Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-08-12
TOWING HISTORY.
Some Interesting Information of Upper
River Logging.

Some Interesting Information of Upper
River Logging.
Capt. W. A. Blair, one of the best
experienced steamboat pilots on the
Mississippi river. has been giving
the Chicago Timberman some inter-
esting items about the rafting bust
ness on the river. In giving the
history of towing logs the writer
SAYS:
I'm 1865. w. j. Young, of Clinton.
one OF the most successful pioneers
in the lumber business, encouraged
Capt. Cyrus Bradley to try a small
steamboat hitched on the stern Of
the raft to push and guide it. Their
first efforts were not highly satisfac-
tory, but enough SO to induce them
and others to try other and better
boats in the same way with very
gratifying results. BY 1870 the bus
mess of towing RATS by steamboats,
had become we'll established, but
considerable trouble attended all
their efforts to properly handle and
guide the RATS until Chauncv Lamb,
of Clinton. invented the famous
Clinton Niger since then in use
on every boat in the rafting business.
By its use the boats position can be
easily and quickly changed. so as to
shove or back in different directions
as the change in the wind or course of
the river may require. The boats
head is made fast to the stern of the
raft, as near the middle as possible,
and her stern is held in position by
two guy lines or large ropes made
fast on the stern corners of the raft,
and run around the drums of the
Clinton Niger placed aft of the
boats center or amidships. Run
ming the niger pulls in one guy
line and plays out the other, chang
ing the direction of the boat accord
ingly. A boat hitched in this way
can handle a much heavier tow than
if hitched stiff. depending entirely
on the rudders for steering and
handling.
This Years Record.
During the early part OF July this
year, the steamer, Saturn, 1870 feet
long. "a feet wide. with engines Is
inches in diameter, i! feet stroke,
made a very successful trip to St.
Louis with raft of lumber 1854
feet long and 272 feet wide, contain
ing over 100000 feet of lum Der.
beside shingles, lath and pickets
enough to load a good sized ocean
steamer. About the same time the
steamer f. Rutledge brought to
Rock Island a raft of logs 1.45O feet
long and 225 feet wide, containing
over 100000 feet log measure.
Either of these RATS covered 10 acres.
but was brought successfully through
some very narrow and crooked
places. Floating RATS are a thing
of the past. and many OF the famous
old floating pilots have long since
crossed to the other shore. They
were strong, hardy, self-reliant lot
of men, accustomed to exposure,
hard work, long watches and the
handling of the rough, boisterous
men who composed their crew."
| River Ripiets.
The William Window may, be ex-
pected down at almost any time
now.
The stage OF the water at the Rock
Island bridge at noon was LOG and
falling: the temperature, 50.
The Helen Mar and F. c. A. Denk-
mann brought down eight and seven
strings of logs, respectively.
The river queen, st. Paul, went
north this afternoon. She is going
as far as the stage of the water will
permit.
The West Rambo and Verne Swain
came down, and the Henrietta, Alb
ner Gile, Everette. West Rambo,
Helen Mar and F. C. A. Denkmann
went north.