FLOATING AND RAFTING 383 



to October 15. The rafts contained from 2,000,000 to 6,000,000 

 feet each, and were handled by powerful tugs. The transport 

 of logs from Canada to the United States ceased in 1898 when 

 an embargo was placed on the export of logs from Crown 

 Lands. 



Rafts Fastened with Poles. — The common form of raft on the 

 Ohio River and on some southern streams is one in which the 

 logs are made up into raft sections. The logs in each section 

 are attached to each other by poles placed across the logs and 

 fastened to them by means of rafting dogs. The sections are 

 fastened together by cables. 



On the Ohio River poplar and other logs are rafted in lengths 

 of from 20 to 60 feet. The longer logs are preferred because 



Fig. 116. — Method of fastening Poles to the Logs by means of Iron Dogs. 



of the greater ease in rafting and also because the laws of 

 adjoining states allow a fee of 25 cents per stick without regard 

 to length, to all parties who catch and hold logs for rafting. 

 On the upper reaches of the Big Sandy River floating logs are 

 caught and about sixty sticks are made into a raft which is from 

 eight to twelve logs wide and from 250 to 400 feet long. The 

 logs are bound together with small poles 20 feet long which are 

 placed at intervals of from 10 to 12 feet. Rafts are equipped 

 with long sweeps at each end to assist in guiding them, and 

 each one is floated down to the mouth of the stream in charge 

 of two men. The owner makes from twelve to sixteen rafts, 

 containing from 700 to 900 sticks, into a fleet and takes it down- 

 stream to the mills under the control of a tug. An occasional 

 fleet containing from 1900 to 2000 logs is handled which is re- 

 garded as the maximum size practicable. 



