The Memorial History of the City of New York: From Its First Settlement to the Year 1892, Volume III, Part 22

Author: Wilson, James Grant, 1832-1914
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: [New York] New York History Co.
Number of Pages: 723

USA > New York > New York City > The Memorial History of the City of New York: From Its First Settlement to the Year 1892, Volume III > Part 22

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But Chancellor Livingston's services as statesman and jurist were not more valuable, perhaps, to his country than the results attained by his interest in its material development, especially in the steam- boat and canal. "He applied himself with uncommon energy and perseverance, and at great expense, to constructing vessels and machinery for that kind of navigation," says his biographer, Cad- wallader D. Colden. "As early as 1798 he believed that he had accomplished his object, and represented to the Legislature of New-York that he was possessed of a mode of applying the steam- engine to propel a boat on new and advantageous principles: but that he was deterred from carrying it into effect by the uncer- tainty and hazard of a very expensive experiment unless he could be assured of an exclusive advantage from it should it be found successful. The Legislature, in March, 1798, passed an act vesting Mr. Livingston with the exclusive right and privilege of navigat- ing all kinds of boats which might be propelled by the force of fire or stoam on all the waters within the territory or jurisdiction of the State of New-York for the term of twenty years from the passing of the act: upon condition that he should, within a twelve- month, build such a boat, the mean of whose progress should not be less than four miles an hour."

The bill, introduced by Dr. Samuel L. Mitchill, of New-York, was received as a joke by both houses, scarcely a member of which be- lieved that steam could ever be made to supersede sails; and after it had been ridiculed and made the subject of numerous witticisms, it was passed, as it would have been probably had the monopoly been

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for a thousand years,-the franchise, in the opinion of the legislature, being without value.

Livingston at once built a steamboat of thirty tons burden, but on her trial trip she failed to develop the necessary speed, and did not therefore meet the requirements of the law; the projector's departure for France about this time led to the temporary abandonment of the enterprise. In France, however, Livingston met Fulton and Barlow, as we have seen, and his interest in steam navigation was revived. After many conferences and ex- periments, the two former deter- mined to build a pioneer boat at their joint expense, Mr. Barlow finding the necessary funds for Fulton. In April, 1802, the lat- ter accompanied Mrs. Barlow to the famous baths at Plombières as her escort, and there busied himself by constructing with his own hands several models of steamboats. On his return to Paris, in the autumn, the con- struction of a steamboat was begun on the Seine, which was finished in the spring of 1803. A day had been fixed for the trial, and a party of friends and scien- tists was invited to witness it; but, unfortunately, the night before a gale swept down the Seine where the boat lay moored to the bank, and the machinery being too heavy for the frame, the boat capsized and sank, to the disappointment of her constructor.

Fulton, undismayed, at once began the work of raising her, and within twenty-four hours had the machinery upon the bank very little injured; the hull, however, was entirely ruined, so that it had to be replaced by a new one. Summer was well advanced when this was accomplished; but, early in August, Mr. Fulton had the pleasure of inviting the officers of the French National Institute, with other dis- tinguished citizens of Paris, to witness her trial trip on the Seine. The boat was sixty-six feet in length and eight feet in width, and was moved by paddle-wheels on the sides. The trial proved satisfactory in every respect, except that she did not develop as much speed as her builders expected. This Fulton attributed in part to lack of power in the engines, and in part to a faulty construction of the hull; but with characteristic energy he at once set about remedying the defects.

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The two, Fulton and Livingston, now decided to build a larger and much stronger boat for the navigation of the Hudson River. The former at once ordered a larger and more powerful engine from Messrs. Boulton and Watt, the famous engine-builders of Birming- ham, England, his contract stipulating that it should be delivered in America by 1805, although it did not arrive until after Fulton's return in 1806. The hull they decided to build in New-York. Mr. Livingston also secured, through the aid of his friends, a renewal of the exclusive privilege of navigating the waters of the State by steam -Fulton's name being associated with his in the new grant, the two being joint grantees. The condition was that they should, within two years, produce a steamboat of at least twenty tons burden, capable of moving against the current of the Hudson at a rate of at least four miles per hour. A later act extended the time to April, 1807.

Mr. Livingston is said by several authorities to have furnished the funds for building the boat, and Colonel Thomas W. Knox, in his re- cent excellent life of Fulton, repeats the statement. It is probable, however, that the funds for the model of the Clermont were contrib- uted in part by Joel Barlow, and for the large boat by several part- ners. While Fulton was at Plombières in 1802, Joel Barlow wrote him: "My project would be that you should pass directly over to England, silent and steady, make Chapman construct an engine of twelve inches while you are building a boat of proportionate size. Make the experiments on that scale all quiet and quick. If it answers, put the machinery on board a vessel and go directly to New-York (ordering another engine, as large as you please, to follow you), then secure your patent and begin your operation, first small, and then large. I think I will find you the funds without any noise for the first operation in England, and if it promises well you will get as many funds and friends in America as you want. I should suggest a small operation first for several reasons: it can be made without noise; there must be imperfections in the first trial which you can remedy without disgrace if done without noise; you can easier find funds for a small experiment." Livingston returned to America in 1805, Joel Barlow in July of the same year, Fulton in November, 1806. The latter was then in funds, having from vested funds, as he wrote Mr. Barlow, "five hundred pounds sterling a year, with a steam- engine and pictures worth two thousand pounds."

Fulton, heeding Barlow's advice, had brought with him a miniature engine, and hastening to the latter's country-seat, near Washington. constructed there a model of the larger Clermont. which the two friends tried on the quiet waters of Rock Creek, which flowed through the grounds. The trial proving satisfactory. Fulton and Livingston next began building, at the ship yard of Charles Brown, on the East

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BEGINNING OF STEAM NAVIGATION

River, a large full-powered steamboat, 130 feet long, 16} feet wide, 4 feet deep, and of 160 tons burden by the custom-house regula- tions then in force. The wheels were fifteen feet in diameter, with paddles four feet in length and two feet in dip. The boiler was twenty feet long, seven feet deep, and eight feet wide. The steam-cylinder was twenty-four inches in diameter, and had a stroke of four feet. It was not until August, 1807, that she was ready for her preliminary trip, which was made at an early hour, from the ship-yard to the Jer- sey shore. Few people, except the crews of vessels at anchor in the harbor, witnessed it; and these, seeing a vessel moving through the FROM AN ADVERTISEMENT. water without the aid of sails, and, indeed, without masts on which to spread them, regarded the strange craft with superstitious awe, as something uncanny. A few days later her trial trip was made in the presence of a large company of invited guests, including several members of the legislature: among them Dr. Mitchill, the gentleman who had secured the first concession for Mr. Livingston in 1798.

Of this trial trip Mr. Colden has given the following description : "Nothing could exceed the surprise and admiration of all who wit- nessed the experiment. The minds of the most incredulous were changed in a few minutes. Before the boat had made the progress of a quarter of a mile, the greatest unbeliever must have been con- verted. The man who, while he looked on the expensive machine, thanked his stars that he had more wisdom than to waste his money on such idle schemes, changed the expression of his features as the boat moved from the wharf and gained her speed; his complacent smile gradually stiffened into an expression of wonder. The jeers of the ignorant, who had neither sense nor feeling enough to suppress their contemptuous ridicule and rude jokes, were silenced for a mo- ment by a vulgar astonishment, which deprived them of the power of utterance, till the triumph of genius extorted from the incredulous multitude, which crowded the shores, shouts and acclamations of congratulation and applause."

The trial showed to Fulton a defect in the paddle-wheels, the buck- ets of which dipped too deeply in the water. This having been reme- died, a second trial showed great improvement in the speed. The boat was then advertised to run between New-York and Albany, for the conveyance of passengers and freight. She was named the Cler- mont, after Chancellor Livingston's beautiful country-seat on the Hudson. The day of the first sailing of the Clermont has been vari- ously given, but it was probably on Monday, August 11, 1807. On

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his return from Albany, Mr. Fulton gave, in the "American Citizen " of New-York, the following official account of the trip:

I arrived this afternoon, at four o'clock, in the steamboat from Albany. As the success of my experiment gives me great hopes that such boats may be rendered of great importance to my country, to prevent erroneous opinions, and give some satis- faction to the friends of useful improvements, you will have the goodness to publish the following facts :

I left New-York on Monday at one o'clock, and arrived at Clermont, the seat of Chancellor Livingston, at one o'clock on Tuesday : time, twenty-four hours; distance, one hundred and ten miles. On Wednesday I departed from the Chancellor's at nine in the morning, and arrived at Albany at five in the afternoon : distance, forty miles; time, eight hours. The sum is one hundred and fifty miles in thirty-two hours- equal to near five miles an hour. On Thursday, at nine o'clock in the morning, I left Albany, and arrived at the Chancellor's at six in the evening. I started from thence at seven, and arrived at New-York at four in the afternoon : time, thirty hours; space run through, one hundred and fifty miles -equal to five miles an hour. Throughout my whole way, both going and returning, the wind was ahead; no advantage could be derived from my sails. The whole has, therefore, been performed by the power of the steam-engine.

To his friend Mr. Barlow he wrote with more freedom and ani- mation: "My steamboat voyage to Albany and back has turned out rather more favorable than I had calculated. . . . I overtook many sloops and schooners beating to windward, and parted with them as if they had been at anchor. ... The morn- ing I left New York there were not perhaps thirty persons in the city who believed that the boat would ever move one mile an hour, CLERMONT MANOR-HOUSE. or be of the least util- ity! While we were putting off from the wharf; which was crowded with spectators, I heard a number of sarcastic remarks. This is the way in which ignorant men compliment what they call philosophers and projectors. . . . It will give a cheap and quick conveyance to the merchandise on the Mississippi, Missouri, and other great rivers which are now laying open their treasures to the enterprise of our countrymen; and although the prospect of personal emolument has been some induce- ment to me, yet I feel infinitely more pleasure in reflecting on the . immense advantage my country will derive from the invention."1

1 C. B. Todd. "Life of Joel Barlow." p. 233: J. F. Reigart. " Life of Robert Fulton, " p. 174.

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An eye-witness of the progress of the Clermont up the Hudson has given this account of it :

In the early autumn of the year 1807, a knot of villagers was gathered on a high bluff just opposite Poughkeepsie on the west bank of the Hudson, attracted by the appearance of a strange dark-looking craft which was slowly making its way up the river. Some imagined it to be a sea-monster, while others did not hesitate to express their opinion that it was a sign of the approaching judgment. What seemed strange in the vessel was the substitution of lofty and strange black smoke-pipes rising from the deck instead of the gracefully tapered masts that commonly stood on the vessels navigating the stream, and, in place of the spars and rigging, the curious play of the walking-beam and pistons, and the slow turning and splashing of the huge and naked paddle-wheels, met the astonished gaze. The dense clouds of smoke, as they rose wave upon wave, added still more to the wonder of the rustics.

This strange-looking craft was the Clermont on her trial trip to Albany; and of the little knot of villagers above mentioned, the writer, then a boy in his eighth year, with his parents, formed a part: I well remember the scene, one so well fitted to impress a lasting picture upon the mind of a child accustomed to watch the vessels that passed up and down the river. The forms of four persons were distinctly visible on the deck as she passed the bluff-one of whom doubtless was Robert Fulton, who had on board with him all the cherished hopes of years, the most precious cargo the wonderful boat could carry. On her return trip the curiosity she excited was scarcely less intense -the whole country talked of nothing but the sea-monster belching forth fire and smoke. The fishermen became terrified and rowed homewards; for they saw nothing but destruction devastating their fishing grounds; while the wreaths of black vapor and rushing noise of the paddle-wheels foaming with the stirred up waters pro- duced great excitement among the boatmen until the character of that curious boat, and the nature of the enterprise she was pioneering, had been ascertained.1

Some few alterations and repairs were suggested to Fulton by this experimental passage, such as boarding up the sides, decking over the boiler and works, furnishing each cabin with twelve berths, and strengthening many parts of the ironwork. All through the autumn the Clermont continued to run as a packet, her quick and regular passages and the novelty of the trip usually attracting a full com- plement of passengers. This awakened the jealousy of the owners of sailing vessels, who sued out an injunction restraining Fulton from making use of the steamboat, on the ground that the navigation of the river from use immemorial belonged to them. This case, absurd as it seems, was one of the causes celebres of the day, Daniel Webster being retained as counsel for the defendants, who won their case, as they deserved. Wilful attempts to destroy the vessel by running afoul of her and in other ways were also made. At last the legisla- ture was appealed to, and at its session of 1807-8 passed a law add- ing five years to the exclusive privilege of Fulton and Livingston for every new boat added, provided the whole term did not exceed thirty years, and appending a clause declaring that all combinations to destroy the Clermont or any other steamboat, and all wilful

1 Reigart's "Fulton," pp. 175, 176; extract from letter of H. Freeland, dated Jannary 4, 1856. VOL. III .- 13.

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attempts to injure them, were public crimes, punishable by fine and imprisonment.

The patentees were also exposed to untold annoyance and loss by attacks upon their patent rights, and upon the exclusive privilege of

Estimate for the equence of a steam ferry boato for one year I five men at 30 dollars a month each they findings themselves, they rull alas act as engineers to keep the orginie in order , they must be engaged for the year , as such man cannot be turned away in the winterts got on the Spacing = 60 dollars a month- 720-year

Two Bratman to take turns in seeing ) at 25 dollars a month each 60 dollars . - Geo a month.

1 / bands youand for 12 n /3 hours at

& it dollars a cord or say I Dollars a day 22 4 0 6 work 320 days --

Wave-tone and Repairs -. 600

That. 4160

Estamale for the expressund a steam ferry boat forme

FAC SIMILE OF LETTER WRITTEN BY ROBERT FULTON.

navigation that had been given them. Men who had laughed at the preposterous little craft on the stocks now hastened to secure patents on the most obvious improvements, many of them added by Fulton himself, and some of them already covered by his patents. Finan- ciers who had scoffed at the plan of moving boats by steam, and had

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refused it financial aid, now scented a golden shower, and suddenly discovered that Fulton's exclusive privilege was a monopoly, resolved that monopolies were dangerous and illegal, and proceeded to break this one by establishing rival lines of boats. The two inventors, in- stead of sitting down to enjoy the fruits of their hard-earned victory, were engaged in constant lawsuits to preserve what had been won, precisely as was the case with Morse half a century later.

Fulton's first patent for improvements in moving boats by steam was dated February 11, 1809. Two years later he secured a second patent, covering boats and machinery. Others, however, had pre- ceded him in taking out patents on his own inventions. One of the most notable of these was a " pendulum-boat," constructed by an ingenious gentleman of New-York, with paddle-wheels intended to be moved by the oscillations of a pendulum. While the boat was on the stocks, and the wheels met only the resistance of the air, this motor worked to perfection; but when in the water it was found that the pendulum could not move the wheels, except by the application to it of a great power; and steam being the only thing available, a steam- engine was introduced, and employed to move the pendulum, which, in turn, moved the paddle-wheels. For this contrivance the genius obtained a patent; and as Fulton had proven the commercial future of the steamboat, he had no difficulty in organizing a company to place boats of this design in commission. Fulton and Livingston sued in the United States Circuit Court for an injunction, but the judge decided that he was without jurisdiction, and the case was car- ried to the State Court of Chancery. The chancellor, however, after hearing arguments on both sides, refused to grant an injunction. The plaintiffs then appealed to the Court of Errors, which, for this case, was composed of the State Senate and the five judges of the Supreme Court; and that body, in the winter of 1812, unanimously reversed the decision of the lower court, and ordered a perpetual in- junction. To prevent further violation of the laws of this character, the legislature of 1811 enacted a law providing more stringent penal- ties for their infringement; but this could not wholly restrain eager rivals, and Fulton's last days were embittered, and his end no doubt hastened, by the struggle to secure for himself a part, at least, of the fruit of his long years of labor and experiment.

Meantime the Clermont had been improved, and had begun run- ning as a regular packet between New-York and Albany, making the round trip in seventy-two hours. As the sloops and schooners, here- tofore the only packets, were from four to seven days in making the distance between New-York and Albany, her superiority was mani- fest, and the traveling public hastened to patronize her. When one reflects that for one dollar the passenger may now be transported on

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palatial steamers in a single day or night from one city to the other, the fares seem high enough to have proved remunerative.1

The great achievement was almost unheralded by the press. In the "Commercial Advertiser," the leading newspaper of New-York at that time, we do not find a single reference to it, except that Fulton's letter to the "American Citizen " is reprinted. In the "Gazette" of August CENTS 22 is this simple announcement : FOUR " Mr. Fulton's new invented steam- boat yesterday returned to this city from Albany, having performed the passage to and from that place in little more than four days." On NASSAU. October 5, the "Albany Gazette" said: "Mr. Fulton's new steam- ADMIT THEBEARER. boat left New-York on the 2d, at 10 A. M., against a very strong tide, FERRY TICKET. very rough water, and a violent gale from the north. She made a headway against the most sanguine expectations, and without being rocked by the waves." The editors of that day seem to have con- sidered the project too chimerical to be worthy of attention, or per- haps they thought their readers more interested in the trial of Aaron Burr, then taking place at Richmond, and in the exciting moves on the European chessboard then in progress.

Other boats were soon built-the Car of Neptune, a boat of two hundred and ninety-five tons measurement, in 1808; the Paragon in 1811; and others the dates of whose construction have not been pre- served. The later development of the steamboat, and the fierce com- petitions to which it gave rise, will be narrated in another chapter. The history of the invention of the steam ferry-boat, however, prop- erly belongs to this period.

Up to 1812 the only means of ferriage across the North and East rivers were "horse-boats," small craft moved by paddle-wheels which were turned by four horses walking around a shaft on board the boat. The fare, we read, was four cents. Fulton, in 1811, began the con- struction of two steam ferry-boats for the North River, and completed both in 1812. Others soon followed for the East River. Cadwallader D. Colden, in his life of Fulton, describes them as having been twin

1 They were as follows: From New-York to Ver- planck's Point. (2; West Point. $2.50; Newburg. 3: Poughkeepsie, $3.50; Hudson, $5: Albany, $7. Passengers other than those hound to the regular landings were charged one dollar per twenty miles. An advertisement in the " Albany Gazette" (the only one we have been able to find in New-York or Albany journals). dated September 1. 180 ;. gives a different rate of fare, and also the sched-

ule of time. as follows : Newburg (14 hours). $3; Poughkeepsie (17 hours). #4: Esopns (20 hours). $5; Hudson :30 hours). $5.50: Albany (36 hours). #7. This schedule is prefaced by the following announcement: "The North River steamboat will leave Paulus Hook on Friday. 4th of September. a: 9 A. M .. and arrive at Albany at 9 in the after- noon. Provisions, good bertha, and accommoda- tions are provided."

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State Prison

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HISTORY OF NEW-YORK

boats, each being two complete hulls united by a deck or bridge, sharp at both ends, so that they could move with equal facility back- ward or forward, or retrace their course without turning. Fulton also invented for them the floating or movable dock, and the method by which the boats were brought to them without shock.

In the "American Medical and Philosophical Register" for Octo- ber, 1812, Fulton gave a description of these boats, from which we cite the following: "The boat which I am now constructing will have some important improvements, particularly in the power of the engine to overcome strong ebb tides: from which again other im- provements will be made as in all new inventions. The present boat crosses the river-which is a mile and a half broad-when it is calm, in fifteen minutes. The average time is twenty minutes. She has had in her, at one time, eight four-wheel carriages, twenty-nine horses, and one hundred passengers, and could have taken three hundred persons more." Except in the increased power of her engines, the modern ferry-boat shows little improvement over the pioneers of 1812.

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The Memorial History of the City of New York: From Its First Settlement to the Year 1892, Volume III, Part 22

Author: Wilson, James Grant, 1832-1914 Publication date: 1892 Publisher: [New York] New York History Co. Number of Pages: 723

Author: Wilson, James Grant, 1832-1914
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: [New York] New York History Co.
Number of Pages: 723