The morning news., 1888-08-14

away from home, he was impressed with
the great forests that skirt the bay of Fundy
and the eastern coast of New Brunswick,
He realized that great fortune awaited
the man who could put the ti,uber cheaply
into the great markets of the world. 1t
had been proven that the ordinary coasting
or lumber schooner could not do this business
economically. Marray'y raft was an idea.
Robertson, with the trained mind of an ex-
perienced engineer, grasped it. For two
years and more he studied it. He solved
the problem.
Build RATS on the land and launch them
as you would a ship, then you can control,
size and shape and build staunchly," said
he. In the winter of 1886 he contracted for
$4,000 spruce and pine logs. to be delivered
on the coast at Port Joggins. These he
built into a raft, little different from that
now here, but when the launching day
came the immense pile of timber would not
move, and 1t proved impossible to move it
that year. Robertson had about exhausted
his resources. He applied to his friends for
help. They regarded him as hare-brained
enthusiast
MR.. LEARY COMES TO THE RESCUE.
At last he laid his case before James d.
Leary. Mr. Leary was an immense con-
su1ner of Just the class of timber that jog
gins produced. He needed it for piling, for
cribs, and for dock purposes. He is rich
man, practical man and man of nerve.
The project seemed feasible to him. He
joined his fortunes with Robertson and
furnished the needed capital. In 1887 the
first raft was torn to pieces and rebuilt on
finer lines and large scale than before. 1t
was safely launched Nov. Is, 1887, and
sailed from Port Joggins Dec. 8 following,
towed by the tug Miranda, Capt. Leasman.
Dec. IS the tug parted from the raft in
gale about sixty-five miles east of Block
Island. Robertson was aboard. He says
Capt. Leasman became frightened and lost
his head, and suspects that he deliberately
broke loose. Messrs. Leary & Robertson
have sued the owners of the Miranda for the
value OF the raft. They allege that the.tow
loft JogginS twelve days later than the con.
tract date, and that Capt. Leasman, instead
of hugging the shore, as directed, put boldly
to sea. Mr.. Robertson, convinced that a
mistake was being made, offered Capt.
Leasman 81, 900 to take the raft to Eastport,
Me-, where she could lie for the winter.
Later he offered $1,000 to be allowed to
moor her till the following summer at
ProvinceUon, Mass. These offers were re-
fused; hence the suit.
1T MIGHT HAVE CAUSED DISASTERS.
When the loss of the raft became known
great alarm was felt among ship owners,
and vigorous protest was made against
repeating the attempt. In fact, federal
legislation was invoked to prevent it, on
the ground that it was not feasible and was
dangerous to shipping. But as time wore
on, and no disasters were reported from the
derelict, the excitement subsidized and died
out.
The loss of this raft gave valuable prac-
tical lesson in ocean currents. Logs break
ing from it have been encountered in many
parts of the North and South Atlantic, and
q short time since vessel reported that a
part of the raft had been sighted intact
near the Western Islands, off the coast of
Africa.
Immediately upon the loss of the raft of
1887. Mr.. Leary announced his mistaken
confidence in the feasibility OF the enter
prise and declared his determination to
launch another ratt. He and Robertson
were out about $50, 900 on their first venture,
and it was considered foolhardy to again
risk such sum. They went ahead, how
ever, contracted for the logs to be delivered
at Port JoRgins in the winter of 1888, and
the successful result has already been de-
scribed.
Many attempts were made to annoy the
promoters of the enterprise. Owners OF
lumber coasters endeavored to have coll
gress pass bill prohibiting such RATS in
the American waters, and Canadian oppo-
nents claimed that the timber was intended
for manufacture abroad and was conse-
quently liable to the export duty Of 81 per
1000 feet, board measure, that Canada inn
poses on timber exported for manufacture.
These obstacles were. however, successfully
overcome.
IL is probable that next year will see sew
erai such rafts built, and MeSsrs Robertson
and Leary confidently expect that ere many
years thev will send great timber RATS t.
Europe. The next raft will be supplied
with steering apparatus, and the logs or the
bottom will be peeled. Thus the raft will
give much less resistance to the water and
will glide along much faster with the same
expenditure of force.
WHERE THE PROFITS COME IN.
The saving effected by this mode Of
transportation is immense. First, there is
the saving in freight, and it costs little, if
any, moro to build such a raft than to stow
tho same quantity in schooners. If the tim
her is intended for manufacture, the Cana
dian export duty is 81 per LOCO feet, while
the United States imposes duty of W per
1000 feet on manufactured lumber But
under our laws unmapufacturcd timber
comes in free Of duty, SO that a raft of these
dimensions C3,G00,00O) of fine timber, in
tented 30 be sawed here, would pay Cana
dian export duty of $1,000 and save the
United States Import duty Of $4,000 were it
already cut into beams, boards, etc
1t would be cut up here and give employ
ment to men around New York instead Of
men in the wilds of Nova Scotia. This is
not the only economy, however. There is
great waste of timber sawed or manufac-
tured where grown. All the poor stuff is
left behind. In fact, it is estimated that
the ordinary waste would pay the freight of
a raft.