A Raft Pilot's log cont. Some of the Men prominent int the Rafting Industry, 1840-1915 CAPTAIN J.M. TURNER 216 Captain J.M. Turner still living (1928) and in good health mentally and physically, began his river life as a cabin boy on the Galena and Minnesota Pasket Company's side-wheel steamer 'City Bell' with Captain Lodwick in 1853 when he was sixteen old. She was running regularly between Galena and Saint Paul. He remained on her in 1854 and 1855, and by that time knew the river on that run. In 1850 he was cub pilot on the 'Bill Henderson,' then a mail-boat running between Galena and Rock Island on alternate days with the steamer 'Jas. Means,' until July, when he went back on the 'City Bell' and made eight trips on her when she struck a snag and sank, a total loss, in Coon Slough. 219 Soon after he fell in with a Mr. LaFrance who brought lumber down the Chippewa, knew how to handle a floating raft but he needed some one to show him the channel down the Mississippi. He hired young Turner, then twenty years old, agreeing to pay him three dollars per day to show him the way. They made five trips in 1857 and he paid Turner three hundred and seventy-five dollars in November. Jerry sensibly went back to his home town, Dubuque, and attended school four months. There was a very late opening in the spring of 1858. Jerry was at Reads Landing expecting to work again for Mr. LaFrance but he did not appear. Thirty-two steamboats were lying at Reads awaiting the break up of the ice in Lake Pepin. There were twenty-five saloons running in the village and they had lively business while they had the crews of all these boats and their passengers for patrons. As LaFrance failed to show up, young Turner made one or more trips, pulling an oar to get an idea of the river from Keokuk to Saint Louis. Then he piloted floating rafts for O.H. Ingram if Eau Claire, mostly to Saint Louis. Paid off there at the end of the season he changed his paper money for gold, getting $1250.00 in coin. He now took an observation trip south on a fine packet; stopped long enough at Memphis to attend a slave auction which made him a strong abolitionist and turned him back home. His first experience in using a steamboat was for a man named L.H. Ramsey of LaCrosse who had a 220 small,single-engine geared, side-wheel boat called 'Johnny Schmoker.' Well pleased with the experiment he later bought a little boat called the 'W.H. Clark' and used her to run lumber for Porter and Moon, later known as the Northwestern lumber Company. In 1869 this company bought the 'Silas Wright.' Captain Turner then sold the 'W.H. Clark' and went on the 'Silas Wright' as master and pilot for eight seasons on salary. This was from 1869 to 1876 inclusive. In 1877 and 1878he ran Dells Lumber Company's raft to Hannibal on contract. In 1881 and 1882 he was on the 'Golden Gate' running Chipewa Lumber and Boom Company and Standard Lumber Company and others with the 'Clyde' and 'Pauline' from 1883 to 1893-when they disolved partnership. They sold the 'Clyde.' Captain Turner took the 'Pauline' and ran the Empire lumber for four seasons, from 1890 to 1893. He then sold the 'Pauline' quit considerably ahead of a hard game. After resting up he started a button facctory in Lansing that is still running after a siccessful career, with Captain turner's grandson now in charge. Captain Turner was a close manager and a careful, skillful, cautious pilot. He made good average time and delivered his rafts in excellent condition when and where they were wanted. I never passed him broken up or aground or in any other trouble. He went on the river alone-had no relatives on the boats to help him. The pilots were members of the Association and would give him no help or encouragement 221 to get his pilot's license; but he got it without their help, proved his merit by his work and qiot the river with a competency, which he did not lose when he went ashore but increased it by successful enterprose since.