Topic starter
11/06/2008 5:51 pm
I have a photo of two rafters, GLENMOUNT and CITY OF WINONA, that I snatched from somewhere on the web for a screensaver. Both boats have a piece of gear that looks like a two rung jacobs ladder hanging from the bow. Can someone tell me what this was for? Surely it wasn't intended to be a safety line if someone fell into the duckpond............. The photo was probably taken in the late 1880s in Iowa. (Actually there are three boats in the photo, but my screen resolution isn't good enough to identify the third.)
11/06/2008 10:07 pm
It is a hinge-like apparatus and I do not know its name. Many of those Upper Mississippi rafters were arranged to turn the entire towboat to one side or the other like a present-day outboard motor. This enabled them to shove the after end of the raft to the side. A reversible winch in the deckroom had a continuous line from the after corner of the raft to the winch drum then to the other corner of the tow. This enabled them to slew the boat to any desired angle. The winch was called a Clinton nigger (and I intend no offense!). The "Jacob's Ladder" was firmly lashed to the center of the after end of the raft. I hope this is clear.
Topic starter
12/06/2008 1:14 pm
Very clear. Thank you so much.