3o8 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG 



Name Masters 



Abner Gile Brown Jenks 



owned by J. B. Jenks and Vol. A. Biglow of LaCrosse. 



Lizzie Gardner Wm. Kratka 



Pauline Hiram Brazee 



Thistle George Tromley, Jr. 



owned by the Kratka Towing Company of Lansing, Iowa. 



From the foregoing list we learn of many changes in 

 ownership. The old firm of McDonald Brothers of 

 LaCrosse that had enjoyed many years of prosperity, 

 became embarrassed and had to be reorganized during 

 the winter of 1892 and 1893, 2nd the old firm name 

 appears no more. In its place we have the LaCrosse 

 Mississippi Towing Company with their fleet cut down 

 to four boats in commission. The "Helen Mar" did not 

 do any more rafting. 



Also the old and prosperous firm of Durant, Wheeler 

 and Company only has three boats left and no captain 

 hired for the "R. J. Wheeler" and they soon afterward 

 sold her to Captain Will Davis and A. S. Merriam to 

 run lumber to Quincy. 



The rafting industry had reached its peak and was 

 starting on its decline to wind up for good in August, 

 1915, when Captain W. L. Hunter with the steamer 

 "Ottumwa Belle" on the stern and the "Pathfinder" on 

 the bow and the "J. M." in tow ran the last raft. 



