HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                      67

have been done had it not been for the drift. But as an obstruction in
the flow of the stream this drift was regarded by land owners and farmers
along its course a formidable obstacle and its removal a perplexing
problem. It was proposed to change the channel of the river by cutting
around the drift, but the financial condition of the county at that time
would not warrant the undertaking. In course of years it was gradually
reduced and the channel re-opened by cutting the timber and floating
it out in times of freshets and by burning it during the dry seasons.
    The Inman Drift, below New Brunswick, not only impeded the flow
of the stream, but completely blocked flat-boat navigation. The flat-
boats built by Clay countians for the southern trade were turned out at
the yards above, then loaded at Brunswick for New Orleans and other
Mississippi river points. For their launching a channel of sufficient
capacity had to be literally cut for the length of a quarter of a mile
through the middle of this drift.
    The Rizley Drift, which was in Cass township, served as a bridge for
the crossing of footmen at a point where there was more travel at that
time than at most other river crossings in the county. The first of this
drift is said to have been lodged by the very high waters of 1846-47. It
was not removed until about ten years later, the stream, meanwhile, par-
tially cutting its way around on the east side.
    For thirty years after the organization of the county Eel river was
crossed either by ford or ferry. Usually, during the summer and fall
months, the stream could be safely forded at all the main road crossings.
To this there was one exception, which was the crossing of the Green-
castle-Carlisle road at Brunswick, on the lower course of the stream.
    The first ferry on Eel river was established by David Thomas, a very
early pioneer, near Bowling Green, before the date of the organization of
the county, and operated, with but temporary suspension, for practically
a half century—up to the time of the completion of the present bridge
at the crossing immediately west of the town of Bowling Green, about
1870, and did a traffic far beyond that of any other ferry in the county,
which was a source of profit to the proprietor. Succeeding David
Thomas, this ferry was operated by his son, James P. Thomas, and
family, until the time of its abandonment. A ferry was established, also,
at the original old bridge crossing, at Bowling Green, by Elkin & Camp-
bell, in the latter part of the year 1858.
    Parker’s Ferry, at the road crossing directly west of the town of
Poland, at the former Nicholas Cromwell place, was established by Will-
iam B. Parker, very soon after he came to the county, in 1835, and was
operated at seasons of the year when the stage of water in the stream
made it necessary, up to the time of the construction of the bridge cross-
ing, a short distance up the stream, in 1872.
    At the Feeder Dam a ferry was operated for a number of years by
William F. T. McKee, who located there in business at the time of the
opening of the canal, in 1850, which was afterward conducted by Levi
Huffman and still later by Jesse A. Allee, up to the time of the building
of the original bridge at this point, which was completed in 1879. Down
the river, between the Dam and the Old Hill, were the Harris ferry, at
the mouth of Birch creek, operated after the time of the Civil war by
Daniel Harris, and the Wilkins ferry, a mile above the mouth of Splunge
creek, conducted by John Luther, and later by David Lee. First below