Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1876 — A Curious Craft. [ARTICLE]

A Curious Craft.

More than six years since a New Brunswick farmer living on the Upper St. John took it into his head to build a vessel in which to take his family to Australia. He went to St. John, and there visited a shipyard for the first time in his life, and examined the build of a schooner. Return ing home with a few tools and book on navigation, he worked all the time he could get days, and studied with the aid of his wife his “navigation book” evenings. At the end of six years his vessel was completed. During the spring freshets he floated the craft down to St. John. At that time he had expended eveiy dollar he could raise, including the proceeds of the sale of his farm. Mr. Pomeroy, an American shipper, saw the craft, and finding that it was an object of curiosity, advanced the money for an outfit, and chartered her to take to Philadelphia. The ty in point of construction, but has numerous inventions never before seen on a vessel of any kind, which Mr. Draper, the backwoods builder has studied out himself. Draper has chartered his vessel for three months in order to get the means of taking his family on a trip to Australia. The vessel is of abaut fifty tons burthen. She is expected here every day, and will remain in the harbor several days.—Portland (Me.) Press.