418 LOGGING 
on sand bars, at rocky narrows and similar places, and "picking 
rear" after the main drive has passed. On many large streams 
the banks for a portion of the distance may be low, so that logs 
can float out of the channel into sloughs or over land inun- 
dated during flood time, and the drivers must keep their booms 
in good condition to prevent this and to keep the logs 
moving. 
Crews are divided into squads, under sub-foremen, and are 
stationed at danger points along the stream. These crews must 
do much of their work from bateaux or by standing on logs, 
because of the width of the banks. In place of "alligators" and 
"head works" powerful side wheel, end wheel or screw tugs are 
employed for the transport of large quantities of logs across 
lakes, or down streams where it is necessary to confine the logs 
in booms. 
When the head of the drive reaches the first assorting gap, a 
crew of men begins assorting and this continues during the 
summer and fall until the logs are all assorted, the water fails, 
or ice closes the river. If do ill luck has attended the drive the 
last logs are usually down by October first. 
The drive on the upper Connecticut river originating on the 
Wild Ammonoosuc in New Hampshire and extending to Bellows 
Falls (17 miles on the Ammonoosuc and 93 miles on the Connect- 
icut river) begins about the first of April and lasts from twenty- 
three days to six months. The average time is about six weeks. 
One hundred men are required on the Ammonoosuc and about 
sixty on the Connecticut river. 
On the Penobscot river in Maine, the average length of drive 
is approximately 150 miles and the longest drive which originates 
on either the North or South branch of the West Branch is 
about 240 miles. The average quantity of material annually 
driven down the West Branch is 130,000,000 board feet, about 
three-fourths of which goes to Millinocket, and the remainder to 
Bangor and vicinity. The drive begins about April 20th and 
the last logs reach the booms above Bangor about October 
first. Approximately 2500 men are employed for the first six 
weeks and after the logs reach the main stream the force is cut 
to about 200 men, exclusive of those occupied at the assorting 
gaps. 
