Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-12
AT SEA on A LUMBER RAFT.
A Fierce Gale Came up ana Pretty
Soon There Were Two Raffs.
QIorning Oregonian)

QIorning Oregonian)
The following graphic account OF the
voyage Of the big lumber raft, shipped
by Inman, Poulsen & Co. to San Fran
cisco, is furnished by man who made
most of the voyage aboard Of It:
Leaving Portland on the morning OF
June 21st with raft % feet wide. 3Si
feet long, and 30 feet deep, containing
about $4,000 feet Of fir lumber, we ar
rived at San Francisco with the rear half
on July 9Th, after a voyage of thirteen
days, filed with an experience that would
satisfy the cravings OF the most venture
some.
We got into port with the loss of about
half million feet of lumber. We made
the trip down the river without hitch,
and tied up at Linton the nrst night.
Leaving the next morning at daylight
we reached Skamokawa and tied up TO
the bank Of an island. We left there at
3 in the morning and reached Astoria
about IL A. NJ. and lay to near the buoy
dock at Tongue Point AT high tide we
were lowed to the can-factory dock, and
tied up for the night.
Friday morning came, and IL looked
as II the chances were against our getting
out over the bar that day, but toward
noon the wind died down, and the pilot
came aboard and ordered the tugs 10 get
ready 70 go out on the next tide. The
pilot would not leave us on the ra1t
while going over the DaT; as ne sala ~
was dangerous, and he did not want TO
take any risk, so we went on the tug
Rescue.
We started at 1;45 p. NJ, and crossed
out at $50 The sea was pretty rough,
and when the small boat came 70 take
us. and put us aboard the raft, ii was
lust about as much as II could do 10
ride the waves. We got aboard the ratt
all right, and went to work at once tight
ening up the rods, and got the lamps out
and our first night on the ocean began.
Everything went all right during the
nieht / fired off a Roman candle at II
midnight, the signal that all was Wen.
Saturday morning opened clouuy' Win
the wind pretty sim from the north-
west. and IL continued 10 dow all day.
Toward evening II had lhctedseu 10 apoul
Sunday morning came, and the wind
went down. and the sea became almost
as smooth as the Columbia river, III was
the only fine day we had on the who're
VOYAGE We enjoyed ourselves 10 me
fullest extent OF our surrouhdlngs my
mariner. Johnston, who complained OF NOT
feeling very well when we left Portland,
ana ssid that he was bilious, all at once
seemed 10 recover, and the way ne at
tackled the commissary department mace
n look possible that we would De on
hat
Monday morning came, ana WIN IL
s,IfY breeze from the northwest, whicn
decreased i'm severity as the day ad-
vanced. and toward evening II had IN
creased 10 a gale, and the sea was wash
ing over the raft pretty lively
At dark the wind was sixty miles an
hour and il never let up all night and
when the morning came IL nan become
worse. and the raft was beginning 10
show weakness from the Tremendous
Tuesday the wind had Increased TO
eishty-five or ninety miles, and IN, the rsl t
wss beginning to swing out OF line and
working as II she was hinged In the mid
die. waved the red nag IRON me
nor, side OF the cabin al noon 70 let the
t,,0s know that the raft was not IN good
eoaallon. and as they had be been aos watch Ten
we're well aware Of our condition. Az
i:s5. lust after the raft had ridden as few ,nv
tremendous seas. the outside ROD on the
mort side OF the cabin shot up about =
foot foot at the same time we i heard "a 4 loud
80 one OF the bottom runners noating
on the water. A few minutes afser