The sun., 1896-08-23
MAKING Il BIG RAFT.
Tho Third Experiment. in Towing . Mon ter
Bundle OF Logs Down the Pacific CoaAt.
from the Morning oreponian.


The huge raft of logs now being construct
ed at Stella. Wash, by Messrs. Robertson
& Baines, is receiving its finishing touches.
and will be cleared from the immense cradle
on Saturday morning and towed over the
bar and thence 20 San Francisco.
This will be the third raft OF logs leaving
Stella. the first unfortunately being lost at
sea, but tho second successfully towed to
San Francisco last summer. The raft. which
IS now ready for moving, Is about 800 feet in
lengtn. gar-shaped in construction. and con-
ttins 100000 linear feet OF piling and spar
timbers. Its value is S+5, 900, and an insur.
ance of Sl6,50O has been placed on the raft,
covering over one-third OF Its actual value.
The rate OF Insurance. ten per cont, is 40
in taking more of n risk than would be
necessary TO meet actual expenses entailed
in constructing the great raft.
IL is arranged that the raft will leave Stella
The o. Il. 4 = Co.'s tug wallowa, assist.
tow tho raft to Astoria, where 1t will be-
picked up by the spreckels Company tug
open sea. Here the steam collier Mineola,
belonging to the Southern Pacific Company
will take charge OF the raft and tow 1t TO
within Ave days.
:, Almost the, entire lot of ,pillng is for tho
feet. for which 1t pays $40 per 1000 feet
The remaining portion q the piles viii find
q rehuy IN san Francisco, as tOluIn-
bia River pine is most sought for for use In
piling in san Francisco Bay. Tho spar tim
ber. about $4,000 feet. will be disposed OF
at local shipyards without dfiicuIty, as tho
supremacy or such timber for spars Is recog-
n!zed the world over.
The entire cost Of the raft Is S34 900, includ-
ing all expenses OF towaRe and the insurance.
The raft itself IS an ingenious contrivance, and
has been fully patented by the owners. in order
10 protect themselves against competition. Tho
loss OF the first ra II taught the owners a val
liable lesson In construction. and. as now de-
vised, the only danger TO be apprehended Is un-
usually bOlsterous weather at sea, something
exceed lngly rare at this time OF the year
great feature Of the raft is an immense iron
chain. the single links of which are enough tO
task the strength OF man IN lifting. Tho
chain passes through the entire ratt, end TO
end, binding the huge timhers curely together
through an elaborate system OF keyinR In ad-
dition TO this, there 10 an endless number of
smaller chains crossing over and under the
raft transversely, for the better protection OF
the logs and preventing their movement while
being drawn through the water.
The construction OF these RATS gives ON
ployment 10 large number OF men at Stella
and vicinity, and results in large amount OF
money being annually distributed, "A good por-
ton OF which finds its way 10 Portland. The
construction OF not only one but several sim
san Francisco affords a good market for pilnR.
Hitherto imbers for pilinX purposes have been
secured In Humboldt and Mendocino counties,
California, but the inferior quality OF the
timber and the distance the logs have 10 be
hauled to tide water prove far more expensive
than the procuring OF suitable logs In OREGON
and Wasl1nGton wAtsra-