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Show 1036 hit another bar; sort of in stair- steps, like." R. 2463. After making a few trips up the river with this boat the propellor was broken because of sand and rocks that were sucked into the propellers, which finally locked it and broke the propellor- the reverse gear. R. 2463- 2464. Upon returning to Los Angeles he recommended that a paddle wheel be put on to do away with the propellor trouble. After operating the boat for about three weeks as originally designed, he built a paddle wheel at the Edison Company garage, took it in pieces to Lees Ferry, where he assembled it. R. 2464. Much better luck was obtained with the paddle wheel because they did not have rock and sand trouble and they could make more progress up the river with the paddle wheel than with the propellor, at all stages of the water. The boat would get stuck on bars the same as before but not as badly because the wheel didn't let the boat settle on the bars like the tunnel type did. There were times, however, when a line or winch had to be used to get off the bars. R. 2464. As far as he knows, the winch, or capstan, was not dismantled but was left on the boat intact. " Q Do you recall any occasion when the crew had to get overboard? " A Yes, most every day, if we had very far to go." R. 2465. Whether or not the crew went overboard depended upon how badly the boat was stuck. If they were stuck coming around a bend they would try to get to the near shore, " the short side," and the crew would pull them back. If they were stuck " in a straight piece of the river, wasn't any short [ sic shore] to get to, we would have to work the boat back and forth, push it off, and try to find another channel deep enough to go up." R. 2465. |