"bailey gatzert" was driven by two twin horizontally mounted single cylinder poppet valve steam engines, each with a 22-inch interior bore diameter and an 84-inch stroke on the piston rod. these engines could drive the steamer at a speed of over 20 miles per hour. the engines generated 1,300 horsepower, enough it was said at the time of its launch, to make "bailey gatzert" the fastest steamer on puget sound. according to an official source, the engines generated 1,150 nominal horsepower and 1,300 indicated horsepower. the sternwheel had 17 "buckets" (paddles), each of which was 18 feet long.