The Wrangell sentinel., 1923-09-20
INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF A. GAS BOAT WRECK
 ON THE ISKUT RIVER

the constable, J. Harper Reed and Eddie Berkley of Wrangell aboard, started on a patrol trip, also carry ing mail to the Granby prospecting party on Quartz creek some 30 miles up the swift flowing Iskut river.
 The first part of the trip was made in record time and by noon they had arrived at wide spread ing part of the Iskut about two miles below the South Fork. Here the river runs in many channels and the numerous snag piles and log jams make navigation difficult. A bad corner with long sweeper lying out over the pile had to be passed and in trying to run this the boat was caught by the sweeper and turned over on It's side. It went un- der with everything aboard. In telling of the accident MT. Reed said:
 Il knew that corner alright as I have been past it dozen times this year. It is bad place but the req son we got caught was on account of a sand bar in front of the log jam. We were three quarters of the way past the sweeper when I saw the bow had to be run nearer the log jam and the boat was too heavy in the bow to straighten out again so the stern damned against the end of the sweeper tearing the can vas deck house and taking off all cover on that side. The boat was then held and the stream swept her into the log jam pinning us there. AS the boat started to side over to the rush of water we jumped for the sweeper and none too soon for in half minute we were looking down at our boat with its side only two inches above the rushing water. We were extremly lucky to be up on a sweeper even though it was very slippery one, instead of being with the wreck under water.
 "As we hung there a half loaf of bread came up and we threw it ashore and climbed up ourselves. Here we were; without an ax, with out rope and impossible to get anything from the boat for the can vas roof had collapsed and water en- veloped everything inside. AS luck would have it in trying to poke the canvas roof against the stream I got out the mail. my field glasses, blankets and a rifle The rifle con- tained five shells and was a god send. Then the boat sealed up for good and nothing more could be re- covered.
 "We got up on the sand bar and began to talk the matter over as to how we were to get back the 24 odd miles to the Boundary. We de- cided that a raft made of dry logs with cottonwood tree roots for ropes and poles for sweepers would be the best thing. In looking over our isl- and, wonder of wonders! out ten yards from the bank in some quick sand was the nose of small river |skiff poking up. The skiff was old and rotten but worth the chance of digging 1t out. We dug all day with |sticks and uncovered nine-foot |skfff which must have been there at least ten years for some nails fell out of the bottom. It was almost too heavy to move but was better than log raft anyhow. so we caulk- ed her up using material from the wreck. It was question after caulking her if she would float but we kept working and had nearly finished when Eddie looked up and said, Look at that Moose!" and there sure enough was young bull moose. He had swum the Iskut and was standing not 75 yards upstream looking at us. We decided not to shoot him but he moved around in a circle and at last got below us on the stream and stood not over 100 yards away watching us work. Then we thought of our half loaf of bread and it seemed best to have a good meal as there was no telling when we would make the Boundary so the Moose was shot. We then launched the boat and the water poured in but after little more packing from the inside she floated. We carved out paddles with our pocket knives and started out.
 "The skiff had too sharp nose to go down stream head on so we turned her round. We used water proof sou'wester hat that noated up from the wreck to bail out the boat.