Prolonged blasts from nearly all the steam whistles in town heralded the arrival of the big Benson log raft at noon today . . . during its slow passage up the bay crowds of people hastened to the water front. Before the big mass of timber had reached the wharves all the docks were lined with spectators. —San Diego Tribune, September 8, 1906.

The story of San Diego’s ocean-going timber:  The Benson Rafts.

Courtesy Maritime Museum of San Diego.