The annals of Albany, Vol. VI, Part 2

Author: Munsell, Joel, 1808-1880
Publication date: 1850-1859
Publisher: Albany : J. Munsell
Number of Pages: 382


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Mr. Fulton was himself a passenger on this voyage, and upon his return published an account of it, which deserves to be preserved. It is as follows:


" To the Editor of the American Citizen:


"Sir, I arrived this afternoon, at four o'clock, in the steam boat from Albany. As the success of my experi- ment gives me great hopes that such boats may be rendered of great importance to my country, to prevent erroneous opinions, and give some satisfaction to the [ Annals, vi.] 3


20


Steam Navigation on the Hudson.


friends of useful improvements, you will have the good- ness to publish the following statement of 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 in 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.


"I am, sir, your obedient serv't, ROBERT FULTON."


He gives the following account of the same voyage in a letter to his friend, Mr. Barlow :


"My steam boat voyage, to Albany and back, has turned out rather more favorable than I had calculated. The distance from New-York to Albany is one hundred and fifty miles : I ran it up in thirty-two hours, and down in thirty. I had a light breeze against me the whole way, both going and coming, and the voyage has been performed wholly by the power of the steam-engine. I overtook many sloops and schooners beating to wind- ward, and parted with them as if they had been at anchor.


" The power of propelling boats by steam is now fully proved. The morning 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, or be of the least utility; and 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


21


Steam Navigation on the Hudson.


ignorant men compliment what they call philosophers and projectors.


" Having employed much time, money, and zeal, in accomplishing this work, it gives me, as it will you, great pleasure to see it fully answer my expectations. 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 enter- prise of our countrymen : and although the prospect of personal emolument has been some inducement to me, yet I feel infinitely more pleasure, in reflecting on the immense advantage that my country will derive from the invention."


Soon after this successful voyage, the Hudson boat was advertised and established as a regular passage boat between New York and Albany. She, however, in the course of the season, met with several accidents; so many, that those who had been forced to believe that she would succeed, began to return to their former increduli- ty. It was not wonderful that this first machine should have many imperfections; the greatest of which was, having her water-wheel shafts of cast iron, which was insufficient to sustain the great power applied to them. The wheels also were hung without any support for the outward end of the shaft, which is now supplied by what are called the wheel guards. It was obvious that the wheels were likely to give way for want of this simple addition. No one could have seen the operation of the boat without perceiving that this was a defect, and the remedy must immediately have suggested itself to any mechanic; yet many have claimed the invention of this improvement, and have really seemed to think it more merit rious than all Mr. Fulton had done .- Colden.


Mr. Colden gives but a part of Fulton's letter to Mr. Barlow. We subjoin the remainder, to show the zeal with which he pursued another scheme, which he erro- neously regarded as of more importance than steam boats.


" However, I will not admit that it is half so import- ant as the torpedo system of defence and attack : for out


1


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Steam Navigation on the Hudson.


of this will grow the liberty of the seas; an object of infinite importance to the welfare of America and every civilized country. But thousands of witnesses have seen . my steam boat in rapid movement, and they believe: they .


have not seen a ship of war destroyed by a torpedo, and they do not believe. We can not expect people in gene- ral will have a knowledge of physics, or power of mind sufficient to combine ideas, and reason from causes to effects. But in case we have war, and the enemy's ships come into our waters if the government will give me reasonable means of action, I will soon convince the world, that we have surer and cheaper modes of defense than they are aware of.


Yours, &c., ROBERT FULTON."


The reader will not fail to remark the enthusiasm and confidence with which Mr. Fulton speaks of the torpedo invention, and the superiority which he awards to it over his successful test of the power of propelling boats by steam. This was undoubtedly the combined result of patriotic and inventive enthusiasmn, if we may so describe it. The "liberty of the seas" and our national rights, then invaded by a naval power and prowess deemed to be impregnable through ordinary means, were objects of the highest solicitude to every lover of his country ; and to none more so than to him, who had devoted all his facul- ties to discoveries and inventions designed not only to facilitate the intercourse and promote the happiness of mankind, but to recover and establish the "liberty of the seas" and the rights of the feeble against the encroach- ments of the powerful. But how vast the change since the hand of Fulton penned this brief but significant epis- tle! The "torpedo system" expired with its author-too soon, alas, cut off from a world he had so much benefit- ted! With it, "the liberty of the seas" has been con- quered mainly by what was then among the weakest of the maritime nations. And the mighty agent steam, then regarded by the great projector as secondary, traversing the world, has wrought revolutions more extended and more important than could have been conceived by the most farseeing and enthusiastic .- Albany Argus.


23


Steam Navigation on the Hudson.


REMINISCENCES OF FULTON'S FIRST VOYAGE.


The following account of the first trip of the Clermont was furnished by JOHN Q. WILSON, Esq., who is the only" survivor of the twenty four passengers that accompanied FULTON on that memorable occasion; an occasion sur- passing in its importance to the world, the voyage of Hudson, and second only to that of Columbus in its effect upon posterity.


The narrative of Judge Wilson is as follows :


It may be of some interest to the present generation to have a correct account of the first boat built by Fulton- and Livingston, on her first trip as a passage vessel, by one who was then a passenger.


The writer of this article resided in New York, and was often in the ship yard when Mr. Fulton was build- ing his first boat. She was a queer looking craft, and like every new thing excited much attention, and not a little ridicule. When she was launched and the steam engine placed in her, that also was looked upon of a piece with the boat built to float it. In those days, the operations of the steam engine were but little known. A few had seen the one for raising the Manhattan water, but to the people at large the thing was a hidden mys- tery. Curiosity was now greatly excited; when it was announced in the New York papers, that the boat would start from the foot of Courtland Street at half past six o'clock on Friday morning, the 4th of September, and take passengers to Albany, there was a broad smile on every face, as the inquiry was made if any one would be fool-hardy enough to go. A friend of the writer of this article, hearing that he intended to venture, accosted him in the street: "John, will thee risk thy life in such a con- cern? I tell thee she is the most fearful wild fowl living, and thy father ought to restrain thee."


When Friday morning came, the wharves, piers, house-tops, and every " coigne of vantage" from which a sight could be obtained, were filled with spectators. There were twelve berths, and every one was taken. The fare was $7. All the machinery of the boat was


24


Steam Navigation on the Hudson.


fully exposed to view; the water and balance wheels were entirely uncovered; the periphery of the balance wheels was of cast iron some four inches or more square, and ran just clear of the water. The weight of both the water and balance wheels was sustained by the shafts, which projected over the sides of the vessel. There were no outside guards. The forward part of the boat was covered by a deck, which afforded shelter for the men employed in navigating the boat. The after part was fitted up in a rough manner for passengers; the en- trance into the cabin was from the stern, in front of the steersman, who worked a tiller the same as in an ordinary sloop. Thick, black smoke issued from the chimney, steam hissed from every illfitted valve and crevice of the engine. Fulton himself was there; his remarkably clear and sharp voice was heard above the hum of the multi- tude and the noise of the engine. All his actions were confident and decided, unheeding the fearfulness of some, and the doubts and sarcasms of others. In the whole scene combined, there was an individuality and an in- terest, which, like " love's young dream," comes but once, and is remembered forever.


The time set for the departure of the boat arrived, some of the machinery still requiring to be adjusted, there was a delay. Some of the passengers said in Fulton's hearing, they feared that the voyage would prove a failure. He replied, " gentlemen, you need not be un- easy; you shall be in Albany before twelve o'clock to- morrow."


When every thing was ready, the engine was started, the boat moved steadily, but slowly from the wharf. As she turned up the river and was fairly under weigh, there arose such a huzza as ten thousand throats never gave before. The passengers returned the cheer, but Fulton stood erect upon the deck, his eye flashed with an un- earthly brilliancy, as he surveyed the crowd. He felt that the magic wand of success was waving over him, and he was silent.


It was agreed that a kind of log book should be kept; Gerrit H. Van Wagenen was designated to give the time,


.


25


Steam Navigation on the Hudson.


and the writer of this article to set it down. At the termination of the voyage the following' paper was drawn up and signed by all the passengers, and published in the Albany Register of Tuesday, Sept. 8, 1807.


On Friday morning at 18 minutes before 7 o'clock, the north river steam boat left New York ; landed one passenger at Tarry- town (25 miles), and arrived at Newburgh (63 miles) at 4 o'clock in the afternoon; landed one passenger there, and arrived at Clermont (100 miles), where two passengers, one of whom was " Mr. Fulton, were landed at 15 minutes before 2 o'clock in the morning; and arrived at Albany at 27 minutes past 11 o'clock, making the whole time twenty-eight hours and forty-five minutes ; distance 150 miles.


The wind was favorable, but light from Verplank's point to Wappinger's creek (40 miles); the remainder of the way it was ahead, or there was a dead calm.


The subscribers, passengers on board of this hoat, on her first passage as a packet, think it but justice to state, that the ac- commodations and conveniences on board exceeded their most sanguine expectations.


Selah Strong,


George Wetmore,


G. H. Van Wagenen,


William S. Hicks,


Thomas Wallace,


J. Bowman,


John Q. Wilson,


J. Crane,


John P. Anthony, James Braiden,


Dennis H. Doyle,


Stephen N. Rowan,


Albany, Sept. 5, 1807.


When coming up Haverstraw bay, a man in a skiff lay waiting for us. His appearance indicated a miller; the paddle wheels had very naturally attracted his attention ; he asked permission to come on board. Fulton ordered a line to be thrown to him, and he was drawn alongside. He said he " did not know about a mill going up stream, and came to inquire about it," One of the passengers, an Irishman, seeing through the simple minded miller at a glance, became his Cicerone; showed him all the ma- chinery, and the contrivances by which one wheel could be thrown out of geer when the mill was required to come about, after finishing the examination, said he, " that will do; now show me the mill-stones." " O," said the other, " that is a secret which the master," point- ing to Fultoh, " has not told us yet ; but when we come


26


Steam Navigation on the Hudson.


back frem Albany with a load of corn, then if you come on board, you will see the meal fly." Dennis kept his countenance and the miller left.


As we passed West Point the whole garrison was out. and cheered us as we passed. At Newburgh it seemed as if all Orange county had collected there; the whole side-hill city seemed animated with life. Every sail boat and water-craft was out; the ferry-boat from Fishkill was filled with ladies; Fulton was engaged in seeing a passenger landed, and did not observe the boat until she bore up nearly alongside, The flapping of a sail arrested his attention, and, as he turned, the waving of so many handkerchiefs, and the smiles of bright and happy faces, struck him with surprise. He raised his hat, and ex- claimed, " that is the finest sight we have seen yet."


ANOTHER REMINISCENT.


A correspondent of the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser communicated the following anecdote of the Clermont and her builder. There is some discrepancy about that part of it which relates to the receipt by Fulton of the first money ; as the passengers on the voyage up, we are told by Judge Wilson, paid their fare to Fulton person- ally. Therefore, if the statement is correct, the pas- senger must have gone down on the trial trip, which was made in the latter part of August, without passengers, of which an account has been given on a previous page by Colden and the two letters of Fulton.


" Some twenty years since, more or less-for I can not fix the date with more certainty-I formed a traveling acquaintance, upon a steam boat on the Hudson river, with a gentleman, who, on that occasion, related to me some incidents of the first voyage of Fulton, to Albany, in his steam boat, the Clermont, which I have never met with elsewhere. The gentleman's name I have lost; but I urged him, at the time, to publish what he related; which, however, so far as I know, he has never done. I have several times repeated the facts as they were told to me, and have been often requested to secure them from oblivion by giving them to the press,


27


Steam Navigation on the Hudson.


" I chanced, said my narrator, to be at Albany, on - business, when Fulton arrived there, in his unheard of craft, which everybody felt so much interest in seeing. Being ready to leave, and hearing that this craft was to return to New York, I repaired on board and inquired for Mr. Fulton. I was referred to the cabin, and I there found a plain, gentlemanly man, wholly alone, and enga- ged in writing. "Mr. Fulton, I presume ?" "Yes, sir." ".Do you return to New York with this boat ?" "We shall try to get back, sir." "Can I have a passage down?", " You can take your chance with us, sir." I inquired the amount to be paid, and after a mo- ment's hesitation a sum, I think six dollars, was named. The amount, in coin, I laid in his open hand, and with his eye fixed upon it he remained so long motionless that I suppossed there might be a miscount, and said to him, is that right, sir? This roused him as from a kind of re- very, and as he looked up at me the big tear was brim- ming in his eye, and his voice faltered as he said, "Ex- cuse me, sir; but memory was busy as I contemplated this, the first pecuniary reward I have ever received for all my exertions in adapting steam to navigation. I would gladly- commemorate the occasion over a bottle of wine with you, but really I am too poor, even for that, just now ; yet I trust we may meet again, when this will not be so."


" The voyage to New York was successful, as all know, and terminated without accident. Some four years after this, when the Clermont had been greatly improved, and her name changed to The North River, and when two other boats, namely, The Car of Neptune and the Para- gon had been built, making Mr. Fulton's fleet three boats regularly plying between New York and Albany, I took passage upon one of these for the latter city. The cabin, in that day, was below; and as I walked its length, to and fro, I saw I was very closely observed by one I sup- posed a stranger. Soon, however, I recalled the features of Mr. Fulton; but, without disclosing this, I continued my walk and awaited the result. At length, in passing his seat, our eyes met, when he sprang to his feet, and


28


Steam Navigation on the Hudson.


eagerly seizing my hand, exclaimed, "I knew it must be you, for your features have never escaped me; and though I am still far from rich, yet I may venture that bot- tle, now." It was ordered, and during its discussion Mr. Fulton ran rapidly but vividly over his experience of the world's coldness and sneers, and of the hopes, fears, dis- appointments and difficulties that were scattered through his whole career of discovery, up to the very point of his final crowning triumph, at which he so fully felt he had at last arrived. "And in reviewing all these," said he, " I have again and again recalled the occasion and the inci- dent of our first interview at Albany; and never have I done so without its renewing, in my mind, the vivid emo- tions it originally caused. That seemed, and still does seem to me, the turning point in my destiny-the divid- ing line between light and darkness, in my career upon earth; for it was the first actual recognition of my use- fulness to my fellow men."


" Such, then, were the events coupled with the very dawn of steam navigation-a dawn so recent as to be re- membered by many-and such as Fulton there related them, were the early appreciations, by the world, of a discovery which has invaded all waters, causing a revolu- tion in navigation which has almost literally brought the very ends of the earth in contact."


And thus, on the waters of the Hudson, was first made that successful experiment which resulted so gloriously, and which placed Fulton high on the roll of fame; and here was launched the pioneer of that host of floating palaces that now enliven every navigable river in the land, and plough the waters of every sea that glitters beneath the circling sun.


THE CLERMONT was 100 feet long, 12 feet wide, 7 feet deep. In 1808, she was lengthened to 150 feet, widened to 18 feet, and had her name changed to North River.


The engine was constructed in England, by Watt & Bolton, and brought to New York, December, 1806, by Mr. Fulton. The hull of the boat was built by David Brome, an eminent ship builder in New York.


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Steam Navigation on the Hudson.


An account of the progress of steam navigation on this river, with which our city is so intimately identified, and a history of the boats themselves, and the experi- ments of the energetic men who built and controlled them, since the days of Fulton, would fill a volume. Unfortunately the materials are not at hand from which to prepare even an article that would be at all complete and satisfactory on this subject. It is to be regretted that no one familiar with the subject has yet stepped forward to do the work. To Robert L. Stevens of New York, we are more indebted than to any other man, for improvements in steam boats. His experiments and the energy and untiring assiduity with which he prosecuted his plans, contributed in a great degree towards placing the steamers of the Hudson first among all others in the world. He, therefore, it may be, should have written the history of steam navigation on the Hudson. A re- cord of the names and hour of departure of all the steam boats sailing from this port, and the disasters on the river, has been kept in the office of the Peoples Line in this city, for several years, which will be serviceable to such as may have occasion to gather facts. We glean from the papers of the day a few items of interest in relation to the first boats.


NEWSPAPER NOTICES.


The first advertisement of the steam boat in the Albany Gazet e is dated Sept. 2, 1807. The time promised was performed with great punctuality.


The North River steam boat will leave Paulus Hook ferry [now Jersey city] on Friday, the 4th of September, at 9 in the morning, and arrive at Albany on Saturday, at 9 in the afternoon.


Provisions, good berths and accommodations are provided. The charge to each passenger is as follows:


'To Newburg,


$3


time 14 hours.


Poughkeepsie,


4


17


Esopus,


5


66 20


Hudson,


5₺


30


66


Albany,


7


36


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Steam Navigation on the Hudson.


For places, apply to Wm. Vandervoort, No. 48 Courtland st., on the corner of Greenwich. Way passengers to Tarrytown, &c .. &c .. will apply to the Captain on board.


The steam boat will leave Albany on Monday the 7th of September at 9 o'clock in the morning, and arrive at New York on Tuesday at 9 in the evening.


She will leave New York on Wednesday morning at 9, and arrive at Albany on Thursday at 9 in the evening.


She will leave Albany on Friday morning at 9, and arrive at New York on Saturday evening at 9; thus performing two voy- ages from Albany and one from New York within the week.


On Monday the 14th and Friday the 18th, she will leave New York at 9 in the morning, and Albany on the 16th at 9 in the morning, after which the arrangements for her departure will be announced.


For passage apply at the Tontine Coffee House, Stebbins's Stage House, or to the Captain on board, where a book will be kept to enter namnes."


True enough, the steam boat arrived as announced above, and made her landing at the foot of Lydius street. The post over which the hawser was habitually thrown for several years is now superseded by a city lamp post, at the steam boat landing, near the foot of Lydius street. The city of Albany will be subject to reproach till she erects a monument to Fulton in the Steam Boat Square. Is there one so unmindful of the prosperity that has followed the invention of steam navigation, in which as a citizen of Albany he is a participant, as to grudge his mite to the work !


In a supplement to the Gazette of Sept. 7th, in an obscure corner, is the following notice of that important event, the arrival of the first steam boat:


This morning at 6 o'clock, Mr Fulton's steam boat left the ferry stairs at Courtland street dock, for Albany. She is to make her passage in 36 hours from the time of her departure, touching at Newburg, Poughkeepsie, Esopus and Hudson, on her way. [The steam boat arrived at Albany on Saturday after- noon, and this morning at 9 o'clock again departed for New- York with about forty ladies and gentlemen.]


Thus commenced the career of the steam boats, which have reigned supreme over the waters of the 'Hudson nearly fifty years.


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Steam Navigation on the Hudson.


But in the same number of the Gazette, more conspicu- ously given, is the following communication of some person who wished to detract from the glory of the achievement.


Messrs. Printers :- Having had a cursory view of the boat, whose oars or water wheels, which is the same thing, are set in motion by a costly steam engine, the compound machinery of which fills almost the whole vessel, I could not, considering the expenses of its build- ing, the consumption of fuel, and the hands necessary to work it, resist a smile, by comparing it with the dis- covery of Mr. Delatue d' Elbeuf, a Frenchman, which has been published twenty years ago in Lichtenbergh's Magazine of Physic, 2d vol., second piece, Gotha, 1787, where he describes very minutely the construction of a boat twenty feet long, and six feet wide, explained with a copperplate, which is worked along with eight wheels by four men; and which, it is asserted, will make its passage in 16 or 17 hours, through 100 French leagues (300 miles) distance. The middle of the boat is entirely occupied with a stately room for passengers, and every one can see that by making the machinery a little more compound it may be worked along with less hands, and labor, and no danger whatever is therein to be appre- hended.


Albany, August 22, 1807. J. G. K.


A similar boat to the above was built to run between Albany and Troy, propelled by a tread-wheel. A heavy man was employed as the motor; when he became tired, the passengers were invited to take a turn at the wheel !




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