Letter to from William Post Kerigan
Name/Title
Letter to from William Post KeriganEntry/Object ID
2022.16.8912Scope and Content
Letter to from William Post Kerigan Transcription: Cleve House Dear Sir: My summer home is located on one of the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River. Up there one sees all types of motor boats from a little single cylinder outboard to large cruisers with twin screws. The most popular type of boat, however, is the "V" bottom runabout. It seems ot me that the"V" bottom runabout is becoming more and more popular. There are a great many bigger Gar Woods churning up the St. Lawrence. There are also other makes of runabouts on the river, but I think majority are Gar Woods. Last summer I completed my sixteenth year on the St. Lawrence. During my past few years up there I have acquired a somewhat natural habit trying to pick out the good and bad points of new boats as I see them underway and at the dock. Toward the end of the summer I was having my motor boat repaired at machine shop on the water's edge. All of a sudden one of your new 16 foot runabouts came into view. Boy how she did cut and she didn't make a lot of fuss about it either. She wasn't sticking her bow out of water, but just skimming over the water at mighty close to 40 miles per hour. That little mahogany "bullet", as I page 2 called her, it looked dry too, because she threw her spray clear of her stern cockpit. Right away something inside of me told me I wanted one of those 16 footers. I watched her to see where she was going and to my delight I saw her land at a dock a short distance away. Finally when my boat had been repaired, I ran my boat "wide open" over to the pier where the little Gar Wood was tied. I noticed her small engine hatch which I thought must contain a very powerful 4 cylinder engine. Curiosity made me open the hatch to see what drove her so smoothly. To my very great surprise I beheld a powerful, compact, six cylinder, Chrysler "Ace" Marine Engine. While the hatch was open I noticed the rugged construction of her well designed hull. While I was admiring the boat, Mr. Fitzgerald, who is a salesman of Gar Woods, asked me if I would like to take her out for a spin. I waisted no time in tying up my boat and getting into the cockpit of the 16 footer. I pushed on the starter and while the engine was purring nicely I threw her into "go ahead" and she idled along very smoothly. I drew down the throttle and her bow came up and over the horizon and then dropped back to a planing position. She "banks" on the turns very nicely for a boat of her size. I turned around and watched her sleek hull throw the water and boy, how she did throw it! One certainly does get a "kick" out of driving a little boat like page 3 this, and I guess any of your larger models. I certainly did appreciate Mr. Fitzgerald's courtesy. That afternoon I had one of the best motor boat rides in my life, and I have had many. It would please me vey much if you would send me one of your complete catalogues and information concerning your smaller boats. I remain very truly yours, William Post Kerigan Cleve House, Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, New JerseyCollection
Fitzgerald & Lee Collection of the Cornwall Brothers Store MuseumCategory
Correspondence