Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-11-06
WINDING UP.
River Traffic Almost Cl0sed-Clearing
out the Warehouses---The Log
cling SEASON

River Traffic Almost Closed-Clearing
cling Season.
Another week will witness the wind up
of river business on the Mississippi fol-
the season of 1886. The Pittsburg passed
down this morning, the last regular pack
ct south of this port this season. She
will be back the middle of next week.
going as far north as Dubuque only.
where she will,go into retirement for the
winter. The Mary Morton which went
north week ago, was the last boat to
st. Paul, and on her return to Dubuque
will lie up for the winter. The St. Paul
of the Saints line. is expected to make
| one more round trip 10 st. Paul before
laying up. Navigation will therefore
close in a week, and the steamers of the
pac ket lines retire for the season.
Warehouses along the Mississippi river
are being relieved of all freight on hand
and preparations for closing are being
made.
After very successful rafting record,
amounting to 400, 000. 900 feet OF logs for
the season. the Beef Slough company
closed their works. by reason of the mills
at various points along the Mississippi
! l. IL,
having sufficient available stock to carry
them through. The amount of logs raft
ed for the season of 1885 was $50, 600, 600
feet and the comparative shortage this
year was caused by the low stage of
water in the Chippewa and Mississippi
during the months of July and August.
Lumbermen we're Fastening their men in-
to the woods and many of the camps
are actively engaged at bark telling and
banking, which is at least from three TO
four weeks earlier than usual The main
object for this early commencement is a
general desire to secure the timber de-
vastated By the forest fires in August be-
fore the logs become covered by deep
snowfall, and otherwise rendered waste
by the borers, which have shown them
selves already. From present indications
the logging season on the Eau Claire,
Chippewa and Red Cedar rivers will be
short but unusually busy one. Parties
are arriving from the Duluth and other
Minnesota districts in search of steady
jobs through the winter in the pineries,
and the labor market promises within a
very short time to be overrun with labor,
while loggers are disposed to give home
labor the preference.
The fall rains afford an excellent OPP
portunity to start the hung>up drives and
allow successful running drives to be
made, leaving only from $50. 1000, 900 to
170, 0U0,000 feet oack on the Chippewa
waters which have reached points readily
TO be moved and brought down by the
spring freshets. The small loggers will
do large work this winter, and the output
of logs in the chippewa district will not
be less than from 1000, 100000. to
$500, 000,0 feet this winter exclusive
of the logs that are held back, scattered
and stranded.
Mississippi river steamers have all sum-
mer found much trouble in crossing a
shoal place near Drew's Landing, few
miles above Burlington. Iowa. The gov
eminent officers have been looking up
matters. and find that instead of being a
sand as was supposed, the obstruc,
ton is rock reef. The boats will CONS
mence work upon it this week and will
blast out channel, using 200 pounds of
dynamite for that purpose.
Attached to the Pittsburg which went
south this morning, was Diamond JOS
new steel barge which has heretofore
been described in the ARGUS Steamboat
men expect great things of this departure
in the construction of huIls. There is a
double lining of steel, and it is claimed
that should it sink, the cargo would thus
be saved from destruction from
water