A New Power Boat Club [1905]
A new power boat club has been formed at Houston. The name decided upon is Houston Yacht & Power Boat Club. Incorporators are H. E. Gray, George E. Wharton, H. B. Rice and B. J. Hill. A meeting will be held shortly for the election of officers and committees to arrange for the season's sport.
The following recently appeared in Galveston Tribune:
"The matter of power boats as pertaining to strict business
principles in Galveston Bay has been the topic of a great deal of discussion
among the owners of small craft in these waters as of late. The following
statistics throw some light upon the subject and conclusions may be drawn
from what is shown as to whether auxiliary power is good or bad in the
produce trade which is extensively carried on between this and the
surrounding ports. The first power boat to use gasolene among the smaller
type was launch Galveston, in or about 1896. Since that time the
majority of boats plying in these waters has reached the point where it may
be said that practically every boat in the harbor has artificial means of
propelling itself. There are at this time, it is estimated, more than 200
small boats in Galveston Harbor which are propelled by gasolene or naphtha
engines. The greater majority of these are simply fitted with engines as an
auxiliary means of progress, bit it is nevertheless true that the value of
the small engine is being learned rapidly and boat owners are fast taking
advantage of this knowledge. The runs from the surrounding farm lands to
Galveston are made in much better time than what was record time under the
old sailing regime. Vegetables, eggs, fish, oysters and the like are now
being brought into Galveston fresher, better and in every way more
satisfactory than ever before."
(Transcribed from Power Boat News, June 17, 1905, p. 195.)
[Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page. --LF]