the resin behind the kitchen range.
Of course when the cooks got up at 4:30 A.M. and dis-
covered their supply (stolen from our stock) had van-
ished they made the air blue with all kinds of swearing
and threats and tried to pin the whole thing on the
watchman.

That torch was the one serious bugbear that made
many nights miserable. After electric lights were in-
stalled the watchman led a different life.

During the three seasons I spent on the "Silver
Wave" we only had one bad break-up.

Captain Rutherford tried to run Cassville Slough
with the whole raft in the night and without any search-
light. Captain Van Sant was aboard that trip. He ad-
vised against trying to run it "whole." He urged Cap-
tain Rutherford to tie up and wait for daylight, but
Captain Rutherford was always ambitious to make

THE NOTED RAFT-ROAT "SILVER WAVE" in

time and kept on. We made the bends and other close
places all right but came to grief at the head of the
island nearly at the foot of the Slough, one corner
caught on the island and the opposite corner on the
stern caught the bar on the right and before we got the
wreck landed in the last right hand bend at least one-
fourth of our raft was floating off down the river. Then
a dense fog settled down on us that did not lift until
nine o'clock next morning.

By this time the mate had "the remains" patched up
in good shape so the steamboat could handle backing,
floating or towing along slow.

We had three skiff crews out catching and collecting
the loose logs, many of which grounded on shallow
places and had to be rolled to deeper water.

Leaving my partner to stand my watch running the
nigger engine, I went with Captain Van Sant in one
skiff. We had with us a big, husky negro who was rid-
ing down river with us. We soon had him in the water
with a peavy and he did excellent work rolling off logs
that were aground while we caught and brailed them
together and towed them out to the raft when it came
along. The day was warm and calm, a fine day for our
purpose, and we cleaned up every log in sight as we
went along.

We had no dinner, and it was 9 :oo P.M. when the boat
landed and we all gathered in.

Joe Gallenor had a fine supper for us and we cer-
tainly enjoyed it and the sleep afterward. I don't know
who stood my watch that night, I was far away on the
billow.

The next morning we started out again but we had
secured the bulk of our logs the first day. We rowed

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

and floated along catching a stray now and then, the last
one in Bellevue Slough, fifty-five miles from where the
break-up occurred.

We had 1200 logs scattered over fifty-five miles of
river. We recovered them all and delivered at Musca-
tine without any shortage and only one day late.

Captain Van Sant's presence was a great help to us
in many ways. He knew what to do and had the happy
faculty of knowing where to place each man in the right
place and get the most work out of him. He earned the
title cheerfully given him by the men on deck when
they pronounced him "A Hero in a Break-up."

Captain Rutherford was on the "Silver Wave" six
seasons and she made a lot of money in that time. He
was not only an excellent pilot, but a man of intelli-
gence and good principle.

One evening during a discussion in the pilot house
something said prompted him to face me and placing
a hand on each of my shoulders he said, "Young man,
remember this :

Life lays its burden on every man's shoulder,

We each have a cross or a trial to bear,
If we miss it in youth it will come when we're older

And fit us as close as the garments we wear.

I thanked him and asked if he knew the author of
this beautiful verse. He did not, nor do I.

We made one long, tedious trip with a raft of lum-
ber from Reads Landing to Hannibal, in September
and October, 1879. The river was very low and Beef
Slough had closed down. We took this raft on charter,
so much per day, which assured us of a fair profit. We
grounded raft and boat at the mouth of Skunk river,
seven miles below Burlington. By two days hard work

THE NOTED RAFT-BOAT "SILVER WAVE" 113

we got off in pieces. Then we lost two more days by
wind, before getting away from this place. It was slow,
hard work putting the raft through the canal as we had
to cut it up in small pieces at each of the three locks in
the old canal around the Lower or Des Moines rapids
which ended at Keokuk.

We were twenty-eight days on the trip but after all
our delays and mishaps I got a clear receipt for the raft
from the agent of the Eau Claire Lumber Company
when we turned it over to their steamer "Pete Kirns"
at Hannibal. In fact he complimented us on the good
condition of the raft and the time we had made with it.

As our pilots had not been running below Muscatine
for a few years they sent me ahead to Davenport to se-
cure a "posted pilot" to go down with us and show them
the way.

Several of the large Saint Louis and Saint Paul
packets had been laid up on account of the low stage of
water and I was fortunate in getting David LeClaire
who had been on the "Belle of LaCrosse" and was well
posted. "Dave" LeClaire, then a very strong, healthy
man about sixty-five years old, was a half-brother of
Antoine LeClaire, the founder of Davenport, Iowa. I
found him very intelligent and sociable. I enjoyed his
company very much and told him so when he left us on
our return to Davenport. That was Dave LeClaire's
last trip. A few mornings later when his wife called
him, he did not answer. He had made his last "cross-
ing" to the other shore.

Racing between raft-boats going up the river (usu-
ally without anything in tow) was very common, but it
was always interesting and often exciting though there
was nothing at stake, except the pride of the crews in
their respective boats.

114 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Captain Van Sant was justly proud of the speed of
the "Silver Wave" and the "Musser."

After we bought the "Ten Broeck" I soon discovered
that when loaded just right she made excellent time go-
ing up river, but she would not stand crowding when
heavily loaded as she did not have much free-board
forward.

One night on backing out from a wood pile near
Fishers island to go back up to Beef Slough for our
second piece, I saw a boat coming up behind us and
apparently gaining on us. I called down to James Sted-
man, the chief engineer, who was on watch, telling him
we should try to keep ahead until we got up to the
boom (about eight miles). By the time he and the fire-
man got a good fire and our usual steam, the other boat
got up close, her bow even with our wheel and we saw
she was the "Musser." Her pilot whistled to go by on
the right but he did not go by. I kept well to my side
of the channel, the "Ten Broeck" got her gait and
gradually increased the gap between us and went into
the mouth of Beef Slough four lengths ahead.

I warned our crew not to mention anything about it
as the "Musser" may not have been in as good trim as
the "Ten Broeck."

Now comes the funny part of it. On our next trip
coming up we had a very heavy load of fuel and iron
boom chains on the "Ten Broeck" when we landed at
Winona and Captain Van Sant came on to ride up to
Beef Slough with us.

While eating supper at the Winona dock the captain
gave me and the engineer a very kind but serious talk
about racing, said he would admit he had done a lot of
it in his time, but could plainly see now that there was
no sense in it, etc., etc.

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THE NOTED RAFT-ROAT "SILVER WAVE" 117

We promised to remember his good advice. When
we reached the upper end of town the new, fast "City
of Winona" came out of the foot of the Slough above
Youmans's mill and was soon headed up for the Beef
Slough. She was gaining a little on us. Captain Sam
was eagerly watching and soon asked Mr. Stedman, the
engineer, how much steam he was carrying.

I answered, saying, "I have given orders not to carry
over one hundred and twenty pounds tonight. Until we
get these chains off her head, she will dive when she
strikes a deep place if we drive her any."

By this time the "Winona" was close up to our wheel
and gaining a little. Captain Sam could not stand it any
longer. He said to Mr. Stedman and me - "Why this is
a fast boat. It's a shame to hold her back this way. Let
steam come up to her allowance and I will try to keep
the water off her head"; and he got the crew to help
him move some chains back; then he banked coils of
cross lines around her bow with tarpaulins over her
head and we kept ahead and gained a little even with
slowing her down to mount the reefs in shallow water;
but when near Fountain Cir>' the water came over her
bow so strong that Captain Sam and his false bulkhead
were washed back off her head. We then concluded we
had had fun enough, slowed down, let the "Winona"
go by, then cleared up the forecastle, put her back on
one hundred and twenty pounds and turned in. "Rac-
ing" was not discussed when the captain came aboard
after that.

Sometimes, however, we raced down stream with
rafts in tow. I remember one such when on the "Le-
Claire Belle" in 1878.

We had fourteen strings of logs for Fort Madison.
The "J. W. Van Sant" (first) with fourteen strings of

ii8 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

lumber for Saint Louis, was close behind us when we
got coupled up below the Clinton bridge, and it was
soon apparent that she was gaining on us.

As the water was at a low stage and only one rapids
boat, the "Prescott," at LeClaire to assist over the
rapids, each captain wanted to reach LeClaire first and
go on over with the "Prescott's" aid, as the second
arrival would have a long delay.

The "LeClaire Belle" had fourteen-inch cylinders
and the "Van Sant" only twelve-inch while both had
the same stroke - four-foot. Not only did the "Belle"
have twenty percent more power, but she was a much
larger boat and we made every effort to keep ahead. By
the time we were at Camanche we were side by each.
And a few times the crews had to pry our boom logs
loose from the lumber. Both boats were doing their best
and so were their pilots, but there was no swearing or
calling of ugly names -it was all as quiet and orderly
as a well conducted funeral. That stretch of river then
was wide enough for two full rafts to run abreast all the
way to LeClaire. Neither crowded the other on shore
or out on a bar; it was a fair test in every way and we
were loser. It took over an hour before the "Van Sants"
raft cleared ours at the head of Steamboat Slough.
When we reached the LeClaire Foundry the "Van
Sant" and the "Prescott" were starting over the rapids.
We had to land and wait until the next day at noon.

While a lumber raft has more feet in it and weighs
more than a log raft of the same length and width, it
is easier to tow, because it is of uniform depth and the
cribs and strings are coupled up close together, while
the logs being of different sizes, the bottom of a log
raft is very uneven and rough.

It takes longer to get a lumber raft under way or to

THE NOTED RAFT-BOAT "SILVER WAVE" 119

check its headway and stop it, but once under way the
same boat or one of equal power, will shove fourteen
strings of lumber one-fourth to one-half a mile an hour
faster than she will fourteen strings of logs. In calm
weather a lumber raft will float a little faster than one
of logs.

The usual speed of a standard size raft towed by a
boat of average power was four miles an hour except in
Lakes Pepin or Saint Croix where it was only two and
one-half miles an hour. The speed was considerably
affected by the stages of water and the force and direc-
tion of the wind.

A pilot's reputation depended almost entirely on the
time in which he made his trips, and there was constant
effort to get all the speed possible and to lose as little
time as possible at the bridges or at the rapids. The
owners of the boats did not have to urge their pilots to
"make time"; the rivalry between the pilots kept them
all doing their best. It was racing against time and
each other all season.

The engineers and mates deserved a large part of the
credit for the good time made, but the captain, who was
also first pilot, got the lion's share of it while the others
got their full share of the blame if the boat lost any
time, or was a little longer than usual on her trips. The
rivalry between captains in the same line or on boats,
owned by the same company, was sometimes bitter.

The LeClaire Navigation Company

In February, 1882, I drove into LeClaire, Iowa, one
evening, when there was a meeting of the Pilots associa-
tion, and took my examination for a pilot's license suc-
cessfully and any member of the association was author-
ized to endorse my application.

In March I met the United States Local Inspectors
at Rock Island. Captain G. W. Girdon of Galena, the
Hull Inspector, gave me another examination which I
passed without difficulty and soon after I secured my
first issue dated March 15, 1882, signed by George W.
Girdon, Inspector of Hulls, and John G. Scott, Inspec-
tor of Boilers.

This license authorized me to act as "Master of
steam vessels on the Mississippi river, and its tributa-
ries, and as Pilot navigating the Mississippi and Saint
Croix rivers between Montrose, Iowa, and Stillwater,
Minnesota, except the Rock Island rapids down
stream."

The last issue of my license dated March 26, 1927,
permits me to pilot on the Mississippi and Saint Croix
rivers between St. Louis, Missouri, and Minneapolis
and Stillwater, Minnesota, and the Illinois river from
its mouth to Peoria.

In March, 1881, Captain Sam Van Sant who had a
half interest in the little steamer "Last Chance" sold
me a one-sixth interest for five hundred dollars. Cap-
tain John McCafifrey of LeClaire owned the other half
interest, had charge of her and was to pick up what
work he could get and pilot her himself.

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

At the end of the season I drew out four hundred and
sixty-five dollars as my share of profit which was more
than I had earned by seven and one-half months' work,
and this made me eager to increase my holding.

Captain McCaflfrey had the "Last Chance" hauled
out on the LeClaire Ways for the winter and in Febru-
ary, 1882, Captain Van Sant and I bought McCaffrey's
half and divided our interest evenly each owning a half.

The "Last Chance" was a small boat. She had a good
boiler, but the engines were small - ten inches in diam-
eter by three-foot stroke, and the cylinders were in
bad shape. The hull was old but had had a good thick
bottom put under her only three years before and she
needed very little repairs otherwise.

We secured new cylinders a little larger and used
the same upper works. This and some valve grinding
made quite an improvement in her movement.

As soon as I finished my term of school I secured a
room at the Gault House in LeClaire and took real
pleasure in working on my own boat, cleaning, paint-
ing, changing a little here and there to enable me to
house, feed and sleep a crew of eighteen men.

I was fortunate in securing Robert Shannon as chief
engineer and George O. Lancaster as his assistant.
George was a good carpenter and a handy man in many
ways in addition to being a good engineer.

I hired William Long for our cook and he was a
handy man with carpenter tools also, so I started him
in to remodel the kitchen and fit it up, as in the work
the boat had been doing on the rapids her crew lived
ashore and the so called kitchen was nothing but a small
room with a stove in it.

With very little expense for material Mr. Long made
a very handy little kitchen that just suited him and

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THE LeCLAIRE NAVIGATION COMPANY 125

pleased every cook who followed him. He was a great
help to me in fitting up the cabin and pilot-house and
when we got all done we were real cozy and comfort-
able.

Mr. J. W. Van Sant, Captain Sam's father, had re-
tired from the boat yard but lived near it and visited it
frequently when the work was rushing in spring.

I knew Mr. Van Sant to be an excellent ship carpen-
ter and a man of superior judgment in repair work. So
I sought his advice as to what work we should do on
the hull of the "Last Chance." The instruction and sug-
gestions he gave me on that job and others were of great
value to me then and later when I had to superintend
the repairs on a fleet of steamboats every winter.

J. W. Van Sant was a very modest, quiet man but he
had a keen streak of humor.

One day he proposed to "set up the old spike heads
that stuck out considerably on her old sides if I would
get a boy to hold the spike set." I got a husky young
chap whose father was a good carpenter in the yard.
Mr. Van Sant did not use tobacco nor like it but he sel-
dom indulged in any criticism of another's habits.

In moving from one berth to another Mr. Van Sant
was always there with his maul ready and waiting for
the young chap to take a chew and slowly get himself
around in position.

Working just inside I heard Mr. Van Sant ask the
boy, "Ben, did you ever see any snails?" The boy ex-
pectorated and asked, "What's 'at?"

"Did you ever see any snails?" "Yes, lots of 'em,"
said Ben.

"Well," said Mr. Van, "You must have met them,
you never overtook any of them."

One stormy day in March, 1882, when it was too bad

126 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

for any one to work in the yard, Captain Sam Van Sant
and I fired up the stove and organized the LeClaire
Navigation Company of LeClaire, Iowa, that is by fol-
lowing the code of Iowa we got up our Articles of In-
corporation which we later filed, and with two or three
amendments providing for increases in our capital stock
this organization carried us all right until the sawmills
shut down and the business ended.

Starting with the "Last Chance" in 1882 we bought
the larger "J. W. Mills" from W. J. Young and Com-
pany of Clinton, Iowa, in 1883, the big fine three-boiler
towboat "Ten Broeck" from McCaffrey and Dodds at
LeClaire in 1886. Then a year later we bought the "St.
Croix" from Chr. Mueller of Davenport and also made
a contract to tow and handle all his logs, take them
away from Beef Slough or West Newton as fast as they
were rafted out and store and deliver them as wanted
at the mill. We were still running his logs when the old
mill burned at the foot of Scott street and we ran every
log cut by the new and larger mill at Cooks Point until
they dismantled it.

Then in 1888 we bought the "Evansville," an old boat
with new boilers, new pump, etc. She belonged to the
Matt Clark Transportation Company, that failed. She
was sold at Marshal's sale to John Robson of the
Lansing Lumber Company which had a large bill
against her for fuel.

As we had been running all the logs to this Lansing
mill for several years we decided to take the "Evans-
ville" at the price Mr. Robson had bid, for if he kept
her he would have her run their logs. We put a good
crew on her and started her out early in the spring of
1889, used her two seasons when we dismantled her and
used her engines, shaft, pumps, nigger engine, capstan

■ O. a'

n/f

^^mg

Sisi

THE LeCLAIRE NAVIGATION COMPANY 129

and many other parts in completing the new "Volun-
teer" built at our yard at LeClaire.

The next year, 1889, we bought the "Netta Durant"
of the Clinton Lumber Company and Captain A. E.
Duncan, paying $10,000.00 for her. With her we got a
contract for running all the logs cut by the Clinton
Lumber Company mill, mostly from Stillwater, but
this work did not last long as the mill shut down for
good in 1890.

In February, 1890, we bought the "Iowa" of Gardi-
ner, Batchelder and Welles of Lyons, Iowa, who gave
us all their work (running logs) that they could not do
with their steamer "Gardie Eastman." The "Iowa"
was an old boat but had new boilers and very good
engines.

This same year we bought one-third of the big new
rapids boat "Irene D.", from the rapids pilot, D. F.
Dorrance, who over-reached his means in building her.
McDonald Brothers of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, took one-
third and Disney and Son and Captain Dana Dorrance
of LeClaire the remaining third. I was her manager. I
made a contract with D. F. Dorrance to use her in his
work on the rapids when low water came and McDon-
ald Brothers and our company could throw most of our
trips to her and also find some employment for her dur-
ing good water stages.

We built the "Volunteer" at our LeClaire yard of
which R. A. Edwards was manager, while Captain Van
Sant and I owned one-half the stock. The "Volunteer"
came out in 1891 and was a real success. She was light
draft, she could follow the logs anywhere and was fast
going up river and a fine handler.

She was one hundred and thirty-five feet long, had a
twenty-four-foot beam and four-foot hold. Her engines

I30 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

were thirteen and one-half inches in diameter and had
a stroke of four and one-half feet. Her new boilers,
built by Grupe and Murray of Davenport, were thirty-
eight inches in diameter and twenty-eight feet long.

We bought the fine, fast, handsome steamer "Silver
Crescent" of Captain O. P. McMann of Clinton, Iowa,
in 1890 for $7000.00. Sold one-third to Van Sant and
Musser Company and one-third to Captain Bob Mit-
chell of Clinton, Iowa, who took charge of her as mas-
ter and pilot for two years.

After organizing the LeClaire Navigation Company
we closed an arrangement with J. W. Rambo and J. N.
Long, both expert rapids pilots, to use the "Last
Chance" as their bowboat to help rafts down over the
Rock Island rapids during low water. They were to
have a percentage of her earnings while on this work.

Then we made a contract with the Hershey Lumber
Company of Muscatine, Iowa, to run ten million feet
of logs from Beef Slough to their mill for one dollar
and ten cents per thousand feet. This work to begin as
soon as Beef Slough began rafting.

With our boat repaired, painted and fitted up she
passed a fine annual United States inspection and on
orders from Manager Van Sant I got coal and provi-
sions aboard and left LeClaire for Beef Slough on the
night of April 17, 1882. I had Vetal Burrow, a French-
Canadian, as my pilot; the engineers. Shannon and
Lancaster, previously mentioned, James Shannon, mate,
with seven good men on deck. Two men to be watch-
men and nigger runners and two firemen, composed the
operating crew. Then to complete the roster we had
Will Long and his helper in charge of the kitchen and
our little cabin. I furnished Will Long everything he
asked for because I knew he would make good use of it.

THE LeCLAIRE NAVIGATION COMPANY 131

and there would be no waste. Everything was good
and nicely served and while he did not put on too many
dishes at any one meal, he gave us a good variety from
day to day.

A good cook with a kind, cheerful disposition is a
great help to the captain; as he keeps the crew con-
tented and happy. But such cooks are rare, very rare.

With the new engines a little larger than the old ones
we were pleased with our speed up stream and she was
easy on fuel.

The river was high from LaCrosse up, as Black river
and Chippewa were both high. The big boats were
taking six brails of logs - in two pieces of three brails
each. We took four brails - in two pieces of two brails
each -which made a raft one hundred and eighty feet
wide and six hundred feet long, which was plenty for a
small boat on the high stage of water.

I had never had much practice on running a raft.
My education and experience had been confined to
learning the river and to run a boat in it. To keep a
big, heavy, long raft in the channel and off the high
bars and heads of islands was something I had yet to
learn.

Pilot Burrow was very helpful and on our first trip
he did all the most difficult work like Betsey Slough,
Raft channel. Bad Axe bend, Crooked Slough and
Santa Fe; besides the bridges at Winona, LaCrosse,
McGregor, Dubuque, Sabula, Clinton and Davenport.

You don't run any two of these bridges the same way
and you can't run any one of them the same in all stages
of water. The tow is too heavy for the towboat to stop.
The current will carry it down though the boat may be
backing her best, so to get through a bridge without
injury you must start right and keep right.

132 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

We had a few narrow escapes on our first trip, but
made Muscatine in good time and with the raft in fine
shape; got a clear receipt and enough cash to pay ofif
the crew and all bills and then "lit out" for Beef Slough
again.

We ran three more of these four-brail rafts. Then we
tried five brails - a two-brail piece and a three-brail
piece, making a raft two hundred and twenty-five feet
wide, and having good luck with this one, we ran five
more like it and our work was highly satisfactory.

Then the river fell so much the heaviest boats could
not follow their rafts down the shore at Sycamore (be-
low LeClaire) and Pilots Long and Rambo called us
to do rapids work. I reduced the crew to suit the job
and this work gave me fine practice on the rapids, as I
always took the boat back up even if night caught me
on the way.

While boarding at the Gault House in the spring
with an excellent family named Bard, I became greatly
interested in the oldest daughter, Elizabeth, three years
younger than myself. She had been teaching the "Indi-
ana" school while I had been at "Browns Corners," two
miles north. We did not meet out in the country as all
winter activities were strictly neighborhood afTairs.

Miss Bard's winter term closed a week later than
mine, and on her return home she found me pretty well
established, and I soon made up my mind that I wanted
to be one of the family.

As Mother had taken our family to an inland town
where they would have better educational advantages,
I certainly enjoyed the homey atmosphere of the Gault
House, and, my favorite place for tying up the "Last
Chance" between trips while working on the rapids was
directly in the rear of the house.

THE LeCLAIRE NAVIGATION COMPANY 133

The crew used to say that I could put her in there,
close up the pilot-house, ring off the engineer and be up
with the girls on the back porch before the fireman and
watchman got in the slack of the head line.

The river came up in September and we resumed our
long trips and closed the season with a nice profit after
paying for all improvements, repairs and new outfit
we had put on her.

fiiE imm

Pleasant Rafting with the Good
"Ten Broeck"

The year 1882 was a busy and important one for me.
Besides getting my license and beginning work on my
own boat and helping organize the LeClaire Naviga-
tion Company as told in the preceding chapter, I was
entered, passed, and raised to the degree of a Master
Mason in Snow Lodge number forty-four in LeClaire,
Iowa. After making permanent residence in Daven-
port, Iowa, I changed my membership to Trinity Lodge
number two hundred and eight. I have been away
from home too much to be an active member but after
forty-five years' experience I hold masonic teaching
and practice in high esteem and consider it a great in-
fluence for good in any community.

Miss Elizabeth Bard and I were married in her
home on the evening of December 7, 1882. At the same
time her sister Adele was married to John H. Laycock.

It was very cold and the heavy ice running made
crossing the river difficult and dangerous. Captain and
Mrs. Van Sant went up with me in a carriage in the
afternoon and drove back with my plucky bride and
me after midnight with the temperature twenty-six de-
grees below. The road, frozen hard, had smooth tracks
and we were not long on the way to our cozy, furnished
apartment, with a good hard-coal fire in the base-
burner.

In February, 1883, we bought the towboat "J. W.
Mills" of W. J. Young and Company for $7000.00.

136 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

We did not have to pay any cash down or spend any
money repairing her. She had been out on the Eagle
Point ways and given $2200.00 repair before lying up
for winter.

Mr. Young now had two fine, large, new boats, the
"Boardman" and "W. J. Young, Jr.", that would do
the bulk of his work. We were to do all his extra work
and let about one-third of the earnings thereon apply
on our notes given for the "J. W. Mills."

I took charge of her and started out early. She
cleared $4000.00 that season and $6000.00 in 1884, and
$4700.00 in 1885, my last season on her. So she more
than paid for herself in her first and second season.

In February, 1886, we bought the "Ten Broeck" and
barge for $8250.00. This was a great bargain as the
"Ten Broeck" was only six years old. She was one of
the best in the business. Her engines were sixteen and
one-half inches in diameter by four and one-half-foot
stroke, fitted up with new piston packing and Frisbie
balance valves.

She had three good boilers and was very easy on fuel.

She had a nice comfortable cabin for her crew and
one large guest room.

The "Ten Broeck" was wide and low, caught very
little wind. She was easy on the stern of the raft and
had wonderful power in backing and flanking.

I went on her in the spring of 1886 leaving LeClaire
twenty-four hours after a severe March blizzard that
gave us ten inches of snow and a very cold night to start
up river.

During the six seasons I was in charge of the "Ten
Broeck"! had several good pilots who changed watches
with me. Among them I hold John IVIonroe, John H.
Wooders, George Tromley, Sr., Wm. Savage, Alf.

Of ^HE

RAFTING WITH THE GOOD "TEN BROECK" 139

Withrow, and Frank LePoint in grateful recollection
for their skillful work, cheerful co-operation and genial
companionship night and day. They were real partners.
When you rouse a man out of his nice berth at 1 1 P.M.
or 3 A.M. night after night to "take her" in any part of
the river and battle with fog, wind and shoal water, you
get a good clear line on his disposition all right.

My old friend Henry Whitmore was my chief en-
gineer for the first season on the "Ten Broeck" and we
enjoyed being together again.

Then James Stedman of LeClaire took charge of the
engine-room in 1887 and remained with me until we
left her at the close of the season in 1891.

Our company now had several boats and had to take
care of all the Beef Slough or West Newton output for
the Lansing Lumber Company of Lansing, Iowa, Da-
vid Joyce of Lyons, Iowa, and Fulton, Illinois, Chr.
Mueller of Davenport, besides supplying the Clinton
Lumber Company, and W. J. Young and Company all
above what he could handle with his own two boats. We
had rented Wyalusing and Desota bays and some other
storage places where we would put rafts not wanted at
the mills in safe storage and where we could get them
out and run them to the mills during low water when
the rafting works were shut down.

Dropping rafts down one or two days run, shoving
them up in some bay, taking off our kit and hiking back
to Beef Slough for another raft to be similarly lined up
and fitted to run, then taken down to Desota or Lansing
and laid up and stripped was not as desirable as long
through trips.

Then when we went after these logs in low water
some were aground on the shore and required consider-

I40 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

able rolling to get them afloat and placed in the raft
again.

This laying up and getting out again cost about two
hundred dollars per raft more than a trip straight
through to the mill. Because I had the best boat and
was familiar with all the places we were using for stor-
age, the "Ten Broeck" got the bulk of this work, and
her earnings were cut thereby ; but in the six years I was
on her she cleared $22,000.00. We had sustained a cut
of ten cents per thousand feet on all logs to Clinton,
Lyons and Fulton since 1885 and this made a big differ-
ence in profits.

I only had one real bad break-up while on the "Ten
Broeck." This was in Lake Pepin, with a heavy raft of
logs from Stillwater on Lake Saint Croix for Chr.
Mueller of Davenport, late in October. The mate and
his crew had double-boomed it all around the outside
and put on extra lines to strengthen it, but this all
counted for nothing when the storm struck us at day-
break when we were within one and one-half miles of
shelter at the mouth of the Chippewa.

We had to let go and get the "Ten Broeck" away and
out of the lake and our raft was reduced to single logs
with all the bark worn off them. The bark and our
entire kit of lines and poles were thrown up in a wind-
row on shore and it was a mean task to disentangle the
mass or mess.

I got a regular rafting crew from Beef Slough to
help us and in nine days hard work we had a new raft
ready to start and lost only thirty-four logs.

This break-up occurred before we bought the "Netta
Durant." She was about a mile behind us and got the
same treatment. Her raft for the Clinton Lumber Com-

2,1

5 =

2.«

Of THE

RAFTING WITH THE GOOD "TEN BROECK" 143

pany was in single logs and clear of any bark the same
as ours.

My last trip with the noble "Ten Broeck" was late in
the fall of 1891 with a raft for Dimock Gould and
Company of Moline from Stillwater to Lansing Bay
where we had orders to lay it up for early spring de-
livery.

The first half of November was mild, clear and calm,
but the river was low. We knew we would have to split
below Prescott and double-trip past Four Mile island
where the United States dredge had made a cut through
the bar wide enough for a half raft.

When we got out of Lake Saint Croix in the morn-
ing and below Prescott we found Captain R.J. Wheeler
with the steamer "Henrietta" and a large excursion
barge, the "Robert Dodds" and raft in charge of Cap-
tain George Brasser and the "Menominee" and raft.
Captain S. B. Withrow all tied up and lying quiet. I
could see some small boat down below in the cut. So
we landed on the right above the others. I took a skifif
and visited the other boats, and learned that Dan Rice
with his little side-wheeled "Bun Hersey" and half
raft for Red Wing had caught his right hand bow
corner on that side of the cut and then the stern swung
over and rested on the sand on the other side. The cap-
tains all thought he would soon get loose and drop out
of our way.

While the day was pleasant I knew how quickly that
river could freeze up when it turns cold, and the water
low, but I was behind all of them and could do nothing
but wait for an opening.

When I got up the next morning, November 11, and
could see no change in the situation, I took a skiflf and
went down to the "Bun Hersey" and took in the situa-

144 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

tion. On making inquiry of Captain Dan Rice, a big,
rough-looking chap with his pants inside big, high
boots, as to what his plans or intentions were, he told
me that was his business not mine. I then went back
up to the other boats and got the captains together and
told them that if we waited on Rice to get out of our
way, we would all freeze in here. "Let's go down to-
gether and hold an 'inquest' over him," was proposed.
We went and Rice at first was surly and stubborn, but
we convinced him be must act at once and he did as we
suggested. He cut ofif that corner that was aground
(about one hundred and twenty-five logs) and took his
raft through the cut all right. By the close of the short
day we were all through, coupled up and on our way
for a good run through Lake Pepin.

We had two days of bad weather but got our raft
safely placed in Lansing bay, hitched into our fuel
barge, and "lit out" from Lansing at 2 A.M., on Novem-
ber 16, for LeClaire. It turned cold at dark when we
passed Clinton. We reached LeClaire at 9 :30 P.M. ; put
off surplus stores, took on coal, paid off the deck crew
and cooks and early in the morning of the seventeenth
with the "Irene D." hitched in alongside, made for
Wapsie bay, ten miles up river. Wapsie Slough had
frozen over during the night. We had to break our way
in. It was a cold day to "Lay-up" and drain steamboats,
but we did it, only stopping for coffee and sandwiches
at noon.

We carried our baggage and walked ashore before
night over the ice that had made again since we broke
in earlier in the day.

That was my thirty-fifth birthday and a good hard
one. By walking two and one-half miles to Folletts I
caught a train to Noels Station. I was very hungry but

RAFTING WITH THE GOOD "TEN BROECK" 145

could not beg, buy or steal anything to eat. Rather than
wait four hours for the night "accommodation" on the
C. M. & St. P. to Davenport, I walked three and one-
half miles to Long Grove where my old chum Ed.
Owen was ticket agent. He took me to his house, made
fresh coffee and saved my life. Reaching Davenport, I
was too sore and stiff to walk and took a carriage.

I did not expect to go back on the "Ten Broeck" and
though going home I left her as "a tried and faithful
friend" that had carried me and our raft through many,
many storms, fogs, shallow waters and crooked places
all O.K.

One night going up the river on the "Ten Broeck"
with our fuel barge in tow and changing watch at
eleven o'clock above Apple river I said to Frank Le-
Point who had just taken her (as pilot) , "Frank, I think
I see red and green lights up there near the mouth of
the Maquoketa (river). In this moonlight the lights
don't show very well, but I think he has a raft ahead of
him; guess I will wait and see who it is."

In a few minutes Frank's keen Sioux Indian eyes
caught the situation and he said, "Why that man he's
tied up. Now why you 'spose anybody tie up a raf on
such a night like dis. It mus' be Brasser (Captain
George Brasser). He like dat landin." Sure enough!
When we got up closer, by four short blasts from her
whistle calling for help we recognized the raft-boat
"Robert Dodds" of which George Brasser was master.
Running in closer I called to ask what he wanted and
could see the trouble before he answered: "Ho Cap!
This dam fellar wit' his tie raf run into me since I'm
landed here and I can't move my boat -he's swung in
across the Robert Dodd's wheel. I want you to pull
him out of dis." There was a big man with a bass voice

146 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

moving around on the tie raft (from the Wisconsin
river), whom I judged was the pilot (a "floater") and
at my suggestion he made fast to his raft the end of a
good line our mate threw out to him.

Then we slowly and carefully pulled him out of his
predicament and swung him well into the channel and
let him go, and we proceeded up river.

Six weeks later we landed at the office in Beef Slough
to get our raft assignment. The "Robert Dodds" was
landed there also and when I met Captain Brasser he
had a merry twinkle in his mild blue eyes. After thank-
ing me for the little service that night six weeks ago, he
said, "I have good joke to tell you on my own self. On
my las' trip down my engineer say those biler (boilers)
need a clean out; so I tie up in same place I was that
night you see us there. Well, sir, I was woke up along
'bout midnight and when I step out my room what you
tink I see? Well my frien' there was another tie raf in
same shape like de one you pull out wit your boat dat I
hail you in.

"Yas sir, and when I see big fellar walkin' towar's my
boat I see was de same pilot; so I call out, I say my
frien' aint dis river wide enough so you can get by me
sometime when I'm clear over one side? An here's
where de fun is on me. So soon I spik like dat he stop
right where he was and in dat big voice he'es got he say,
*Gawd-A-Mighty! Are you here yit?' "

Once I had an Irish woman get a pretty good one on
me.

We had lost a young chap on our last homeward trip
with the "Silver Crescent." He was the cook's helper
and lost his life by a foolish, risky caper, against which
we had warned him several times.

The cook and clerk took his clothes and money due

RAFTING WITH THE GOOD "TEN BROECK" 147

him to his mother and gave her a full report of his loss.

I did not go to see her then, but offered a reward and
notified the fishermen to be on the lookout when the ice
went out in spring. I came down from LeClaire one
day late in March and learned that Mike's body had
been found and would be buried the next day. I drove
over to see her, and with a rain coat and small cap on
with my five feet seven inches in height in that outfit my
appearance was not impressive.

I found the poor woman in tears. She had been tell-
ing a neighbor woman all about it and was naturally
agitated, but when I gave her some money, saying, it
was to enable her to make a good showing at the
funeral, she wiped her eyes and a funny smile broke
over her face when she said : "Well of all things! Are
ye Captain Blair?" Well before God now I never
would have thought it!"

"Why. not," I said; "don't I look like I could run a
steamboat?"

She put her hand up to her cheek and with laughing
eyes said : "Well, ye must know back on the 'ould sod'
where I was born, it was a busy seaport town. When I
was a young girl in me teens I knew the captains of all
the boats and they were all large, fine-lookin'
MIN."

And one early spring day while the usual repair
work kept me busy getting the many things needed
from up town while waiting at Ripley and Second
streets for a Rockingham car, I had my arms full of
packages and a small coil of three-eighths Manila rope
over my head and one shoulder.

An old German approaching said, "Cap, I don't like
to see you with a rope like that. By Golly that's the size
most of them use!"

148 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

"Don't worry!" I replied. "You never heard of an
Irishman hanging himself."

"No? No that's true," he shot at me, "They don't
have to - the sheriffs hangs them."

The Green Tree Hotel

In the lively days of the rafting business, in addition
to its coal yards, boat yard, foundry and machine shop,
boat stores and rapids boats and rapids pilots, LeClaire
had a unique feature known as "the green tree hotel," a
splendid elm whose spreading branches provided shade
in sunshine and a shield in storm to many a cook, fire-
man or deckhand after he had had his little fling, and
could find welcome and rest under the green tree until
a berth appeared.

This grand old elm stands in the public landing,
given by Antoine LeClaire to the town when it was laid
out and named for him nearly a hundred years ago.

On any warm summer night it sheltered "the makins"
of several raft-boat crews, and it didn't take long to get
them either. No baggage to arrange, no bills to pay -
just get up, put on the hat and follow.

The steamer "Jennie Gilchrist" seems to guard them
while they sleep. She is busy every day towing barges
of coal from the mines at Rapids City and ties up close
to the green tree every night.

Coal was discovered in Happy Hollow near Hamp-
ton, Illinois, in 1869, by Thomas Tagg and William
Barth. The next year, 1870, these same men, Tagg and
Barth, discovered a vein of coal at Rapids City and
Taylor Williams opened a mine and delivered coal in
1871.

Mr. H. M. Gilchrist from Wanlockhead, Scotland,
and his son John, worked in this mine about two years

ISO A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

when they got hold of a vein of even better coal near by
and opened "Wanlockhead Mines" in 1874.

H. M. Gilchrist was a man of great industry and
push, with pleasant looks and manners, and with such
good coal only one and one-half miles from the river
he soon had the big end of the lucrative steamboat
trade.

In order to handle his growing business he had the
handsome little steamer "Jennie Gilchrist" built at the
LeClaire yard. Taylor Williams had put in a railroad
from the river up to their mines that served both, and
Mr. Gilchrist provided and operated the steamer that
did the towing for both the Gilchrist and the Williams
mines.

The Williams mine was opened in 1871 and operated
until closed in 1884.

The Gilchrist mine was opened in 1874 and worked
out and closed in 1882.

I stated that the "Jennie Gilchrist" was a very pretty
boat and very popular. This is true, and well she might
be both, for she was named for Mr. Gilchrist's only
daughter, now Mrs. Charles Shuler of Davenport.

The Green Tree

In writing of the green tree I recall one night in 1887
when on the "Ten Broeck," we landed at LeClaire for
fuel, and awaited daylight before proceeding down
over the rapids. It was after midnight and everything
was closed up but two saloons.

I wanted a cook and was told that Hayden was the
only one in town, and I could find him under the green
tree. I looked over the bunch of sleepers under the tree
and not finding Hayden I waked a fireman and asked

IKE [r'm
OF THE

THE GREEN TREE HOTEL 153

where Hayden was. He said he was sitting down close
by the water's edge an hour ago.

I soon found him sitting there bareheaded and bare-
footed. By his husky voice I knew he was still drink-
ing; so I left him there. I learned a few days later that
soon after daylight he went up to the saloon in the base-
ment under the drug store and asked the proprietor,
"John, what kind of whiskey was that I drank last
night?" "Why? What did it do to you?" "It made me
go down to the river; sit down, take ofif my shoes and
hat and gently put them afloat. Then I took a stick and
pushed them out where they caught the current and I
guess they are down to Hampton by this time. I
thought I was launching a lot of barges. Wasn't that a
great note?"

Only a few months ago I had a letter from a lady in
Inglewood, California, asking for information about
the green tree. This lady is gathering material for a
history of noted trees and she says the green tree of Le-
Claire, Iowa, is one of the few trees that have places in
the Hall of Fame in Washington, District of Columbia.

It has grown considerably since raftsmen used it for
a summer hotel. Its trunk is now (1928) thirteen feet
in circumference five feet from the ground, and its very
thick top has a spread of ninety feet east and west and
ninety-three feet north and south.

The townspeople take good care of it and it is in
excellent health; and in summer nights when all else is
still and only a slight warm breeze causes a murmur in
its dense foliage, I can easily imagine it whispering the
lines of my friend, Robert Rexdale's old refrain:
"When the Mississippi was the Great Highway," and
how I wished it could talk and tell about some of the
splendid boats that had landed and often laid close to it

154 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

over night to run the rapids in the morning early before
the wind came up. Of the lovely "Grey Eagle" in her
bright spring suit like a bride in white with Captain
Smith Harris so pleased and proud of her, on the roof
as she backed out on that early spring morning in 1861,
going swiftly to her death on the old Rock Island
bridge.

And then of the "Favorite" that brought the Sioux
captives to Camp McClellan after the massacre of New
Ulm, Minnesota, in 1863. Captain Abe Hutchinson
had two hundred and seventy-eight braves, sixteen
squaws and two children to guard, feed and protect
from the fury of the whites when he landed close to the
tree for a rapids pilot.

Or of the fast "Gem City," three hundred feet long,
that came out new in the spring of 1881 and made seven
round trips between Saint Louis and Saint Paul in the
first seven weeks; was full of people every trip and
cleared her cost in her six months' run. Campbell Hunt
and Hiram Beedle, Jr., were her pilots and steered her
by hand as steam steering gear had not been introduced
on the Mississippi then, but she did have a search light,
the first on the upper river.

And then perhaps it would tell me about the great
Streckfus and Jo. Long steamboat fight in 1896, when
there were four fast boats in the Davenport and Clinton
trade, each making a round trip a day, and carrying
passengers for twenty-five cents one way or both.

The "Jo. Long," owned by Captain J. N. Long, the
rapids pilot, and the "Winona," owned by Captain
John Streckfus, left Davenport together every morning
and left Clinton at 3 P.M. on the return trip to Daven-
port.

The "Douglas Boardman," chartered by Captain

THE GREEN TREE HOTEL ijs

Long, and the "Verne Swain," owned by Captain
Streckfus, left Clinton every morning and left Daven-
port at 3 P.M. on the return trip to Clinton.

The "Verne Swain" had been alone in the trade since
she came out new in 1880. She was fast and was kept on
time like a train and was very popular. There was no
railroad or interurban connecting Davenport and Clin-
ton then. The "Verne" was a great convenience for
travelers, shoppers, and those riding only for pleasure
or recreation. Captain John Streckfus had been her
sole owner since 1889 and he kept her up in excellent
condition and built up a nice trade.

When Captain Long invaded his trade he (Streck-
fus) bought the new "Winona," another fast boat, and
the fight soon became warm. Friends of the contestants
in both terminals and all the intermediate towns were
greatly interested; but feeling was roused to a higher
pitch in LeClaire than anywhere else. Jo. Long was a
LeClaire man and the "Jo. Long" was a LeClaire boat,
and LeClaire boys and girls were on hand every day,
forenoon and afternoon to greet and cheer their favor-
ites when they made hurried landings often side by
each.

Many heated discussions regarding the boats and
their owners took place under the green tree during
those long, hot summer days as the fight went on and
thousands took the twenty-five cent rides every day.

But one afternoon in August the "Verne" was alone
when she landed at LeClaire. The "Boardman," on
which Captain Long was piloting, did not show up un-
til nearly dark and then Captain Long was not on her.
In an angry discussion on the Davenport Levee that
day with James Osborn, long-time agent for the Dia-
mond Jo Line, the Streckfus boats and the White Col-

156 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

lar and other lines, Captain Long stabbed Mr. Os-
born with the pocket knife he had in his hand, and was
arrested.

This unfortunate affair soon ended the steamboat
fight in favor of the "Verne Swain" and "Winona"
which took good care of the trade until the railroad and
interurban were built.

The fact that with all the racing up and down every
day, running the rapids up and down in all kinds of
weather and with the crews and passengers often greatly
excited, there was no accident to any of the boats, surely
means there was a lot of good steamboating done on
both sides.

And I'd like to hear it tell about the great fight be-
tween Commodore Davidson and the old established
Northern Line in the Saint Louis and Saint Paul trade
when it was cheaper to travel on these fine boats than to
stay at home. Five large side-wheel steamers came out
new in April, 1870. The "Red Wing" had the year
1870 in bright red letters beautifully shaded on the
center of her wheel houses above her name.

She replaced the once famous but old and dismantled
"Sucker State," and handsome Captain Wm. P. Hight
and his excellent crew which included Charlie Man-
ning and Billy Wood, pilots, "Judge" Brady, clerk, and
Moses Mullen, mate, that had made the old boat so
popular and profitable, came out on the new and larger
"Red Wing."

And the "Lake Superior," successor to the "Key
City," was a handsome boat, considerably larger than
the old boat but lacking her speed. Every stateroom
door in her long cabin had a landscape in oil showing
some beauty spot on the Upper river. She was in charge

Residence of Brigham Vouxg, Nauv'OO, III., 1845

Old Home ok the Mormux Proi-hi-t, Joseph Sahth
Still standing in Nauvoo, 111.

THE I'^iRY
Of THE

THE GREEN TREE HOTEL i59

of Captain Jones L. Worden and several of his crew
from the old boat.

The "Belle of LaCrosse," "Alex. Mitchell," and
"Northwestern," that came out in 1870 for the White
Collar or Davidson Line, were large, fine boats and the
"Northwestern" with larger engines than any of the
others, was a very fast boat.

These five new boats with the "Phil. Sheridan" and
"Milwaukee" of Davidson's and the "Minnesota,"
"Minneapolis," "Dubuque," "Muscatine" and "Daven-
port" of the Northern Line gave an excellent daily
service between Saint Louis and Saint Paul, and there
was no more racing and fighting.

The compromise and consolidation however gave the
Davidsons the control and they kept it. If the boats
made any profit they got it.

The Northern Line put into the consolidation four-
teen good side-wheel and five stern-wheel steamers, all
in good condition, with forty oak model barges and
$60,000.00 balance in the Boatmens Bank in Saint
Louis.

They never got any dividends after the consolidation
and were glad to give up their stock to escape the assess-
ments that were levied against them later.

While these twelve fine boats were running in the
seventies, they maintained quite a regular schedule -
thus when the boat from Saint Louis would come round
the bend about 4 P.M. to land at the green tree, the
smoke of the other coming from Saint Paul was usually
in sight. John Smith of LeClaire and Andrew Cole-
man of Davenport were their rapids pilots. With these
regular packets to take care of first, they caught many
outside trips, as there were numerous freight steamers
running without schedule; and some years many large

i6o A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

towboats from the Ohio and Lower Mississippi towing
ice to Saint Louis. Smith and Coleman had the cream
of the work.

The old tree must feel very lonely these quiet nights
when it recalls some of those busy nights in the seventies
or eighties when two or three rafters, a big ice towboat
like the "E. M. Norton," "Beaver" or "Jack Frost,"
and a big freighter with three barges of grain were all
coaling and getting on provisions, ice and other sup-
plies at the LeClaire Landing within a block of the
green tree that saw them all come and all go.

It has a quiet but steady companion for company
now; since Captain J. D. Barnes of LeClaire placed a
cut stone marker on the Public Landing close to the
tree in memory of an old playmate who was born only
two miles away. Captain Joe Barnes is a veteran of the
Civil war. He and David Carr of Davenport are the
only survivors of the crew that made the first and only
rafting trip made by the little steamer "LeClaire" of
LeClaire, Iowa, in 1866.

Captain Barnes was very proud of his old playmate
who gained distinction as a hunter, scout and showman;
well known and highly honored on both sides of the
Atlantic.

The stone bears this inscription :

DEDICATED TO

COLONEL WILLIAM F. CODY
"Buffalo Bill"

By His Friend and

Boyhood Playmate

Joe Barnes

Erected 1924

THE GREEN TREE HOTEL i6i

On the north side of the tree is a large cannon pointing
out over the river.

Through the effort of Mr. F. P. Schworm of Le-
Claire and the influence of George M. Curtis of Clin-
ton who then represented the district in congress, this
cannon was given by the war department to John R.
Buckman post, G. A. R. Before the post disbanded a few
years ago it gave this cannon to the town of LeClaire
and it rests under the shadow of the green tree as lasting
memorial to her veterans of the Civil war.

Monuments

FORT ARMSTRONG: On the extreme western end of
the Rock Island is an accurate replica of the old block
house which was a feature of old Fort Armstrong, built
in 1816 and abandoned in 1836.

This replica was erected through the efforts of the
local chapter of the D. A. R.

They got the description and measurements of the
original from records in the war department at Wash-
ington.

They also secured the old abutment of the first rail-
road bridge to cross the Mississippi river and the com-
mandant of the arsenal gave generous aid in restoring
and marking it.

ABUTMENTS OF OLD BRIDGE : It Stands about fifty rods
up-stream (N.E.) from the present government draw
bridge. This abutment carried the south end of the old
wooden bridge built in 1855 for the Chicago, Rock
Island and Pacific Railway. It was the bridge on which
the steamers "Efiie Afton" and "Grey Eagle" were
wrecked.

Hannah Caldwell Chapter D. A. R. of Davenport re-

1 62 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

cently placed a marker and bronze tablet on the Iowa
abutment of this same old infamous bridge.

CAMP McCLELLAN : The same chapter also placed a
boulder with a bronze tablet at the east end of Lindsay
park to mark the landing and entrance to Camp Mc-
Clellan which was a very busy rendezvous camp and
hospital for Iowa troops during the Civil war. This
marker is close to the river at the upper end of Stubbs's
Eddy- East Davenport, and is in sight from the upper
deck of passing steamers.

CAMPBELLS ISLAND: On the channel side of Camp-
bells Island, just half way between Davenport and Le-
Claire, may be seen the fine monument marking the
Battle of Campbells Island, fought on July 19, 1814.

An expedition sent from Saint Louis, Missouri, in
three keel-boats, commanded by Lieutenant John
Campbell, to relieve our garrison at Fort Shelby, was
attacked at this point and badly defeated by Black
Hawk and his Sac and Fox warriors.

The strong west wind carried the keel-boats on the
flat shore. The Indians had the advantage and killed
ten regulars, four rangers, one woman and one child.
One keel-boat was burned. The defeated expedition
went back down river in the other two keel-boats.

This monument was erected by the state of Illinois,
through the persistent efforts of the late William A.
Meese of Moline, Illinois, who did so much excellent
work in digging up a lot of interesting local history.

During the years I was doing so much work on the
rapids, I asked all the regular rapids pilots and any one
else that seemed acquainted with the locality, how the
island got the name ; but I never learned anything about
it until my friend Meese sent me a copy of The Battle
of Campbells Island, by William A. Meese of Moline,

THE GREEN TREE HOTEL 163

Illinois- 1904. The island was named for Lieutenant
John Campbell who commanded the United States
troops.

JULIAN DUBUQUE: On the river end of a high bluff
two miles below the city named after him, is a large,
high stone tower which encloses and marks the tomb of
Julian Dubuque.

In A History of the People of Iowa, pages thirty-six,
thirty-seven and sixty-seven, Cyrenus Cole tells us that
Dubuque was the most picturesque figure in the early
history of Iowa. He was a well educated French-Cana-
dian from Quebec. In 1785, when twenty-three years
of age, he crossed the Mississippi and made friends
with the Fox Indians under Kettle Chief and secured
their title to a tract of land with twenty-one miles front-
age on the river and extending back nine miles. He
proceeded to develop the lead mines in his tract and
built a smelting furnace at the mouth of Catfish creek
just above where the tomb stands. He opened up a big
trade with the indians and miners and by 1800 was
about the best customer Saint Louis merchants had in
the upper country.

Doing a large business over a large territory he made
many losses and at the time of his death in March, 18 10,
all his lands were mortgaged to Chouteau of Saint
Louis.

When the United States courts invalidated Du-
buque's title from the Fox chief, and Carondelet, the
Spanish Governor-general at Saint Louis, Chouteau
was a big loser of all his advances to keep Dubuque
going.

FATHER JAMES MARQUETTE: In recent years the
people of Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin, with some
help from the C. M. & St. P. Railway erected a noble

i64 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

monument in memory of Marquette, who with Joliet
crossed over from Green Bay to the Wisconsin river in
1673 and descended in its rapid current to its junction
with the Mississippi and on down that stream to the
mouth of the Arkansas river. It is near the little federal
cemetery and not far from the ruins of Fort Crawford.
OLD FORT MADISON : Close by the railroad tracks run-
ning parallel with the river (and close by it) in the
Upper end of Fort Madison, Iowa, there stands a
rather odd looking monument of stone with this inscrip-
tion:

ERECTED 1908

by

JEAN ESPY CHAPTER

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

ON THE SITE OF

OLD FORT MADISON

Built 1808
Evacuated and Burned
By Its Garrison- 1813

Through the kindness of Mr. F. A. Amborn of Fort
Madison, I secured the following information from the
official write-up in the Fort Madison public library:

"Where the city of Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa,
now is, once stood a fort with three block houses. The
historic fort was close to the Mississippi river and
about one-third of a mile from the present Iowa State
penitentiary. When it was built in 1808, the country
round about was a wilderness. Through the forest and
up the river the Indians spread news that the govern-
ment was erecting a fort within their territory, and they
consulted together to destroy it. Attack after attack
was made on the little garrison until in 1813 the soldiers
set fire to the fort and made their escape through the
tunnel or covered passageway to the river. The fire left

THE GREEN TREE HOTEL 165

only this tunnel to the river and a tall stone chimney to
mark the location of Fort Madison.

"This chimney was reproduced by the Jean Espy
chapter of D. A. R. at their expense and stands on the
same spot as the original chimney."

CHIEF KEOKUK: In Rand Park, Keokuk, Iowa, near
the edge of the steep blufif, facing the lake, is a large
bronze statue of Keokuk the noted chief of the Sacs
and Foxes.

This handsome monument was erected by popular
subscription through the efforts of Keokuk chapter of
the D. A. R. It was unveiled October 22, 1913.

The inscription on the front (river) side reads:

CHIEF KEOKUK

Born at Rock Island, 1788
Died April, 1848

In 1883, Keokuk's remains and the marble slab which
marked their location in Franklin county, Kansas, were
brought to the city of his name and given suitable loca-
tion here. On one side of the base is a bronze tablet
placed there by the ladies of the D. A. R. in memory of
the pioneers who entered Iowa through the "gate city"
traveling on what was then known as the beginning of
the "mormon trail."

They crossed the prairies as of old
The pilgrims crossed the sea
To make the west as they the east
The homestead of the free.

D. A. R.

The above description of this conspicuous monument
came from Captain Hugh McKenzie of Keokuk, who
made a special trip out to Rand park on a cold morning,
to get the facts to help make my record complete.

1 66 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

I take this opportunity to thank him for his kind,
intelligent interest in this work.

I hope those who read this chapter with any interest
will watch for all these markers and monuments which
aim to link the present with the vanishing past, in pass-
ing by them.

WARSAW, ILLINOIS - FORT EDWARDS : There is a tall
stone shaft on the high blufif point at the upper end of
Warsaw, Illinois.

From our former agent in Warsaw, Mr. W. J. Clip-
pert, I secured these facts.

This shaft of Bedford stone, fifty-four feet in height,
was erected by the state and some local subscriptions in
September, 1914, to commemorate the establishment of
Fort Edwards, built by Major Zachary Taylor and the
third United States infantry in September, 1814.

From this blufif, directly across from the mouth of
the Des Moines river and only four miles from the
foot of the lower rapids, the movements of indians, go-
ing to, or returning from their great hunting grounds,
could be easily watched and local traders protected.

After Fort Armstrong and Fort Crawford were built,
Fort Edwards was not needed and in 1824 it was aban-
doned.

GENERAL GEORGE ROGERS CLARK : On a high projecting

point of one of the bluffs in Riverside park at the north
end of Quincy, Illinois, there stands a noble statue of
General George Rogers Clark of Louisville, Kentucky;
erected by the state of Illinois to honor the memory of
this remarkable man whose services, sufferings and
sacrifices during the revolution, added to the union that
vast territory lying between the Ohio river, the Great
Lakes, the Mississippi river and the Allegheny moun-
tains.

THE GREEN TREE HOTEL 167

Five great states, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan
and Wisconsin must look back to Clark's victories at
Kaskaskia and Vincennes for their titles. No American
of his day had such influence over the Indians. They
both feared and trusted him. He could punish them or
treat with them when others failed. They had great
respect for the "big chief of the long knives."

This statue represents him as looking out over the
bay and across the river and into the great west that was
explored later by his brother William and Merri-
wether Lewis to be added to the Union as "the Louisi-
ana purchase."

MARK twain: Close to the edge of the high bluff
and about four hundred yards above the Wabash Rail-
way bridge stands an heroic statue of Mark Twain in
Riverview park, Hannibal, Missouri.

The inscription tells us that it was erected by the state
of Missouri in 1913.

This fine statue in Mark's boyhood hometown is in
plain view of passing steamers.

At the head of Main street in Hannibal where it runs
up against the same bluff are beautiful bronze statues
of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, recently pre-
sented to the city (May 27, 1926) by Mr. and Mrs.
George A. Mahan and their son, Dulany Mahan.

I know of no other monument erected to purely liter-
ary characters.

The old home of Mark Twain is only three blocks
away, and is kept open to the public.

Mark Twain was a humorist and a pilot. He was not
a prophet; hence he was honored in his own country.

ELIJAH P. LOVEJOY: The most pretentious monument
along the river is the Lovejoy memorial in Alton, Illi-
nois. This granite column ninety-three feet in height.

i68 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

rising from an ample base, is surmounted by a bronze
statue of Victory, seventeen feet higii, weighing 8700
pounds.

The cost of this memorial was thirty thousand dol-
lars, of which the state of Illinois paid five-sixths and
patriotic citizens of Alton the remainder.

There is a medallion of Lovejoy on the south front
and below it this inscription:

ELIJAH p. LOVEJOY

Editor of Alton Observer,
Albion, Maine, November 8, 1802
Alton, Illinois, November 7, 1837

A MARTYR TO LIBERTY

I have sworn eternal opposition to slavery and
by the blessing of God, I will never go back.

Look up in "Americana" the whole story of the
tragedy on which this beautiful memorial is founded.

Lovejoy was killed, his press thrown in the river and
the building burned by a mob, on account of his articles
denouncing slavery and showing its actual abuses.

WHEN THE MISSISSIPPI WAS THE GREAT HIGHWAY

I'm a guest on shore with you gents tonight,
Where the smoke is thick and the wine is bright.

But my thoughts go back to the long ago,
And the river that sings to the sea below !

I'll tell you the story as best I can,

For I'm only a weather-worn river man.

But the world was sweet and its joys were real.
To the men who stood at the steering wheel ;

And I've not forgot how it used to be.

In the good old days that are gone for me.

For the pulse beat fast and the heart was gay
When the Mississippi was the great highway !

THE GREEN TREE HOTEL 169

Ah ! those were the days when the red blood ran
In the fevered veins of a river man,

And those were the days when your honor, sah,
Meant more than it does in the days that are !

If a slur was cast on a woman's name,
Or the lie was passed in a poker game.

It was knife to knife ere the morning sun.
And a new-made grave for the weaker one.

I carry the mark of a bowie here,

In a long, red scar near the larboard ear,

For we fought together at break of day.
When the Mississippi was the great highway !

If I sigh sometimes for the vanished years.
And my eyes grow dim with the mist of tears.

It is not because of the changing ways.
And it's not regret for the river days!

But I miss the ones who have gone to sleep.
Where the hills dip down to the waters deep.

And I mourn a friend who in life was rare —
Old Davy Tip who is anchored there.

They were true to me as the stars are true.
And their smiles like sunshine sifted through,

To brighten the gloom of a stormy day,
When the Mississippi was the great highway !

So I dream tonight o'er my pipe and glass -
A dream of the boats as they used to pass ;

The song of the river's in everything,

As the whistle blows for the bridge to swing I

I can see the lights as we're drifting down -
The lights of home in the sleeping town.

And I miss the crews that will sail no more,
As I miss the face of a girl on shore.

I70 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

But I pledge them all in the sparkling wine,
As memory singeth of auld lang syne,

And I drink to years ere the head was gray.
When the Mississippi was the great highway !

Robert Rexdale
Rock Island, III.

What Became of the Raft-boats

One wonders what became of the sevent}'-odd rafters
so busily, and many of them profitably, engaged in
1893. The decline was rapid. The end was in sight.
Logging on Black river gave out first; then the Saint
Croix and West Newton quit. Only four entirely new
rafters were built after 1893. -^ few old ones were re-
built. The "Glenmont" had a new and wider hull built
at the Eagle Point yard. The "Glenmont's" cabin, en-
gines and boilers were placed on it and she came out as
the "North Star."

Captain George Winans who had bought the "Dan
Thayer," rebuilt her at Lyons, I think, putting the
"Thayer's" engines, boilers, shaft, etc., on a wider
hull with a very nice cabin and she came out as the
"John H. Douglas," later changed to "Saturn." The
"City of Winona" was rebuilt at Kahlkes yard in Rock
Island, given a new and wider hull and called the
"Winona."

The "Netta Durant" was rebuilt at our yard in Le-
Claire, given a larger hull and very small cabin and
came out as the "Lydia Van Sant." The "Park Bluff"
was rebuilt, given a larger hull and named the "Har-
riet."

The "West Rambo" was rebuilt at the Wabasha yard
and came out the "Virginia" and later went to Florida.

The "Lily Turner" was rebuilt at Kahlkes yard in
Rock Island and came out with a wider hull with little
or no cabin and named "Mascot."

172 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

After 1893, many of the pilots used bow-boats. The
"Saturn" had the "Pathfinder." The "Moline" used
the "Mascot." The "North Star" used the "Harriet."
The "J. W. Van Sant" had the "Lydia Van Sant." The
"Rutledge" had the "H. C. Brockman," and the "Denk-
mann" had the "R. D. Kendall." The "Staples" used
the "Lafe Lamb" or the "Georgie S.", and the "B. Her-
shey" used the "Everett." The "Kit Carson" or the
"Lumberman" used the "Gipsey."

Using a bow-boat they could run longer rafts and
make better time. The bow-boat helped get through
the bridges and over the rapids in shorter time, and in
the lakes she would get back on the stern and help push.

Taking larger rafts required fewer large boats and
they decreased in number steadily and after "West
Newton" quit rafting out logs in 1904 those few re-
maining were soon sold or otherwise disposed of as
others had been during the preceding ten years.

The "Charlotte Boeckeler" was sold to a Cairo con-
cern and was engaged in general towing on the lower
Mississippi with her name changed to "J. H. Freind"
and later sold to the Barrett Line and her name changed
to "Mamie Barrett."

The "Helene Shulenburg" was last used in excursion
work by Captain John McCaffrey and his sons, sank at
Credit Island and was dismantled at Rock Island.

The "Robert Dodds" was sold to an Ohio river party
and ended her career towing "show boats." These trans-
actions cleaned up the Shulenburg and Boeckeler fleet.

J. C. Daniels of Keokuk sold the "Lumberman" to
Captain Bradley of Cairo and she worked around
Cairo several years as the "Fritz." He sold the "Kit
Carson" late in the day to the LaCrosse Mississippi
River Towing Company and she was finally sold to a

" SH

1ttt w

M'^^X

G? ^^^ ..

\«ty^J0*-

•»sn\j

WHAT BECAME OF THE RAFT-BOATS 175

Memphis party and used for towing logs in barges to
mills on Wolf river. I saw her there in 191 5, con-
demned and later dismantled.

The "Moline" was sold to a Kansas City company
for excursion work; later went south and was capsized
by striking a heavy wire cable with one end fast on
shore and the other end to a government fleet out in the
river.

The "F. C. A. Denkmann" was sold and her name
changed to "Wabash." She towed corn in barges from
the Wabash river to Henderson, Kentucky; was given
a new hull and sold to Mill Company at Helena, Ar-
kansas. I saw her there last March looking well as ever.
She was an excellent towboat.

The "E. Rutledge" after various ownerships and oc-
cupations was rebuilt into the "Orinoco" by Doctor
Charles Mayo of Rochester, Minnesota., under the
supervision of Captain J. J. Richtmann, who com-
manded and piloted her until she was sold to an Ohio
river party. She is now owned by the Richland Coal
Company and advertised "For Sale" by A. O. Kirsch-
ner of Cincinnati as the steamer "Ben Franklin."

The "F. Weyerhaeuser," built at Rock Island in
1893, is still alive and looking well. After serving as
"light house tender" on the Upper Mississippi and Illi-
nois rivers since rafting days, she has been superceded
by the new steel tender "Wakerobin" and was sold last
November (1927) to Captain John F. Klein of Cairo,
Illinois, to repair and sell again.

The "J. K. Graves," last of the Weyerhaeuser and
Denkmann fleet, had a good steel hull but was narrow
and top-heavy. She was sold to Cairo party, and cap-
sized in the deep water there and was a total loss.

The "J. S. Keator" was laid up in Cat Tail Slough

176 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

after the Keator mill burned and was later sold to Cap-
tain L. E. Patton of Memphis, Tenn.

The "Pilot" was sold to a party in Evansville, Ind.

The "Jo Long" was sold to Captain D. Morgan,
taken south, capsized and lost in Lake Providence.

The "Irene D." was sold to Thomas Adams of Quin-
cy, who made her over into the excursion steamer "Fly-
ing Eagle." She was wrecked and lost by striking a
pier of the Hannibal bridge in high water. Though she
had a large crowd on herself and barge, there was no
loss of life. She hung on the bridge long enough for all
to climb onto it and get ashore.

I now come to the LeClaire Navigation Company
that Governor Van Sant and I had formed in 1882 and
in which we always had equal holdings. It had been a
great pleasure to work with such a partner and man-
ager, and to build up our fleet and increase our opera-
tions to where we ran all the logs sawed at several mills
including Mueller Lumber Company at Davenport,
David Joyce at Fulton and Lyons, Lansing Lumber
Company, Lansing, Iowa, Clinton Lumber Company
of Clinton, and for W. J. Young and Company of Clin-
ton, all above what were handled by their own two
boats. Then we handled many rafts for logmen who
had no mills and wanted their logs stored where they
could be got out for market on a low stage of water.

It was not pleasant to plan and execute the disposal
of our property but we did this as we had done every-
thing else in perfect agreement.

We sold the "Ten Broeck" back to Captain John Mc-
Caffrey and his sons who used her towing ties in the
Tennessee river. She caught fire one night while laid
up at Cairo and burned.

We sold the "Iowa" to Captain William McKinley

WHAT BECAME OF THE RAFT-BOATS 177

who used her on the Illinois river towing grain barges
and other general work.

We sold the "Netta Durant" to the Van Sant and
Musser Company who rebuilt her for a bow-boat and
named her the "Lydia Van Sant." She was later sold to
the Taber Lumber Company of Keokuk.

After the "Volunteer" laid up idle during the sum-
mer of 1898, I sold her to our Carnival City Packet
Company for $7000.00, put her on our ways at LeClaire
that fall and during the winter extended her cabin aft
so she had sixteen nice staterooms and gave her a swing-
ing stage and outfitted her for a short line packet and
she made a good one. The next spring (1899) when
ready to start, she was totally destroyed by the great fire
in Kahlkes yard at Rock Island.

The "Saturn" (the first), owned by Captain George
Winans, and the "Mascot" and our fine excursion barge
"Comfort" were destroyed in this fire which originated
on the "Saturn." Her engineer crew had arrived on her
the afternoon before. It was cold. After supper, leav-
ing a big fire in the stove, they turned in and later they
turned out- too late to do any good.

The "West Rambo," rebuilt into the "Virginia," was
one of a number of light-draft, stern-wheel boats
bought by an agent of H. jVI. Flagler and taken to Flor-
ida where they did excellent service in building the
extension of Flaglers East Coast railway to Key West.

I traded the "J. W. Mills" to Parmalee Brothers of
Canton, Missouri, in the spring of 1894 for the "City of
Quincy," paying $5000.00 difference.

Parmalee Brothers dismantled the "Mills" that sum-
mer and used her engines, shaft and much other stufif in
the "Ottumwa Belle" which they built at Canton and
later traded to S. and J. C. Atlee for the "J. C. Atlee."

178 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

The "Gardie Eastman" was sold to Fetter and
Crosby, Contractors, and used by them many years in
United States improvement work. Captain Fetter re-
built her at Kahlkes yard in Rock Island and after his
death Mrs. Fetter sold her to the McWilliams Dredg-
ing Company of Chicago and she is still ( 1927) in com-
mission on the Ohio.

The "Reindeer" was sold to the Illinois Fish Com-
mission, a new and very sharp hull put under her, and
her name changed to "Illinois." She is now owned by
the New Calhoun Packet Company of Saint Louis,
Missouri.

"Lady Grace" was sold by C. Lamb and Sons to Cap-
tain William Davis and later by him to J. G. White
and Company, doing some work at the mouth of the
Mississippi.

"Artemus Lamb" was sold to Joy Lumber Company
of Saint Louis and later by them to C. & E. I. railroad
to handle barges at Joppa on the Ohio river. She was
later rebuilt and named "Condor."

The "Chancy Lamb" was sold south to tow ties and
was wrecked on a dam below Nashville on the Cum-
berland.

"D. Boardman" was dismantled and her engines and
some other parts used in the "Columbia," built at Ly-
ons, Iowa, by M. J. Godfrey and Son for Mr. C. H.
Young of Clinton.

"W. J. Young, Jr.," the "Queen of the Rafting
Fleet," in fine condition and thorough repair, came into
the Carnival City Packet Company by direct purchase
from W. J. Young himself, in February, 1895. This
was my last business transaction with Mr. Young from
whom we bought the "J. W. Mills" in 1883. I had been
running logs for him up to the time I quit rafting and

WHAT BECAME OF THE RAFT-BOATS 179

knew him well and admired him greatly. He was a
handsome, strong man, but he overworked and seldom
took any relaxation and his first illness took him ofif
when we thought of him as just in his prime.

I had her beautiful cabin extended aft and made
some other changes including a little "texas" for her
crew and put her in the Davenport and Burlington
trade. She became very popular and successful. At the
end of her eighth season we sold her to the Kentucky
and Indiana Bridge and Terminal Company at Louis-
ville, Kentucky. They repaired and changed her to an
excursion boat -named her ''Hiawatha" - and lost her
by fire two years later.

The "Sam Atlee" was sold to a Mr. Robert Cothell
of New Orleans, who changed her name to "Control."

The "Musser" was hauled out on the Wabasha ways,
her cabin, machinery and boilers blocked up and the
hull removed and a new and larger hull nearly com-
pleted when I bought and completed what became the
packet "Keokuk" that ran between Burlington, Keokuk
and Quincy from 1908 to 1923 inclusive, when new
paved roads and a surplus of trucks and busses com-
pelled us to give up what had been a profitable trade
for over 60 years.

The "J. W. Van Sant," "Cyclone," and "Isaac Sta-
ples," were all burned in the great fire in the Wabasha
yard in December, 1907. They were up on the ways,
their hulls dry, and they made a very hot fire.

The second "Saturn" was sold and went south, first to
the Missouri and then to the Lower Mississippi.

The "Henrietta" was sold to a party in Paducah,
Kentucky, and towed ties out of Tennessee river.

The "R. J. Wheeler" went south and was towing
staves and lumber out of Black river, Louisiana. She

i8o A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

caught fire while under way and burned on her down
trip with a tow.

The "Daisy" was sold to a man from the south and
taken to either New Orleans or Mobile.

The "Clyde" has had a long and interesting career.
She was the first iron raft-boat built at Dubuque by
the Iowa Iron Works for Ingram and Kennedy in 1870.
Hugh Douglas became part owner and master in 1872.
She was a side-wheeler, about ninety-six feet long and
had good power. She was a strong pusher and quite
fast running loose, but very hard to steer. She ran lum-
ber from the Chippewa to Hannibal and Saint Louis
for many years.

In 1888 Turner and Hollinshead bought the "Clyde"
from the Empire Lumber Company and changed her
to a stern-wheeler, gave her new engines and cabin.
While she was narrow and did capsize once, she was
very fast, handled a tow well and made money. When
rafting ceased, she was chartered by United States en-
gineers and used on improvement work. She was then
sold by F. J. Fugina of Winona to the Arrow Transpor-
tation Company of Paducah, Kentucky, and is still
(1928) at the age of fifty-eight years, towing pig iron
from Sheffield, Alabama to Paducah.

The "Ravenna" was raised after sinking near Ma-
quoketa Slough; was repaired and when rafting ceased
at Stillwater, she was sold to Captain H. C. Wilcox
and Sons who ran her several years between LaCrosse
and Wabasha in packet service with her name changed
to "LaCrosse."

"Menominie" was dismantled and her machinery
used in the "Juniata," whose larger engines were put in
the "Frontenac."

WHAT BECAME OF THE RAFT-BOATS i8i

The "J. G. Chapman" and "Luella" laid up at Wa-
basha out of commission, were destroyed by fire.

The "B. Hershey" was always in service and when
very old, was working on the East St. Louis levee job,
and sank to rise no more.

The "C. W. Cowles" was rebuilt at Kahlkes yard in
Rock Island ; given an entirely new and wider hull and
fitted up by the Deere family of Moline, named "Kali-
tan," to tow their house boat "Markatana." The "Kali-
tan" took the "Markatana" to New Orleans in Novem-
ber, 1927, and returned to Moline in May, 1928.

The "Bro. Jonathan" was dismantled and her engines
used in the "Vernie Mac." When rafting ceased the
"Vernie Mac" was sold to tow Ohio river show boats.
She is now doing jobs towing around Saint Louis, car-
rying the name "Jefiferson." She now has the engines of
the old "Silver Wave."

The "City of Winona" was bought by the Acme
Packet Company and ran in the Davenport and Clinton
daily packet trade until the Davenport and Clinton
electric road put her out of business. She was then
taken to Paducah and came back in the spring of 1905
as the excursion steamer "W. W." in the same manage-
ment as the first "J. S.", owned by Captain John Streck-
fus.

About 191 5, she was sold ; went south and later came
back to the Ohio and sank while on the way downstream
with a tow of barges.

"Juniata," whose name was changed to "Red Wing,"
ran as a packet between Wabasha and Saint Paul, Cap-
tain M. H. Newcomb of Pepin, Wisconsin, owner and
master. He sold her and her excursion barge to a
party on the Upper Ohio about the close of our season,
1923.

1 82 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

The "Bella Mac" had delivered a raft at Saint Louis.
She lay there over night and left for home, LaCrosse,
Wisconsin, the next morning at four o'clock. She was
leaking and soon began to roll and sank opposite Salt
Point Light at the upper end of Saint Louis, a total
loss.

The "Mountain Belle" was bought by E. C. Anthony
of Hastings, Minnesota, renamed the "Purchase," and
towing a passenger barge, ran to Saint Louis during the
World's Fair in that city. Then William McCraney of
Winona bought her and had her and a barge in the
excursion business at Saint Paul until about 1915, when
she was hauled out on the Wabasha ways and dis-
mantled.

The "Louisville" and "Helen Mar" were laid up at
North LaCrosse and finally dismantled.

The "B. E. Linehan" and "Inverness" were sold to
Paducah, Kentucky, parties and towed ties out of the
Tennessee and Cumberland rivers.

The "Jessie B." and "Quickstep" were sold south
and used rafting and towing logs in barges on the
Lower river and its tributaries.

The "Lizzie Gardner" burned while laid up and out
of commission in the Davenport winter harbor.

The "Pauline" was converted into a short trade
packet and operated out of Burlington to Nauvoo and
Keithsburg by Captain Thomas Peel in 1891 and 1892.
S. K. Tracey and his brother, George S., prominent
lawyers in Burlington, were largely interested in this
enterprise. Finding the "Pauline" too small, they
bought the "Matt F. Allen," a much larger boat, and
sold the "Pauline" to parties in Hastings who later dis-
mantled her and used her nice machinery on a new boat.

The "Thistle" operated one or part of two seasons in

,-.:r^J.

^^^SbiMwuiaida

•r«L'5 • • • *I*

r'' FOla"*|

Watching the Morning Star Going to Saint Paul, 1912

'1 iii; Old \V^ay - Steering by Hand

THE imm

OF THE

WHAT BECAME OF THE RAFT-BOATS 185

packet trade between LaCrosse and Saint Paul when
rafting played out, but she was expensive on fuel and
was too heavy draft for that part of the river. She was
sold south and rendered good service towing logs and
lumber in barges in the Cairo and Memphis district
under another name.

The "Abner Gile," built in LeClaire in 1872, was
used dropping logs from Saint Paul to Prescott after
rafting ceased at other points; she was almost forty
years old when she gave out like the "one boss shay"
and her remaining good parts used in some other boat.

In the late sixties and early seventies when the use of
a steamboat in shoving and handling rafts had been
successfully demonstrated, every pilot wanted one and
nearly every little boat on the Upper Mississippi and
its tributaries was tried out and many of them continued
in this new occupation as long as they lasted.

Many of them were small side-wheelers about seven-
t>'-five feet long with one boiler and one small, slide-
valve engine geared to the stifif shaft running across
decks to which both wheels were attached. They could
back or work ahead both wheels together and had good
steering power when working ahead but no rudder
power while backing; consequently they were very de-
ficient in "flanking" compared with a stern-wheeler.
They were slow and noisy going back up-river.

Jo Perrot, "Big Jo," tried the "Moonstone" but aban-
doned her because it took her eighteen days to return
from Saint Louis to Stillwater when they had taken the
raft down in fifteen days.

She and several others like the "Alice Wild," "Al-
vira," "Union," "Active," "Wm. Hyde Clarke," "Lone
Star," "Johnny Schmoker," "Monitor," and "Iowa
City" were of this class, just a little better than a stern

1 86 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

crew with oars. They soon wore out or were abandoned
for larger and better boats, preferably stern-wheelers.

A few side-wheelers, somewhat larger, gave better
satisfaction. The "L. W. Barden," called by the crew
"L. W. Workhouse," under Captain Joseph Buisson's
command, did a lot of good work running Daniel Shaw
lumber from Reads.

The "Viola" and "Julia Hadley," the "Buckeye," the
"Annie Girdon," "Champion," the "L. W. Crane," the
"Iowa," the "Minnie Will," and the "Pearl," also in
this class, wore themselves out in the work but none of
them were rebuilt, for by that time the many advantages
of the stern-wheeler had been conclusively demon-
strated. The "Clyde" was the last of the only three
side-wheelers built for rafters; the other two were the
"Minnie Will" and "Julia Hadley."

Stern-wheel packets converted or diverted to the
work were the "Natrona," "Wm. White," "Mountain
Belle"; the "Hartford," "Evansville" and "Jas. Fisk,
Jr." from the Ohio; the "Mollie Mohler" and "Hud-
son" from the Minnesota river; the "St. Croix" from
the river of that same name and the "Maggie Reaney"
and "Jennie Hays" from Lake Saint Croix. These boats
were much better than the best of the side-wheelers but
they were not the equals of boats built especially for
rafting.

The "Eclipse" and "Vivian," after finishing their
rafting careers, were sold to Ohio river parties to tow
show boats.

When I decided to quit rafting and engage in short
trade packet business, I retained my stock in the Le-
Claire Navigation Company, but I bought the "Silver
Crescent" from the Van Sant and Musser Company,
our LeClaire Navigation Company and Captain Bob

WHAT BECAME OF THE RAFT-BOATS 187

Mitchell for $7000.00. She lay all winter at Clinton,
Iowa. I got Mr. Black, who had built her cabin when
new, to extend it aft and make some other changes. We
cleaned, painted her up and moved her down to Le-
Claire on March 9, 1892. A storm set in from the west
that raised such swells, we had to tie up at Camanche.
The storm developed into the worst blizzard of the win-
ter and the temperature fell to six degrees by ten o'clock
that evening.

New ice in large fields was running the next morning
but the west wind held it ofif the Iowa shore. The sun
came out about eleven A.M. We got ready and keeping
close to the Iowa side and clear of the ice, were ap-
proaching LeClaire, when at Mrs. Young's the ice
crowded us close inshore and she slid lengthwise over
the rock that sank the "Mollie Mohler" twenty years
before. But the "Crescent" was tough and strong and
light enough that we scraped over without injury.

When one-fourth of a mile from our yard, the large
blow-ofT valve to the mud-drum bursted, having frozen
up under way. She had just enough headway to reach
the shore where a man caught our head line and took
turns around a post, and kept us from going on over the
rapids in our helpless condition.

The next morning she caught fire while the watch-
man was at breakfast, but a passer-by saw the blaze in
time to put it out.

The second morning a large, heavy field of ice swung
and caught her, parted one head line and pulled out
the post the other one was fast to, but it held long
enough to crowd her on shore and the other lines held
her.

When I got to her I heard water running in her hull.
Quickly investigating, I found the ice had broken in

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

one plank at the water line. An old comfort and an inch
board took care of this till we could list her over and fix
it right.

By this time I felt sure I had bought a lucky boat and
I never had any reason to change my mind on this point.

I finished up a small rafting contract that spring with
the "Silver Crescent" and then put her into the Carni-
val City Packet Company which I had organized that
spring, and on June 17, 1892, we began service between
Davenport and Burlington, Iowa, and took in $16.70 on
our first round trip of two days.

A month later we had the highest water ever known
at Davenport. For a while the only place we could put
our stage on ground was just below the north end of the
Government bridge.

The "Silver Crescent" was ten years old when the
Carnival City Packet Company bought her. We had
seventeen years hard service out of her, many of them
quite profitable, all of them successful, and got through
without a serious mishap and her cabin, engines and
many other parts were good as new when we used them
in building the "Blackhawk" in 1908.

The "Frontenac" was the last large rafter built.
Samuel Peters of Wabasha built the hull which was
one hundred and forty feet long, thirty feet wide and
three and one-half feet deep, in 1895. The hull was
taken to Winona where the engines and boilers of the
"Juniata" were transferred to her. The cabin was also
built at Winona and the new boat came out in 1896
owned by Laird, Norton and Company of Winona and
in charge of Henry Slocumb.

When through rafting she towed the big excursion
barge "Mississippi" until she hit the lower Winona
bridge and sank close to shore just below it. When

WHAT BECAME OF THE RAFT-BOATS 189

raised she was sold to Captain D. W. Wisherd and
burned while laid up in Quincy bay.

The "Silver Wave," "LeClaire Belle," "Jas. Fisk,
Jr.," "Wild Boy," and "Evansville," when their hulls
were worn out by long and successful service, were dis-
mantled at LeClaire; and some of their engines used in
new boats.

The "Tiber" was also dismantled at LeClaire and
her new boilers used in the "Irene D."

The "Stillwater" was dismantled at Rock Island and
her machinery used in the "E. Rutledge."

The "C. J. Cafifrey" and "Prescott" were also dis-
mantled at Rock Island.

The "Jas. Means," after a few seasons of profit in
rafting, in her old age was dismantled and her engines
used in the "Golden Gate."

The "Dan Hine" was dismantled at LaCrosse.

The "G. H. Wilson" was dismantled at Dakota Bay.

The "B. F. Weaver" was dismantled at LaCrosse.

The "Silas Wright" was sunk on the upper Rapids,
her engines recovered and used in the "R. D. Kendall."

The "Penn Wright" burned at Stillwater.

The first "Chancy Lamb," after long and useful serv-
ice, was dismantled at Clinton.

The new "Chancy Lamb," which appears in the list
of 1893, was a larger and more powerful boat, having
engines twelve inches in diameter by eight-foot stroke,
like the "Irene D." They were the only two boats used
in rafting that had eight-foot stroke engines. There
were only two that had seven-foot stroke engines; the
"Charlotte Boeckeler" and the "F. Weyerhaeuser."

The "Ida Fulton" was dismantled at Dubuque and
her engines went in the new "Glenmont."

The First Use of a Steamboat to push
and handle a Rait

There has been much discussion over this matter. I
have heard all the witnesses and it is plain in the evi-
dence that they agree on these facts, viz. :

First. That several steamboats, some of them quite
large, like the "Kentucky II," the "Minnesota," and
others, had shoved rafts through the Saint Croix and
Pepin lakes for years, even prior to i860.

But these boats were made fast to the raft usually by
spreading the strings at the stern to let the boat one-half
or two-thirds her length down into the raft so she could
be held there.

She could push a large raft or sometimes several
rafts through either lake in ten or twelve hours. She
could back, kill its headway and land the raft where
there was current. But the oars manned by a strong
crew, especially on the bow, were depended on to direct
the course ; and the boat was always let go at the foot of
Lake Pepin.

Second. That the first effort or trial to use a steam-
boat to tow and direct a raft below Lake Pepin was
made by Captain George Winans when in September,
1863, he chartered the little side-wheel Chippewa river
packet "Union" for seven dollars a day; hitched her
into a lumber raft at Reads Landing and started for
Hannibal, Missouri. Fortunately he had secured a full
crew of raftmen to man all the oars for he soon needed
them.

192 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

The little "Union" demonstrated her ability to give
the raft some headway through the water and increase
its speed perceptibly, but the "crabs," with which they
had arranged to pull her stern around and change her
position behind the raft were inadequate; and failing
to control the boat she got in trouble before they were
five miles from Reads. The "Union" was sent back
from Winona and Captain Winans took the raft to
Hannibal in the old man-power way.

Third. The first trial was called a failure, but there
was enough encouragement in it for Captain Cyrus
Bradley with W. J. Young's encouragement, to charter
the same steamer "Union" the next year to run a raft of
logs from Reads to Clinton, Iowa, for W. J. Young and
Company. This trial was a success and by all the dis-
putants admitted to have been the first.

Fourth. Captain Winans got charge of the "Union"
soon after she made this trip to Clinton and used her
continuously for at least three seasons.

Fifth. Captain Bradley on his next trip to Clinton
used a little boat called the "Active" and he soon started
building a small side-wheeler which he called the
"Minnie Will."

Fountain' Citv, Wisconsin
The bluff is 450 feet high

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Steamer Belle ui Caehul n and (jrand Tower Rock

Hit I '"'*»«
OF THE

The First Boat built to tow Rafts

There has been much discussion on this point also.
The "Union" and several other boats used in the early
days in towing rafts had been built for other purposes.

The first boat built to tow rafts was the "LeClaire,"
built by Jonathan Zebley at LeClaire, Iowa, for
Thomas Doughty in 1866.

During the Civil War Mr. Doughty was a chief en-
gineer on several of the gunboats of the United States
navy that did excellent service on the lower Mississippi
and its tributaries.

Chief Doughty had a good education, was a fine
mechanic and was progressive in his ideas.

He saw the advantage of a stern-wheel for towing
and handling rafts; but he did not build her large
enough and while the pilot he took in as a partner had
been a successful floater, he did not quickly become
familiar with the use of the boat and the first trip was
so discouraging, that Mr. Doughty sold the "LeClaire"
to contractors who were working a large improvement
job on the Rock Island rapids. The "LeClaire" rend-
ered excellent service in this work for many years.

The commissioner of navigation, Washington, D. C,
says, the records show that she was eighty feet four
inches long, fifteen feet wide and three and one-tenth
feet deep and measured twenty-five and sixty-nine one-
hundredth tons, and was first inspected June 16, 1866.

She had one horizontal boiler eighteen feet long,
forty inches in diameter, with two fourteen-inch flues

196 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

and was allowed one hundred and twenty-five pounds
steam pressure.

The "LeClaire," like many a large boat, was not
completely equipped when she started out. She had a
big whistle but no engine bells to signal the engineer.
So Mr. Doughty and George Tromley the pilot ar-
ranged to use the big whistle which could be heard
everywhere :

One blast meant "ahead";

Two blasts meant "back";

and when in reverse or forward motion,

One blast meant "stop."

Mr. Tromley said they got along very well on this
arrangement for two or three days. The water was high
and when he saw a boat coming he would keep clear of
her by hugging the other shore without blowing the
usual signal.

But on the third night out he met a large packet com-
ing down in Coon Slough, a narrow and crooked part
of the river; when to avoid a collision, Mr. Tromley
blew one whistle, and Mr. Doughty stopped the en-
gines. The pilot on the descending boat preferred the
other side and blew two whistles and Pilot Tromley
responded. Then Doughty set the "LeClaire" to back-
ing and Pilot Tromley blew one whistle to stop him.
The big boat was close down on the little one then. Her
pilot rang to stop her engines, and called out, "What in
h--l are you trying to do with that little boat anyway?"
"My friend, I want to get by you and go on up the river
if I can." "Well, go ahead, take either side and go on,
I thought you were trying to go both sides of us."

When they got to LaCrosse, Tromley landed her;
went back to Mr. Doughty and in his Canadian manner
and voice said to him, "I say my friend, don't you tink

S^ 2.

3 7 p ■"

w ' D C

:i o CI. ■».

2,- o" ^

L.

OF THE

THE FIRST BOAT BUILT TO TOW RAFTS 199

we better go get some o' dem little bell for dis engine
room?" They got them.

Two men who were in the crew of the ''LeClaire" on
this experimental trip away back in 1866 are alive yet
to tell the story: Captain J. D. Barnes of LeClaire, and
David G. Carr, our long-time barber in LeClaire, now
living in Davenport.

Now we come to the first real raft-boat built for and
successfully used in the work. It will be more interest-
ing to have the story as told by the man who built and
owned her. He was not a raftman then. He was a
young man in partnership with his father- J. W. Van
Sant in the LeClaire yard, building and repairing river
craft. His ideas originated from intelligent Floating
Pilots who favored the use of a steamboat in getting
rafts down river.

Some of these men had had a little experience in
using steamboats and young Van Sant caught their
ideas and became enthusiastic.

I quote from his letter of December 3, 1920:

Steamer "J. W. Van Sant"

The first "J. W. Van Sant" was built at LeClaire, by J. W. Van
Sant and Son. The hull was launched in the month of December,

1869. She was ready for business on the opening of navigation in

1870. She was one hundred feet long, twenty feet beam and four feet
depth of hull. Engines twelve inches by four foot stroke, built by the
famous Niles Works of Cincinnati. Her boiler was twenty-four feet
long, forty-four inches in diameter, with ten and six-tenths inches,
lap-welded flues. Then, lap-welded flues were only twenty feet long
and it was said that we could not have boilers more than twenty feet
in length. Fortunately, we had an old-time steamboat engineer,
Henry Whitmore, a man of long experience and a first-class mechanic,
who contended that the flues could be lengthened by brazing, and
this was successfully accomplished.

The "J. W. Van Sant" was the first stern wheel boat of large

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

power built especially for the rafting business. The rafters at that
time were small side wheel steamers constructed with geared machin-
ery and generally called "coffee mill" boats.

It is safe to say that the "Van Sant" of 1870 was the pioneer rafter
for after she had proved a success, Lamb and Son, W. J. Young and
Company, Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann, B. Hershey, and nearly
every lumberman doing business on the Mississippi river constructed
boats to tow their logs and lumber.

In many cases stern-wheel boats were brought from the Ohio river
and used in the rafting business. After the "Van Sant" demonstrated
successfully her value as a rafter the side-wheel boats soon disappeared.

If the "Van Sant" was a success, a large part of it was due to
Henry Whitmore, before mentioned, who urged powerful engines
and plenty of boiler capacity.

This boat (barring a few mishaps, which were no fault of the
boat but of the inexperience of those who first piloted her) was a
decided success, made money for her owners and really by her money-
making qualities laid the foundation for the Van Sant and LeClaire
Navigation companies, two companies that owned and operated more
than thirty steamboats during the forty years of rafting, or until the
pine forests in Minnesota and Wisconsin were denuded of their tim-
ber.

Her builders were by no means wealthy, so the machinery was
purchased on time, wages and material could not be paid for while
the work was progressing. "Nothing risked, nothing won," is an old
proverb. The boat was a success ; she not only paid all her bills but
gave her owners a handsome profit. The first raft run by this boat
was for Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann. Mr. Weyerhaeuser was a
passenger. After passing through the Rock Island bridge safely, he
was more or less anxious about the landing of the raft at his mill-
boom. He suggested the employment of the ferry boat to assist, but
the "Van Sant" had no trouble whatever in making the landing
safely. Mr. Weyerhaeuser saw that the boat was a success and was
one of the very first mill-men to build a steamboat for towing his
own logs. The "Van Sant" was not only all that has been mentioned
but she was unlike any other boat. The Rock Island bridge (the old
one) was very dangerous to both boats and tows so that this steamer
was constructed so she could lower her chimneys and pilot house and
follow her tow under the bridge practically insuring safety.

She only had one deck above main deck and consequently was more

THE FIRST BOAT BUILT TO TOW RAFTS 201

easily managed as she could pass under the bridges and could run in
any u-ind that the raft could weather.

Twenty years after this boat was built, it is safe to state that there
were fully one hundred stern-wheel boats engaged in the rafting
business.

The "Van Sant" was under charter to Capt. Winans during the
entire seasons of 1870 and 1871 and early in 1872 we sold her to the
Eau Claire Lumber Company who kept her busy for several years
and then used her engines on the new "Peter Kirns" built to replace
her.

The above description was received direct from Ex-
governor S. R. Van Sant on December 3, 1920. His
letter of even date is in my file.

The Largest Rafts

The largest raft brought down the river during the
fifty years from 1865, when they first began using steam-
boats to tow the rafts until the steamer "Ottumwa
Belle" ran the last raft in 191 5, was taken from Still-
water on Lake Saint Croix to Saint Louis by Captain
George Winans with the steamer "Saturn."

This raft was sixteen strings wide and forty-four
cribs long, rafted twenty-six courses deep.

It was two hundred and seventy feet wide by four-
teen hundred and fifty feet long and with the top load
contained nine million feet of lumber.

The "Saturn ll" was a good, strong boat with engines
sixteen inches by five-foot and Captain Winans had a
good bow-boat on the head. This trip was made in 1901.

The largest log raft was brought from Lynxville to
Rock Island in 1896 by Captain O. E. McGinley with
the steamer "F. C. A. Denkmann," using the "H. C.
Brockman" as her bowboat. The raft was two hundred
and seventy feet wide and fifteen hundred and fifty feet
long, containing about two and one-quarter million feet.

Some double-decked or double-tiered log rafts were
brought from Stillwater in the nineties. When they
were careful to place only small logs on top, crosswise,
they did fairly well in good river, but when they were
careless and hauled large logs up on top and loaded
unevenly, these rafts soon encountered trouble when
they struck shallow water. Double-deckers were never
popular with the pilots who had to run them or the
crews that had to work on and over them.

204 a raft pilot's log

The Last Raft -the end of the game

The first rafts run from 1838 to 1843 were lumber
from the Wisconsin river and from Saint Croix falls.

The last raft brought down the Mississippi was also
of lumber sawed and rafted at Hudson, Wisconsin, on
Lake Saint Croix. It was in eight strings, thirty-six
cribs long and rafted twenty-eight courses deep. They
made a raft one hundred and twenty-eight feet wide
and eleven hundred and fifty feet long, which contained
three and one-half million feet of lumber and it carried
about a million feet of top load consisting of timbers,
lumber and lath.

This raft was towed by the steamer "Ottumwa Belle"
with the "Pathfinder" as a bow-boat. The little steamer
"J. M.," that had been engaged in towing logs from
Saint Paul boom to Prescott was hitched in alongside
the raft near the bow and taken down river to be sold.

Captain W. L. Hunter of Winona was in charge as
master and pilot and made a nice, clean trip from Hud-
son to S. & J. C. Atlee at Fort Madison in fourteen days
with a single crew.

Captain Hunter had been on the "Ottumwa Belle"
doing Atlee's running until the logs gave out, but in
191 5 was piloting on the "Morning Star" in the Daven-
port and Saint Paul trade.

Mr. Atlee wanted Captain Hunter to run this last
raft and Captain Hunter was pleased to do it; so we
arranged that I would stand his watch on the "Morning
Star" while he made the trip that wound up the great
industry that had lasted seventy-five years and really
made all the good towns on the Upper Mississippi.

It started in a small way and demanded skill and
hard work to cut the logs and drive them down to the
booms where they were held, assorted, rafted and scaled

OH

2 -•

-3 CA. =• ^

=-no n

'^ O X >

i^

THE l'""ARY
OF THE

m^m

11 b:

THE LARGEST RAFTS 207

and then floated under man-power control to the mills.

There were many disappointments and failures in
the early days but study and hard work, guided by ex-
perience, soon won the game and got the prize.

When Chancy Lamb of Clinton invented the "Nig-
ger" for controlling the position of the towboat behind
the raft he did a great thing for the business. He did
not patent it. It was built and sold at a very low price.
Any one who could was free to add any improvement,
but no one ever did so.

It completely filled the bill, just what was needed,
and it has never been changed. I never could learn who
invented the "three-link iron boom chain" first used in
rafting at Beef Slough and later everywhere. It was a
great improvement over the old rope booming and
much cheaper, because the chains were taken off at the
mill where the logs were sawed and sent back to the
rafting works. Our boats made no charge for carrying
back these chains which were often a burden in low
water. A few of these chains were lost in break-ups, but
ninety-five per cent of them were used over and over
again - there was no wear out to them.

One Freak and a Pair of Twins

With the building of so many raft-boats during the
period from 1870 to 1900, and by so many dififerent
owners, it is somewhat strange that so few were failures
and I recall only one real freak, that came out in 1872.

On her side bulkheads we read: "Eau Claire Lum-
ber Company's Iron Raft Boat J. G. Chapman."

She was neither a side-wheeler, a stern-wheeler nor a
propeller. She was about one hundred and ten feet
long and twenty-two feet wide and had "dowler
wheels," somewhat on the order of a screw propeller,
but the wheels were ten feet in diameter with only one-
fourth part submerged. The lowest part of the wheels
were not below the bottom of the boat which drew
three feet at the stern. The wheels when working ahead
revolved towards each other and threw a very strong
current against the balance rudder.

This "J. G. Chapman" was a good strong shover and
had good rudder power going ahead, but was almost
useless in backing and she was very slow going up river.
She was later changed to a regular stern-wheeler with
engines fourteen inches by six foot, but having no hog
chains, her iron hull broke in two coming up river, and
she sank near Iowa island. Her engines were used in
the second "J. G. Chapman," which was a very success-
ful raft-boat.

During one season of good water and plenty logs, S.
and J. C. Atlee had more work than their steamer "Le-
Claire Belle" could do alone, so Mr. Sam Atlee made a

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

few changes on the large center-wheel ferry-boat "Keo-
kuk" and with Captain Asa Woodward in charge as
master and pilot she made several trips.

When dismantled, her fine engines were put in the
new "Sam Atlee," an excellent towboat.

In only one instance were two boats built in dupli-
cate. My old friend Captain Fred A. Bill of Saint Paul
tells us about them as he was in the general office of the
Diamond Jo Line when Mr. Young of W. J. Young
and Company of Clinton, Iowa, and Mr. Fred Weyer-
haeuser of Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann of Rock Is-
land, had these two boats built in 1881, using the same
specifications for each and when finished they drew
cuts to decide the ownership. Mr. Young named his
boat "D. Boardman," and Mr. Wyerhaeuser named
his for his partner, "F. C. A. Denkmann."

Their hulls were one hundred and thirty feet long
and twenty-eight feet wide. Their engines were four-
teen inches by six foot. They were splendid boats and
gave excellent service many years till the log supply
was exhausted.

Some of the Men Prominent in the
Ratting Industry, i 840-191 5

CAPTAIN S. B. HANKS

Stephen B. Hanks was born near Hodgensville, Ken-
tucky, October 9, 1821. His father's only sister, Nancy,
later married Thomas Lincoln and became the mother
of Abraham Lincoln.

After the death of his father and when Stephen was
twelve years old, the family moved up to White County,
Illinois, and the mother marrying again, young Ste-
phen and a sister, Mary, went to live with a brother of
Mrs. Hanks, named Alfred Slocumb, who moved to
Knox Count}', Illinois, in 1830 and from there to Al-
bany, Illinois, in 1836.

He made his home with Alfred Slocumb, doing hard
work with little pay, and having laudable ambition
backed by a large, strong frame, good health and will-
ingness to work, he left Albany in 1841 for the far
northern pineries, where he worked four years cutting
and getting out logs and driving them to the sawmill
at Saint Croix falls, and helping raft and run the lum-
ber to Saint Louis with Sandy McPhail as pilot. In this
way he became a pilot himself. Late in 1843 he helped
run two rafts of lumber that only got to Albany when
winter set in. Part was sold there and the rest stored in
Cat Tail Slough.

In January he went back to Saint Croix falls, mostly
by following the ice covered Mississippi and Saint
Croix rivers with a sled and pair of mules.

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

In June of this year, 1844, he made his first trip as
pilot of a log raft that floated all the way down from
Stillwater, at the head of Lake Saint Croix to Saint
Louis, a good, long seven hundred miles.

In 1845 he helped cut the logs and get them to the
first mill in Stillwater owned by John McKusick. He
helped raft the lumber from these logs and ran the raft
to Saint Louis where it was sold.

He was one of the first to run logs and lumber by con-
tract: so much a string or per thousand feet, finding the
crew and paying all expenses.

He continued this work running mostly by contract
for ten years when he quit rafting for a time and began
piloting steamboats in the Galena and Minnesota Pack-
et Company between Galena and Saint Paul, first on
the "Dr. Franklin II," with Captain D. S. Harris.

On his first arrival in Saint Paul the only house there
was a double log cabin used as a trading post by Louis
Robert. He was a delegate from Stillwater that aided
in locating the old Capitol building. The same com-
mittee also located the old penitentiary in Stillwater.

Captain Hanks served as pilot on nearly every boat
in the Galena and Minnesota Packet Company's line.
He was on the "Galena" when she had a hard race from
Lake Pepin to Saint Paul and not only won the race but
free wharfage in Saint Paul for that year.

He was on the "Galena" when she burned at Red
Wing landing July i, 1858. He was pilot on the "Al-
hambra" and reached Albany a few hours after the tor-
nado had wrecked Camanche, Iowa, and Albany, Illi-
nois, June 4, i860. Many were killed in the two towns
but Captain Hanks found his family and relatives unin-
jured.

In the summer of 1868 Captain Hanks got off the

Captain S. B. Hanks
Lived to be 98

OF THE
UHIVEBSiltr 3f iLLlNOiS

MEN PROMINENT IN THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 215

fine fast mail packet "Key City" and left the company
he had been with fourteen years. There had been many
changes in the ownership and management of the boats
of the old Galena and Minnesota Packet Company and
when Mr. Joseph Reynolds or "Diamond Jo" as he
was best known, offered Hanks ten dollars per day and
steady work throughout the season, he accepted the
proposition and went on the "Ida Fulton," a stern-
wheel boat that was a good carrier herself and always
towed barges during the wheat season. He was master
and pilot of the "Ida Fulton" most of the time he
worked for "Diamond Jo," and it was hard work, as
the river was generally low in the fall when the grain
movement was greatest, which meant that the boat her-
self and her barges were always loaded to all the water
in the river and they were pushed for time.

After five and one-half years of this service with the
Diamond Jo Line, Captain Hanks went with his broth-
er-in-law. Captain A. T. Jenks, as pilot on the raft-
boat "Bro. Jonathan." He was on her three seasons,
from 1874 to 1876, running rafts to different mills and
got to be right "at home" in handling rafts with tow-
boat as he had formerly done by men with oars on the
bow and stern. He liked this work and never went back
to the packet boats.

Early in 1877 Captain Jenks associated himself
with E. W. Durant and R. J. Wheeler and put the
"Bro. Jonathan" into the new concern styled "Durant
Wheeler and Company," which had a long and success-
ful career.

Captain Hanks did not follow the "Bro. Jonathan"
into the new company. He engaged early in 1877 ^^''"^^
C. Lamb and Sons of Clinton, Iowa, at $1600.00 per
season and went as captain and pilot of the "Hartford."

2i6 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

He continued in their service fifteen years during
which time he worked on all their fine boats, but mostly
on the "Artemus Lamb."

Not only did the captain hold his job but he held the
confidence and respect of his employers and the crews
of the different boats in the Lamb fleet, and he was held
in high esteem by all who knew him.

He was a large, well built, strong man, full of energy
and enterprise, but mild and gentle in his disposition.

Turned out as he was at the age of twelve to make
his own way in a rough new country and as he grew
older working in the woods in winter and on the river
in summer, he acquired no bad habits. In a day when
drinking and gambling were common; much of the
time working and dealing with men who used liquor,
tobacco and cards, he never cared for either. He did
not play the saint or preacher, but he didn't care for
those things, that was the end of it. Captain Hanks was
generous and kind to all, especially his family and rela-
tives. He retained his mental faculties and pleasant
manner until his death in 1917.

CAPTAIN J. M. TURNER

Captain J. M. Turner, still living (1928) and in
good health mentally and physically, began his river
life as a cabin-boy on the Galena and Minnesota Packet
Company's side-wheel steamer "City Bell" with Cap-
tain Lodwick in 1853 when he was sixteen years old.
She was running regularly between Galena and Saint
Paul. He remained on her in 1854 and 1855, and by
that time knew the river on that run.

In 1856 he was cub pilot on the "Bill Henderson,"
then a mail-boat running between Galena and Rock
Island on alternate days with the steamer "Jas. Means,"

Captain J. M. Turxer of Lansing, Iowa

*1

MEN PROMINENT IN THE RAFTING INDUSTRY aig

until July, when he went back on the "City Bell" and
made eight trips on her when she struck a snag and
sank, a total loss, in Coon Slough.

Soon after he fell in with a Mr. LaFrance who
brought lumber down the Chippewa, knew how to
handle a floating raft but needed some one to show him
the channel down the Mississippi. He hired young
Turner, then twent>' years old, agreeing to pay him
three dollars per day to show him the way. They made
five trips in 1857 and he paid Turner three hundred and
sevent>'-five dollars in November. Jerry sensibly went
back to his home town, Dubuque, and attended school
four months.

There was a very late opening in the spring of 1858.

Jerry was at Reads Landing expecting to work again
for Mr. LaFrance but he did not appear.

Thirty-two steamboats were lying at Reads awaiting
the break up of the ice in Lake Pepin. There were
twent>^-five saloons running in the village and they had
lively business while they had the crews of all these
boats and their passengers for patrons.

As LaFrance failed to show up, young Turner made
one or more trips, pulling an oar to get an idea of the
river from Keokuk to Saint Louis. Then he piloted
floating lumber rafts for O. H. Ingram of Eau Claire,
mostly to Saint Louis.

Paid ofif there at the end of the season he changed his
paper money for gold, getting $1250.00 in coin.

He now took an observation trip south on a fine pack-
et; stopped long enough at Memphis to attend a slave
auction which made him a strong abolitionist and
turned him back home.

His first experience in using a steamboat was for a
man named L. H. Rumsey of LaCrosse who had a

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

small, single-engine geared, side-wheel boat called the
"Johnny Schmoker." Well pleased with the experi-
ment he later bought a little larger boat called the "W.
H. Clark" and used her to run lumber for Porter and
Moon, later known as the Northwestern Lumber Com-
pany.

In 1869 this company bought the "Silas Wright."
Captain Turner then sold the "W. H. Clark" and went
on the "Silas Wright" as master and pilot for eight
seasons on salary. This was from 1869 to 1876 inclusive.

In 1877 and 1878 he ran Dells Lumber Company's
rafts to Hannibal on contract.

In 1881 and 1882 he was on the "Golden Gate" run-
ning Chippewa Lumber and Boom Company's lumber
mostly to Hannibal and Saint Louis.

Then he and Captain A. F. Hollinshead ran logs and
lumber for the Empire Company and Standard Lum-
ber Company and others with the "Clyde" and "Pau-
line" from 1883 to 1893 -when they dissolved partner-
ship. They sold the "Clyde." Captain Turner took the
"Pauline" and ran the Empire lumber for four seasons,
from 1890 to 1893. He then sold the "Pauline" and
quit considerably ahead of a hard game. After resting
up he started a button factory in Lansing that is still
running after a successful career, with Captain Turn-
er's grandson now in charge.

Captain Turner was a close manager and a careful,
skillful, cautious pilot. He made good average time
and delivered his rafts in excellent condition when and
where they were wanted. I never passed him broken
up or aground or in any other trouble.

He went on the river alone - had no relatives on the
boats to help him. The pilots were members of the
Association and would give him no help or encourage-

MEN PROMINENT IN THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 221

ment to get his pilot's license ; but he got it without their
help, proved his merit by his work and quit the river
with a competency, which he did not lose when he went
ashore but increased it by successful enterprise since.

CAPTAIN GEORGE WINANS

The subject of this sketch began rafting in 1856, the
year I was born, and the next year, when only eighteen
years old, he piloted a lumber raft from Reads Landing
to Knapp Stout and Company at Dubuque. He ran his
last raft of logs from Saint Paul to Prescott in 1916, his
entire service covering a stretch of sixty years. During
this time he had owned the steamers "Admiral," "C.
W. Cowles," "Dan Thayer," "Frank," "Julia,"
"Mars," "Neptune," "John H. Douglas," "May Lib-
by," "St. Croix," "Pathfinder," "Sam Atlee," "Satelite
I," "Satelite II," "Saturn," "Saturn II," "Silas
Wright," and "Zalus Davis," and served as master and
pilot on many others including the "Union," "Alvira,"
"Buckeye," "Chippewa Falls," "J. W. Van Sant I,"
"Pearl," "G. H. Wilson," "Lone Star," "Mountain
Belle," "City of Winona," "A. J. Whitney," "Jas.
Means," and "Wyman X."

Captain Winans was the first pilot to try to run a raft
with a steamboat. In September, 1863, he chartered a
little side-wheel geared boat of only twenty-nine tons;
hitched her into the stern of a lumber raft at Reads
Landing and started for Hannibal.

He prudently had secured a good bow crew to work
the forward end and he also had men to form a full
stern crew if the steamboat failed to handle her end.

Owing to the lack of a rig or machine to change or
control the position of the boat behind the raft they
soon got in trouble and before going ten miles, he let

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

the boat go back to Reads; his crew shipped up the
stern oars and they proceeded in the usual way to their
destination, Hannibal, Missouri.

But Captain Winan's idea was correct; it only needed
working out. The next year Cyrus Bradley took the
same boat, the "Union," and successfully used her be-
hind a raft of logs to Clinton, Iowa, for W. J. Young
and Company. W. J. Young authorized Bradley to
charter the "Union" and was well pleased with the re-
sult and soon bought larger, better boats to use on his
own work.

Captain Bradley soon after built the "Minnie Will,"
a side-wheel geared boat -used her and later built the
powerful stern-wheeler "Mark Bradley."

In the meantime Captain Winans secured the
"Union" and used her successfully in 1867 and 1868;
the little side-wheel "Lone Star" and the larger "Buck-
eye" in 1869. In 1870, when the first real raft-boat built
for the business came out, he chartered her for twenty-
five dollars per day and made a lot of money with her
in 1870 and 1871. This boat was the first "J. W. Van
Sant," built by J. W. Van Sant and Son at their yard in
LeClaire, Iowa.

Captain Winans quit the river before I began, prob-
ably about 1874, with considerable money for that day.
He built a $40,000.00 hotel in Chippewa Falls and lost
it by fire, with no insurance.

He then went to California and spent some time on
its rivers. He came back to the Mississippi about 1880
and got into the game bigger than ever and stayed in to
the last; he did a lot of work and cut prices on lumber
contracts; ran some very large rafts and took too many
chances; this resulted in many bad and expensive losses.

With his skill as a pilot and his energy and honorable

MEN PROMINENT IN THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 223

methods in business he deserved more profit than he got
out of it. We cannot help feeling that more caution
mixed in with his operations would have secured better
results.

Captain Winans made his home for many years at the
Merchants hotel in Saint Paul until his death, January
22, 1926.

* CAPTAIN E. J. LANCASTER

John Lancaster, as he was known on the river, was
born and raised in LeClaire, Iowa.

His father, Thomas Lancaster, was a very competent
millwright and ship carpenter.

John enlisted when only eighteen years old, saw very
active service in the Civil War, was captured and con-
fined a long time in Andersonville prison. He only
weighed ninety-five pounds when he was released, but
picked up rapidly after he came home, and soon went
on the river and learned it while pulling an oar on a
floating raft.

Towing by steamboats was then coming in vogue and
Johnny Lancaster was quick in catching on to the new
way and was successful from the start. He always had
employment on good boats like the "J. G. Chapman I,"
"Mountain Belle," "Stillwater" and "Eclipse." He
was not only a skillful, safe, pilot, but a careful, intelli-
gent master who took care of his boat and had excellent
control of his crew.

His last rafting was on the steamer "Eclipse" that
was owned by Lindsay and Phelps and the Cable Lum-
ber Company of Davenport. He ran all the logs for
these two sawmill companies from 1885 until they shut
down in 1904.

This expression from Mr. Fred Wyman of the Lind-

224 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

say and Phelps Company certainly is a strong testimon-
ial of their appreciation of Captain Lancaster's work:

Office of Lindsay and Phelps Company

[Fred Wyman, George F. Lindsay, C. M. Cochrane, Edwin B.
Lindsay]

501 Citizens Bank Building, Davenport, Iowa, March 13, 1928.

Captain E. J. Lancaster, was master and pilot of the steamer
"Eclipse," owned by Lindsay and Phelps Company and the Cable
Lumber Company.

This association continued until the Cable mill was destroyed by
fire, when the Lindsay and Phelps Company purchased the interest of
the Cable Lumber Company.

During all of these years Captain Lancaster had the confidence of
his employers to such an extent, that he was given entire charge of
the steamboats, the "Eclipse" and the bow-boat "Everett," also care
and laying up of surplus logs in storage harbor.

He was a man so conscientious, and of such sterling integrity that
the confidence reposed in him was not misplaced. He was a skillful
pilot with unusual ability in managing his work.

It was a sad day when the "Eclipse" was sold, and the relations
were severed after so many years of such close friendship.

Fred Wy.man

When the rafting business played out, Captain Lan-
caster made changes and improvements in the steamer
"Eclipse" and operated her three or four seasons in
packet service; first between Clinton and Davenport
and lated between Prairie Du Chien and Dubuque. The
packet business not proving satisfactory, he sold the
"Eclipse" to an Ohio river party and took charge of the
fine little towboat "Marquette," towing gravel from
Meridosia to Moline.

Captain Lancaster died on May 9, 1914. His son,
Harry, succeeded him and has been master and pilot of
the "Marquette" ever since.

Captain- K. J. Lancasii k oi' I.iX'i. \iri:, Iowa

Long on Stillwater and Eclipse

I!i£ !■• ^IfiY

Of fHE

UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS

Captain E. W. Duraxt of Stillwater, Mixn.

President of Durant, Wheeler and Company

Tilt w m

OF THE
UHIVEBSITK OF ILLINOIS

MEN PROMINENT IN THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 229
COLONEL E. W. DURANT

Edward Durantwas prominently connected with the
rafting business almost from the beginning.

He was born at Roxbury, Massachusetts, April 8,
1829. The family moved first to Cincinnati and then to
Sterling, Illinois, and in 1843 to Albany, Illinois.

When about eighteen. Captain Stephen Hanks took
young Durant with him as cook and clerk on floating
rafts. He soon dropped the cooking part and gave
serious attention to learning the river, made rapid
progress and very soon began piloting rafts himself.

About 1867 he formed a partnership with another
young pilot called Jack Hanford and they took con-
tracts to run logs and lumber with Stillwater, Minne-
sota, as their home port. Always progressive, they early
began using boats to shove and handle their rafts. In
1869, they had the side-wheelers "Julia Hadley" and
"Viola." Durant also took up the selling of logs and
lumber and no one could beat him at this.

Jack Hanford was killed by getting caught in the
geared machinery of the "Julia Hadley." Then R. J.
Wheeler entered the firm with the fine towboat "Louis-
ville" and they bought the "Robert Semple," another
Ohio river towboat. Then in 1877, Captain A. T. Jenks
entered with the "Bro. Jonathan" and the style of the
firm was changed to Durant Wheeler and Company.

The firm had a successful career and extended its
business until in 1880 it had a boat yard where it built
several fine raft-boats, including the "R. J. Wheeler,"
"Netta Durant," "Daisy," "Pauline," and "Dispatch."

It also had a big interest in South Stillwater Lumber
Company, the Lumbermans National Bank and owned
the fine new Opera House.

Captain Durant had excellent ideas about building

230 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

boats and had excellent taste in finishing them so they
all looked like June brides.

He gave a lot of time to public affairs, showing a
great interest in his home city and his state; was active
in politics and got the title of Colonel in recognition of
his party service.

He was an influential member of the Masonic and
K. of P. lodges and also of the Old Settlers Association
of the Saint Croix Valley. They had one boat built on
the Ohio river, called first "A. T. Jenks," later the "Ed
Durant, Jr." She had the same power but was not as
good a boat in any way as those they built in their own
yard.

He was a genial, jolly, courteous gentleman of the
old school. I knew him best when he was up in the
eighties, ripe and mellow with age, full of fun and in-
terested in everything.

He left us December 9, 1918, after a long and pleas-
ant voyage.

CAPTAIN JOSEPH BUISSON

Joseph Buisson was born in Wabasha, Minnesota,
February 17, 1846. His father, a French trader from
Canada, was one of the founders of the town beautifully
located on Wabasha prairie and named after a noted
Sioux chief whose people made their home at the
mouth of the Zumbrota river.

Joseph took more to school and books than his broth-
ers who were fonder of outdoor sports and hunting,
and as he grew up developed a great fondness for read-
ing, especially works on history and biography, and
was a well-informed man.

He belonged to several fraternal orga izations in-
cluding Masonry in which he was a clos«. tudent and

Captain- Joseph Buisson of Wabasha, Minn.
President of Valley Navigation Company

Of THE

MEN PROMINENT IN THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 233

his life exemplified its teachings. His family were
Episcopalians and while not a member, he was an at-
tendant of church, and for many years he was the faith-
ful Peoples Warden of Grace Memorial Church in
Wabasha.

His life work on the river began when he was fifteen
years old. When nineteen he began piloting himself and
as he soon demonstrated his skill and ability in han-
dling rafts and men, he was constantly employed and by
the best companies as long as the business lasted. We
recall the excellent work he did on the side-wheeler
"Clyde," then on the side-wheeler "L. W. Barden,"
running lumber for the Daniel Shaw Company, then on
the new stern-wheeler "Gardie Eastman," several sea-
sons running logs for Gardiner Batcheler and Wells of
Lyons, Iowa; then on the fine large "C. W. Cowles,"
owned by Fleming Brothers of McGregor and later
bought and operated by the Valley Navigation Com-
pany of which Captain Joe was president, and as master
and pilot of the "Cowles" he ran logs to the Hershey
mill at Muscatine and several others until the finish.

When rafting played out he operated the "C. W.
Cowles" as a regular packet between LaCrosse and
Dubuque, but realizing little profit in this, he sold her
and went to piloting the big packets of the Streckfus
Line in the Saint Louis and Saint Paul trade and re-
mained on them for a while after they were converted
into excursion steamers. He gave up this work to take
the position of Deputy United States Marshal at Saint
Paul, and while filling it most acceptably the final sum-
mons came to him October 29, 1918, and he was laid to
rest in the town of his birth.

234 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

CAPTAIN CYPRIAN BUISSON

There were four of the Buisson boys. Antoine, the
second, only made a few trips on floating rafts, then
went to the Dakotas and took up farming. The other
three, Henry, Joseph and Cyprian, stuck to the rafting
game as long as it lasted, except that Henry enlisted in
the Fifth Minnesota Infantry and served during the
Civil War.

Their grandfather was Lieutenant Duncan Graham
who commanded the small detachment of British troops
that with their indian allies, defeated the United States
force under Colonel Zachary Taylor at the Battle of
Credit Island near Davenport on September 6, 1814.

Lieutenant Graham married an indian wife, prob-
ably of the Sac tribe, and their daughter was born on or
near Credit island. Lieutenant Graham's duties took
him to Minnesota for many years and this daughter
married Joseph Buisson, a French-Canadian trader,
who was an early settler in Wabasha.

Whether Mrs. Buisson, the mother of these four sons
and three daughters, was a Sac or a Sioux, is in doubt,
but one thing is sure: she had children of whom any
mother could be justly proud. They all stood high in
their old home town.

Cyprian, the third son of Joseph Buisson, was born
in Wabasha, Minnesota, September 25, 1849.

His youth was spent mostly in learning and playing
the games of the young Sioux who were his chosen com-
panions. He was fond of hunting and trapping and be-
came very skillful in using a gun or a canoe and always
had both with him on the "B. Hershey."

Joseph, his next older brother, took more interest in
school, but hard as he tried, he could not keep young
Cyp at his studies when conditions were favorable for

Captain Cypriax Buissox of Saint Paul, Minx.
Twenty years on the steamer B. Hershey

MEN PROMINENT IN THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 237

hunting or trapping. He told me Joe gave him many a
licking for running away from school.

But if Cyp did not learn much in school he learned
a lot outside. Perfectly at home in the woods, he knew
more about animals, birds, fishes, flowers and plants
than any one I ever had the good fortune to know.

When only sixteen he began his work on rafts, pull-
ing an oar for David Cratt on a lumber raft to Saint
Louis. He quickly learned the river and began piloting
himself. His first practice running a raft was when he
and Jack Walker chartered the little "Novelty" in the
late sixties.

Then he and his brother Joe went on the "Clyde" for
three seasons.

In the spring of 1877 he came out as master and pilot
of the fine, large, powerful raft-boat "B. Hershey,"
built at Kahlkes yard in Rock Island for the Hershey
Lumber Company of Muscatine, Iowa.

For twelve successive seasons he ran their logs from
Beef Slough, West Newton and Stillwater, making a
record that nobody could beat.

Then the Valley Navigation Company was formed
by Captains Cyprian, Joe and a few others. This com-
pany bought the "B. Hershey" of the Hershey Lumber
Company, the "C. W. Cowles" of Fleming Brothers
and the "Lafayette Lamb" of C. Lamb and Sons and
Cyp remained on the "Hershey" for eight years more
running logs for Hershey Lumber Company on con-
tract, making twenty years of service on the one boat,
clean, skillful, satisfactory service, all of it.

Then he wanted a change and going to Dakota he
tried farming six years, but the lure of the river brought
him back and he put in a few seasons rafting, working
government boats, had charge of the steamer "Helen

238 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Blair" in the Davenport and Burlington trade, and
wound up his steamboating on the big side-wheeler
"Morning Star" in the Davenport, Saint Paul and Still-
water trade, until the end of the season 1917, when ill
health developed into serious and painful sickness ter-
minating November 24, 1920.

He was first married August 18, 1876, to Elizabeth
Stone of Wabasha, who died November 17, 1906.

In 191 3 he married Lillian Enber of Saint Paul who
gave him constant and loving care through his long
illness and survives.

There were no children by either marriage, but they
adopted, raised and educated three children who needed
homes and parents and were fortunate in having such
care and guidance.

Captain Cyp was a handsome man, very modest and
gentle in speech and action but not afraid of anything
or any person. A better pilot or more pleasant com-
panion one could not find. He was the highest type of
the real gentleman, whose memory we will always
prize.

SAMUEL HITCHCOCK

In old floating days Sam Hitchcock stood high as an
easy, skillful pilot.

He had rare knowledge of the draft of water at dif-
ferent stages and with his quiet manner and low voice
he had excellent control of his crew.

When towing rafts came in vogue, Sam soon got the
hang of that, and always had choice positions.

Ex-governor Van Sant writes me this about him:
"Sam Hitchcock took to steamboat rafting very quickly
and was a good handler as well as a good upstream
pilot.

"In 1874, when I began running rafts on contract, I

MEN PROMINENT IN THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 239

hired Sam Hitchcock for the 'D. A. McDonald,' agree-
ing to pay him one-third the net profit after all expenses
were paid out of earnings.

"I have had a good many good pilots in my time but
none ever did better work and I learned much from
him about the business that helped me greatly. At the
end of the season I paid him $2650.00 as his share. That
was good pay then for six months' work, but he earned
it. He was an even-tempered, pleasant man to work
with. Captain Hitchcock was on the towboat 'Minne-
sota' with Captain A. R. Young of Stillwater many
years.

"His last work was with me on the 'Last Chance' in
1 882 and got off on account of illness that soon took him
off."

CAPTAIN PAUL KERZ

Captain Paul Kerz was born October 15, 1837, at
Nackenheim, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany. His father
was a mill-owner. At the age of seventeen, the son left
home for America and arrived at Buffalo in the fall of
1854. From the spring of the following year dates his
residence in Galena, Illinois. On arriving there he en-
gaged in flat-boating with Adam and Stephen Younker,
but subsequently engaged in the meat business with
Jacob Koehler. After a year at that trade, he returned
to boating and in 1862 he with Stephen Younker and
Ben Lambertson of Bellevue, Iowa, bought the steamer
"Charley Rogers," which they operated between Belle-
vue and Galena until 1868, when they sold it and
bought the "Sterling."

In 1870, Captain Kerz began rafting with the "Ster-
ling." Two years later he sold the "Sterling" to W. J.
Young of Clinton and entered the employ of W. J.

240 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Young as commander first of the "Sterling" and after-
wards of the "J. W. Mills." Later he superintended
the building of the "Douglas Boardman," at the boat
yards at Eagle Point and became its first commander.
Afterwards he superintended the building of the "W.
J. Young, Jr." and became its commander in 1882 and
was its commander at the time of his death, although
he claimed that he was going to retire from the steam-
boat business that fall. He had been made commodore
of the entire Young fleet and had absolute charge of the
steamboat business of the W. J. Young and Company,
and his recommendations governed all of the appoint-
ments of the officers of the fleet. He died quite sud-
denly at Galena, December 19, 1893, while walking
home from town.

Captain Kerz left surviving him his widow, Barbara
Kerz, who later died, September 18, 1925; a daughter,
Barbara Heid, still living; and a son, Adam. The latter
followed in the footsteps of his father as a river pilot,
and was with him to the time of his death. He later
went with Captain Winans on the "John H. Douglass"
and "Saturn" and after spending several years on the
Yukon on the "Julia B.", owned and operated by the
Yukon Transportation and Trading Company, com-
posed principally of Galena residents, he entered the
employ of the United States Government on its fleet of
river boats and was employed on the "Coal BlufT" when
he took sick at Hannibal, Missouri, and after being
brought to his home at LaCrosse, Wisconsin, died in
1908.

He was further survived by a son, Philip Kerz, still
living at Dixon, Illinois, and employed by the Inter-
national Harvester Company, and by his youngest son,
Paul Kerz, an attorney, with offices at 1 1 South LaSalle

Captain' Pail Ki:rz of Galena, III.
On steamers J. W. Mills and W. J. Young, Jr.

Of m

Liinm

MEN PROMINENT IN THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 243

Street, Chicago, formerly City Attorney of Galena,
Illinois, and also County Judge of Jo Davies County,
Illinois.

If there ever was a man who really loved his work it
was Captain Paul Kerz. I never knew any one else
who worked so many hours and slept so few, and no one
ever heard him complain of want of sleep or over-work.

He was thoroughly loyal to his employers, to his
family and his church, and he had the complete confi-
dence of all who knew him.

Captain Kerz demonstrated the truth of the old
saying, "He succeeds best who is most wedded to his
task."

CAPTAIN JOHN MCCAFFREY

No story of the rafting business can be told without
including John McCaffrey's part in it.

At an early age he went on the river with his brother-
in-law, George Tromley, who was considerably older
than himself and already a floating pilot with estab-
lished reputation who was running logs and lumber on
contract.

Young Jack, as he was called, acted as clerk and
pulled an oar in bad places. He learned the river in a
short time and soon got into the game on his own ac-
count.

I don't know how he learned to handle a steamboat
but he was running the "Clyde," towing lumber in 1870.

In 1871 he bought one-half interest in the steamer
"James Means" of V^an Sant and Son and he made a
very handsome profit with her and the "LeClaire Belle"
in the next five years. He then sold out and quit the
river for four years. He had received an injury by a
fall on a raft which gave him a lot of trouble, but by

244 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

surgery, good treatment and rest he got well enough to
do some more profitable work on the river and he
owned a big interest in several raft-boats including the
"Last Chance," "Pilot," "Ten Broeck," "Jo Long,"
"Robert Dodds," "Helene Shulenberg" and "Charlotte
Boeckeler."

About 1895, Captain McCaffrey bought the Dia-
mond Jo Line steamer "Mary Morton" more to encour-
age his sons and give them a chance than to carry out
any ambition of his own.

He also bought a coal mine over on Rock river and
the little steamer "Duke" and barges to bring coal out
through the Hennepin canal to Davenport.

Captain McCaffrey had two fine properties at Tenth
and Brady Streets in Davenport. He lived in one and
converted the other into an apartment building, which
was always in demand.

He was located pleasantly and taking life easy. He
was a popular member of the Piute Club and had a
bunch of cronies, lawyers and doctors, whose society he
enjoyed. We thought he was anchored here to stay
when all at once he sold out, bought a lot of good rich
land cheap on account of the boll weevil scare, lying on
the west side of the Mississippi across from Vicksburg,
and started late in life to improve and develop this land
into good cotton plantations.

The captain would have made a great success of this
venture, but his health gave out and his busy life came
to a sudden ending at the Kellogg Sanitarium at Battle
Creek, Michigan. I tried to get a photo of the captain
taken with the full beard and mustache, as I knew him
first, but could not find one.

MEN PROAIINENT IN THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 245
CAPTAIN ROBERT DODDS

I Started to write something about this man who held
high place in the esteem of his employers, his crew and
his fellow pilots, when it came to me that a man who
had been closely associated with Captain Dodds for
many years had written an article published in the
Saint Louis Waterways Journal about him soon after
his death.

Mr. Harris has kindly furnished me a copy of that
letter, describing Captain Dodds correctly. It is much
better than I could have done it.

Chicago, July 27, 1903.

Gentlemen': In j'our issue of July 25, a five-lined notice tells
the world of the death of Captain Dodds, a retired steamboat ofScer,
who was found dead at his home on Thursday, July 23rd, and that
his death was due to heart failure, hence sudden.

The meagre notice conveys but an inadequate idea of the peculiar
position that the late Captain Dodds held in the army of steamboat
men, for what Edwin Booth was to the stage, Charles Dickens to
literature, Darwin to science or Beecher to theology, Robert Dodds
was to the pilot's profession, holding a distinct and peculiar position.

It would be somewhat difficult doubtless, to define his true status
or to explain why he held such an honored place in the realm of steam-
boat officers.

Captain Robert Dodds, or Bob Dodds, as he was familiarly known,
commenced his river life as a floating raftsman, and becoming a pilot
before he had reached his majority. A man of pleasing presence, hand-
some in appearance, tasty in dress, without being lavish, courteous in
manner, proficient in conversation, and lastly, giving to money no
apparent value, and being a large money earner at a very early stage,
he developed eccentricities of character, if we may use the expression,
that established him as a prince of good fellows.

Captain Dodds floated rafts for Schulenburg and Boeckeler for a
number of years, and with the advent of the steam boat for the pur-
pose of towing rafts, he took charge of the Pittsburg towboat, "Grey
Eagle." After operating this boat for one or two seasons, she turned
over at the foot of Stag Island upon the first trip in the spring, Cap-

246 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

tain Dodds being at the wheel. This was followed by the purchase
of the steamer "M. Whitmore," and was followed in turn by the
building of the steamers "Helene Schulenburg," "Charlotte Boecke-
ler," and "Robert Dodds," over which fleet the captain presided as
commodore.

About the year 1888 or i88g, the Schulenburg and Boeckeler Com-
pany disposed of their steamboat interests to Captain John McCafiEery,
and for one season, Captain Dodds commanded one of the steamers,
which, however, ended his active service upon the river.

It was my privilege to have been associated with the deceased
officer from 1874 to 1886 inclusive, during which time, I necessarily
learned to know him intimately, although I could add nothing more
in the way of eulogy than has already been said in the earlier part of
this communication.

Captain Dodds was a magnificent executive officer, one of those
few men in the world who could maintain a degree of equality with
those under his command, and yet retain to the fullest extent their
admiration and esteem. As a commanding officer, he was a strict dis-
ciplinarian, exercising authority, however, with such a warmth of
sunshine that men obeyed for the love of obedience rather than from
fear of the consequences.

Every walk of life is marked by particular exemplifications of the
attributes necessary to reach success, and in the pilot's profession there
was, during the active career of Captain Dodds, no man who pos-
sessed more fully and completely, the high qualities required to reach
the ends aimed at. Yours very truly,

James Henry Harris.

CAPTAIN J. M. HAWTHORNE

J. M. Hawthorne was born at Erie, Pennsylvania,
November 20, 1839. When he was eleven years old the
family moved to Illinois and later to LeClaire, Iowa, in
1856.

Joseph began working on the river when he was
eighteen years old as cabin-boy on the steamer "War
Eagle" of the Galena and Minnesota Packet Company.

He soon left this job to pull an oar on a floating raft
with the noted pilot J. T. R. Lindley, better known as

Captain J. M. Hawthorne of LeClaire, Iowa
88 November, 1927. Still piloting

THE LI?f}ARY
Of THE

MEN PROMINENT IX THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 249

"Kentuck," and under his direction young Hawthorne
soon learned the river from Stillwater and Saint Paul
to Saint Louis.

In i860 he followed the Gold Rush to Pikes Peak
but failing to strike a pay streak, he came back in 1861
and began piloting rafts himself. He was a keen ob-
server, watching the river closely and learned the drafts
of water at dififerent stages and became what was called
an "easy floater.'' He was easy on the crew and was a
favorite pilot because he gave the men no unnecessary
pulling.

Going back up river with his crew on the regular
packets, he rode much of the time in the pilot houses,
became well acquainted with the pilots and learned
how to steer and handle a steamboat and secured a first
class pilot's license in 1872. He has had many reissues,
the last in May, 1927.

He bought the side-wheeler "Viola" of Durant and
Hanford soon after getting his license and he continued
running rafts with towboats either for himself or others
as long as the business lasted. Since rafting days he has
had various employments mostly on government boats
in improvement work.

He has lived in LeClaire since 1856 except the one
year in Colorado and he holds a certificate from the
Grand Lodge of Iowa given to Masons in good stand-
ing who have paid dues for fifty years.

Captain Hawthorne has never used glasses to read
nor has he ever had a razor on his face.

He was eighty-eight last November but is still active
and healthy. His eyes still have the old merry twinkle
and he enjoys a joke or a good story as well as if he was
sitting on a bunch of shingles on the corner of a floating
raft.

250 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

CAPTAIN SAM R. VAN SANT

The subject of this sketch is at the age of eighty-three
still enjoying good health and stands a fair chance of
outliving nearly all who were engaged with him in the
rafting business and securing the proud distinction of
being the last survivor of the Grand Army of the Re-
public of which he is a Past Commander.

The Captain was thirty-three, when at twenty-one I
entered his employment as clerk and watchman on the
"LeClaire Belle" in March, 1878.

He took great interest in my work and gave me every
encouragement to learn the river.

In the spring of 1881 he gave me the chance to invest
in a one-sixth interest in the "Last Chance" which
led a year later to the organization of the LeClaire
Navigation Company, of which he was manager and I
was captain and pilot on its best raft boats.

We were always glad to have him with us for a day,
or a trip. He was full of fun, life and ambition ; always
encouraging us to do our best. Good work and good
behavior never failed to secure recognition and ap-
proval and he was very kind and charitable to those
who failed or went wrong -even when it resulted in
considerable loss to him.

His acquaintance and sociability were not confined
to the officers "up stairs." He soon knew every one on
board and was always popular with those on the lower
deck.

But while friendly and sociable his manner always
commanded respect. He was very active then and as
strong as a young lion and "woe be" to any foolish per-
son who underestimated his ability to take care of him-
self in a scrap.

In March, 1881, he moved from LeClaire to reside

Captain Sam R. \'an Saxt

President Van Sant and Mnsser Transportation Company and LeClaire
Navigation Company

THE U'^^'MI

OF THE

IU?1!VERC!7V C: VJJ^^

MEN PROMINENT IN THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 253

in Davenport. He came down to the landing while I
was sending out the last load of his household goods
that we brought down on the "Silver Wave." I had two
green men who persisted in going up to get a drink,
when they felt like it, and were beginning to show the
effects of three or four such absences in spite of my
warnings.

When Captain Sam came back in the deck room he
asked, "What's the matter here, boys?" Not giving me
time to explain they told him what they were doing and
what they were going to do. He grabbed those men,
slammed them together, threw them down, slapped
their faces and then made them stand up and listen
while he told them a few things that I am sure they
remembered.

As related elsewhere in this volume, the firm, Van
Sant and Son of LeClaire, Iowa, were pioneers in build-
ing real raft-boats.

The success of the "J. W. Van Sant" from their yard
in 1870 stimulated and encouraged others to build simi-
lar boats. Some of these were built at LeClaire. The
LeClaire yard soon had plenty of repair work during
winter and early spring, but the decline in the packet
business and the absorption of the old Northern line by
the Davidsons diverted a large summer repair business
to Davidsons yard at LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Captain Van Sant always took a great interest in
politics, but never aspired to official position until he
removed to Winona in 1884.

He was elected to the state legislature and on his
third term was chosen Speaker of the House. While
holding this position the appropriations were made for
the new Capitol and during his two terms as governor
the present, splendid building was completed and dedi-

254 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

cated, completely finished and furnished with several
thousand dollars left of the appropriation.

When the captain closed out and sold his raft-boats
at the end of the game he had made more profit than
any one else who had been in the business of rafting
only and by timely and judicious investments in Minne-
sota farms, he greatly increased his competency and can
take life easy and enjoy his mounting years. In his case
I cannot use the term "declining years" for he is not
declining - he is just maturing.

During our fifty years of association, through storm
or sunshine, high water or low, good luck or bad, in
buying boats or selling them, I always liked to have
him with me. I always admired his intelligence and
good judgment, and thoroughly enjoyed his fine, loving
companionship. Though separated now, it is a great
satisfaction to know I still have his confidence and his
friendship.

The governor, as we have learned to call him, and his
estimable wife have made their home for fifteen years
in the Leamington hotel in Minneapolis, but they al-
ways spend the winter months in or near Tampa, Flor-
ida.

Sawmills and their Owners

I can only tell about those in operation at different
points along the upper Mississippi while I was in the
rafting business. There were many small and a few
large mills on the Saint Croix, Chippewa and Black
rivers that sent out an immense quantity of rafted lum-
ber to be taken to the many down river yards ; but I had
no line on their activities; and as the office of surveyor-
general of logs and lumber in Wisconsin was abolished
four years ago, I am unable to get at the records to
compute the output of these mills, that supplied the
yards of

Knapp, Stout and Company at Dubuque, Fort Mad-
ison and Saint Louis.

P. J. Seippell Lumber Company at Dubuque.

Rhodes Brothers at Savanna.

Daniel Stanchfield at Davenport.

S. G. Stein and Company at Muscatine.

Gilbert-Hedge and Company at Burlington.

Rand Lumber Company at Burlington and Keokuk.

A. S. Merriam and Company at Quincy.

John J. Cruikshank at Hannibal

LaCrosse Lumber Company at Louisiana.

LaCrosse Lumber Company at Clarksville.

Shulenburg and Boeckeler at Saint Louis.

Eau Claire Lumber Company at Saint Louis.

Methudy and Meyer at Saint Louis, and others.
A large part of the lumber to these yards was hauled
out, piled and seasoned and then shipped west to build

256 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

homes, barns and fences in Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri
and Kansas.

STILLWATER, MINNESOTA

The big Shulenburg and Boeckeler mill later owned
by Isaac Staples, E. L. Hospes and Samuel Atlee and
finally owned by Geo. H. Atwood who cut forty-eight
million feet of lumber a season.

Hersey Bean and Brown mill; which in 1892 came
under the management of George H. Atwood.

The Saint Croix Lumber Company.

The East Side Lumber Company (Bronson and Fol-
som mill).

South Stillwater mill (Durant and Wheeler and
David Tozer).

Hershey Lumber Company mill.

R. W. and A. R. Turnbull mill at Lakeland.

The Eclipse Sawmill Company at South Stillwater.

The Fall and McCoy mill at Lakeland.

The Musser-Sauntry mill.

HUDSON, WISCONSIN (Mouth of Willow River)
The Purington mill, built 1850. Destroyed by fire.
It was replaced in 1883 by a modern mill owned by the
Hudson Lumber Company, that cut 700,000,000 feet
and sent the last raft down the river in 1915.

GLENMONT, WISCONSIN

Olds and Lord mill - later owned by Gillespie and
Harper.

PRESCOTT, WISCONSIN

The John Dudley mill.

RED WING, MINNESOTA

The Red Wing Mills Company, the Charles Betcher
mill.

SAWMILLS AND THEIR OWNERS 257

WINONA, MINNESOTA (Four large mills)
Youmans Bros, and Hodgins - 1856-1898.
Laird Norton and Company started in 1857.
Winona Lumber Company started in 1881.
The Empire Lumber Company started in 1887.

LACROSSE, WISCONSIN (at mouth of Black river)
C. L. Colmans mill.
John Pauls mill.
N. B. Holways mill.
Sawyer and Austins mill.
G. B. Trows mill.

P. S. Davidson Lumber Company mill.
McDonald Brothers mill.

LANSING, IOWA
Lansing Lumber Company, John Robson of Winona,
principal owner and manager.

MCGREGOR, IOWA
W. and J. Fleming mill, C. W. Cowles, Manager.

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, WISCONSIN

Stauer and Daubenberger mill.

GUTTENBURG, IOWA

Zimmerman and Ives mill.

DUBUQUE, IOWA
Knapp, Stout and Company's mill.
Ingram, Kennedy and Day, later Standard Lumber
Company.

M. H. Moore's mill.

BELLEVUE, IOWA
Dorchester and Huey's mill.

258 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

LYONS, IOWA
Gardiner, Batcheler and Welles mill No. I.
Gardiner, Batcheler and Welles mill No. II.
Lyons Lumber Company mill.
David Joyce's mill.

FULTON, ILLINOIS
David Joyce -the old Langford and Hall mill.

CLINTON, IOWA
Clinton Lumber Company.
W. J. Young and Company, The Upper mill.
C. Lamb and Sons, The Stone mill.
C. Lamb and Sons, The Brick mill.
W. J. Young and Company, The Big mill.
C. Lamb and Sons, Riverside mill.
C. Lamb and Sons, Riverside mill, lower.

CAMANCHE, IOWA
W. R. Anthony, successor to Anthony and McClos-
key.

PORT BYRON, ILLINOIS

Fred S. Gates mill.

LE CLAIRE, IOWA

J. W. Strobeen, the old Van Sant and Zebley mill.

MOLINE, ILLINOIS

Dimock, Gould and Company, originally a water
power mill and manufactured tubs, pails, washboards,
etc.

The J. S. Keator and Sons mill, started in 1859.

ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS
Mills on Sylvan Water Slough between the water
works and the C. R. I. and P. station, owned and oper-

SAWMILLS AND THEIR OWNERS 259

ated from 1878 by the Rock. Island Lumber Company,
in which Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann held the con-
trolling interest. Previous to 1878 the style of the oper-
ating firm was Anawalt, Denkmann and Company.

Mill of Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann at the lower
end of Rock Island. In 1857 the firm of Mead, Smith
and Marsh operating this mill got in financial trouble
and the mill was shut down. Mr. Fred Weyerhaeuser,
who was in their employ, took hold of the property and
operated it on his own account. When the affairs of
Smith, Mead and Marsh were finally closed up the mill
was offered for sale. In i860 Mr. Weyerhaeuser and
his brother-in-law, Mr. F. C. A. Denkmann, bought
this mill for $3000.00. They operated it continuously
and very successfully until the log supply was ex-
hausted. They made extensions and improvements in-
creasing its output until it was known as one of the "big
mills" sawing over forty million feet annually.

DAVENPORT, IOWA

The Lindsay and Phelps mill at Stubbs' Eddy was
erected in 1864. It had the advantage of an excellent
place to land and hold their rafts in the Eddy. This
mill had a long and very prosperous run with the same
ownership and when it had to close for want of more
logs to saw, it was dismantled, and the lumber yard
cleared off and generously given to the city for what
has become the leading feature of East Davenport,
Lindsay Park.

In 1868 L. C. Dessaint built a sawmill just above the
water works. It was later owned by Price and Hornby.
In 1 874 George W. Cable bought it and later organized
the Cable Lumber Company which operated the mill
until the supply of logs was exhausted.

26o A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

The Renwick mill, built in 1854, operated by Ren-
wick and Son, later by Renwick, Shaw and Crossett
and last by Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann. Was an ex-
tremely hard place to land and hold logs as the water
was not deep but very swift.

In 1849 Strong Burnett built a saw and planing mill
at foot of Scott street, later operated by Dessaint and
Schricker, then by Schricker and Mueller and after
1883 by Chr. Mueller and his sons, later incorporated
as the Mueller Lumber Company, still a going business.

In 1849 a Mr. Howard built a mill about Warren
street, later owned by French and Cannon and then by
French and Davies. It was later operated by Paige and
Dixon and under the management of Mr. E. W. Dixon.
Its career was interrupted by the financial complica-
tions arising from the suicide of Mr. S. B. Paige of
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, who killed himself in his room in
the Burtis House one Sunday afternoon in March,
1883. After the tangled affairs of Paige and Dixon had
been cleared away, a new company called the Daven-
port Lumber Company took hold of the old mill and
started sawing in 1887. S. J. Keator was president and
Henry Jager was manager. They pushed the business
with vigor and success until their log supply gave out
and the mill closed for good in 1891.

"Mueller Lumber Company's new mill" at Cooks
Point. The old mill at Scott street burned in 1901. The
larger, modern mill was erected in 1902 and continued
sawing until the logs gave out in 1907.

As stated elsewhere, our company took care of all
Mueller logs wherever rafted and supplied the old mill
from March, 1887, until it burned in 1901, and we sup-
plied every raft cut at the new mill during its prosper-
ous run.

5 S « =.

:? o ^ w

3 S_i

3Hi JO

SAWMILLS AND THEIR OWNERS 263

We never had a difficulty of any kind or any unpleas-
ant experience with this company during the twenty-
one years we handled their logs which ran about fifteen
million feet annually. Our work for them amounted to
$360,000.00.

MUSCATINE, IOWA

The Muscatine Lumber Company mill, burned in
1886.

Hershey Lumber Company mill, started by Jacob
Hershey in 1852, was in control of Benjamin Hershey
until his death and continued sawing to the last of the
logs. My first contract, when I got charge of the
steamer "Last Chance" in 1882, was to run ten million
feet of logs from Beef Slough to this mill.

The Musser Lumber Company had a large mill that
sawed about fort>'-five million feet annually. Richard
Musser, Peter Musser and P. M. Musser were all fine
men. I was clerk on one of the Van Sant and Musser
raft-boats for three seasons and did occasional work for
them later. Their mill was built in 1870 an'd it was
vigorously operated every season. The Van Sant and
Musser boats earned over a million dollars towing for
the Musser Lumber Company.

The Burdick mill in South Muscatine, for a time
owned by Benj. Hershey, was sold by him in 1893 to
John Kaiser who incorporated the South Muscatine
Lumber Company.

BURLINGTON, IOWA

The Harmar Manufacturing Company mill.

The Burlington Lumber Company had a big mill
that had a long, steady and prosperous career.

FORT MADISON, IOWA

S. and J. C. Atlee mill ran steadily until the last. The

264 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

old mill is still there and the business is carried on
handling southern and western stock.

KEOKUK, IOWA

The Taber Lumber Company built a new mill when
the old one burned and continued sawing after nearly
all others had quit. Captain Taber, who had been in
command of steamers in the Saint Louis and New Or-
leans trade, one of which was the famous "Ruth," was
fatally injured by an automobile only a few years ago.
The mill has been dismantled but the business has been
carried on by his sons, Ben and Carroll Taber.

CANTON, MISSOURI

The Canton Sawmill Company had a medium sized
mill.

QUINCY, ILLINOIS
The Quincy Sawmill Company had a mill up in the
bay.

HANNIBAL, MISSOURI
The Hannibal Sawmill Company had a good mill.

SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI

Shulenburg and Boeckeler mill.
Knapp, Stout and Company mill.
Hill-Lemmon and Company mill.
H. S. Parker and Company mill.
C. F. Leibke mill.

Complete List of Raft Pilots, 1 840-191 3

The following facts about raftmen and rafting and
the complete list of all pilots engaged in the work in
any part of the period from 1840 to 191 3, are taken
from an article in the Davenport Democrat and repub-
lished in the Waterways Journal, December, 191 3.
[The list was very carefully made up and I had many to
help me. If we have missed any one, we have not been
reminded of it since. In January, 1928, 1 only can count
thirty of the list above.]

The towboats are sunken and disintegrated hulks, the
bones of many being the relics of an almost forgotten
industry are strewn along the shores of the river. A few
- and what a few they are- are working as sand-boats
and towboats and general river craft.

The great rafting traffic on the big river, in its in-
fancy in 1 841, slowly matured year by year, growing
larger with each succeeding yearly cycle until in the
year 1880, the river traffic of rafts was reckoned one of
the largest and most profitable industries in the United
States.

Then came the decline. Late in the eighties the rafts
coming down the Mississippi began to fall ofif in num-
bers, the towboats plying up and down the river to be
fewer and fewer and gradually but surely the business
dwindled. The falling off of the river traffic has con-
tinued until the present year when during the entire
season, but three rafts went down.

266 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Towed by "Ottumwa Belle"

These three reminders of the old days were towed
through by the "Ottumwa Belle," the only survivor of
the great fleet of ninety raft-boats that were in the busi-
ness on the crest of the wave in 1880. The season of
1914 will see the end of the rafting business, when the
"Ottumwa Belle" will take three rafts through, the last
three rafts ever destined to go down the river, and the
knell of the once great traffic will be rung. The "Ot-
tumwa Belle" is owned by S. & J. C. Atlee of Fort
Madison. The master of the "Belle" is Walter Hunter,
one of the few remaining raft pilots.

And the masters, pilots and crews who manned the
big fleet! Of the army of pilots, numbering over two
hundred and fifty, who were the guardians of the fleet
in their trips up and down the river thirty years ago,
but seventy-three are known to be living. There may be
other survivors, but they are not known to Captain W.
A. Blair, who has compiled the complete list of those
who were engaged in piloting in the early days.

Of the seven-three members of the profession, for it
was indeed a profession, several have attained high
places politically, others have abandoned the river and
taken up a less romantic vocation, and still others have
drifted to other navigable rivers to continue their
chosen work.

Old River Men Meet

Prominent among the one-time raft-boat pilots is
Colonel E. W. Durant, who is perhaps one of the most
noted members of the body. Colonel Durant, who was
once Lieutenant-governor of Minnesota and twice
served his state as state senator, at the age of eighty-
four years is hale, hearty, healthy and happy.

LIST OF RAFT PILOTS, 1840-1913 267

He is an ardent follower of Isaac Walton and likes
nothing better than sunning himself with a fishline in
hand. He is also a great story-teller.

On a trip of the "Morning Star" in 191 2 from Daven-
port to Saint Paul, I had Colonel Durant and Captain
S. B. Hanks as my guests and I greatly enjoyed their
company and their reminiscences and they aided me in
completing and checking up the list of raft pilots which
I had prepared with the help of Captains Cyprian and
Joseph Buisson and John Monroe. Captain Hanks
piloted his first raft from Stillwater to Saint Louis in
June, 1844. His death occurred in August, 1913, at the
age of ninety-four.

Three in Old Guard

Three pilots, S. E. Lancaster of LeClaire, Iowa, O.
J. Newcomb of Pepin, Wisconsin, and Morrel Looney
of LaCrosse are still following their chosen vocation on
the Yukon river in Alaska during the summer months.
Others well known are Peter Kirns of Saint Louis, who
for years was engaged in that business in Saint Louis.

John McCaffrey, another of the old-time pilots, is a
planter in Louisiana. Captain McCaffrey is a teller of
wonderfully interesting stories of the old river and raft-
running and is not at a loss for listeners.

Joseph and Cyprian Buisson, two of the pioneers, are
still piloting on the Mississippi. Cyprian was master of
the steamer "Helen Blair" last year and Joseph Buisson
piloted the "St. Paul" during the past season.

Three of the living river pilots are located in Clinton.
Joseph Duley is at the present time engaged in the un-
romantic calling of liveryman, but secretly his thoughts
turn to his first love and he enters the sand and gravel
business "to get the river smell," he says. O. P. McMa-

268 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

hon and A. E. Duncan, also of Clinton, have retired
from business with a comfortable fortune. The latter
two were designers and builders of the steamer "Silver
Crescent."

List of Old Pilots

In the following list of old river men, who piloted
rafts down the river, those marked with a star are
known to be living, while the others which are by far
the greater, have run their last line:

John McKane, W. B. Newcomb, S. B. Hanks, "San-
dy" McPhail, Wm. Ganley, Phileas O. Lawrence,
Nelson Allen, Edward Whitney, Surveyor Bruce, Pat-
rick Fox, Pembroke Herold, Geo. Herold, David
Hanks, Samuel Hanks, Daniel Davison, Chas. Davi-
son, Aaron Winans, George Winans, Mahan Winans,
David Wray, John Wray, Edwin Efnir, E. W. Durant,
George Penney, Wiley Penney, John Hanford, W. A.
Payne, John Gabriel, Samuel Register, Jos. Perro (Big
Jo), George Brasser, D. A. McDonald, Robert Dodds,
Hiram Cobb, Wm. Dorr, Charles Rhoads, Steven
Rhoads, Peter Carlton, Aug.Barlow, Samuel Macey,,
Wm. Elliott, C. G. Bradley, R. J. Wheeler, Harry
Wheeler, Ed. Root,Alfred Whithrow*, Thos. C. With-
row, Steven Withrow, Wm. H. Whistler, James Whist-
ler, Nelson Whistler, John Goodnow, Joe Denvier,
Frank Wild, George Wallace, Charles Short, A. M.
Short, G. L. Short, J. E. Short*, L H. Short, Harry
Short*, L. A. Day*, John McCafifrey, James Hugunin,
Harry Hugunin, John Hugunin, Cornelius Knapp, Ira
Fuller, Wm. York, A. J. Chapman, Caleb Philbrook,
John Cormack, Washington Allen, John Monroe,
Abram Mitchel*, W. S. Mitchel, Brainerd Mitchel,
John Leach, Daniel McLean, James Newcomb*, Isaac

HenRV ^VHITiMORE

Engineer - Fitted nut first real rafter

3Hi JO

LIST OF RAFT PILOTS, 1840-1913 271

Newcomb*, H. L. Peavey, George Rutherford, Jack
Walker, Thos. Forbush, Sherman Hallam, C. B. Ro-
man, Wm. Kratka, Robt. Irwin, Wm. Davis, Gordon
Davis*, Jack Davis, John McCarty, Peter O'Rourke,
Thos. O'Rourke, Patrick Gainor, John Gainor, Asa
Woodward, John Gilbert, John Seabring, John Hoy,
Thos. Hoy, Walter Hunter*, Ira DeCamp, Wm. Weir*,
Frank Newcomb, Rufus Newcomb, James Haggerty,
Jos. Sloan, A. T. Jenks, Geo. Carpenter, Alf. Carpen-
ter, Chris Carpenter, Ed. Huttenhorn*, Wm. Slocumb,
W. R. Slocumb, Henry Slocumb, Herbert Miliron, Ed-
ward Miller, Albert Shaw, J. T. R. Lindley, Daniel
Flynn, Frank Wetenhall, Ed. Grant, John Lancaster,
Jos. Hawthorne*, Isaiah Wasson, John Rook*, R. B.
McCall, Geo. Trombley, Geo. Trombley, Jr., R. H.
Trombley, E. J. Chacey, I. L. Chacey, James Gleason,
Toliver McDonald, O. P. McMahon, A. E. Duncan*,
Thos. Duncan, J. G. Moore, Wm. Wooden, Paul Kerz,
Paul Gerlach, Wm. Desmond, Jas. Rellis, Chas. Slo-
cumb, Wm. Savage, Henry Buisson, Joseph Buisson,
Cyprian Buisson, Frank LePoint, Antoine Roque,
James Butts, Thos. Wilson, Al Martin, Vol. A. Biglow,
Samuel Hitchcock, I. B. Jenks*, Daniel Shea, Joe H.
Young*, Charles White*, Rueben Owens, Vetal Bur-
row, Thos. Dolson, H. L. Ryder, Jacob Ressor, Geo.
Martin, Peter Kirns, John O'Connor, John Bradley,
Andrew Larkin, Wm. Dobler, Jerry Turner*, Hiram
Brazee, Gary Denberg, O. E. McGinley, James Cole-
man, Perry Langford, Hugh McCaffrey, Jack Young,
Russell Smith, Al Hollinshead, Horace Hollinshead,
D. C. Law*, Frank Bernard, St. Germain, E. D. Dixon,
French Martin, Russell Baldwin*, Sam Johnson, John
McKinzie, Christ Adolph, O. J. Thompson, W. H.
Blair*, W. A. Blair*, A. R. Young, Jos. Duley*, S. E.

272 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Lancaster*, James Follmer, Carl Looney, Frank Loo-
ney, Morell Looney*, Cyrus King, Peter Hire, George
S. Nichols*, Thos. Peel, Vincent Peel, John Hampton,
Frank Diamond, John Cheshire, Dan Rice, John Quin-
lan*, Adam Kerz, Adam Yonker, John McDonald,
John Schmidt, Lysander Darling*, Silas Alexander,
W. W. Gordan, Henry Fuller, R. M. Cassidy, Lafe
Egan, Lee Short*, David Cratt, Harvey Smith, Peter
Smith, Hugh Johnson, Andrew Lambert, Joe Guarda-
pee, Boyd Newcomb, Al Knippenberg*, Owen Corco-
ran, David Lamb, Frank Mclntyre, Sherman Brown,
Henry Stafford, Wm. Smith, N. B. Lucas, Wm. Young,
Robt. Roundy, Peter Larivere, John Pearson*, Henry
Walker, John Laycock*, Wm. Buchanan, Robt. Mc-
Larney, John Fuller, Jos. Blow, David Parmelee, Wil-
liam Simmons, Christ Seeford, Albert J. Hill, John
McCarty (Mushrat), Wm. McCaffrey, John Lang-
ford, C. W. Schricker, Edward Dunham, John Parker,
Charles Barnes, David Philamulee, A. O. Day*.

Of the thirty pilots in the foregoing list who were
alive January i, 1928, only nine were still in service on
the Mississippi during the season of 1927, viz:

J. M. Hawthorne on the United States towboat "Lou-
ise."

J. H. Laycock on the United States towboat "Minne-
apolis."

Isaac Newcomb and William Weir one trip on the
"Altair" of Wabasha.

W. L. Hunter in Streckfus Line and on United States
towboat "Genl. Ashburn."

Harry Short on the steamer "Kalitan."

Joe Young on the towboat "Lone Deer."

Chas. White on the United States towboat "Genl.
Ashburn."

LIST OF RAFT PILOTS, 1840-1913 273

W. A. Blair in the Streckfus Line and on the United
States towboat "C. C. Webber."

Rapids Pilots who handled Rafts over the

Upper, or Rock Island Rapids, in the

Order of their service Irom

1840-1915

Philip Suiter

John Suiter, son of Philip

William Suiter, son of Philip

Jacob Suiter, son of Philip

John Suiter, son of John

Zach Suiter, son of John

Harvey Goldsmith

Silas Lancaster

William Rambo,

DeForest Dorrance

J. W. Rambo, son of William

Oliver P. White

J.N.Long

Dana Dorrance

Durbin Dorrance

Orrin Smith

All in this list have made "the last crossing" except
Orrin Smith who is still in active service as master and
pilot of the tovi^boat "Lone Star," owned by the Build-
ers Sand and Gravel Company of Davenport.

Orrin Smith is a son of John Smith who did long
and excellent service in piloting the large and heavily-
loaded packet steamers during the busy years from i860
to 1885 when they carried full cargoes of freight and

276 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

passengers. John Smith had a rare combination of
nerve, caution and skill, with ambition and energy to
use his gifts, and his work was high class. Masters and
owners had confidence in his judgment and his skill.
He was a "sure shot" if there ever was one and Orrin is
just like him. He is the youngest and last Rapids pilot
to run rafts over the Rock Island rapids. His work has
been equal to the best done by any of those older and
with more experience.

All these Rapids pilots lived in LeClaire and all of
them died there except Joseph N. Long who left his old
home town many years ago, went to the Columbia river,
and died, we think, in Portland, Oregon; and Orrin
Smith is living in the fine old home where he was born.

J. W. Rambo was born in Rapids City, Illinois, Au-
gust 27, 1844, and was only ten days old when the fam-
ily moved over to LeClaire where he lived until his
death, January 30, 1925.

Captain Rambo was Master of Snow Lodge, A. F. and
A. M., 1 879- 1 883 inclusive and was elected Mayor of
LeClaire, 1886- 1887- 1890 and 1892. His wife and only
daughter, Mrs. B. J. Metzgar (Nellie), survive him.

Rapids Pilots who ran Rafts over the
Lower, or Des Moines, Rapids

William West, lived at Prices Creek.

Valentine Speak, died at Montrose, 1880.

R. S. Owen, died at Montrose, 1898.

J. P. Barber, died at Montrose, 1915.

Sam Speak, died at Montrose, 1900.

Charles Speak, died at Mt. Pleasant, 1895.

Sam Williams, died in California, 1878.

Chas. H. Farris, living in Montrose, well and active
at seventy-eight.

When the old canal was finished in 1878, the work of
the Rapids pilots was greatly reduced, as rafts could
be put through the canal in less time and with less ex-
pense and damage in extreme low water than working
them over outside.

Then in 19 13, when the Keokuk dam was completed,
there was no more work for Rapids pilots on any craft
between Montrose and Keokuk.

Captain Charles Farris made his last trip as a Rapids
pilot, taking the big "Morning Star" down and back
on a special sight-seeing trip when the dam was com-
pleted and the old Rapids submerged nearly all the
way up. There were three locks in the old canal, each
eighty feet wide and three hundred feet long.

During the busy years of rafting. Captain Joseph
Farris was in charge of the Guard lock, at the upper
end, at the village of Galland.

278 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Nicholas McKenzie was in charge of the middle
lock. He was the father of Captain Hugh McKenzie
and grandfather of Louis McKenzie, now in the crew
that operates the big single lock that passes vessels from
Lake Keokuk to the river level below or contrariwise.

John R. Carpenter had charge of the Lower or Keo-
kuk lock and Major M. Meigs was in charge of the
entire canal dry dock and machine shop.

Major Meigs and John Carpenter are now (1928)
living quiet, retired, but healthy and happy lives in
Keokuk.

chief Engineers of the Rafters

This list is by no means complete, as I am unable to
find any list made out by any one else; so must depend
on memory with a few suggestions from friends glad to
assist me in this work.

I can only name the engineers who were on rafters
long enough to become identified with the rafting in-
dustry, as distinguished from the packet business or the
sand and gravel industry, and then my memory is lim-
ited to those whose work and reputation were above the
average, viz. :

Henry Whitemore Galena, Illinois.

William Myers Galena, Illinois.

George Griffith Galena, Illinois.

Conrad Kraus Galena, Illinois.

James Hunt Savanna, Illinois.

A. C. Van Bebber Savanna, Illinois.

Henry Bingham Savanna, Illinois.

Harry Beasley Sabula, Iowa.

Wm. Edwards Clinton, Iowa.

\Vm. Krause Clinton, Iowa.

Fred Hufman Clinton, Iowa.

George Rockwood Clinton, Iowa.

James Duncan Clinton, Iowa.

James Cary Clinton, Iowa.

B. B. Rockwood Clinton, Iowa.

John McKeever Clinton, Iowa.

Sam Mikesell Clinton, Iowa.

P. M. Maines Princeton, Iowa.

P. H. Martin Princeton, Iowa.

Geo. O. Lancaster Princeton, Iowa.

28o

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Henry Horton LeClaire, Iowa.

Thomas Doughty LeClaire, Iowa.

E. P. Bartlett LeClaire, Iowa.

J. L. Carver LeClaire, Iowa.

Enock Davies LeClaire, Iowa.

Chas. Burrell LeClaire, Iowa.

George Carroll LeClaire, Iowa.

John Van Alstine LeClaire, Iowa.

Charles Follett LeClaire, Iowa.

Robert Shannon LeClaire, Iowa.

David Nugent LeClaire, Iowa.

Hugh Shannon LeClaire, Iowa.

Peter Quinn LeClaire, Iowa.

James Stedman LeClaire, Iowa.

T. F. Long LeClaire, Iowa.

F. E. Goldsmith LeClaire, Iowa.

Daniel Dawley LeClaire, Iowa.

Joe Manwaring LeClaire, Iowa.

George Galloway Davenport, Iowa.

Wm. B. Milligan Davenport, Iowa.

Charles O'Hara Davenport, Iowa.

Wm. Burns Davenport, Iowa.

Wm. Adamson Davenport, Iowa.

Edward Bergen Davenport, Iowa.

Robert Solomon Davenport, Iowa.

T. G. Isherwood Davenport, Iowa.

D. R. Hanley Davenport, Iowa.

Wilbur Norris Rock Island, Illinois.

George Haikes Rock Island, Illinois.

Ben Wilson Rock Island, Illinois.

Spencer Burtnett Rock Island, Illinois.

Peter Servus Rock Island, Illinois.

John Bromley Rock Island, Illinois.

George Longwell Rock Island, Illinois.

Chas. Chaplin Muscatine, Iowa.

Robert Carter Muscatine, Iowa.

John Baer Muscatine, Iowa.

Wm. Fisher Muscatine, Iowa.

James Burgess Burlington, Iowa.

Zach Morgan Burlington, Iowa.

CHIEF ENGINEERS OF THE RAFTERS 283

Sam Evans St. Louis, Missouri.

Chas. Evans St. Louis, Missouri.

Thos. C. Chambers Fort Madison, Iowa.

Thos. Wright Fort Madison, Iowa.

John Wright Fort Madison, Iowa.

Chas. Henderson Fort Madison, Iowa.

Frank O'Kell Fort Madison, Iowa.

Samuel Nimrich Nauvoo, Illinois.

Dee Patton Montrose, Iowa.

Henry Gerboth Montrose, Iowa.

F. A. Whitney Keokuk, Iowa.

Wm. Schoels Keokuk, Iowa.

Sam Critchfield Canton, Missouri.

Thomas Burtnett LaGrange, Missouri.

S. T. Burtnett Quincj', Illinois.

Wm. Dodge Dubuque, Iowa.

M. L. Hanley Dubuque, Iowa.

Bud Dolson Dubuque, Iowa.

Ljinan Stewart Bellevue, Iowa.

Jas. L. Sherman Cassville, Wisconsin.

George Sherman Cassville, Wisconsin.

Chas. Harvey Guttenberg, Iowa

Wm. Glynn Lansing, Iowa.

Chas. Fest Lansing, Iowa.

Lon Ames Lansing, Iowa.

Chas. Voight Lansing, Iowa.

Frank Dillon LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Chas. Dillon LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

David Wescott LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Levi King LaCrosse, ^Visco^sin.

Manny King LaCrosse, W^isconsin.

George Dansbury LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Henry Tully LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

James Tully LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Frank Utter Trempaleau, Wisconsin.

Edward Hollinshead Trempaleau, Wisconsin.

Wm. McCraney Winona, Minnesota.

Elmer McCraney Winona, Minnesota.

Tyler Roe Winona, Minnesota.

Herman Anding Winona, Minnesota.

284 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

James Fearn Winona, Minnesota.

Pearl Roundy Wabasha, Minnesota.

Oren Roundy Wabasha, Minnesota.

John Wiley Wabasha, Minnesota.

Milton Roundy Wabasha, Minnesota.

Robert Roundy Wabasha, Minnesota.

Thos. DeCamp Wabasha, Minnesota.

Sol. Fuller Stillwater, Minnesota.

Sam Walker Stillwater, Minnesota.

Joseph Fuller Stillwater, Minnesota.

Thos. Slade Stillwater, Minnesota.

Gus. Bailes Stillwater, Minnesota.

Alvin Fuller Stillwater, Minnesota.

Milton Fuller Stillwater, Minnesota.

Alex Campbell Stillwater, Minnesota.

A. H. Brj'an Stillwater, Minnesota.

B. L. Hanks Stillwater, Minnesota.

A. R. Young Stillwater, Minnesota.

Jesse Young Stillwater, Minnesota.

Hub. Young Stillwater, Minnesota.

Wm. Feis Stillwater, Minnesota.

Thos. Scullum Stillwater, Minnesota.

Sam Fowler Stillwater, Minnesota.

Mart. Dustin Stillwater, Minnesota.

Bert Davis Stillwater, Minnesota.

John Pickety Stillwater, Minnesota.

George Wilcox Stillwater, Minnesota.

James McGuire Stillwater, Minnesota.

L. B. Culbertson Stillwater, Minnesota.

Fred Mack Stillwater, Minnesota.

John Beard Stillwater, Minnesota.

Chas. Fisher Stillwater, Minnesota.

Oliver Murray Stillwater, Minnesota.

Chas. Teel Prescott, Wisconsin.

James Miller Prescott, Wisconsin.

Oliver Stokes Reads Landing, Minnesota.

Edward Stokes Reads Landing, Minnesota.

George Bee Reads Landing, Minnesota.

Marion Davison Reads Landing, Minnesota.

John Walker Reads Landing, Minnesota.

CHIEF ENGINEERS OF THE RAFTERS 285

Edward Huttelby Reads Landing, Minnesota.

Wm. Gibson Reads Landing, Alinnesota.

James Smith Reads Landing, Minnesota.

Lem Maxfield Moline, Illinois.

M. H. Newcomb Pepin, Wisconsin.

A. L. Mussey Pepin, Wisconsin.

J. W. Perry Pepin, Wisconsin.

John Fuller Pepin, Wisconsin.

O. G. Potter Pepin, Wisconsin.

A. C. Fair\veather Pepin, Wisconsin.

G. W. Hunter Pepin, Wisconsin.

Wm. Ecklor Pepin, Wisconsin.

Alfred Fuller Pepin, Wisconsin.

George Gray Pepin, Wisconsin.

Eugene Fuller Pepin, Wisconsin.

Hiram Fuller Pepin, Wisconsin.

Clair Fuller Pepin, Wisconsin.

S. E. Serene Pepin, Wisconsin.

Earl Steele Pepin, Wisconsin.

James H. Harris Saint Louis, Missouri.

Raft-boat Mates

Many of those who were mates on the earlier raft
boats picked up the river and got so they could stand a
watch day or night going up river and were able to get
a pilot's license. It was harder to get even a little prac-
tice running a raft down stream, but a few of them did
become regular raft pilots and are in that list.

Among those who distinguished themselves as mates
and were known as good ones, I recall :

John Suiter, now captain and pilot of the "LeClaire."

James Lyons, now in poultry farming, Albany, Illinois.

Dei Shaw, now living in Princeton, Iowa.

C. W. Schricker, now living in Davenport, Iowa.

Peter Reese, living at Victory, Wisconsin.

Edward Johnson, living in Rock Island, Illinois.

Louis Freneau, living in Rock Island, Illinois.

John McMahon, of Clinton, Iowa.

Herman Johnson, of Winona.

George Budde, of Winona.

John McCarty, of Galena.

Joe LaReveire, of Wabasha.

Chas. Rook, of Princeton.

Thos. Maley, of LeClaire.

Thos. Kennedy, of LeClaire.

Henry Tweisel, of LeClaire.

Henry Massman, of LeClaire.

John Bailey, of LeClaire.

John Elliott, of LeClaire.

James Shannon, of LeClaire.

George Senthouse, of LeClaire.

Wm. Babatz, of Albany.

Louis Babatz, of Albany.

288 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Albert Babatz, of Albany.
Don Buckingham, of LaCrosse.
Wm. Kerrigan, of Rock Island.
Harry Adamson, of Rock Island.

John Lund, living in Clinton and in service as master and pilot of
the steamer "Artemus Gates" in sand and gravel business.
Wm. Boldt, living in Davenport, retired.

James Shannon was my mate on the "Last Chance,"
my first command. I have never seen a brighter, keener,
tougher, healthier man in all these years. He took an
interest and a pride in his work and always had a good
job.

I have great consideration for a good mate. He has
the care of the steamboat; to see that she is kept clean
and trim, and also that fuel is supplied regularly to the
firemen.

He must take good care of his entire kit for the raft
and have it all overhauled every trip going up river.
He must get the raft in good shape to start with and
then get his crew out frequently to change and tighten
up the lines to keep her straight.

Then to split for bridges in the night and to couple
up and move the boat over quickly and without any
hitch requires skill and management, where holding
the wrong line or letting go the wrong one or the right
one too soon means trouble and delay.

Then he must exercise great tact in handling his
crew, maintaining control and fair discipline, while
sustaining his reputation for being "square" and a
"good fellow."

Output of Logs from different Streams into
the Mississippi, compiled from records in
the office ot the Surveyor-general of Logs
and Lumber at Saint Paul, Minnesota,
and from the Archives of the State His-
torical Societies of Minnesota
and Wisconsin

From Saint Croix river into the lake, 1837-

1903 11,285,835,720 feet

Brought in by railroads into the lake, 1837-1903 158,446,000 feet
By rail and river (estimated) into the lake,

1904-1915 1,000,000,000 feet

Total in rafts from Lake Saint Croix, 1837-

1915 12,444,281,720 feet

From the Mississippi above the Falls (esti-
mated), 1850-1870 150,000,000 feet

From the Mississippi above the Falls (esti-
mated), 1888-1916 1,559,062,520 feet

Total through the Saint Paul boom, 1850-

1916 1,709,062,520 feet

From the Chippewa river:

Through the Beef Slough booms, 1867-

1889 5,301,019,170 feet

Through West Newton Slough boom,

1889-1896 3,064,856,760 feet

Through West Newton Slough boom (esti-
mated), 1897-1905 3,000,000,000 feet

Total logs from the Chippewa, 1867-1905 11,365,875,930 feet

290 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Total lumber from the Chippewa (esti-
mated), 1830-1901 i4,ocx),ooo,ooo feet

Grand Total from the Chippewa, 1830-

1905 25,365,875,930 feet

From Black river through Onalaska boom,

1855-1897 4,920,811,340 feet

Estimate for logs before and after recording 250,000,000 feet

Total logs from Black river 5,170,000,000 feet

Total logs and lumber from Wisconsin river 2,285,000,000 feet

RECAPITULATION

From the Saint Croix river and lake 12,444,281,720 feet

From the Mississippi above the Falls 1,709,062,520 feet

From the Chippewa river 25,365,875,930 feet

From the Black river 5,170,000,000 feet

From the Wisconsin river 2,285,000,000 feet

Grand total rafted down river 46,974,220,170 feet

Value at $15.00 per thousand feet $704,613,300.00

One cannot contemplate this vast amount of building
material so admirably suited for houses, barns, and
fences, in the prairie states, without recognizing the
wisdom of the Great Creator in providing the extensive
forests at the headwaters of the Mississippi and its
northern tributaries on whose waters it could be floated
down at so little expense.

The logs were brought down the Chippewa loose for
seventy-five cents per thousand feet and the usual price
for towing them in rafts from Beef Slough or West
Newton to Davenport or Rock Island was one dollar
and ten cents per thousand feet, or about one dollar per
ton on the lumber cut from them for the entire trip
from the woods in northern Wisconsin to the mill or
yard in the tri-cities. Cheap transportation on a great
commodity that was so essential in development of Illi-
nois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska, and lasted

OUTPUT OF LOGS INTO THE MISSISSIPPI 291

until we learned to make and use cement and could
afford to buy more expensive lumber from the south or
northwest on which the rail charges are higher than the
cost of the lumber put on the cars.

Logging out of the Wisconsin river ended about 1876.
Logging out of the Black river ended in 1897.
Logging out of the Chippewa river ended in 1905.
Logging out of the Saint Croix river ended in 1914.
Logging out of the Saint Paul boom ended in 1916.

The Last Log

"There is a picture hanging in the Gazette Office^
showing the old boom-master, Frank. McGray, hitch-
ing the last log that came through the Saint Croix
boom; the log was a large one, scaling, I should say,
five hundred or six hundred feet and this closed opera-
tions at the boom for all time; that was on the twelfth
day of June, 1914; on this day also, the last meal was
served in the old cook house and among those that sat
down to dinner that day were Mr. McGray, James R.
Brennan, then the boom master, D. J. McCuish, Eu-
gene O'Neal, Rev. John McCoy, then pastor of the
First Presbyterian Church, R. S. Davis, W. C. Master-
man and several others, whose names escape me at this
writing." — Stillwater Gazette, April 2, 1928.

There has been much discussion as to when rafting
ceased at West Newton where the M. R. L. Company
handled the great output of logs from the Chippewa.

I could not harmonize the positive but conflicting
statements of numerous persons to whom I appealed
for information and was greatly pleased when I finally
got a letter from Mr. Andrew Thompson of Nelson,
Wisconsin, which closed the discussion.

Mr. Thompson had been a foreman at West Newton

292 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

until Mr. Edward Douglas, the superintendent, left for
the west in 1904, when he took charge of the job until
the final wind up.

Mr. Thompson writes under date of January 13,
1929, that no logs were put past Chippewa falls after
1904; that in autumn of that year (1904) they splashed
and drove everything in the river and had teams haul in
from the bottoms and clear the islands and sloughs.

In this way they had thirty million feet to raft out in
1905 and the last full raft was taken by one of Weyer-
haeuser and Denkmann's boats late in July or August
first.

Some logs had broken away or got loose from num-
ber one and with a small crew he caught most of them
in Fisher Slough and fitted them up so they could be
taken to Winona.

Then they pulled the piling and rafted it and some
of the booms. These and the picked up logs were taken
to Laird and Norton's mill at Winona by the steamer
"Frontenac" in August. The chains, wire, and wood
were also sold in Winona. The buildings and their con-
tents were sold to people living near, in 1905.

The steamer "E. Douglas" and the pile drivers were
sold in 1906, and there was nothing left to indicate the
activities of the company that had turned out as high
as six hundred million feet of logs in one season, sorted,
scaled and rafted up in good shape ready for boats to
hitch into and take down river. 1904 was the last full
season at West Newton. 1905 - 30,000,000 feet was the
output at West Newton, and the clean-up of logs, piles
and booms.

APPENDIX I

List of Raft-boats, their Masters
and Owners, 1883

Name Masters

Charlotte Boeckeler Robert Dodds

Helene Shulenburg E.J. Chacey

owned by the Shulenburg and Boeckeler Lumber Company
of Saint Louis, Missouri.

Helen Mar W. R. Slocumb

Louisville Andrew Larkin

Menominie Stephen Withrow

Bart. E. Linehan Lafe Parker

owned by the Knapp, Stout and Company of Saint Louis,
Missouri.

J. G. Chapman John O'Connor

owned by Peter Kirns of Saint Louis, Missouri.

Tiber William Kratka

owned by the Quincy Lumber Company of Quincy, Illinois.

Lumberman Hiram Brazee

owned by J. C. Daniels of Keokuk, Iowa.

Prescott R. S. Owen

owned by Sam Sf>eak and R. S. Owen of Montrose, Iowa.

Sam Atlee James Hugunin

owned by S. & J. C. Atlee of Fort Madison, Iowa.

D. C. Fogel Fred Fogel

owned by Fogel Brothers of Burlington, Iowa.

Kit Carson A. R. Young

owned by A. R. Young and the Burlington Lumber Com-
pany.

294 a raft pilot's log

Name Masters

Isaac Staples Vincent Peel

owned by Vincent Peel and the Burlington Lumber Com-
pany.

B. Hershey Cyprian Buisson

owned by the Hershey Lumber Company of Muscatine.

Silver Wave John McKenzie

Jas. Fisk, Jr Thomas Dolson

LeClaire Belle I. H. Short

owned by the Van Sant and Musser Transportation Com-
pany of Muscatine, Iowa.

F. C. A. Denkmann W. H. Whisler

C. J. Caffrey George Carpenter

owned by Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann of Rock Island,
Illinois.

Stillwater Alfred Carpenter

owned by the Rock Island Lumber Company.

Eclipse E. J. Lancaster

owned by Lindsay and Phelps and the Cable Lumber Com-
pany of Davenport, Iowa.

St. Croix George Tromley, Jr.

owned by the Mueller Lumber Company of Davenport.

Golden Gate George Rutherford

owned by the Coleman and Rutherford Steamboat Com-
pany of Davenport, Iowa.

Moline Isaiah Wasson

owned by Dimock, Gould and Company of Moline, Illinois.

J. S. Keator L. A. Day

owned by the Keator Lumber Company of Moline, Illinois.

Last Chance John Monroe

J. W. Mills W. A. Blair

owned by the LeClaire Navigation Company of LeClaire,
Iowa.

Pilot John McCaffrey

owned by D. F. Dorrance and John McCaffrey of LeClaire,
Iowa.

APPENDIX I 295

Name Masters

Ten Broeck George Tromley, Jr.

owned by John McCaffrey and George Tromley, Jr., of
LeCIaire and Robert Dodds of Saint Louis, Missouri.

W. J. Young, Jr Paul Kerz

D. Boardman James Rellis

owned by W. J. Young and Company of Clinton, Iowa.

Artemus Lamb Stephen B. Hanks

Chancy Lamb William J. Savage

Lafayette Lamb Cyrus King

Lady Grace Toliver McDonald

owned by C. Lamb and Sons of Clinton, Iowa.

Silver Crescent O. P. McMann

owned by O. P. McMann of Clinton, Iowa.

Netta Durant A. E. Duncan

owned by the Clinton Lumber Company of Clinton and A.
E. Duncan of Lyons, Iowa.

Nina Horace Hollinshead

owned by the Lyons Lumber Company and H. Hollinshead.

Pauline Alfred Hollinshead

Lily Turner J. M. Turner

owned by Turner and Hollinshead of Lansing, Iowa.

low^a Frank Wild

owned by Davis and Gardner of Lyons, Iowa.

Gardie Eastman Joseph Buisson

owned by Gardner, Batcheler and Welles, Lyons, Iowa.

Nellie Thomas O'Rourke

owned by Specht Brothers of Spechts Ferry.

C. W. Cowles George Winans

owned by W. and J. Fleming of McGregor.

Abner Gile J. E. Short

owned by Captain Short and Abner Gile of LaCrossc.

Mountain Belle Morrell Looney

Dexter Peter O'Rourke

Bella Mac R. M. Cassidy

Natrona Vol. A. Biglow

296 a raft pilot's log

Name Masters

Mollie Mohler N. B. Lucas

Zada Frank Wetenhall

Carrie

owned by McDonald Brothers of LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Dan Hine G. L. Short

B. F. Weaver

Alfred Toll

Flying Eagle A. M. Short

owned by P. S. Davidson of LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

A. Reiling A.J. Davis

owned by A. J. Davis and the Standard Lumber Company
of Dubuque, Iowa.

City of Winona William McCraney

owned by Youmans Brothers and Hodgins of Winona,
Minnesota.

Julia William Slocumb

owned by Laird Norton and Company, Winona, Minnesota.

Hartford Henry Buisson

owned by the Mississippi River Logging Company of Clin-
ton, Iowa.

Jessie Bill E. C. Bill

Buckeye

owned by Captain E. C. Bill of Wabasha, Minnesota.

Lizzie Gardner Asa Woodward

owned by M. E. Drury of Wabasha, Minnesota.

Silas Wright John Walker

owned by Davison and Walker of Reads Landing.

Clyde E. D. Dickson

owned by the Empire Lumber Company of Eau Claire,
Wisconsin.

Wm. White C. H. Meade

owned by Captain Meade of Stillwater, Minnesota.

Ida Fulton Irvine Miliron

owned by Meade and Gillespie of Stillwater.

appendix i 297

Name Masters

Ruby George Herold

owned by Gardner and Companj'.

Bro. Jonathan C. C. Carpenter

A. T. Jenks O. J. Newcomb

R. J. Wheeler Ira Fuller

Dispatch W. Grant

owned by Durant Wheeler and Company of Stillwater.

David Bronson John Hoy

Evansville Edward Root

Bun Hersey John Quinlan

owned by Matt Clark Transportation Company of Still-
water, Minnesota.

Perry Swain

owned by D. M. Swain of Stillwater.

Penn Wright H. L. Peavey

owned by H. L. Peavey of Stillwater, Minnesota.

In addition to the raft-boats listed above that were
regularly engaged in towing logs or lumber rafts to the
down-river yards and mills, there were a few small
boats doing harbor work and assisting the large boats
at some particular places, the "Frank" at LaCrosse, the
"Little Hoddie" in Beef Slough, the "Belle of Bell-
vue" at Minneiska, the "Bob Burdette" at Stillwater
and the "Phil Schaeckel" at Reads and the "Lotus" at
Winona.

The "Jim Watson" is not included, as she was seized
by the United States Marshal for debt and her owner-
ship and future sphere of operations are much in doubt.

The list includes seventy-nine regular raft-boats and
six "helpers," making eighty-five in all.

As there were twenty men in an average crew, these
eighty-five steamboats gave employment to about two
thousand men, counting those actually on board and

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

the "alternates" on shore, some sick at home or in the
marine hospital, others laying ofif a trip to rest up or to
spend their few hard earned dollars, like an Irishman
whose name I can't recall, who gave me notice going
up river one trip on the "Ten Broeck" that he would
like his money as he intended to leave us when we
landed at Lansing for supplies.

He had been with us three or four weeks in the mate's
crew on deck. He was above the average for intelli-
gence. He had read some good books and often gave
the others a few lines from Shakespeare appropriate to
the occasion, and in very impressive manner.

I did not want him to get ofif and on my insisting as
to "why" he was leaving us, he told me he had already
overstayed his time and must go ashore to rest and re-
fresh himself.

As I passed back through the deck room I glanced
at his big black pasteboard valise. He noticed this and
on my return through the deck room he called my atten-
tion to his worldly belonging and with excellent voice
and appropriate gesture said: "Captain! Behold her!
The accumulations of forty-one years."

His possessions included a red handkerchief, an old
razor and a pair of socks.

APPENDIX II

List of Raft-boats in Commission, 1890,

with names of their Masters and Owners,

as published in the Davenport

Democrat, February, 1890

Name Masters

Helene Shulenburg E.J. Chacey

Charlotte Boeckeler Robert Dodds

Robert Dodds George Brasser

owned by the Shulenburg and Boeckeler Lumber Company
of Saint Louis, Missouri.

Abner Gile John H. Wooders

owned by the Canton Sawmill of Canton, IVL'ssouri.

Lumberman Gara Denberg

ouTied by John C. Daniels of Keokuk, Iowa.

Park Bluff Thomas Peel

Prescott R. S. Owen

owned by Des Moines Towing Company of Montrose, Iowa.

Sam Atlee Asa Woodward

J. C. Atlee William Enderle

owned by S. and J. C. Atlee of Fort Madison, Iowa.

B. Hershey Cyprian Buisson

owned by The Hershey Lumber Company of Muscatine,
Iowa.

Musser Thos. Dolson

LeClaire Belle John O'Connor

J. W. Van Sant George Tromley, Jr.

owned by Van Sant and Musser Transportation Company
of Muscatine, Iowa.

300 a raft pilot's log

Name Masters

C. J. Caffrey George Carpenter

F. C. A. Denkmann William H. Whisler

owned by Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann of Rock Island,
Illinois.

Stillwater Jas. Hugunin

owned by the Rock Island Lumber Company.

Golden Gate James Coleman

owned by Coleman Brothers of Davenport, Iowa.

J. K. Graves John Hugunin

owned by Frederick Weyerhaeuser of Rock Island, Illinois.

Eclipse E. J. Lancaster

owned by Eclipse Transportation Company of Davenport.

J. S. Keator L. A. Day

owned by J. S. Keator and Sons, Moline, Illinois.

Moline Isaiah Wasson

owned by Dimock, Gould and Company, Moline, Illinois.

Irene D D. F. Dorrance

owned by D. F. and Dana Dorrance and M. L. Hanley of
LeClaire, Iowa.

West Rambo J. W. Rambo

owned by the Upper Rapids Transportation Company of
LeClaire, Iowa.

Jo. Long J. N. Long

owned by John McCaflrey and J. N. Long of LeClaire.

J. W. Mills J. H. Laycock

owned by W. A. Blair of Davenport and J. H. Laycock of
LeClaire, Iowa.

Evansville Thomas Withrow

Ten Broeck W. A. Blair

Netta Durant George Rutherford

owned by the LeClaire Navigation Company of LeClaire.

Pilot Orrin Smith

owned by the Pilot Steamboat Company of LeClaire.

Everett Durbin Dorrance

owned by Durbin Dorrance of LeClaire.

APPENDIX II 301

Name Masters

Reindeer Alfred Hollinshead

owTied by Al. Hollinshead and D. C. Law, Lyons, Iowa.

Artemus Lamb Wm. McCaffrey

Chancy Lamb Joseph Duley

Lafayette Lamb John Monroe

Lady Grace Cyrus King

owned by C. Lamb and Sons of Clinton, Iowa.

D. Boardman I. M. Newcomb

W. J. Young, Jr Paul Kerz

owned by W. J. Young and Company of Clinton, Iowa.

Silver Crescent W. S. Mitchell

owned by LeCIaire Navigation Company, Van Sant and
Musser Transportation Company and W. S. Mitchell of
Clinton, Iowa.

Nina Hiram Brazee

owned by Ida S. Lachmund, George W. Ashton and Lyons
Lumber Company.

Bro. Jonathan George Reed

owned by Lachmund, George W. Ashton and Geo. S. Sar-
dam of Fulton, Illinois.

Lily Turner C. C. Carpenter

owned by Edward Hollinshead, Ida S. Lachmund and Geo.
W. Ashton of Lyons, Iowa.

Gardie Eastman J. G. Moore

owned by Gardiner Batchelder and Welles of Lyons, Iowa.

Iowa R. H. Tromley

owned by Silas Gardiner and Harry Wilkinson of Lyons,
Iowa.

Clyde M. M. Looney

owned by the Standard Lumber Company of Dubuque, Iowa.

Jennie Hayes William Davis

owned by S. E. Hallam and William Davis of Dubuque,
Iowa.

Pauline J. M. Turner

owned by J. M. Turner.

302 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Name Masters

Lizzie Gardner Wm. Kratka

owned by Sawyer and Austin of LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Mountain Belle Henry Walker

Inverness A. P. Lambert

Bella Mac E. D. Dickson

Thistle N. B. Lucas

Louisville R. M. Cassidy

Helen Mar William Dobler

B. E. Linehan W. R. Slocumb

Kit Carson I. H. Short

Scotia Charles White

owned by McDonald Brothers of LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Dan Thayer A. M. Short

Dan Hine (No Assignment)

owned by P. S. Davidson of LaCrosse, Wisconsin.
Natrona Vol. A. Biglow^

owned by Vol. A. Biglow of LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Alfred Toll G. L. Short

owned by G. L. Short and Vol. A. Biglow of LaCrosse.

Glenmont S. B.Withrov^

Juniata Henry Slocumb

Julia (Unassigned)

owned by Laird Norton and Company of Winona, Minne-
sota.

City of Winona O. J. Newcomb

owned by Youmans Brothers and Hodgins of Winona.

C. W. Cowles Jos. Buisson

owned by the Valley Navigation Company of Wabasha,
Minnesota.

Luella Antoine Roque

J. G. Chapman Ira DeCamp

owned by C. Jellison Towing Company of Wabasha, Min-
nesota.

Lion James Follmer

owned by H. C. Wilcox of Wabasha, Minnesota.

APPENDIX II 303

Name Masters

Silas Wright Daniel Davison

owned by Daniel Davison.

Phil Schaeckel Phil Schaeckel

owned by Knapp, Stout and Company of Reads Landing.

R. J. Wheeler (Unassigned)

Daisy Ira Fuller

Henrietta Thomas Hoy

owned by Durant Wheeler and Company of Stillwater,
Minnesota.

Isaac Staples C. B. Romahn

Menominie I. H. Miliron

owned by Bronson and Folsom of Stillwater, Minnesota.
Ravenna John Hoy

owned by Anderson and O'Brien of Stillwater, Minnesota.

Sea Wing Henry Fuller

owned by David Wethern of Diamond Bluff, Wisconsin.

St, Croix Jos. Young

owned by Herbert O'Donnell, Dubuque, Iowa.

Nellie William York

owned by William Davis of Dubuque, Iowa.

APPENDIX III

List of Raft-boats from Davenport
Democrat February, 1893

This is the last authentic list the author can find. It shows numerous
changes from the list of 1890

Name Masters

Eclipse E. J. Lancaster

owned by Eclipse Transportation Company of Davenport.

F. C. A. Denkmann O. E. McGinley

E. Rutledge W. H. Whisler

F. Weyerhaeuser John Hugunin

J. K. Graves Harry Hugunin

owned by Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann of Rock Island.

Kit Carson Gara Denberg

Lumberman J. H. Wooders

owned by J. C. Daniels of Keokuk, Iowa.

Moline Isaiah Wasson

owned by Dimock, Gould and Company of Moline.

J. S. Keator

owned by J. S. Keator and Sons, Moline.

Pilot Orrin Smith

owned by Pilot Steamboat Company of LeClaire.

Jo. Long S. E. Lancaster

owned by Jo. Long Transportation Company of LeClaire.

Irene D D. F. Dorrance

owned by Union To\ving Company of LeClaire.

Ten Broeck W. S. Mitchell

Iowa George Carpenter

Netta Durant George Rutherford

3o6 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Name Masters

Volunteer John Rook

owned by the LeClaire Navigation Company.

West Rambo Jos. Young

owned by the Upper Rapids Transportation Company of
LeClaire.

J. W. Mills J. H. Laycock

owned by W. A. Blair and J. H. Laycock of LeClaire.

Gardie Eastman George Reed

Reindeer T. C. Withrow

Lily Turner H. Hollinshead

owned by the Mississippi Towing Company of Lyons.

Nina John Pearson

owned by Lowell Sterling and Ida S. Lachmund, Lyons.

Lady Grace J. G. Moore

Artemus Lamb Thomas Duncan

Chancy Lamb Abe Mitchell

owned by C. Lamb and Sons of Clinton, Iowa.

D. Boardman I. M. Newcomb

W. J. Young, Jr Paul Kerz

owned by W. J. Young and Company of Clinton, Iowa.

Sam Atlee Asa Woodward

owned by S. & J. C. Atlee of Fort Madison, Iowa.

Musser S. B. Withrow

J. W. Van Sant Geo. R. Carpenter

Glenmont John O'Connor

owned by the Van Sant and Musser Transportation Com-
pany, Muscatine.

Charlotte Boeckeler Robert Dodds

Helene Shulenburg George Brasser

owned by Shulenburg and Boeckeler Lumber Company of

Saint Louis.

Henrietta ~|

Cyclone INo assignments of Masters

R. J. Wheeler J

owned by Durant and Wheeler of Stillwater, Minnesota.

APPENDIX III 307

Name Masters

Saturn George Winans

owned by George Winans.

Daisy John Hoy

owned by Musser-Sauntry Company, Stillwater.

Clyde M. M. Looney

Isaac Staples C. B. Romahn

Ravenna C. H. Davison

Menominie E. D. Dickson

owned by Bronson and Folsoni of Stillwater.

J. G. Chapman Ira DeCamp

Luella J. S. Walker

owned by C. Jellison Towing Company of Wabasha.

B. Hershey Cyprian Buisson

C. W. Cowles Joseph Buisson

Lafayette Lamb J. E. Kaiser

owned by the Valley Navigation Company of Wabasha.

Lion of Wabasha H. C. Wilcox

owned by H. C. Wilcox.

Vernie Mac Wm. Weir

owned by D. J. McKenzie of Alma, Wisconsin.

City of Winona O. J. Newcomb

owned by Youmans Brothers and Hodgins, Winona.

Juniata Henry Slocumb

owned by Laird, Norton and Company, Winona.

Bella Mac N. B. Lucas

Mountain Belle A. P. Lambert

Louisville L. A. Day

B. E. Linehan Wm. Dobler

Helen Mar (No Assignment)

owned by LaCrosse Mississippi Towing Company, LaCrosse.

Dan Thayer A. M. Short

owned by P. S. Davidson Lumber Company, LaCrosse.

Jessie L. Darling

Quickstep A. Gallager

owned by Vol. A. Biglow of LaCrosse.

3o8 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Name Masters

Abner Gile Brown Jenks

owned by J. B. Jenks and Vol. A. Biglow of LaCrosse.

Lizzie Gardner Wm. Kratka

Pauline Hiram Brazee

Thistle George Tromley, Jr.

owned by the Kratka Towing Company of Lansing, Iowa.

From the foregoing list we learn of many changes in
ownership. The old firm of McDonald Brothers of
LaCrosse that had enjoyed many years of prosperity,
became embarrassed and had to be reorganized during
the winter of 1892 and 1893, 2nd the old firm name
appears no more. In its place we have the LaCrosse
Mississippi Towing Company with their fleet cut down
to four boats in commission. The "Helen Mar" did not
do any more rafting.

Also the old and prosperous firm of Durant, Wheeler
and Company only has three boats left and no captain
hired for the "R. J. Wheeler" and they soon afterward
sold her to Captain Will Davis and A. S. Merriam to
run lumber to Quincy.

The rafting industry had reached its peak and was
starting on its decline to wind up for good in August,
1915, when Captain W. L. Hunter with the steamer
"Ottumwa Belle" on the stern and the "Pathfinder" on
the bow and the "J. M." in tow ran the last raft.

vm:

f-

V

Index

Index

Abner Gile: steamboat, use, 185
Acme Packet Co: 181
Active: steamboat, slow, 185, 192
Ada B: steamboat, for sale, 64;

bought by author, 67
Adams, Thomas: 176
Admiral: steamboat, 221
A. J. Whitney: steamboat, 221
Albany (111.): tornado, 212, 229
Alex Mitchell: steamboat, 159
Alhambra: steamboat, 212
Alice Wild: steamboat, 24, 185
Alma (Wis.) : 47; trade between and

Wabasha, 51; wood flats, 68; 77
Alton (III.) : Lovejoy memorial, 167
Alvira: steamboat, 185, 221
Amboy (III.) : railroad branch from,

to Chicago, 25
American Lumberman: 21
Annie: steamboat, 77
Annie Girdon: steamboat, 186
Anthony, E. C: 182
Arkansas: steamboat, 77
Arnold, John: pilot, 23
Arrow Transportation Co: 180
ArtemusLamb: steamboat, chartered,

76; 78 ; sold, 178; 216
A. T. Jenks: steamboat, 230
Atlee, Sam: 209
Atlee, S. and J. C: part owners of

Le Claire Belle, 55; mill, 56; 177,

204, 209

Bad A.xe (Wis.) : 68

Badger State Lumber Company: 33

Bagley, Johnny: 56

Bard, Adele: 135

Bard, Elizabeth: 132; marries au-
thor, 135

Barnes, Capt. J. D: monument to
Buffalo Bill, 160; 199

Barth, William: discovers coal, 149

Beaver: towboat, i6o

Beebe, Capt. E. H: 23

Beedle, Hiram, Jr: pilot, 23; 154

Beef Slough: 21, 47-54; men employ-
ed, 48; output of logs, 53; 68; low
water, 99 ; log rafts, 103 ; closed,
112; 130, 139, 237

Beef Slough Boom Company: 33;
organized, 47

B. E. Linehan: steamboat, sold, 182

Belle Mac: steamboat, total loss, 182

Belle of Bellevue: steamboat, 24

Belle of La Crosse: steamboat, 77, 159

Belle of Pepin: steamboat, 77

Bellevue (la.): 23, 68; wharf-boat,
105; 239

Ben Franklin: steamboat, 175

Betsy Slough: 69, 131

B. F. Weaver: steamboat, dismantled,
189

B. Hershey: steamboat, 78 ; uses bow-
boat, 172; sunk, 181 ; 234, 237

Bill, Capt. Fred A: 20; tells of twin
boats, 210

Bill Henderson: mail-boat, 216

Black, Mr. : 187

Black Hawk: chief, 162

Black Hawk: steamboat, built, 188

Black river: 21; first rafting, 35;
high, 131; decline of logging, 171;
179

Blair, Capt. W. A: birth, 23; on
Silver Wave, 43 ; first year raft-
ing. 55'76; master Last Chance,
74; on Silver Wave, 82; at
Browns Corners, 95 ; last year
teaching, 105; pilot's license, 121;
mason, 135; marriage, 135; last
trip on Ten Broeck, 143; decides
to quit rafting, 186

3i6

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Blow, Joe: author's favorite pilot,
27; 36

Blue Lodge: towboat, 81

Boat stores: described, 70; 105

Borup and Oakes: 37

Bradley, Capt. Cyrus: 172; success-
ful in running raft with steam-
boat, 192, 222

Brady, "Judge": clerk, 156

Brasser, Capt. George: 143, 145, 146

Bright, Tom: wood flats, 68

Bro. Jonathan: steamboat, disman-
tled, i8i ; 215, 229

Browns Corners: author teaches
school at, 95, 105

Brownsville (Minn.): wood yard,
68; 77

Buckeye: steamboat, 186, 221, 222

"Bucking" an oar: 28

Buckman, John R: post, G.A.R., 161

Buisson, Antoine: 234

Buisson, Capt. Cyprian: 78; bi-
ographical sketch, 234-238; natur-
alist, 237; aids author prepare list
of pilots, 267

Buisson, Capt. Henry: on steamer
Hartford, 48; 78, 234

Buisson, Capt. Joseph: 78, 186; bi-
ographical sketch, 230-233; 234,
237; aids author prepare list of
pilots, 267

Buisson, Joseph: French-Canadian
trader, 234

Bun Hersey: steamboat, 143

Burlington (la.) : destination of
rafts, 39; 77, 112; packet service,
179; 182, 188

Burlington Post: 20

Burrow, Vetal: pilot, 130, 131

Cable Lumber Co: 223

Cairo (III.) : Illinois Central rail-
road, 25; mentioned, 172, 175, 185

Caldwell, Hannah: chapter D.A.R.,
i6i

Camanche (la.): 118, 187; tornado,

212

Campbell, Lt. John: defeated by
Black Hawk, 162

Campbells Island: battle of, marker,
162

Carlton, Harry: cabin boy, 56, 86

Carnival City Packet Co: 177, 178;
organized by author, 188

Carr, David: 160, 199

Carson and Rand: 55

Cassville Slough: no

Cat Tail Slough: 175, 211

Champion: steamboat, 186

Chancy Lamb: steamboat, 104;
wrecked, 178; dismantled, 189;
new steamboat, 189

Charles Rebstock: steamboat, 77

Charles Rogers: steamboat, 24, 239

Charlotte Boeckeler: steamboat, sold,
172; engines, 189; 244, 246

Chicago (111.) : 25

Chicago and Eastern Illinois rail-
road : 178

Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul
railway: erects monument, 163-164

Chippewa Falls: steamboat, 221

Chippewa Lumber and Boom Com-
pany: 34, 220

Chippewa river: 21; operations of
M. R. L. Co., 33, 47, 77, 93; high,
131

Cincinnati (Ohio) : 175, 229

City Belle: steamboat, 216, 219

City of Quincy: steamboat, 177

City of Winona: steamboat, 117, 171 ;
in packet trade, 181, 221

Civil War: mentioned, 161, 195, 223,
234

C. J. Caffrey: raft-boat, 81; dis-
mantled, 189

Clark, Arthur H: 20

Clark, Gen. George Rogers: statue,
166-167

Clark, Matt Transportation Co: 126

Clark, William: 167

Clayton (la.) : wood landing, 68

Cieeland, Tom: 43; encounter with
author, 44

Clinton: steamboat, 77

INDEX

317

Clinton (la.) : 54; packet service, 77;
81 ; no rocks in river, 90; 104, 181,
187; first raft ran successfully to,
192 ; 222

Clinton Lumber Co: 129, 139, 140, 176

Clinton Nigger: invention and use,
207

Clyde: steamboat, first iron raft-
boat, 180; 186, 220, 233, 237, 243

Coal: mines opened, 67; price, 68;
discovered in Happy Hollovf, 149 ;
Wanlockhead mines, 150

Coal Bluff: steamboat, 240

Cody, Col. William F: monument, 160

Coleman, Andrew: rapids pilot, 159

Colman, C. L: in lumbering business,
35

Columbia: steamboat, built, 178

Comfort: excursion barge, destroyed,
177

Condor: steamboat, 178

Control: steamboat, 179

Cook House dispatches: 108

Cooks: known by nicknames, 30

Coon Slough: 70, 219

Cothell, Robert: 179

Cratt, David: 237

Crib: description, 34

Crooked Slough: 131

Cumberland river: 182

Curtis, George M: congressman, 161

C. \V. Cowles: steamboat, rebuilt,
i8i ; 221, 233, 237

Cyclone: steamboat, burned, 179

Daisy: steamboat, sold, 180; 229
Dalles (The) : 27

D. A. McDonald: steamboat, 239
Dan Hine: steamboat, dismantled, 189
Dan Thayer: rafter, 171, 221
Daniel Shaw Lumber Company: 33,

233
Daniels, J. C: 172
Davenport: steamboat, 159
Davenport (la.): 28, 36; packet

service, 77; 81, i8i, 182, 188
Davenport, James: engineer, 96

Davenport, Will : author's partner,

55; 56

Davidson, P. S: 35; boat store, 70

Davidson Line: see fVhite Collar

Davis, Capt. Wm: 178

Deere family: houseboat, 181

Defenbaugh, James E: 21

Dells Lumber Company: 34, 220

Des Moines rapids: rapids pilots,
277-278

Des Moines river: 166

Desota Bay: raft storage, 139

Diamond Bluff (Wis.) : 69

Diamond Jo: steamboat, 77

Diamond Jo Line: boat stores, 70;
steamers, 77; addition to fleet, 78;
155, 210, 215

Dimock, Gould and Co: 54, 143

Disney and Son: 129

Dispatch: steamboat, 229

Dixon (III.) : 240

Dr. Franklin 11: steamboat, 2t2

Dodds, Capt. Robert: 82; biograph-
ical sketch, 245-246

Dodge, Gov. Henry: treaty with In-
dians, 35

Dorrance, D. F: rapids pilot, 73; 74,
129

Double-tripping: explained, 17-18

Doughty, Thomas: 195

Douglas, Hugh: 180

Douglas, E: 48

Douglas Boardman: steamboat, 81;
136, 154; rivalry, 154-156; dis-
mantled, 178; described, 210; 240

Dienning, Thomas: pilot, 23

Dubuque: steamboat, riot, 39-40; 159

Dubuque (la.): 25; early sawmills,
36; 39, 60, 68; boat stores, 70; 100;
first iron raft-boat built, 180, 224

Dubuque, Julian: 163

Duck creek: 74

Duley, Joseph: liveryman, 267

Duncan, Capt. A. E: 129; retired, 268

Durant, Capt. E. W: 19, 21, 215; bi-
ographical sketch, 229-230; fur-
ther sketch, 266-267

Durant and Hanford: 249

3i8

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Durant, Wheeler and Co: raft-boat

fleet, 64; successful career, 229
Dutchman's creek: 35

Eads, Capt. [Jas. B.] : jetty plan, 89
Eagle Point (la.) : Diamond Jo boat-
ways, 76; 95
Eau Claire (Wis.) : packet service, 77
Eau Claire Lumber Company: 33;
charters Le Claire Belle, 60; 113
Eclipse: steamboat, sold, 186; 223
Ed Durant, Jr: steamboat, 230
Edwards, R. A: 129
Effie Afton: steamboat, 161
EI!a: steamboat, 77
Empire Lumber Co: 220
E. M. Norton: towboat, 160
Enber, Lillian: wife of Cyprian Buis-

son, 238
Engineers: list of, 279-285
Erie (Pa.) : birthplace of Capt. Haw-
thorne, 246

E. Rutledge: rafter, 172; rebuilt, 175;
189

Espy, Jean: chapter D.A.R., monu-
ment, 164

Evansville: steamboat, 126, 186; dis-
mantled, 189

Everett: bow-boat, 172, 224

Favorite: steamboat, 154

F. C. A. Denkmann: rafter, 172 ; name
changed, 175; largest log raft, 203;
described, 210

Ferryville (Wis.) : packet service, 77

Fetter, Capt. [A. E.] : 178

Fetter and Crosby, Contractors: 178

Fcvre river: 23, 24

Finley's wood landing: 68

Finn, Huckleberry: statue, 167

Firebox reports: 108

Fisher, Wm: pilot, 23

Flagler, H. M: 177

Fleming Brothers: 233, 237

Flying Eagle: excursion steamer,

wrecked, 176
Fort Armstrong: replica of old block

house, 161 ; 166

Fort Crawford: ruins, 164; 166
Fort Edwards: abandoned, 166
Fort Madison (la.) : last lumber raft,

33! 55i 5^1 7°! r^f' delivered, 76;

logs for, 117; monument, 164-165
Fort Shelby: 162
Fountain City (Wis.) : wood yards,

68; 69; packet service, 77; 117
Frank: steamboat, 221
Franklin county (Kans.) : 165
Franzeni, Jo: 68
Fraternal orders: 230, 249
Frenchtown (la.) : wood landing, 68
Fritz: steamboat, 172
Frontenac: steamboat, iSo; last large

rafter built, 188
Fugina, F. J : 180
Fulton (111.): packet service, 77; 139

F. Weyerhaeuser: steamboat, sold,
175; 189

Galena: steamboat, 212

Galena (111.) : mines and steamboats,
23; early sawmills, 36; 81; home
of Capt. Kerz, 239

Galena and Minnesota Packet Co:
Capt. Hanks in employ, 212; own-
ership and management of boats,
changed, 215; 216, 246

Gallenor, Joe: cook, 81; practical
joker, 82; 96, III

Cardie Eastman: steamboat, 129;
sold, 178 ; 233

Gardiner, Batchelder, and Wells:
129, 233

Gaunitz brothers: boat store, 70

G. B. Knapp: steamboat, 77
Gem City: packet, 154
Georgie S: bow-boat, 172

G H. Wilson: steamboat, dismantled,

189; 221
Gilchrist, H. M: in coal mine, 149
Gilchrist, John: in coal mine, 149
Gile, Abner: 35
Gipsey: bow-boat, 172
Girdon, Capt. G. W: 23
Glenmont: rafter, rebuilt, 171; 189
Glenraont (Wis.) : 69

INDEX

319

Godfrey, M. J. and Son: 178

Golden Gate: steamboat, 189, 220

Goldsmith, Harvey: 28

Graham, Lt. Duncan: 234

Giand Pacific: steamboat, 77

Gieen Bay (Wis.): 16+

Green Tree Hotel: 149-170

Grey Eagle: steamboat, 23-24; 154;

wrecked, 161 ; Capt. Dodds in

charge of, 245
Griffith, George: engineer, 23
Grignon, Pierre: sawmill, 35
Grupe and Murray: 130
Guttenberg (la.) : 68

H.^MMOND Chute: wood yard, 68 ; 89
Hanford, Jack: killed, 229
Hanks, Mary: 211

Hanks, Nancy: mother of Lincoln, 211

Hanks, Capt. Stephen B: 19, 20; pi-
lot, 23; 33; biographical sketch,
211-216; 229; aids author with
list of pilots, 267

Hanley, Dan: fireman, 96

Hanley, J. A: lawyer, 82; 96

Hannibal (Mo.) : destination of rafts,
39; H2; Mark Twain's statue,
167; 180, 191, 192, 220; objective
of first raft by steamboat, 221 ; 222,
240

Hansen and Linehan: boat store, 70

Harriet: rafter, 171; 172

Harrington's wood landing: 68

Harris, Capt. D. S': 212

Harris, Jack: 23

Harris, James Henry: engineer, 82;
eulogy of Capt. Dodds, 245-246

Harris, Keelcr: 23

Harris, Meeker: 23

Harris, Scribe: 23

Harris, Capt. Smith: 23, 154

Harris Slough: 23, 24

Harry, John: wood flats, 68

Hartford: steamboat, 48, 186, 215

Hastings (Minn.) : 182

Hawthorne, Capt. J. M: 19; bi-
ographical sketch, 246-249

Hay, John : Jim BluJso and the
"Prairie Bell," 16

Hayden, : cook, 150, 153

H. C. Brockman: bow-boat, 172;

largest log raft, 203
Heid, Barbara: 240
Helen Blair: steamboat, 24, 237, 238
Helen Mar: steamboat, 64, disman-
tled, 182

Helena (Ark.) : 175

Hclene Shulenburg: steamboat, 82;
dismantled, 172; Capt. McCaffrey
interested in, 244; 246

Henderson (Ky.) : 175

Hennepin canal: 244

Henrietta: steamboat, 143; sold, 179

Hershey Lumber Co: 54, 78; lets con-
tract to run logs, 130; 237

Hiawatha: excursion boat, 179

Hight, Capt. VV. P: 156

Hill, Capt. [T.B.]:45

Hitchcock, Capt. Samuel: 82; bi-
ographical sketch, 238-239

Hixon, G. C: 35

Holley, John M: 21

Hollinshead, Capt. A. F: 220

Holway, N. B: 35

Hotchkiss, G. W: publisher, 21

Hudson: steamboat, 186

Hugunin, James: 19; pilot, 56, 60

Hunt, Campbell: pilot, 154

Hunt, James: engineer, 23

Hunter, W. L: pilot, 33; runs last
raft, 204

Hutchinson, Capt. Abe: 154

Id.\ Fulton: steamboat, dismantled,
189; 215

Ida Heermann; steamboat, 77

I. E. Staples: raft-boat, 64

Illinois: 23; coal mines, 67; coal dis-
covered, 149; erects statues of
Clark, 166 ; 167 ; Lovejoy memorial,
168, 211, 240; sawmills, 258

Illinois Central railroad: longest
railroad, 1857, 25 ; monument erect-
ed, 162

Illinois Fish Commission: 178

320

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Imperial: steamboat, 77

Indiana: 167

Indians: 35, 162

Ingram, O. H: 219

Ingram, Kennedy and Company: 34,

180
International Harvester Co: 240
Inverness: steamboat, sold, 182
lovya: wood landings, 68; 113; Civil

War troops, 162; penitentiary, 164;

pioneers entered, 165; 187; saw-
mills, 257-259, 263-264
Iowa: steamboat, 129; sold, 176; not

rebuilt, 186
Iowa City: steamboat, 185
Irene D: steamboat, built, 74; 129;

sold, 176 ; 189
Irvine, Thos: 48; secretary M. R. L.

Co., 54
Isaac Staples: raft-boat, 64; 172;

burned, 179

Jack Frost: towboat, 160

James, Jesse: 63

Jas. Fisk, Jr: steamboat, 186; dis-
mantled, 189

Jas. Means: steamboat, dismantled,
189 ; 2i6, 221, 243

J. C. Atlee: steamboat, 177

Jefferson: steamboat, 181

Jenks, Capt. A. T: 215, 229

Jennie Gilchrist: steamboat, 68; tow-
ing coal, 74; accident, 104-105; at
Green Tree, 149-150

Jennie Hays: steamboat, 186

Jessie B: steamboat, 182

Jessie Bill: steamboat, 48

J. G. Chapman: steamboat, burned,
181 ; freak, 209 ; 223

J. H. Freind: steamboat, 172

J. K. Graves: steamboat, capsized,
175

J. M: steamboat, 204

John H. Douglas: rafter, 171, 221,
240

Johnny Schraoker: steamboat, 185,220

Joliet [Louis] : 164

Jo Long: steamboat, built, 74; sold,

176; 244
Joppa (111.) : 178
Josephine: steamboat, 77
Jcsie: steamboat, 77
Joy Lumber Co: 178
Joyce, David: 54, 139, 176
Joyce's Slough: 104
J. S. Keator: steamboat, 105; 175
Julia: steamboat, 221
Julia B: steamboat, 240
Julia Hadley: steamboat, 186, 229
Juniata: steamboat, 180; name

changed, i8i ; 188
J. W. Mills: steamboat, author in

charge, 67; 81, 126, 135; traded,

177; >78, 240
J. W. Van Sant i: 117, 172; burned,

179; described, 199-201; 221, 222

Kalitan: steamboat, 181

Kansas: harvesters from, 100

Kattenbracker and Weithe: 74

Keithsburg (111.) : 182

Kellogg Sanitarium (Mich.) : 244

Kelly, Will: pilot, 23

Kentucky 11: steamboat, in use prior
to i86o, 191

Kentucky and Indiana Bridge and
Terminal Co: 179

Keokuk, Chief: monument, 165

Keokuk: steamboat, 78; packet ser-
vice, 179 ; 210

Keokuk (la.): 165; packet service,
179

Keokuk Canal: 60

Keokuk Northern Line: steamers, 77;
competitor, 78

Kerz, Adam: 240

Kerz, Barbara: 240

Kerz, Capt. Paul: 23, 81; biograph-
ical sketch, 239-243

Kerz, Paul: attorney, 240

Kerz, Philip: 240

Key City: steamboat, 156; mail
packet, 215

Killeen, Capt. John F: supt. Diamond
Jo Line, 78

INDEX

321

King, John: pilot, 23
Kirns, Capt. Peter: 60, 267
Kirschner, A. O: 175
Kit: pilot-contractors', of what com-
posed, 26
Kit Carson: rafter, 172
Klein, Capt. John F: 175
Knapp, Stout and Company: 34, 221
Koehler, Jacob: 239
Kraus, Conrad: engineer, 81

La Crosse: steamboat, in packet ser-
vice, 180
La Crosse (Wis.): 35; boat stores,

70; packet service, 77; 180, 240
La Crosse Lumber Company: organ-
ized, 35
Lj Crosse Mississippi River Towing

Co: 172
Lady Grace: steamboat, sold, 178
Lafayette Lamb: steamboat, 104; used

as bow-boat, 172; sold, 237
Lafayette Lumber Co: 33

La France, Mr. : 219

Laird, Norton and Co: 54, i88
Lake Superior: steamboat, 77; 156
Lakes: Saint Croix, lumber run from,

33
Lamb, Artemus: vice-president M.

R. L. Co., 54
Lamb, Chancy: inventor of Clinton

Nigger, 207
Lamb, C. and Sons: 54, 78, 178;

Capt. Hanks in employ, 215; 237
Lambertson, Ben: 239
Lancaster, Capt. E. J: biographical

sketch, 223-225
Lancaster, George O: engineer, 122,

130
Lancaster, Harry: 224
Lancaster, S. E: pilot, 267
Lancaster, Thomas: 223
Lansing (la.): supplies, 70; packet

service, 77; 139, 144
Lansing Lumber Co: 126, 139, 176
Larkins, Martin: fireman, 56
Last Chance: bow-boat, 73; author

buys interest, 121 ; described, 122 ;

126; help rafts over rapids, 130;
239. 244, 250

Latshaw, Jim: 68

Laycock, John H: 135

Lead mines: 23

Le Claire: steamboat, first boat built
to tow rafts, 195

Le Claire (la.) : 28,73,95,144; fam-
ous Green Tree, 1 50-161; 187;
first towboat built, 195

Le Claire, Antoine: founder of Dav-
enport, 113; 149

Le Claire Belle: steamboat, 55; de-
scribed, 56-59; 86, 95; cylinders,
118; dismantled, 189; 209, 243, 250

Le Claire, Dave: pilot, 113

Le Claire Navigation Co: 74, 121-
'33; organized, 126; 176, 186, 250

Le Point, Frank: pilot, 82, 139, 145

Lewis, Merriwether: 167

Libby Conger: steamboat, 77

Lily Turner: rafter, rebuilt, 171

Lincoln, Abraham: 211

Lincoln, Thomas: 211

Lindley, J. T. R. (Kentuck) : pilot,
246, 249

Lindsay and Phelps: 223, 224

Lion: steam packet, 48, 77

Liquor: on steamboats, 39

Little Bull Falls: 27

Little Hoddie: towboat, 48, 52

Lizzie Gardener: steamboat, burned,
182

Lodwick, Capt. : 216

Lone Star: steamboat, 185, 221, 222

Long, Capt. J. N: rapids pilot, 73,
130, 132, 154; rivalry, 154-156;
arrested, 156

Long, William: cook, 122, 130

Locney, Morrell: pilot, in Alaska, 267

Lorrain, Matt: 24

Louisville: steamboat, dismantled,
182, 229

Louisville (Ky.) : i66, 179

Lovejoy, Elijah P: memorial, 167-168

Luella: steamboat, burned, 181

Lumber and Lumbering: handled by
Galena yards, 25 ; output of, 33,

322

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

34. 35. 37, 256, 263, 289-292; earli-
est, 35; men engaged, 36; increase,
37; output from Beef Slough, 53;
pine supply exhausted, 54; decline
of logging, 171 ; "last log," 291
Lumberman: rafter, 172
Lumberman National Bank: 229
L. W. Barden: steamboat, 186, 233
L. W. Crane: steamboat, 186
L. W. Workhouse: steamboat, 186
Lydia Van Sant; rafter, 171 ; 172, 177
Lynxville (Wis.): 68; largest log

raft from, 203
Lyons (la.) : 54, 139, 171, 178, 233

McCaffrey, Capt. John : boats
owned, 73; 121, 122; biographical
sketch, 243-244; purchase of steam-
boat interests, 246; planter, 267

McCaffrey and Dodds: Ten Broeck
purchased from, 126

McCall, R. B: mate, 56

McClellan, Camp: 154, 162

McCraney, William: 182

McDonald brothers: 35; boat store,
70; fleet of raft-boats, 85; 129

M'Gaughy, Owen: 24

McGillivray, Duncan: 48

McGinley, Capt. O. E: handles larg-
est log raft, 203

McGlynn, Harry: 104

McGregor (la.) : 68

McKenzie, D. J: 48

McKenzie, Capt. Hugh: 165

McKenzie, Kinney: 48

McKinley, Capt. Wm: 176

McKusick, John: first mill owner in
Stillwater, 212

McMann, Capt. O. P: 81, 130; (Mc-
Mahon) retired, 268

McPhail, Sandy: raft pilot, 36, 211

McWilliams Dredging Co: 178

Maggie Reany: steamboat, 77, 186

Mahan, Dulany: 167

Mahan, Mr. and Mrs. George A: 167

Maine: 35

Malin, Capt. Lew: on steamer Jessie
Bill, 48

Mamie Barrett: steamboat, 172

Manwaring, Joe: 74

Maquoketa Slough: 180

Marine Mills (Minn.) : first lumber
run from, 33

Markatana: houseboat of Deere fam-
ily, 181

Marquette: towboat, 224

Marquette, Father James: 163-164

Mars: steamboat, 221

Mary Morton: steamboat, 244

Mascot: rafter, 171, 172; destroyed,
177

Mates: list of raft-boat, 287-288

Matt F. Allen: steamboat, 182

Maxwell, Sara: engineer, 23

May Libby: steamboat, 221

Mayo, Dr. Charles: 175

Meese, William A: Battle of Camp-
bell's Island, 162

Memphis (Tenn.) : 176, 185; slave
auction, 219

Menominee: steamboat, 143; dis-
mantled, 180

Menominee (Wis.) : 77

Merrill, Henry: first raft, 35

Mexico, Gulf of: 89

Michigan: 167

Mikesell, Add: 56

Milligan, W. B: engineer, 82

Milwaukee: steamboat, 159

Mines: in Galena, 23

Minneapolis: steamboat, 77, 159

Minneapolis (Minn.): first sawmill,
37; immigrants to, 37; 74

Minnesota: steamboat, 77, 159, 191

Minnesota: towboat, 64; 239

Minnesota: Van Sant governor, 20;
21 ; freight and passenger boat to
Wabasha, 48; penitentiary, 63; 89;
wheat fields, 100; 234; sawmills,
256, 257

Minnesota Historical Society: Collec-
tions, 20-2I

Minnesota river: 186

Minnie Will: steamboat, 186, 192

Mississippi: excursion barge, 188

Mississippi river: 23; average cur-

INDEX

323

rent, 27-2S; early rafting, 36; low
water, 63, 89; 1878 a dry season,
64; then and now, 77-93; wing
dams, 89 ; improvement work, 90-
91; last raft, 204-207; decline of
rafting, 265

Mississippi River Logging Co: 21;
operations on Chippewa river, 33;
47; 53; dissolved, 54

Missouri: harvesters from, 100;
erects statue of Twain, 167; saw-
mills, 264

Missouri river: 89, 179

Mitchell, Capt. Bob: at La Crosse
bridge, 46; 130, 187

Mobile (Ala.) : 180

Mcline: rafter, 172; capsized, 175

Moline (111.) : 54, 143, 181, 224

Mollie Mohler: steamboat, 186, 187

Monitor: steamboat, 185

Monroe, John: pilot, 136; aids author
prepare list of pilots, 267

Montrose (la.) : 28, 121

Monuments and inscriptions: 160-168

Moonstone: steamboat, 185

Morgan, Capt. D: 176

Mormons: timber for buildings at
Nauvoo, 35

Morning Star: steamboat, 81,204,238

Morrell, Dave: wood landing, 68

Mountain Belle: steamboat, renamed,
182 ; 186, 221, 223

Mueller, Chr: 126, 139

Mueller Lumber Company: 176

Mullen, Moses: mate, 156

Muscatine: steamboat, 77, 159

Muscatine (la.) : destination of rafts,
36; 54, 132

Musser: steamboat, remodeled, 179

Musser Lumber Co: 54, 81, 103

M. Whitraore: steamboat, 246

Myers, \Vm: engineer, 23

Myrick and Miller: 35

Nackenhei.m (Germany) : birthplace

of Capt. Kerz, 239
Natrona: steamboat, 186
Nauvoo (III.): Mormons, 35; 182

Neptune: steamboat, 221

Netta Durant: steamboat, 129, 140;

rebuilt, 171; sold, 177; 229
Newcomb, Capt. M. H: 181
Newcomb, O. J: pilot, in Alaska, 267
New Orleans (La.) : 179, i8o, 181
New Ulm (Minn.) : massacre, 154
Noles Station: 144
Northern Light: steamboat, 23
Northfield (Minn.): 63
North Star: rafter, 171; 172
Northwestern: steamboat, 77; 159
Northwestern Lumber Co: 33, 220
Norton, Matthew G: 21
Novelty: steamboat, 237
Nunns, Annie A: 2i

O.^Rs: described, 29
Ohio: 167

Ohio river: 166, 178, 186
Oliver, Pearl: 68
Orinoco: steamboat, 175
O Ryan, Conny: 24
Osborne, James: 155; stabbed, 156
Ott, Charley: 68
Ottawa river: 51

Ottumwa Belle: steamboat, 33, 177;
ran last raft, 203, 204, 266

P,Miuc.\ii (Ky.) : 179, 180, 181, 182
Park Bluff: rafter, rebuilt, 171
Parmalee Brothers: 177
Pathfinder: bow-boat, 172; on last

raft, 204; 221
Patton, Capt. L. E: 176
Paul, John: 35

Pauline: steamboat, 182, 220, 229
Pearl: steamboat, 186, 221
Peavey, Capt. Hank L: 64
Peel, Capt. Thomas: 182
Penn Wright: steamboat, 64; burned,

189
Penguin: steamboat, 77
Pepin (Wis.) : 77, 181
Pepin, Lake: 68, 70, 82; speed of

rafts, 119; author has break-up,

140; 191
Perrot, Jo: 185

324

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Pete Kirns: steamboat, 113

Peters, Samuel: 188

Pettibone, A. W: 35

Phil Schaeckel: steamboat, 77

Phil Sheridan: steamboat, 159

Philumalee, David: 26, 36

Pilot: bow-boat, 73 ; sold, 74; 176, 244

Pilot-contractor: position explained,
26

Pilots: duties, 17; engaged, 36; 37;
income, 73; rivalry, 119; license
authorizes, 121; list of raft, 1840-
1913, 265-273; see also Rapids'
pilots

Pittam [William] : 24

Pittsburgh: steamboat, 78

Polleys, W. H: 35

Portage (Wis.) : 35

Porter and Moon: see Northv-'estern
Lumber Company

Prairie du Chien (Wis.) : 163, 224

Prescott: bow-boat, 73; 118; dis-
mantled, 189

Prescott (Wis.): 64; packet service,
77; wing dams, 89; Capt. Winans
last raft to, 221

Prices and values: 36, 69, 75, 129,
130; cut by Capt. Winans, 222

Princeton (la.): 26, 36; author
teacher in, 55

Purchase: steamboat, 182

Queens Bluff: wood yard, 68; low

water, 89
Quickstep: steamboat, sold, 182
Quincy (III.) : destination of rafts,
36; Clark statue, 166; packet ser-
vice, 179

Racing: 108, 113-114

Rafts: speed of floating, 28; de-
scribed, 29-30, 34, 51 ; first taken
to Saint Louis, 35; crews on, 38;
size, 53; speed down stream, 69;
earnings, 75-76; size of lumber
and log, 118; usual speed, 119;
storage, 139; first boat built to
tow, 195-201; largest, 203-204;

double-deckers, 203; last, 204-207;
see also Pilots, Rapids Pilots, En-
gineers, Mates

Raft-boats: crew, 15; what became
of, 171-189; first real raft-boat,
199-201; freak, 209-210; pilots,
265-273; Rapids pilots, 275-278;
Engineers, 279-285 ; mates, 287-288 ;
list of and their owners, 293-308

Rafting: 17; author's information,
19; records lost, 21; supplies, 70;
last of, 204, 265 ; biographical
sketches of prominent men, 211-
254; see also Pilots, Raft Pilots,
Engineers, Mates

Railroads: 25; none on Wisconsin
side, 48; under water, 104; 178

Rambo, J. W: rapids pilot, 73; 130,
132

Rand, E. D: 59

Randall, Lish: 68

Rapids pilots: special, 73; fee, 74;
list of, 275-278 ; see also Pilots

Ravenna: steamboat, raised, 180

R. D. Kendall: bow-boat, 172, 189

Read's Landing (Minn.) : 34, 54;
double-tripping, 70; packet service,
77; 112, 186; first steamboat to
tow rafts, 191 ; 219, 221

Red Wing: steamboat, 77, 156; sold,
181

Reindeer: steamboat, sold, 178

Rexdale, Robert: When the Missis-
sippi luas the Great Highway, 153,
168-170

Reynolds, Joseph: 215

Rice, Capt. Dan: 143, 144

Richtmann, Capt. J, J: 175

Richtman's wood yard: 68

Riots: see Dubuque

River anecdotes: 30-31, 38-39, 45, 46,
86, 125, 145-148, 196

R. J. Wheeler: steamboat, 179, 229

Robert, Louis: trading post, 212

Robert Dodds: excursion barge, 143;
145, 146, 172, 244, 246

Robert Harris: steamboat, 77

Robert Semple: steamboat, 229

INDEX

325

Rcbson, John: 126

Rochester (Minn.) : 175

Rock Island (III.): 54, 73; largest

log raft to, 203
Rock Island Lumber and Mfg. Co: 54
Rock Island rapids: 28; length, 73;

130; improvement, 195; rapids

pilots, 275-276
Reck river: 244
Roxbury (Mass.) : birthplace of Capt.

Durant, 229
Rum river: logging on, 37
Rumsey, L. H: 219
Rush Chute: 75
Rutherford, Capt. George: 19, 95,

103, no; advice to author, 112

Saddle-baccinc: explained, 18

Saint Anthony's Falls: logging above,
20; 36

Saint Croix: steamboat, 126, 186, 221

Saint Croix, lake: use, 64; wood
yard, 69; 74; rafts through, 82;
speed of rafts, 119; 186; rafts
pushed through early, 191

Saint Croix river: 20-21, 63; decline
of logging, 171 ; 186

Saint Louis (Mo.) : 23; steamers to,
24; first logs, 33; 35, 54; boat
store, 70; pilot's license, 74; packet
service, 78; 154, i8o, 182, 185;
largest raft to, 203 ; 220

Saint Louis IVaterways Journal: 245;
list of pilots, 265

Saint Louis wood landing: 68

Saint Maurice river: 51

Saint Paul (Minn.): 21, 24; immi-
grants to, 37; 74; packet service,
77, 78 ; 81 ; wing dams, 89 ; 90, 154,
182; Capt. Winan's last raft, 221

Sam Atlee: steamboat, sold, 179, 210,
221

Satelite i: steamboat, 221

Satelite 11: steamboat, 221

Saturday Evening Post: 20

Saturn i: rafter, 171, 172; destroyed,
177; 221, 240

Saturn 11: steamboat sold, 179;
handle largest raft, 203; 221

Savage, William: pilot, 136

Savannah Bjy: 55

Sawmills: and their owners, 255-264

Sawyer, T<im: statue, 167

Sawyer and Austin: 35

Schworm, F. P: 161

Scott, George : 48

Shannon, James: mate, 130

Shannon, John: fireman, 56

Shannon, Robert: engineer, 122, 130

Shaw, Daniel: 186

Sheffield (Ala.): 180

Sherman Lumber Co: 34

Shipley, Ben: cook, 56

Shiplor, Peter: wharf-boat, 105

Short, Capt. Lome: encourages au-
thor, 103

Short, Pete: 48

Shulenburg and Boeckeler: 54, 82

Sidney: steamboat, 78

Silas Wright: steamboat, sunk, 189;
220, 221

Silver Crescent: rafter, 46, 130, 146;
author buys, 186; unfortunate ex-
perience, 187; in packet service,
188

Silver Wave: raft-boat, 43; author
transferred to, 60; 81, 95-119; hard
to steer, 96; 181; dismantled, 189;

253
Simmons, Wm: 26
Skinner, Bill: raft pilot, 36
Skunk river: 112
Slocumb, Alfred: 2n
Siocumb, Henry: 188
Smallpox: epidemic, 106-107
Smith, John: 73; rapids pilot, 159
Smith, Capt. Orin: 23
Smith's wood yard : 69
South Stillwater Lumber Co: 229
Spaulding, Jacob: sawmill, 35
Spechts Ferry (la.): 100
Splitting on the pier: explained, 18
Stanchfield, Daniel: 20; cut first logs

on Upper Mississippi, 36
Standard Lumber Co: 220

326

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Staples, Isaac: 64

Steamboats: terms used, 15 ; principal
fuel, 60; use of coal, 67-68; size,
78; speed, 108; boilers, 109; riv-
alry, 154-156; all available used
in rafting, 185; more use for stern-
wheelers, 186; use in rafting, 191-
192; whistle signals, 196; see rac-
ing, raft-boats, rafting, etc.

Stedman, James: engineer, 114

Steele, Franklin: first mill in Minne-
apolis, 37

Stephenson, Capt. Charles L: 23

Sterling: steamboat, 24, 239, 240

Sterling (111.) : 229

Stillwater: steamboat, dismantled,
189, 223

Stillwater (Minn.) : first logs from,
33, 56, 60; penitentiary, 63; 70, 74,
77, 82, 121, 143, 180, 185; largest
raft taken from, 203 ; 237, 249

Stone, Elizabeth: wife of Cyprian
Buisson, 238

Stone House (The) : 68

Streckfus, Capt. John: 154; rivalry,
154-156; 181

Stubb's Eddy: 74, 162

Sucker State: steamboat, 156

Suiter, Jacob: 74

Suiter, VV. A: 85

T.4BER Lumber Co: 177

Tagg, Thomas: discovers coal, 149

Talmadge, T. DeWitt: lecturer, 76

Tampa (Fla.) : 254

Taylor, Maj. Zachary: 166, 234

Taylor's Falls (Wis.) : 77

Ten Broeck: steamboat, author in

charge, 67; wins race, 114; 126;

rafting with, 135-148; described,

136; burned, 176; 244
Tennessee river: 179, 182
Thistle: steamboat, in packet trade,

182-185

Thompson, Miss : 86

Tibbals, W. R: pilot, 23

Tibbetts, Bill: 68

Tiber: steamboat, dismantled, 189

Tidal Wave: steamboat, 77

Towboat Minnesota: 82

Tracey George S: lawyer, 182

Tracey, S. K: lavpyer, 182

Transportation: mail, frieght, and
passenger service, 48; harvesters,
100; roads, trucks, and busses ef-
fect river, 179 ; electric road effects
river, 181

Trenton (Wis.) : 69

Tromley, George: 19; pilot, 23-26;
claim on Packet Company, 45; 46,
56; encourages author, 67; 95, 136,
196, 243

Trow, G. B: 35

Turner, Capt. J. M: 20; biographical
sketch, 216-221 ; button factory, 220

Turner and Hollinshed: 180

Twain, Mark: statue, 167

Union: steamboat, 185; first to tow

rafts, 191, 192, 222; 221
Union Lumber Company: 33
Upper rapids: see Rock Island rapids

V.\LLEY Lumber Co: 34

Valley Navigation Co: 233; formed,
237

Van Sant, J. W: advice to author,
125; 199

Van Sant, Capt. Sara R: 19, 20; au-
thor's employer, 55; pardons Cole
Younger, 63; charters Artemus
Lamb, 76; charming host, 81; 100;
on racing, 114-117; 121, 122, 176,
199, 201 ; regarding Samuel Hitch-
cock, 238-239; biographical sketch,
250-254

Van Sant and Musser Transportation
Co: 103, 130, 177, 186

Verne Swain: steamboat, rivalry,
154-156

Vernie Mac: 181

Victory (Wis.) : 68

Vigor: steamboat, 77

Viola: steamboat, 186, 229, 249

Virginia: rafter, 171; taken to Flo-
rida, 177

INDEX

327

Vivian: steamboat, sold, 186
Vriiinteer: steamboat, built, 129; de-
stroyed, 177

Wabash: towboat, 175

Wabash river: 175

\\'abasha (Minn.): 48; trade be-
tween and Alma, 51; 77, 89, 180;
birthplace of Capt. J. Buisson, 230;
birthplace of Capt. Cyprian Buis-
son, 234

Wages: crews, 69

Walker, Jack: 237

Wapsie Slough: 144

Ward and Brady: boat store, 70

War Eagle: steamboat, 246

Warsaw (111.) : 166

Washburn, Gov. C. C: 35

\^'ater power: 37

Webb, Capt. N. F: 23

West Newton (Minn.): annual out-
put, 33; wood yard, 68; 237

West Newton Slough: 21, 53; decline
of logging, 171

\S'est Rambo: steamboat, 74; rebuilt,
171, 177

Western Union railway: under wa-
ter, 104

Weyerhaeuser, Fred: 48; president
M. R. L. Co., 54; 210

Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann: 54,
81, 210

Wharf-boat: at Bellevue, 105-106

Wheeler, Capt. R. J: 143, 215, 229

White, J. G. and Co: 178

White, Wm: pilot, 23

White Collar Line: 155, 159

White Eagle: steamboat, 77

W. H. Clark: steamboat, 220

Whitmore, Henry: engineer, 23;
mechanic, 96; 99; skilled mechanic,
100-103 ; 108, 139, 199

Wilcox, Capt. H. C: 51, 180

Wild Boy: bow-boat, 73; dismantled,
189

Wm. Hyde Clarke: steamboat, 185

Wm. White: steamboat, 186

Williams, Taylor: 67; opens coal

mine, 149
Williams, White and Co: 99
Willie Wilson: steamboat, 24
Wilson, Mr. [Natty]: author's land-
lord, 95
Winans, Capt. George: 171, 177; first
to direct raft below Lake Pepin,
191; 192; handled largest raft,
203; biographical sketch, 221-223;
240
Wing dams: 63; described, 89
Winona: rafter, 171
Winona (Minn.): 54; wood yard,
68; 69; packet service, 77; wing
dams, 89 ; 182
Winona Lumber Co: 54
Wisconsin: 47; wood yards, 68; 167;

sawmills, 256, 257
Wisconsin Historical Society: Pro-

cced'ings, 21
Wisconsin river: 21, 27; earliest
lumbering on, 35; 36; wood land-
ings, 68; 93, 164
Wisherd, Capt. D. W: 189
Wiihee, Levi: 35
Withee, Oran: 35
Withrow, Alf: pilot, 139
Witte, John: wood yard, 68
W. J. Young, Jr: raft-boat, built, 81 ;

queen of rafting fleet, 178; 240
Wolf river: 175
Wood, Billy: pilot, 156
Wooders, John H: pilot, 136
Woodward, Capt. Asa: 210
Wood yards: most noted, 68
Worden, Capt. Jones L: 159
Worth, Dave: wood landing, 68
Worth, Fred: wood landing, 68
Wright, Thos: chief engineer, 56
Wyalusing Bay: raft storage, 139
Wyman, Fred: 223; testimonial, 224
Wyman, X: steamboat, 221

YouMANS Brothers and Hodgins: 54
Young, Capt. A. R: 64; largest raft-
boats, 82 ; 239
Young, Mr. C. H: 178

328

A RAFT PILOT'S LOG

Young, W. J: 178; encourages first

trial raft-boat, 192; builds twin

boats, 210; 222, 239, 240
Young, W. J. and Co: 54; family

boat, 81; 135, 139, 176; run first

raft-boat, 192; 210, 222
Younger, Cole: 63
Younker, Capt. Adam: 23, 239

Younker, Capt. Stephen: 23, 239
Yukon Transportation and Trading
Co: 240

Zalus Davis: steamboat, 221
Zebley, Jonathan: built first boat to

tow rafts, 195
Zumbrota river: 230

'p

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