64 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG 



the great catch booms at the mouth of the Saint Croix, 

 where it empties into the head of Lake Saint Croix, at 

 Stillwater. This beautiful lake is thirty miles long, and 

 empties into the Mississippi at Prescott, Wisconsin. It 

 made an admirable place to hold rafts, and store logs 

 and lumber ready for towing down river. 



These strong, husky men from the woods wore blue 

 or red mackinaw jackets and high boots, with calks in 

 heels and soles so they could hold their footing on loose, 

 slippery, rolling logs. 



They were here drawing their pay and most of them 

 spending it freely. The places of amusement and re- 

 > freshment were doing good business. After their fling 

 in town, many of these men put in the summer season 

 on the raft-boats engaged in towing logs and lumber to 

 mills and yards down river. 



Durant, Wheeler and Company had a fleet of nice 

 raft-boats, and handled a good share of the output from 

 the Saint Croix. Captain A. R. Young had the big tow- 

 boat "Minnesota," Captain Hank L. Peavey had an 

 excellent boat the "Penn Wright," and Isaac Staples, 

 who had a part in everything in Stillwater, was build- 

 ing two fine raft-boats, the "Isaac Staples," and the "I. 

 E. Staples." 



The "Helen Mar" and the "Ada B." were laid up 

 and for sale. I wanted one of them badly, but could not 

 raise money enough, and my employer, who was will- 

 ing to take a chance with me, thought the outlook was 

 not good anyway. The year 1878 was a dry season, and 

 not a busy one on the river. Conditions changed the 

 next year for the better, and improved right along for 

 several years. The "Mar" or the "Ada B." would have 

 been a good buy. 

 The "Ada B." was bought by United States engineers 



