The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-24

float it. The particular charm about the
craft is that it may be moved from place to
place and that when one is tired Of certain
surroundings it is merely tripping the an
chor and bringing the cables aboard in or
der to find new scenes with the charm Of
novelty. To get full pleasure from a sum-
mer in house boat, then, find your river
or lake first
If the former be selected, and if you can
conveniently make arrangements, it is we'll
to have the house boat built at some dis
tance up the stream. One of these crafts is
about as difficult TO move as is an ordinary
canal boat, and polling it or rowing it or
towing it against the current Is a wesriness
to the flesh On the other hand, to move
down the river is exceedingly easy, for it
demands nothing more than a row boat in
which to pass rope ashore to bring the
house boat up standing at any time Then,
ZOO, the cost Of building the house boat in
a village is rarely so great as the same
would entail in acity, sad, as any carpenter
can build one, there is no reason why it
should not be put together at such point
as will make the summer have the least
hard work in it, IF, on the other hand,
you find it necessary to build near the
mouth of the river, have the boat towed up
by steam launch, or in such other way as
you may select, and SO make one job of this
part of the business The voyage on board
will be found to be very pleasant, and the
comparatively rapid-it' would be an alb
surdity to speak of any movement of
house boat as being actually rapid-view
OF the river going up will contrast charm
iagly with the leisurely progress down the
stream.
On lake the house boat may be moved
by a square sail when the wind be fair, or
you and your friends may get into row
boat and tow the thing. 1t is the part Of
wisdom on these occasions to volunteer to
steer the house boat while allowing your
visitors TO tow, and young bachelors have
been found to be wonderfully useful at sHch
times. 1t is amazing how much work may
be got out Of them if there be any pretty
girls on board who unite desire to save
your arms with little tact OF course
there are those who have steam launches
OF their own, and to them the problem of
moving is no problem at all, but this ar
ticle is written for people who have not
very much money to spend and who are
anxious to get ali they can out of it. On
many lakes there are launches or tugs
which may be hired for day to move the
house boat about. On canals, and many
of the canals IN this country find their way
through lovely scenery, an old horse. or
b3tteF yet, il you have or can borrow one,
pony, can tow the house boat easily.
The expense is not great and a very de-
hghtfuI summer may be passed travelling
slowly in this way. Still, the canals are
apt to be infested by mosquitoes, and on
general principles the rivef or the lake is
to be preferred.
Building house boat is Of all things one
Of the easiest. Having fixed on the size
you want you have a heavy scow built of
inch and half clear lumber. All the
joints should be smearsd with tar before
the planks are spiked together. In this
scow-bow and stern should slope up well
above the water Hne-a platform about
eighteen inches below the top of the side
planks is placed. This Is the floor of the
house and ia it should be matches which
may DE easily raised Not only should you
be able 10 get at the inside of the boat in
case Of a leak, but ths space under the
floor forms a most convenient place in
which to store various supplies If the
scow be properly built this will be dry and
valises or trunks may be stored away
Along the edgo Of the scow boards are
fixed to form the walk around the hs%4t as
we'll as the landing for the row boSss- and
on this at intervals it is well to have rings
fixed through which the painters may be
run. This walk projects out over the water
for about two feet.
To the scantlings which form the frame
Of the house when spiked to the sides Of
the scow and run up through the platform