The Hochstetler Massacre - The Raft

The Raft
Having selected a place where fire could not be seen from a distance he selected a dry fallen tree of proper thickness upon which he built some five or six “nigger fires.”[footnote]18 These were stirred and kept burning all night and by morning the trees were burnt through in as many places. The logs were dragged to the water, tied together with hickory withes, or wild grapevines, and on this frail raft the journey was continued. After some distance the course of the stream turned to the right and Jacob Hochstetler now believed he was on some other stream than the Susquehanna, probably the Ohio, which would take him away from home. He must have passed the present location of Pittston, Pa., about fifty miles to the north and a little to the east of his home. The river from this point follows a general southwestern direction till it reaches Duncannon, in Perry County, a few miles above Harrisburg, where it turns to the southeast. Fatigued and nearly starved, he tied his raft, and went on shore, about giving up in despair.

[footnote]18 When clearing in the heavy timbered States, large trees were deadened and left to stand, when they were cut or broke down in after years. To save chopping, a number of fires were built on the fallen tree at proper distances apart; the branches of the top and other small sticks were used, being laid crosswise on the log. In this way the thickest logs were burnt through. The process sometimes required several days. Such fires were called “Nigger fires,” and the process, “nigger through.”

Taken from p. 39 of Descendants of Jacob Hochstetler, by Rev. Harvey Hostetler, D.D., 1912. This portion was prepared by William F. Hochstetler.

[editor's note: Since, as far as I can determine, the word "nigger" is not related to race in this context, I have chosen to include this information on preparing logs for use. If someone has more complete and contradictory information, please let me know.]