The record-union., 1894-10-19
Special to the REooaD-Uxrox.


SAN Francisco, Oct 18.-Captain Dan
Thompson of the tug Monarch arrived in
port this morning after having rough
experience with the log raft. He says that
If the sea had not been unusually rough he
would have had no trouble in bringing the
big raft into port safely. He further as
serts that the summer, when the seas are
not so boisterous, is the best time to bring
raft of such large dimensions to this
city.
The raft in question was 525 feet long,
81 feet beam, and had a draft of 20 feet 3
inches. Ali told, there were 10000 piles.
The value of the raft is between so, 900
and 100000.
This makes the second raft which has
gone to pieces within the last two years,
and it is very likely that another attempt
will not be made for some time to bring
one to this city, or at least until some
better means are devised.
Captain Thompson and his crew re-
manned with the raft until it was ascer-
tanned that there was no possible chance
OF keeping IL together, when IT was found
Necessary to cut adrift.
The spreading of the 10000 piles and
wandering over the ocean will undoubt-
they will be warned in due time OF the
vagrant logs.
The Monarch left Astoria at 1920 A. NJ
October 18th and crossed the Colum bia
bar at p. NJ, which was then smooth.
While of the lightship light southeast
wind came UP. At 4 P. NJ. the tug was
steered south by east. At midnight the
gale was blowing at the rate of forty
miles per hour from the southeast and in
'creasing. Then TillamOok light was OBJ
served IL the distance.
The tug and raft had made eighteen
miles from the time they left the Column
bia bar. With the wind so strong and
with heavy seas only l $40 knots were
made. The wind decreased for short
time, but increased again, and no head
way was made. The tug then headed of
shore and remained in the trough of the
sea all night. On the next day about 4
A. NJ. the wind went down, but there was
a heavy sea. The tug was put on her
course again. south by east. When day
light arrived Captain Thompson noticed
piles coming out of both ends-tore and
aft At noon Sunday the tug was four
miles south of Tillamook light. Very
little progress had been made. At TO P.
NJ. Sunday night the wind abated and the
Captain noticed Cape Meares abeam
From Tillamook to Cape Meares forty
six miles had been made. Monday, Oc-
toEer 18th, at 4:30 p. NJ, there was a thick
log anu HeaNy westerly sea. AT . \. II.
the Captain sent two men in boat to the
raftto trim the light.
The ratt-former was then working
heavily. Thirty miles were made. 1t
then became calm and foggy. Tremen-
dOus heavy seas again came UP. at II NJ
the wind was from the north and con-
tinued increasing. When P. NJ. was
reached the wind had increased to over
forty miles per hour along with heavy
cross seas. At P. NJ. the raft COM
menced TO labor heavily in the cross and
ugly seas. This caused the light frame
on the raft to break down. leaving it in
darkness. The wind gradually increased
until 1t reached fifty miles per hour. The
heavy seas and wind continued the next
day. At 8 a. NJ Tuesday Captain Thomp-
son observed the raft going 10 pieces. At
daylight there were only seventy-fiye
feet left OF the raft. At $50 A. NJ the
Monarch decided TO abandon the tow, as
there was no possible chance of saving
any of it. The chains which held the
raft together weighed over sixty tons,
and as thirty tons were on the bottom
they made sort of an anchor, which was
next to impossible to move. At Hecta
Light the whole raft was abandoned. The
wind was then light and the sea calm
until Crescent City was reached, where a
southeaSter sprung up and continued all
the way until San Francisco was reached.