Scott Co, Iowa USGenWeb Project
A Raft Pilot's Log by Capt. Walter A. Blair
1929-Arthur H. Clark Company
Transcribed by Joan Bard Robinson
Chief Engineers of the Rafters
279
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 industry, as distinguished from the packet
business or the sand and gravel industry, and then my memory is limited 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. Eswards...........................Clinton,
Iowa
Wm.
Krause............................Clinton, Iowa
Fred
Huffman..........................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
280
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..................................Dwvwnport,
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
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
Burnett.................................LaGrand, Missouri
S.T.
Burnett....................................Quincy, Illinois
Wm.
Dodge.....................................Dubuque, Iowa
M.L.
Hanley....................................Dubuque, Iowa
Bud Dolson......................................Dubuque,
Iowa
Lyman
Stewart..................................Bellevue,Iowa
Jas. L.
Sherman................................Cassvile, Wisconsin
George
Sherman.................................Cassville, Wisconsin
Chas.
Harvey....................................Guttenberg, Iowa
Wm.
Glynn......................................Lansing, Iowa
Charles
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,
Wisconsin
Manny
King.....................................LaCrosse, Wisconsin
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
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.
Bryan...................................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
Matt
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, Wis.
Edward
Stokes..................................Reads Landing, Wis.
George
Bee......................................Reads Landing, Wis.
Marion
Davison..................................Reads Landing, Wis.
John
Walker....................................Reads Landing, Wis.
285
Edward Huttleby................................Reads
Landing, Wis.
Wm.
Gibson.....................................Reads Landing, Wis.
James
Smith....................................Reads Landing, Wis.
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. Fairweather..............................Pepin,Wisconsin
G.W.
Hunter...................................Pepin, Wisconsin
Wm. Ecklor....................................
Pepin, Wiscomsin
Alfred
Fuller....................................Pepin, Wisconsin
George
Gray.....................................Pepin, Wisconsin
Eugene
Fuller....................................Pepin, Wisconsin
Hiram
Fuller.....................................Pepin, Wisconsin
Clair
Fuller......................................Pepin, Wiscomsin
S.E.
Serene.....................................Pepin,Wisconsin
Earl
Steele......................................Pepin, Wisconsin
James H.
Harris................................Saint Louis,Missouri
287
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 pilots license. It was harder to get even a little prac-
tice running a raft down stream, but a few of them did become regular raf
tpilots 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.
Del Shaw, now living in Princeton, Iowa.
C.W. Schricker, now living in Davenport.
Peter Reese, living at Victoria, 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. Rool. 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 Setnhouse,of LeClaire.
Wm. Babatz, of Albany.
Louis Babatz, of Albany.
288
Albert Babtz, of Albany.
Don Buckingham, of LaCrosse.
Wm. Kerrigan,of Rock Island.
Harry Adams,of Rock Island.
JohnLumd, 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 interest and pride in his work and always had a good job.
I have great consideration for a good mate. He has the care of the
steamer; 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 th night and to couple up and move the
boat
over quickly and without any hitch required 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
of the Surveyor-general
of Logs and Lumber of Saint Paul,
Minnesota, and from the
Archives of the State Historical
Society of Minnesota and
Wisconsin
289
From Saint Croix river into the lake, 1837-
1903.......................................11,285,835,720 feet
Brought in by railroad 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.......................................12,444,261,720 feet
From the Mississippi above the falls (estimate),
1850-1870.................................150,000,000 feet
From The Mississippi above the falls (estimate)
1888-1916................................1,559,062,520 feet
_________________
Total through the Saint Paul boom,1850-
1916........................................1,709,062,520 feet
From the Chippwa river:
Through the Beef Slough boom, 1867-
1889........................................5,301,019,170 feet
Through west Newton Slough boom,
1889-1896..................................3,064,856,760 feet
Through west Newton Slough boom,
(estimate),
1897-1905......................3,000,000,000 feet
__________________
Total logs from the Chippewa,
1867-1905 11,365,875,030 feet
290
Total lumber from the Chippewa
(estimate)
1830-1901........................14,000,000,000 feet
_________________
Grand total from the Chippewa,1830-
1905.....................................24,365,875,930 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 fee
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 headwater 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 Chippwa 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 the great commodity
that was so essential in development of Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and
Nebraska, and
last
291
until we learned to make and use cement and could afford to buy more
espensivelumber from the southor northwest on which the rail charges are
higher than the cost of the lumber 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 1905.
Logging out of the Saint Paul boom ended in 1916.
291
"There is a picture hanging in the Gazette office, showing the
old boom-
master, Frank McGray, hitching the last log that came through the Saint
Croix boom; the log was a large one, scaling, I would say, five hundred or
six hundred feet and this closed operations 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, Eugene
O'Neal, Rev, John McCoy, then pastor ot the First Presby-
terian Church, R.S. Davis, W.C. Masterman 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
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 the 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 bottom 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 Weyerhauser and Denkmann's boats late in
July or August first.
Some logs had broken away or got loose from number 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 contents were sold to people living
near, in 1905.
The steamer 'E. Douglas' and the pile driver 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 o 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.
List of Raft-boats, their Masters
and owners, 1883
293
NAME
MASTERS
Charlotte Boeckeler...................................Robert Dodds
Helen Shulenberg.....................................E.J. Chacey
owned by the Shulenberg ans Boeckeler
Lumber Company
of Saint Louis, Missouri.
Helen Mar.............................................W.A.Slocumb
Louisville...............................................Andrew
Larkin
Menominie..............................................Stephen
Withrow
Bart. E. Linechan......................................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 Quincey Lumber Company
of Quincy,Illinois.
Lumberman.............................................Hiram Brazee
owned by J.C. Daniels of Keokuk,
Iowa.
Prescott................................................R.S.Owen
owned by Sam Speak 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 Company.
294
Isaac Staples............................................Vincent
Peel
owned by Vincent Peel and the
Burlington Lumber Company.
B.Hershey................................................Cyprian
Bouisson
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 Company
of Muscatine, Iowa
F.C.A.Denkmann...........................................W.H.Whisler
C.J.Caffrey................................................George
Carpenter
owned by
Weyerhauser and Denkmann of Rock Island,Ill.
Stillwater..................................................Alfred
Carpenter
owned by the Rock
Island Lumber Company.
Eclipse.....................................................
E.J.Lancaster
owned by the
Lindsay and Phelps and the Cable Lumber
Company of
Davenport, Iowa.
St.Croix.....................................................George
Tromley
owned by the
Mueller Lumber Company of Devenport.
Golden Gate.................................................Geo.
Rutherford
owned by the
Coleman and Rutherford Steamboat Company
of Devnport, Iowa.
Moline........................................................
Isaiah
Wasson
owned by Dimock,
Gould and Company of moline, Illinois.
J.S.Leator...................................................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.
295
Ten Broeck.................................................George
Tromley
owned by John
McCaffrey and George Tromley,Jr.
of LeClaire
and Robert dodds of Saint Louis,Missouri.
W.J.Young..................................................Paul
Kerz
D.Boardman.................................................James
Rellis
owned by
W.J.Young and Company of Clinton, Iowa
Artemus Lamb..............................................Stephen
B.Hanks
Chancey 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.
Iowa.......................................................Frank
Wild
owned
by Davis and Gardiner of Lyons, Iowa.
Gardie Eastman............................................Joseph
Buisson
owned by
Gardner, Betcheler 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 LaCrosse.
Mountain Belle..............................................Morrell
Looney
Dexter......................................................Peter
O'Rourke
Bella Mac...................................................R.M.Cassidy
Natrona.....................................................Vol.A.Biglow
296
NAME
MASTERS
Mollie Mohler..........................................N.B.Lucas
Zada...................................................Frank
Wetenhall
Carrie..................................................
owned by McDonald
Brothers of laCrosse, Wis.
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 byA.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
Clinton, Iowa.
Jesse Bill................................................E.C.Bill
Buckeye.................................................
owned by Captain E.C.Bill
of Wabasha, Minnesota.
Lizzie Gardner..........................................Asa
Woodward
owned by Drury of
Wabasha,Minnesota.
Silas Wright............................................John Walker
owned by Davison
and Walker of reads Landing.
Clyde.....................................................E.D.Dickson
owned by 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.
297
Ruby......................................................George
Herold
owned by Gardner
and Company.
Bro.Jonathan.............................................C.C.Carpenter
A.T.Jenks................................................O.J.Newcomb
R.J.Wheeler............................................. Ira Fuller
Dispatch...................................................W. Grant
owned by Durant Wheeler ans
Company of Stillwater.
David Bronson..............................................John Hoy
Evansville...................................................Edward
Root
Bun Hersey.................................................JohnQuinlan
owned by Matt Clark
Transportation Company of
Stillwater, 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 Bellvue' 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
marshall for debt and her ownership 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
steam-boats
gave employment to about two thousand men, counting those actually
on board
and
298
the 'alternates' on shore, some sick at home or in the marine hospital,
others laying off 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 in Lansiing for supplies.
He had been with us three or four weeks in the mate's crew on deck.
He was above the average for intelligence. Hw 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 off 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 refresh himself.
As I passed back through the deck room I glanced at his big black
paste-
board valise. He noticed this and on my return through the deck room he
called my attention to his worldly belongings and with excellent voice and
appropriate gesture said: "Captain ! Behold her ! The accumulations of
forty-one years.
His possessions included a red hankerchief, an old razor and a pair
of
socks.
List of Raft-boats in Commission,1890,
with names of their Masters and Owners,
as published in the Davenport
Democrat, February, 1890
299
NAME
MASTER
Helene Shulenberg..................................E.J.Chacey
Charlotte Boeckeler.................................Robert Dodds
Robert Dodds........................................George Brasser
owned by the
Shulenberg and Boeckeler Lumber
Company of Saint
Louis, Missouri.
Abner Gile...........................................John H.Wooder
owned by Canton
Sawmill of Canton,Missouri
Lumberman............................................Gara Denberg
owned 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 Trnasportation
Company of
Muscatine, Iowa.
300
C.J.Caffrey.............................................George
Carpenter
F.C.A.Denkmann.........................................Wm.H.Whisler
owned by
Weyerhauser and Denkmann of Rock
Island, Illinois.
Stillwater.................................................Jim
Hugunin
owned by Rock
Island Lumber Company.
Golden Gate...............................................James
Coleman
owned by Coleman
Brothers of Davenport, Iowa.
J.K.Graves.................................................John
Hugunin
owned by frederick
Weyerhauser 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 of Moline, Illinois.
Moline........................................................Isaiah
Wasson
owned by
Dimock, Gould and Company,Molina,Ill.
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
McCaffrey and J.N.Long of LeClaire.
J.W.Mills.......................................................J.H.Laycock
owned by
W.A.Blair of Davenport and J.H.Laycock of
LeClair,
Iowa.
Evansville.....................................................Thos.Withrow
Ten Broeck....................................................W.A.Blair
Netta Durant................................................Geo.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.
301
Reindeer.............................................. Alfred
Hollinshead
owned by Al.Hollinshead
and D.C.Law,Lyons,Iowa
Artemus Lamb..............................................Wm.
McCaffrey
Chancey 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 LeClaire Navigation Company, Van Sant and
Musser
Transportation Company and W.S.Mitchell of
Clinton, Iowa.
Nina..........................................................Hiram
Brazee
owned
by Ida S. Lachman, George W. Ashton and
Lyons
Lumber Company.
Bro,Jonathan.................................................George
reed
owned
by Lachman,George W. Ashton and George
S.Sardam of Fulton, Illinois.
Lily
Turner...................................................C.C.Carpenter
owned by
Edward Hollinshead, Ida S.Lachman and
George W.
Ashton of Lyons, Iowa.
Gardie Eastman...............................................J.G.Moore
owned by
Gardiner Batcheler 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.Hollam
and William Davis of
Dubuque, Iowa.
Pauline........................................................J.M.Turner
owned by
J.M.Turner.
302
Lizzie Gardiner................................................Wm.Kratka
owned
by sawyer and Austin of LaCrosse,Wis.
Mountain
Belle.................................................Henry
Walker
Inverness........................................................A.P.Lambert
Bella
Mac........................................................E.D.Dickson
Thistle...........................................................N.B.Lucas
Louisville.........................................................R.M.Cassidy
Helen Mar........................................................Wm.Dobler
B.E.Linechan................................................. .W.R.Slocumb
Kit Carson.......................................................I.H.Short
Scotia...........................................................Chas.
White
owned by McDonald Brothers of
LaCrosse, Wis.
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.Withrow
Juniata.......................................................Henry
Slocumb
Julia.........................................................
(unassigned)
owned by Laird Norton
Company of Winona,Minnesota.
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
Rogue
J.G.Chapman..................................................Ira
DeCamp
owned by
C.JellisonTowing Company of Wabasha,
Minnesota.
Lion...........................................................
James
Folmer
owned by
H.C.Wilcox of Wabasha.
303
Silas
Wright..................................................Daniel
Davison
owned by Daniel
Davison.
Phil Schaeckel............................................
.Phil
Schaeckel
owned by
Kanpp, 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
Menominne....................................................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,Wis.
St.Croix........................................................Jos.
Young
owned by Robert O'Donnell, Dubuque, Iowa.
Nellie...........................................................William
York
owned
by William Davis of Dubuque,Iowa.
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
305
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.Weyerhauser.....................................John Hugunin
J.K.Graves.........................................Harry Hugunin
owned by Weyerhauser
and Denkmann of
Rock Island.
Kit Carson...........................................Gara Denberg
Lumberman..........................................J.H.Wooderd
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 of Moline.
Pilot..................................................Orrin Smith
owned by Pilot
Steamboat Company of Leclaire.
Jo Long..............................................S.E.Lancaster
owned by Jo Long
Transportation of LeClaire.
Irene D..............................................D.F.Dorrance
owned by Union
Towing Company of LeClaire.
Ten Broeck.........................................W.S/Mitchell
Iowa................................................George
Carpenter
Netta Durant.......................................George
Rutherford
306
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.
Dardie 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 Lachman,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. and J.C.Atlee of
Fort Madison,Iowa.
Musser...................................................S.B.Withrow
J.W.Van Sant...........................................Geo.
E.Carpenter
Glenmont.................................................John
O'Connor
owned by the Van Sant and Musse
Transportation
Company,Muscatine.
Charlotte Boeckeler........................................Robert
Dodds
Helen Shulenberg.........................................George
Brasser
owned by Shulenberg and
Boeckeler Lumber
Company, Muscatine.
Henrietta..............................
Cyclone................................No Assignment of Masters.
R.J.Wheeler..........................
owned by Durant and
Wheeler of Stillwater,Minnesota.
307
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 Folsom 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 Mae...................................................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
Newcomb
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.
Quickstep.....................................................A.
Gallager
owned by
Vol.A.Biglow,LaCrosse.
308
Abner Gile...................................................Brown
Jenks
owned by J.B.Jenks
and Vol.A.Biglow.
Lizzie Gardner...............................................Wm.Kratka
Pauline........................................................Hiram
Brazee
Thistle.......................................................Geo.Tromley,Jr
owned by the Kratka
Towing Company,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, and 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.
Transcriber Note:
I have enjoyed doing this and hope it will help others find
relatives
they have been looking for, with a time and place that will be of help too.
I have had the pleasure of speaking to W.A.Blair's gr.daughter,Elizabeth.
She is living in Indiana at age 87 (2001) She related a few stories that
gave me an idea of her grandmother and grandfather's personalities. Captain
Blair was married to my Dad's aunt, Elizabeth. Her sister, Adele ,married
Captain John H.Laycock on same day. I have since learned that Adele and john
were divorced. After doing this book I can see that many of these men were
married to the river and the rafts-it must have been hard on the women.
Joan(Bard)Robinson
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