East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-07-25
AoMe Matters.
THE GREAT RAFT.

timber and lumber RAFT oil MeSsrs. ARM
Err, DE BLAQIUERE & DECIDES, left Bay City
for Qubec, via Port Maitland, lake Erie,
in tow OF the steam tugs Ospego, screw
and Magnet, sde-wheel; and as the event
commences an era in the rafting business
of this section, we have taken some pains
to get at few of the particulars The
materials of the raft are mssts, pine;
board timber, do. which is prepared by
squaring or slabbing the logs at the mill
or by hand, the logs being cut in lengths
from 16 to 60 feet; square oak timber,
and pine boards. The raft is composed of
13 CRIBS each 100 #. in length by 80 in
width, which are constructed as follows /:
A foundation is made with masts, boom
sticks, and board timber, running ZENITH
wise of the crib and fastened at each end
and in the centre by chain of IL inch
wire, running through the ends of por-
ton of the logs, over others and fastened
by ring at one end and shackle at the
other, ali additional fastening is also
made by strong hickory poles running
parallel with the chain above and below,
and secured throughout by withes and
contrivances called "lxnock downs" which
go over the pole in the form of bow and
are, by means of wedges driven into the
augur holes beside the ends, so imbeded
in the solid timber as to become as perm
anent almost as the stick ITSELF This
manner of fastening is used at intervals
of from ID to twenty feet for the whole
length of the crib. The timber com
posing the foundation is put in in vari-
Gus lengths, and made to break joints, so
that when the fastenings are perfect, the
whole comes as near being a solid super
structure as it can well be made. This
foundation, is then loaded with square
timber, board timber, or boards, as the
case may be, and the whole fastened by
means of binders across the top in an
equally substantial manner as the lower
tier In the board cribs stakes, formed
of small trees upon which portion of
the root is left, arc driven up through
loles in the ends of the binders below,
which are placed at short intervals, and
the upper binders SO secured to these
stakes by means of withes and wedges
that there is but little danger of these
giving out under almost any strain. The
cribs are connected by means of a chain
twenty feet in length, which gives them
ample play in case of heavy sea, and
in still weather they are drawn close to g.
gether and fastened by line of sufficient
strength to tow them under such circum-
stances, bnt which is intended to part of
itself in rough weather. The whole raft
will be 1860 feet in length and it is ex-
pected the steamers will be able to two
it at the rate Of p miles per hour. The
value of the raft as it lays in the river,
is estimated at $4,000, which will, of
course, be greatly enhanced on its arrival
at Qubec. The cribs are constructed so
as to be cut apart to pass through the
canal, the width being thus reduced to
25 feet; after passing the canal, the cribs
being numbered in regular order, they
will be again coupled together and pro-
ced the remainder of the way to Quebec
as they started. This raft has been con-
structed under the immediate supervision
of Mr.. LEAroN, Agent of Messrs. FARMER,
DE BLAoUIERE & DECIDES, at this point,
who has kindly furnished the information
by which we are enabled to give this
somewhat extended but imperfect notice.
An experience Of many years in the bus
mess has satisfied him that great saving
may be made in the transportation Of
timber and lumber in large quantities by
raft over 'l's "snal means of Shipping by
vessel, and he fully understands all the
particulars of their construction neces.
sary to make them as secure against the
ordinary gales of the Summer season as
the same material would be on board
ship He has one or two other RATS also
in process Of construction, which will
leave before the close Of the coming
month. The average draught Of water
Of this raft is 81 feet contents, $4,000
cubic feet of timber, 100000 feet Of
boards. Total number Of feet of the
whole, board measure, 100000. The