Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1891-02-06
A CURIOUS FACT.
How a Steam Launch Was Built
by a Gold Hunter in Alaska
Engines and Boiler of Ordinary
Gas Pipe and Sheet Iron

Under the cover of an old tarpaulin
stretched over some pieces of scantling
on corner Of Long wharf, in proxi-
nifty to the Ariel Club boathouse, is
very peculiar craft. 1t has history
that few people in San Francisco
know, and the details were told to a
Chronicle reporter by one of the row.
ing men.
That's queer-looking boat" said
the votary of aquatics. sIfs steam
launch built on the big Yukon river in
Alaska by Charley Farciot, an en-
gineer and prospector, in 1888. Charley
was one of the men that went up to AL
aska to search the Yukon river banks
for gold with the Schiefelin party.
guess every one knows that they
found but little gold, and all returned
TO San Francisco except Farciot. He
wouldn't give up, and located at a
place called Nuklakayet, 100 miles up
the river. After going about in birch
bark canoes to various likely looking
places he began to get tired of the
slow method of transportation. So
he thoughta steam launch would prove
of use in his travels. But how to
build an engine was the great problem.
The hull of the boat he and some
traders constructed from drift wood
sawed into planks, and the fastenings
were improvised bolts of rod iron.
"Among the stores that Schioftelin
left on the river were a number of
lengths of gas pipe of various sizes
and few sheets of thin Russia iron.
With great ingenuity, Farciot went to
work, and actually succeeded in build
ing cylinders and boiler of the coil
type out of the gas pipes. Connecting
rods, eccentrics aud other parts of the
engine were built of rod iron and any
pieces of metal he could pick up
around the trading post.
"Well, the boat was finished and
the engines in place, but the propeller
was wanting Nothing daunted, Far
ciot built furnace of clay, made
moIds ard with scraps of iron and
ia----- - ---4 4i-~- -a"4i..in For the
smokestack ordinary stovepipe was
made use of. The shaft, very short
one, was hammered by hand and a
] good Job it was, well answering the
purpose.
"In June, 1888. the little launch
was put into the water, and she proved
complete triumph. FarCiot made
several tips up and down various
small rivers, tributaries of the big
river. but | don't know if he found
any gold. However, he told me that
the launch saved his life on one occa.
sion He and native employed to
steer and pilot the boat were asleep
one night on the banks of slough
when they were suddenly aroused by
scrapng on the side of the launch
Farciot rose from his bed on the bot
tom of the launch aud saw three bears
irving to climb into the boat. Quick
as thought he opened the valve of the
little steam whistle. which emitted
what the bears evidently deemed {
very peculiar sound, as they speedily
I Igsgrii1tcfCG Jff howard the shore. They
had probably been attracted by TIN
smell Of freshly killed deer that haC
been shot on the previous day by th'
natives.
1.-The little launch was brought L
this city from the Yukon river on TN
steamer st. Paul alb )ut five years ago
and has made few trips OH the bay
Her method of construction and th
material used in building the engine
have aroused much admiration 70
Farciot's capabilities among the ma
chinists of this city - San Fran
cisco Chronicle.