Old "Steam Donkey" Naukati Bay Alaska

dmartin · September 13, 2010, 10:48:00 PM

I just returned from a Fishing/Hunting trip to Alaska and I saw what I was told was a steam Donkey in Naukati Bay on Prince Of Wales Island, Alaska. They tell me that they used to float it to an area and drag logs to the shore from a long distance inland with it. The story is that it was partitaly submerged for many years and someone loaded it on a barge to scrap it but got in trouble for doing so. They said that part of the deal for not getting in trouble for trying to scrap it was to add new float logs to it and set it in Naukati Bay near the dock. From my understanding the guy was not trying to steal it, just helping to clean up the area but ended up in trouble for trying to scrap it. Anyway it ended up with new floats and back on dry land. I thought that there may be a few people here that have heard of a Steam Donkey and would be intrested in seeing the pictures that I took of it.

Paul_H · September 13, 2010, 11:50:22 PM

You were right,we like the pics of the old donkey.Do you have anymore? I'm curious and would like to know how many drums are on that machine.It looks like split drums on the back toward the boiler,then the main or skyline drum and then the wood on front.
I'm thinking it could be an old skidder that ran a carriage like the diagram in the link here

Link

I know some old guys still alive that logged with steam.They said it was fast and powerfull.

dmartin · September 14, 2010, 09:51:49 PM

Paul, here are two more pictures of it. My brother who used to drive dump truck on the island was told by the oldtimers that the steam powered donkeys were very powerful. He worked on the island years ago building logging roads.

D Hagens · September 14, 2010, 09:57:20 PM

If memory serves me correctly there's one of these in Powell River at the end of the walking trail down by the beach. It's yellow and much smaller. I know I have a pic of it, just that I would have to look long and hard for it.

mad murdock · September 15, 2010, 06:41:07 PM

Thanks for posting these pics. I just got back from working on one of our helicopters that is working near Camp 18 near Seaside, ORE, they have a huge collection of Steam Donks' in their yard. They have one set up to a 160'tall Douglas Fir Spar tree, and the runners on it are about 5 feet in dia. douglas fir logs about 40 ft long or so. The plaque on it says that it was one of the largest ones in use in the Pac NW. I was commenting to one of the guys in the woods today that I think that if a guy had a operating Steam Donkey and set up a logging job with it, you could make more money selling tickets to watch the operation than you could selling the wood you yard out. I would pay for a ticket to see such an operation thats for sure! Steam engines and old school tools really are just the coolest thing! Next time I am going by Camp 18, I will have to remember to take some pictures and post on here. I apologize for being so lame about it, didn't think of it at the time. :(

sparky · September 17, 2010, 12:25:47 AM

We have a much smaller steam donkey in use at our antique tractor show. It operates a stiff legged crane that transfers logs from storage to the log deck on the sawmill. It is quite an attraction for our vistors.

Sparky

Chico · September 23, 2010, 03:18:47 PM

Many a cypress was pulled out of Al and Fl swamps with a donkey they are art in action Great pics

barbender · September 23, 2010, 07:50:48 PM

Sparky, which show is that?

shinnlinger · September 25, 2010, 06:09:03 AM

We know alot of guys lost life and limb in the rigging with those fast beasts(when the whistle blew you better have your choker set and be out of the way, but I wonder how many did the same trying to operate one? Looks like a lot of levers next to unguarded pulleys just waiting to grab some one.

THat really is a work of art though and a great testament to the HARD and dangerous work our forefathers did...

Thanks for sharing...

minn · September 26, 2010, 10:24:56 PM

Quote from: barbender on September 23, 2010, 07:50:48 PM
Sparky, which show is that?

I think Sparky is talking about Dalton steam threshers show.

Left Coast Chris · September 27, 2010, 12:25:04 AM

Thanks for the steam donkey picks. Great piece of history. BUT..... being an avid fisherman......... fill us in on the fishing. I worked on Prince of Whales Island a number of years in the mid 80's at the sawmill in Klawock. Worked 12 hour days then went fishing nearly every day until the sun went down at 11:00 or 12:00 at night. Lots of Sockeye, Coho, Dog Salmon, Dollyvarden, Red Snapper and Halibet.

Lots of good memorys from Klawock.

Ironwood · October 03, 2010, 10:24:10 PM

BIG and COOL, Thanks Ironwood

sandhills · October 03, 2010, 11:21:02 PM

Type in steam donkey on youtube, it shows a few in action. I'd never heard of them before this thread, they are quite a peice of work.

sparky · October 04, 2010, 09:50:39 PM

barbender,

Sorry for not responding sooner. I've been out of state for a while. The show I referred to is the Lake Region Pioneer Threshermen's show at Dalton, MN as another person suggested. We hold a 3-day show the weekend after Labor Day each fall. We just held our 57th annual show. The steam donkey came from a power pole treating facility in Minneapolis. In 2011, we will be featuring logging equipment.

Sparky

barbender · October 04, 2010, 11:02:36 PM

I'd like to come see your show. I had to look and see where Dalton was, I've never been there. I've been to the threshing show at Rollag a couple of times, I always enjoy that.

dmartin · October 07, 2010, 09:59:15 PM

I'm glad I took the pictures of the Steam Donkey, never heard of one untill I saw that one in Naukati Bay. Some of you guys seem to know alot about them. The youtube videos are neat. Chris we rented a 17 ft Boston Whaler and went out to Eagle Island to fish for Halibut. We didnt catch any Halibut but went through a pod of whales and caught alot of little sharks and some Pacific Cod. The Whales were cool to see up close in that little boat and there were alot of them.
We drove down to Craig one day and passed a sawmill at Klawok, it was on the right just before the school on the left and the boat yard on the right. Is that the one that you used to work at? There is a rock shop at the boatyard and I wanted to get a present for my wife but their prices were way more than I wanted to spend for a rock bowl.
I have attached the pictures of the Codfish and Whale also a Deer and Bear that a friend shot. We also got some Salmon but didn't keep any because they were not in good condition and we had enough stuff to take back.