The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-06-18
st. CrOix Boom,


The lumbermen of the ST. Crox, during the
sessions of the Wisconsin and Minnesota Legis-
latures of lS50-5l procured the incorporation
of the "St. CroiX Boom Company" with ca
pital Of $4,000. This work was considered alb
solutely necessary to facilitate the business of
driving, asserting. and rafting logs. The stock
was speedily taken; and by the following sea-
son the Boom was built and ready for service
The work is substantial and permanent. Piers
OF immense size are sunk at proper distances
from the Minnesota shore to the foot of q large
island near the centre of the stream and arain
from the head of the island to the Wisconsin
shore. The boom timbers are hung from pie,
to pier; and the whole river is entirely com
mandcd, with no possibility of scarcely single
log escaping. The charter of the company
compels them however, to give free passage to
all boats, RATS, &c, ascending or descending
the river. This duty is rather difficult to per
form at certain times, particularly when the
logs are running into the boom briskly. and
hands are not to be had to raft and run then,
out. This was the case once this season. The
Asia came up with heavy freight. which she
had signed to deliver at Taylor's Falls. When
she reached the Boom, a barrier of three or four
miles of logs compactly interviewed upon the
waters surface, and forbade her further pro
grcss The company had been unable to pro
cure laborcrs to clear out the logs. but were
nevertheless clearly liable to damages for oh.
structing navigation. They chose the only re-
medy at hand, which was to receive the freight
and pay its transportation up to the Falls in
Mackinaw boats With a full complement Of
men, the Boom can always be kept clear at the
point where it crosses the main channel of the
river. But owing to the unusual demand fol
labor, this has been 4 difficult matter the pre-
sent season.
This Boom is undoubtedly the most complete
and expensive work of the kind in the North
West. 1t is the business resort of all the lum-
| bcrmen ON the river, and those who wish to
have any transactions with them during the sea-
son of rafting and running. 1t is to them pre-
cisely what Change is to the merchants of a
large city. Mill proprietors, Dealers pilots,
loggers, and rattsmen here do congregate daily,
to talk over their affairs and transact their bus
mess. Ifyou wish, at this season. to see man
residing in that section of country, you will be
more apt to find him at the Boom, some day
during the week, than at home or anywhere
else. Every mans logs ON the river are COM
PEELED to pass through the Boom, and during
the process, they are assorted and RATED, and
delivered to him or his pilots Immediately be-
low. So much per thousand is allowed the
company by law, for this labor, which, by the
bye, we understand, has never yet been sufli-
cient to pay. 1t is thought, however, that the
present season will show different result. ow-
ing to the large increase of business.
1t is curiosity to see the huge size of some
OF the RATS from this boom. Two noted St
Croix pilots, Messrs. McPhail and Perot
& Sandy and Big 10, passed Saltwater while
we were there, with fleet of 5000, 900 feet nm.
der their command. We believe this is tn,
largest lot of logs that ever went out of the St
Croix in one body.
Above the Boom the nature of the bushes:
entirely changes. Here it is driving The
evening we passed up, the water was rising
and the surface was so covered with logs run
ming down into the Boom, that the weak ant
exhausted Humboldt-wbich is said sometime
to come to dead halt if she runs against :
common-sized chip floating in the water,-had
great difficulty in getting past them. The
captain, as we neared the bellies, signified hi
intention ofnot going through the swift water
up TO the landing, on account of the running
logs; so we were put ashore some half mile he
low, ana compelled to foot it over the break
neck surface of uneven outcroping trap-rock tc