20 HISTORY OF LUMBER INDUSTRY IN NEW YORK. 



it had twenty-live courses it would contain over 180,000 feet of lum- 

 ber, board measure. 



The greater part of this floating mass was submerged, the top 

 course being from 6 to 8 inches above water. Occasionally a" deck 

 load" of shingles or dressed lumber was carried on top; but the latter 

 was not taken unless the owner intended to peddle it out along the 

 river at places where there were no planing mills: (PI. V.) 



At the forward end of each five-platform piece was a large oar. On 

 a raft such as just described there were three oars in front and three 

 behind — not on the sides, but at the ends, projecting forward and 

 backward. The oar blade was a 14-foot plank, 12 inches wide, thin on 

 the lower edge; the oar, made from a small tree, was about 18 feet 

 long and 8 or 10 inches in diameter at the large end. where it was 

 attached to the blade. It was hewed tapering to the small end or han- 

 dle at which the men stood. So large and clumsy were these rafting 

 oars that two, and often three, men were necessary in handling them. 

 When not in use the oars rested on the raft with their projecting 

 blades just clear of the water. At the command of the pilot the blades 

 were dipped by raising the handles high, and then the men pushing on 

 the oars with hands lifted above their heads, tramped across the plat- 

 form, bracing their feet against cleats nailed on the pathway for that 

 purpose. The oars were used to move the raft sidewa} T s and keep it 

 in the current; or, in turning sharp bends in the river, to swing it on 

 its center by "crosspulling," in which the oars at the two ends were 

 worked in contrary directions. 



The work of the men was directed by a pilot, whose long experience 

 had acquainted him with the rocks and bars and taught him how to 

 take advantage of the swirling current or to avoid its treacherous 

 force. As a large raft had six oars — three in front and three behind — 

 a full crew required from 12 to 18 men, not including the pilot and 

 the cook. 



A. shanty was built on one of the forward platforms, around the 

 sides of which there were bunks in triple tiers. For bedding there was 

 plenty of clean straw and coarse, warm blankets. A fireplace for the 

 cooking was made just outside the cabin by placing four short boards 

 on edge and tilling the square with earth. 



RAFTING ON THE ALLEGHENY. 



On an ordinary flood the rafts would run from 40 to 50 miles each 

 day. At nightfall the pilot would always swing in to the bank in 

 some edd} T , throw a cable ashore, and, with a turn or two around some 

 large tree, "snub"" the raft until its momentum w^s slowly overcome. 

 Yielding to the crew, he generally tied up near some town or village 

 where there were plenty of other rafts and company for the men in the 



