Benson rafts: giant wood piles afloat

The Merchant is indebted to O.J. Evenson, vice president of American Mill & Manufocturing, Inc., Chula Vista, Ca., for the Benson raft pictures and description written in 1945 by his father, W.R. Evenson, president of Benson Timber Co., Clatskanie, Or. Lumber from the log rafts was distributed all over the southwest and Mexico from the Benson Lumber Co. Iocated on the wharf at San Diego, Ca. Closed severol yeors earlier, the operation wos demolished in 1952 to make way for the I0th St. pier.-ed.

THE FIRST ocean-going log raft I was conceived and built by Captain H.R. Robertson, of St. Johns, New Brunswick. This raft was built in the late '80s in a land cradle and contained about 110,000 lineal feet of piling, destined for Boston. This raft, although small

Story at a Glance

Memories of the Benson ralt ... four to five million feet of lumber towed 1100 miles Columbia River, Or., to San Diego, Ca. 113 rafts delivered in just under 40 years.

compared with the Benson raft constructed near Cathlamet, Wa., was so heavy that a tedious and troublesome time was experienced in launchinC it. A storm in the North Atlantic broke up the raft soon after it put to sea and it was a total loss.

The next venture planned to overcome the difficulty of launching from the shore. The cradle was somewhat enlarged so that it could be moored in the water and deep enough to sink as the building of the raft progressed, and remain afloat when the raft was finished which drew about 15 ft. of water. The raft was finally launched from the cradle and delivered to the tugboat which was to tow it to Boston. A storm arose, and, running short of fuel, the tug cut the raft loose, well out at sea, and returned to port. It was thought that the raft could easily be picked up again, but when the tug returned, it cruised around for several days without finding a trace of this tow, and finally gave it up as lost. Many months later this raft

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ALL SIZES and lengths of logs were incoroorated into the raft which measured 55 ft. wide, 960 ft. long, and 35 ft. deep with a draught ot 26:28 ft. Note man on right for size comoarison. The small soecks 0n the left ratt aie sea gulls. The rafts were doomed in the earlv '40s because thev could not handle the short logs required witn tne growth of truck logging.