The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1890-10-03
NApHrAA LAUNCHES.
Trim Little Boats for Navigating
Greeks and eayous.

sV"" eWue ooate TOR navigating
Greeks and eayous.
From Golden DAYS.
There are happy days ahead for the
boys who love the water and are fond
Of navigation. The naphtha launch
10 destined TO add to the enjoyment OF
q great many who have heretofore
been confined to skiff or canoe. Not
that there Is not plenty OF enjoyment
10 rowing. padding and sailing, but
there Is certainly more on board a
craft that will accommodate small
party. and is independent OF wind,
tide and muscle.
Where is the boy who has not en-
We'd the fortunate possessor Of steam
launchP Well, u naphtha launch is
practically the same thing, with
marNed improvements.
The inventor OF the naphtha launch
is MIR. Oieldt, of Brooklyn, and the
fret launch was built by him only five
years ngo. Or, rather, no made the
first naphtha engine, and set 1t up in
small black boat. which looks as IL
II might once have been row boat.
II Is still in use, and is known as 1.-THE
Original No. l." The launches made
under MIR. Ofeldt's patent are now
built by New York company.
Few inventions have been met with
deeper prejudice and ut the same time
so quickly gained acceptance. At
first everybody thought they would
explode, for naphtha in its various
uses has terrible record AZ de-
stroyer. But tho method by which
nuphtha Ia made to serve Us fuel in
a launch precludes any possibility OF
explosion. AT least that Is what the in
vcntor and manufacturers say, and
experience goes far to confirm their
statement. Or course, the naphtha
might be made to explode, but except
the navigator is fool or insane there
is no danger. The machinery is sim
plicity itself.
People who are not familiar with
the naphtha launch are often aston.
ished to see u trim little boat, with d
bright brass funnel in tho extreme
stern, dashing along, emitting rapid
suffering cough, but showing nj
signs whatever OF smoke or cinders
The funnel is apparently all there i,
TO the engine. Down ut the bottom
OF the boat beside the base Of the fun
nelthere area number Of small wheels
a gauge, II pump handle and on bal
running across the boat four cocks.
Tint is nil you can make OF It unles.
you are an expert mechanic, and thai
Is all you need to know to run the
boat. The supplying tank OF naphthi
is under the forward deck. connected
by pipes with the gauge, pump and
cocks. 1t is only necessary to know
what will be the effect OF turning each
cock, and when TO pump, and there
you nre-captain, crew. engineer, fire
man and pilot all in one. Even steer.
ing may be done at the engine, SC
simple is the task OF looking after It,
1t lakes five minutes to "gct up
steam," which is misnomcr in this
case. Then all that is necessary is to
work the pump II stroke Ortwo. apply
u match to an opening In the surface
of the funnel, turn cock and let her
90. From that time the launch will
80 continuously for fifty hours, then
the supply will be exhausted. and the
forward tank has to be replenished.
The engine may be stepped ut any in
slant by shutting of the sspply OF
naphtha. which is equivalent TO turn
ing out n gas jet. There is no clean.
ing up to do, no fires to rake down
In short. no drudgery OF any kind.
The speed OF n naphtha launch fnl
surpasscs the average sailboat Will
a four-horse power engine seven mile.
an hour can be made, and som,
launches with six-horse power have
made ten miles nm hour. This is the
horse power limit, by the way, up to
tho present time.
II does not need much argument &c
show the beauties of one OF these little
boats. Being OF such light draft. they
can go almost anywhere In creeks.
bayous and channels. and they are SC
completely under control that acciden,
seems impossible.
Or course, like all new and valuable
inventions, they arc not cheap, but II
party OF twelve boys might club to.
geiher and buy launch without much
trouble. The amount OF fun and
rational enjoyment arising from it,
use would more than repay tho cost.
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