The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-02-26
.LEAVTT WRECKS
HOME, SELF AND
HIS ISMOTORBOAT
Clubnan's Launching of Graft
He Built in Bungalow Ends
Disastrously
With Chief Assistant, He Goes
Down in Ruin of Shaky In
CIined Plane
Societymen Help in Work of
DemoIishing Villa at
Belvedere

CONSERVATION and grief reigns in
the sun kissed hamlet of B@vedere.
William Leavitt, clubr1an, bohemian,
good fellow and society fsvorite, is in
the hospital nursing ugly bruises. On
a cot adjoining Leavitt's rests John
Hartman, also member of the Bel
vedere "4oo." recovering from sprained
limbs. Incidentally pretty bungalow
lies badly damaged and a brand new
motor boat which had not yet bathed
its keel in the placid waters of the
bay is completely demolished. All of
which is the result of too much am
biton, strenuosity and ingenuity on
the part of popular "Bill'' Leavitt
When in the course of events, some
six weeks past, "Bill' Leavitt found
time hanging heavily on his hands he
conceived the idea of building a motor
boat for himself. Not desiring to ad-
vertise himself in advance and attract
ing annoying attention, a large spare
bedroom on the second floor of Leavitt-s
bungalow was turned into a work
room In this room far into the night
Billy has toiled industriously for six
weeks, watching his own original ideas
take shape and blossom out into a
handsome motor boat the like of which
he truly did not believe had ever been
seen on San Francisco bay.
CALLS FRIENDS TO ADMIRE
Proud of the results OF. his efrorts
Leavitt determined to make the launch
ing of his creation one of the society
events of Belredere and forthwith issued
a score of invitations to his most init
mate friends, inviting them to be pres
ent and assist in the ceremonies. He
sat up the night before composing an
oration appropriate for the occasion
and had it so well memorized that he
could have repeated 1t backward
standing on his head had occasion de-
manded 1t.
Leavitt's friends assembled. The
marriment was at its height The
motor boat was just about to be lifted
from its cradle, slid down the ways
and into the bays waters. when to their
great astonishment and disappointment
'Bill'' discovered that in his zeal he
had failed to take into consid GRAFTON
the size of the window through which
he planned TO remove the boat. "Bill"
scowled. Somebody laughed. Then.
everybody laughed.
Take out the window SILL" advised
one of the invited. But that proved of
no use. The boat was still too large.
Get a carpenter and knock out
few of the boards suggested another.
Somebody ran for a hammer. Out went
a few boards. Leavitt saw that course
likewise was useless. so out went the
entire side of the house BY that time
everybody was armed with hammers
and ties were laid to one side Sleeves
were rolled UP and the entire crew was
put to work constructing scaffold 10
the second floor.
ENDS IN DISASTER
Another effort to launch the boat was
made. In the midst of the operation
the crew came to a sudden halt The
scaffold was swaying slightly In the
breeze. A few of the more tinid ones
sought firmer ground. Leavitt and
Hartman went down with the crash
that quickly followed Leavitt and
Hartman were buried in the scaffoId-
ing and the pretty motor boat was
completely wrecked.
Leavitt and Hartman were removed
to the hospital, the former suffering
bruises to the face and the latter
severe sprains of several limbs.
After taking an inventory last night
Leavitt estimated the total cost of his
motor boat and launching party at a
sum equal to the price of one of the
ferry boats that ply between Sausalito
and San Francisco.