Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-12
AN IMMENSE LUMBER RAFT.

Nine Million Feet of Logs lowed From
Oregon to San FrnnciscO.
From the San Francisco Call.
After successfully weathering the peril
GUS voyage from the mouth Of the Column
bia river to San Francisco bay, and getting
inside the harbor without a mishap, the
great raft of piles that recently came In
from the north distinguished itself yester-
day by running completely away with a
tugboat and by cutting up capers quite at
variance with it's decorous behavior while
being towed in the open ocean.
The vast aggregation of logs was brought
down for the use of the Southern Pacific
Company in the repair of it's various
of the bay, and several days ago it was
determined to tow the monster into Oak
land creek, to be broken up.
The tugs Rescue, Sea Witch and Etna OF
the Merchants Tugboat Company, the lat
ter two being two small vessels were de-
Hunters Point. where the great raft was
anchored, early yesterday morning.
The first task was to raise two immense
anchors. with which the raft was held in
position, and the Etna started in on that
portion of the work, while the Rescue and
Sea Witch fastened to the raft in readiness
to tow the fabric up the bay when they
should be clear of the bottom. The flood
great raft, which contains 5000, 600 feet of
logs, and draws over twenty-one feet of
water. was Juggling at its moorings with
Titanic force.
Very little hauling at the anchors showed
the captain of the Etna that he could not
raise them, and he signaled for help. The
Rescue let go her towline and responded,
leaving only the little Sea Witch fast to
the raft.
The cables that held the anchors were
soon out loose from the logs, and then the
troubles Of the Sea Witch began. The raft
Logan to move, and that at lively pace.
but not In the direction the bow of the
little tug was pointed. Instead of going
toward Oakland. it started on a little trip
toward Redwood City, carrying the unwill-
ing Sea Witch along.
Puff and churn the water as she might,
the tug was dragged ignominiously back
ward, sending out clouds of black and
angry smoke. and shrieking signals for aid
to her consorts at every plunge.
The latter were in as bad a predicament
as the Sea Witch, for. having cut the an
chors loose from the raft, and having no
buoys to which to fasten them while they
Pursued the raft, they were compelled to
leave the Sea Witch to her fate for the
time being.
In the meantime the tug and raft were
drifting rapidly in the direction of Red
wood City, the powerful "hold' of the raft
rendering the little tug entirely useless.
The raft was in great danger Of grounding
In the Swallows of the lower bay, when
the other tugs got rid Of their burdens and
flew to the rescue.
Luckily for the safety of the raft, the
tide was still in the flood, and the three
towboats we're fast before the tide turned,
when all was easy sailing on the return
trip.
The man in charge Of the raft had sound
ed the mouth of the creek and knew that,
except at high tide. the depth of water was
two feet short of the necessary amount to
let the raft in, and great caution was taken
to arrive at the creek at precisely the rig hit
time.
This was the first successful attempt to
bring raft of logs over the long ocean
route, and the owners were naturally an
xious that no mishap should occur Had
the tide been on the ebb when the raft got
away an immense amount of damage
might have resulted, rs the mass of timber
would have drifted among the vessels an
chored in the stream and cut their cables
like pack-thread.
Had not the Rescue ami Etna heen able
to catch the raft in time, the damage would
also have been great, us such a mass of
piles once aground would have been very
hard to move
Some idea of the value of the raft may
be gained from the fact that the chains
which bind it together are worth s5OOUU.