The River Boss

Jimmy, a compact, imperturbable river boss, is hired to drive millions of feet of logs downstream on an impossibly tight schedule. He assembles and directs crews at rollways, rear gangs, and jam crews, confronting dangerous jams, swift rapids, and gravel shallows that stall timber. The narrative follows the practical rhythms of log-driving: planning, improvisation, backwater sluicing, night-and-day labor, and the physical hazards faced by men who wade and heave in icy water. Owners grow anxious about a costly deadline, but Jimmy’s experience, judgment, and calm leadership shape a resourceful, relentless effort to meet the contract.