Folding Canvas Boats
The Expedition party purchased two folding canvas boats before departing Sanford, Florida. They transported them to Fort Myers via train and steamship, and then from Fort Myers to Fort Shackleford via carts. They used the folding boats as they crossed the Everglades, carrying men and supplies. They had expected to be able to ride in the boats more frequently, but they ended up completing portages across the thick saw grass. It is probable that the two boats were manufactured by the Acme Folding Boat Company.
Note about confidence of this information:
The Expedition texts do not identify the manufacturer of the folding canvas boats, so it is impossible to know if the boats they used were Acme Folding Boats. However, advertisements for the Acme Folding Boat Company appear in most of the major catalogs and sporting magazines of the late 1880s and early 1890s, and at least one advertisement stated that Acme was the only manufacturer of folding boats advertising in the journals of the day. It is very possible that the Expedition party acquired Acme boats.
Credits:
Sources:
References in the Texts:
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For other topics referenced in the Expedition texts, please refer to the Index to Subjects and Names.
1892 Everglades Exploration Expedition : Three Digital Texts, 2015