A RAFT PILOT'S LOG 



power built especially for the rafting business. The rafters at that 

 time were small side wheel steamers constructed with geared machin- 

 ery and generally called "coffee mill" boats. 



It is safe to say that the "Van Sant" of 1870 was the pioneer rafter 

 for after she had proved a success, Lamb and Son, W. J. Young and 

 Company, Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann, B. Hershey, and nearly 

 every lumberman doing business on the Mississippi river constructed 

 boats to tow their logs and lumber. 



In many cases stern-wheel boats were brought from the Ohio river 

 and used in the rafting business. After the "Van Sant" demonstrated 

 successfully her value as a rafter the side-wheel boats soon disappeared. 



If the "Van Sant" was a success, a large part of it was due to 

 Henry Whitmore, before mentioned, who urged powerful engines 

 and plenty of boiler capacity. 



This boat (barring a few mishaps, which were no fault of the 

 boat but of the inexperience of those who first piloted her) was a 

 decided success, made money for her owners and really by her money- 

 making qualities laid the foundation for the Van Sant and LeClaire 

 Navigation companies, two companies that owned and operated more 

 than thirty steamboats during the forty years of rafting, or until the 

 pine forests in Minnesota and Wisconsin were denuded of their tim- 

 ber. 



Her builders were by no means wealthy, so the machinery was 

 purchased on time, wages and material could not be paid for while 

 the work was progressing. "Nothing risked, nothing won," is an old 

 proverb. The boat was a success ; she not only paid all her bills but 

 gave her owners a handsome profit. The first raft run by this boat 

 was for Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann. Mr. Weyerhaeuser was a 

 passenger. After passing through the Rock Island bridge safely, he 

 was more or less anxious about the landing of the raft at his mill- 

 boom. He suggested the employment of the ferry boat to assist, but 

 the "Van Sant" had no trouble whatever in making the landing 

 safely. Mr. Weyerhaeuser saw that the boat was a success and was 

 one of the very first mill-men to build a steamboat for towing his 

 own logs. The "Van Sant" was not only all that has been mentioned 

 but she was unlike any other boat. The Rock Island bridge (the old 

 one) was very dangerous to both boats and tows so that this steamer 

 was constructed so she could lower her chimneys and pilot house and 

 follow her tow under the bridge practically insuring safety. 



She only had one deck above main deck and consequently was more 



