THE FIRST USE OF A STEAMBOAT TO PUSH AND HANDLE A RAFT
191
There has been much discussion over this matter. I have heard all the
witnesses and it is plain in the evidence that they agree on these facts,
viz.;
FIRST. That several steamboats, some of them quite large, like the
'Kentucky ll,' the 'Minnesota,' and others, had shoved rafts through the
Saint Croix and Pepin lakes, for years, even prior to 1860.
But these boats were made fast usually by spreading the strings at the
stern to let the boat one-half or two-thirds her length down into the raft
so she could be held there.
She could push a large raft or sometimes a several rafts through either
lake in ten or twelve hours. She could back, kill its headway and land the
raft where there was current. But the oars manned by a strong crew, were
depended on to direct the course; and the boat was always let go at the
foot of Lake Pepin.
SECOND. That the first effort or trial to use a steamboat to tow and
direct a raft below Lake Pepin was made by Captain George Winans when in
September, 1863, he chartered the little side-wheel Chippewa river packet
'Union' for seven dollars a day; hitched her into a lumber raft at Read's
Landing and started for Hannibal, Missouri. Fortunately he had secured a crew
of raftmen to man all the oars for he soon needed them.
192
The little 'Union' demonstrated her ability to give the raft some headway
through the water and increase its speed perceptibly, but the 'crabs,' with
which they had arranged to pull her stern around and change
her position behind the raft were inadequate; and failing to control the boat
she got in trouble before they were five miles from Read's. The 'Union' was
sent back from Winona and Captain Winans took the raft to Hannibal in the old
man-power way.
THIRD. The first trial was called a failure, but there was enough
encouragement in it for Captain Cyrus Bradley with W.J. Young's
encouragement, to charter the same steamer 'Union' the next year to run
a raft of logs from Read's to Clinton, Iowa, for W.J. Young and Company.
This trial was a success and by all the disputants admitted to have been the
first.
FOURTH. Captain Winans got charge of the 'Union' soon after she made this
trip to Clinton and used her continuously for at least three seasons.
FIFTH. Captain Bradley on his next trip to Clinton used a little boat
called 'Active' and he soon started building a small side-wheeler which he
called the 'Minnie Will.'
193
Picture: Fountain City, Wisconsin
The bluff is 450 feet high. |
Picture: Steamer Belle of Calhoun and Grand Tower Rock |
HISTORY