The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-20
FINEST. OF
ALI. J ]. CRAFT \! II: ! !
The Virginia Canoe Cannot
Be ExCeIled for Good Points
EVOLUTION OF BIRCH BARK (
They Are Made Of Three Logs, ana and
Some Times as Many as Nine.
sBoIted T ogether-Takes Skill .Is
and Ingenuity to Build One.
Especial to The Tlmes-DIspatch.)

81 ESPECIAL to The Times-Dlspatoh.)
YORKTOWN, VA, Sept. ls.--Of all the
cra r. that plow the main. there's naught
like tho Virginia canoe. For general lss' sea
worthy qualities, ability to stand any an
amount OF weather when properly. nan
died ana yer!table works Of wonder IN
the line Of speed. they stand OUT pre-
eminent among tho worlds productions
in shlpbuilding.
From all information the canoe OF the
present day is distinctly an American Gun
production, owing its origin without out = .
doubt to the frail birch bark creations OF
IN, children OF the forest the American an
!. horipines. OF native design. native
stock and native workmanship ' TINS
species OF small craft deserves as mu 's''1
Of the plaudits Of the world as the soou
sloop, which recently showed that i sne
could be relied upon to hold the amer y.
ca,s oup and demonstrate the superlorety
At American shfpbuIlders, even oVor OUT
cousins across the water
The Virginia canoe Is OF peculiar con-
strucuon, being built entirely OF !oss
hewn to shape. The trees USED ~ .n .en
,,,f.'
NO other wood being desirable or usapie'
which are fast becoming unobtainaple.
owing to the great demand. In SIZE tney
run from the dimlnutive youngster OF
twenty feet, hardly ut for nothing but play
10 the giant craft, forty or nifty feet long,
ten to eleven feet wide and four 70 sly
feet deep, which, II properly manneo a a..
provisloned could easily make tne tl'p
across the great pond to London TOWN..
r,ha smnlIer sizes are usually built Of
three logs fitted and shaped, held to-
Cether by long galvanized bolt RODS run
ming transversely It's entire width. Ihe
larger sizes contain seven, nlnc, cleVen or
oven moro ''chuncks," the number OF
course, being governed entirely oy the
slae OF the trees.
After being rough hewn and bolted to-
rether the outside of the little vessel 70
Worked into shape, and right here 70
where the individualism Of each builder -
plainly seen in the way no models MS
work The outside complete, attention Is
turned to the Inside, which is hewed and
,lvfted ito about two and half TO three
inches thick. As much or as little ulne
as one way feel disposed may DO PVT upon
the hull finish. the matter OF taste gov
erning. The canoe rig Is generally
single sticker. with ono foresail and one
Glib. Tho mast Is stepped with a con-
Siderable rake. aft. and the sails are al
ways slarp-pointed, triangular or veg 500
mutton" as the novice would terra y.
It takes no small amount Of skill and
mechanical ingenuity to build good
canoe Tho talent In this line seems 70
run in certain families. hereditary as y
were, and q matter of family Pride, a
great deal Of the rough hewng Is done
entirely by the eye. without the slightest
mechanical aid. except possibly rule to
The canoe is the especial favorite OF
the oysterman, and It as much part and
parcel OF the oyster business as the hu-
man hand Is a portion of the anatomy,
After reaching fifty feet In length or over
and with the addition of an extra mast
the vessel becomes either bug-eye or
brogan. according to the cut Of her 81 lis,
either square or sharp. These are also
fayorites with tho oystermen, but desig-
nate a higher element of the longer, who
look down on their brethren az the canoe
as small potatoes,
DEMAND DECREASING,
The demand for these little graft IL not
az heavy as In former years, so 1t Is said.