river  
                           
 
 
 
     
Smethport Youths 
Plan River Journey 
Smethport, July 26_(AP)_Two 
16-year-old Smethport youths, Bernard
Huffman and Bill Faull, are ready for
 a trip down the Allegany river in 
 home-made Eskimo kayaks   The flimsy 
crafts were taken to Kinzua by truck 
today.  There the twoSmethoport boys 
will join four Olean youths and the party
 of six will head down stream with
Pittsburgh as its goal. 
  They expect to arrive in Pittsburgh
about August 6.
   here include: Kermit Peasley, Robert Keenan, Glenn Denning, Bud Burlingame and Richmond and David Johnson. Faull and Huffman have been camping at night along the river bank during their trip. 
   They will be brought home by auto next Sunday.

 

 
Two Boys Making
    River Journey
Local Youths Start Trip Down 
         Allegheny River 
 
   Two 16-year-old Smethport lads.  Bernard Huffman, son of Mr. And Mrs. J. R. Huffman of Water Street, and Bill Faull, son of Mr. And Mrs. Lee Faull of East Smethport, left yesterday morning on a trip down the Allegheny River to Pittsburgh.
    The boys made their own boats Eskimo Kayaks, light boats similar to canoes, and operated by paddle.  These were carried to Kinzua by truck Tuesday where they were loaded with a tent and necessary provisions for the trip, and extra clothing.  The boys will wear bathing suits on the journey.  They expect to camp at night along the river banks in their tent and think the trip will take about two weeks.  Both lads are good swimmers and look forward with pleasure to the unusual adventure.
 
     
Smethport Boys Will Dock Today
In Pittsburgh Ending River Trip
   William Faull, 16, and Bernard Huffman 17, two Smethport boys who left Kinzua last Thursday morning in fragile Eskimo kayaks for a hazardous trip down the Allegheny River, expect to arrive in Pittsburgh, their destination, today. 
   The boys are wellahead of their schedule, having estimated originally that they would complete the trip next Saturday.  Four Olean youths are members of the kayak flotilla.
  Reports received in Smethport show that the kayaks were in Tarentum, Pa., yesterday after an uneventful trip.  The best day`s record run` was fifty miles. 
   The boys spent Sunday in Butler with young Faul`s grandmother. 
   All along the several hundred mile stretch of the Allegheny River crowds of curious people gathered to inspect the home-made kayaks and compliment the young navigators on their skill.  The boys had numerous chances to sell their boats and other people offered them contracts to build kayaks.
  The local boys constructed the frail Eskimo boats at a minimum of expense for material  Other local boys who have kayaks on Hamlin lake continued colum two
 
 
     
Saturday, July 30, 1938
TWO SMETHPORT BOYS,
ON RIVER JOURNEY TO 
PITTSBURGH, STOP HERE
  Paddling kayaks they made themselves from waterproofed flour sacks, two Smethport boys were traveling down the Allegheny River south of Franklin today, and planned to tie up for the night at Emlenton on an expedition to Pittsburgh.
  Bernard Huffman, 17, and William Faull, 16, who set out from Smethport at 6 o`clock Wednesday morning, pulled their kayaks up to the bank of the river at the Eighth Street Bridge early Friday evening and pitched camp for the night They were off today with Emlenton planned as their next stop.
  The boys expect to reach Pittsburgh by easy stages Monday or Tuesday.  They have made good time on their voyage down the river, except on Thursday when heavy rains delayed them between Warren and Tidioute.  They have no particular plans upon arriving in Pittsburgh, but their arrival will not be unhearlded, because the news of their trip already has proceded them via newspapers and radia brodcasts.
  The river voyagers said the trip is costing them about 50 cents a day for food.  Their equipment includes a small tent, which they pitched Friday night near the Galagher gasoline station on Eights Street, so they have no lodging expenses.
  The home made kayaks are 16 feet long.  The flour sack coverings are stretched over wood framework and have proved durable crafts.  Having left Smethport Wednesday morning, they camped that night at Warren.  Because of the rain Thursday they got no farther than Tidioute that day, and Friday the traveled from Tidioute to Franklin.
Note:  Bernard Huffman was 16 at the time.  His kayak was made from hemlock strips and covered with a table cloth, much to his mothers chagrin. It was  then sealed with  varnished. 

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