Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-05-16
POOR JOHN FITCH.

In Judge Halls "No,es on the Western
Staies, is lhe following interesting account
oil John Fitch, who in his endeavors 10 solve
the great problem of steam nas igation, long
preceded Fulton:
"ln 1885, John Fitch, matchmaker in
Philadelphia, conceived the design of pro.
Peilng boat by steam. He was both poor
and iIliierate, and many difficulties occur.
red, TO Illustrate every attempt which he
made, TO try the practicability of his inyen-
.ion-ife applied TO Congress for assistance,
out was refused and then offered his inver
lion TO the Spanish Government, 10 be used
IN the navigation of the NJ ississippi. but
without any better success. AT length a
company was formed, and funds subscribed
Tor The building OF steam boat, and i'm the
year 1883, his vessel was launched ON the
Delaware. Many crowded TO see and r,di-
Guile the novel, and as they supposed, the
chImerlcal experiment 1t seemed that the
idea OF wheels had not occurred 10 Mr..
Fitch; but instead ofthem oars were used
which worked in frames He was confident
OF success: and when the boat was ready
ior The ;rIai, she started off in good sty 10 for
Burlington. Those who had sneered BEGAN
to st3e, and those who had smiled in ,ieri>
sion, looked grave. Away went the boat
and tae happy inventor triumphed over the
scepiicIsm, OF an nnbelieving public The
boat performed her trip to Burlington. a
distance OF twenty miles but nn lortunalely
burst her boiler in round to the wharf st
that place, and the next tide loated her back
TO the city.
Fitch perseyered, and with great Difficult
ty procured another boiler. After some
lime The boat per formed another trip to Bur,
lington and returned in the same day. She
IS SAID TO have moved at the rate of eight
miles an hour hut something was contin.
uaily breaking, and The unhappy protector
only conquered one difficulty to encounter
another. Perhaps this was moi owing to a
ny detect in his plans, but TO the low state
OF the arts at that time, and The difficulty of
getting such complex machinery made with
proper exactness. Fitch became embar-
raised with debt, and was obliged 10 aban-
don The invention, after having satisfied him
self Of IFS praclicabiity. This ingenious
man, who was probably the first inventor OF
the steamboat, wrote three volumes, which
ne deposited in manuscript, sealed up, in the
fhladejPhia library, to be opened thirty
years aiier his death. When, or why he
came TO the west, we have not learned but
~ 10 'NNO''Su VI ii'ibJ 'bdt no uieu anu was
buried near the Obio-H His three volumes
were opened about FIVE years ago, and we're
found to contain bis speculations on mocha.
MICS.
He details his embarrassments and dsap-
with feeling which shows how
ardeotly he desired success, and which wins
for him the sympathy OF those who have
heart enough 10 mourn over the bliebted
prospects Of genius. He confidently pre-,
diets The future success Of The plan, which
IN his hands, only failed for the want of pc.
cuniary means. He prophesies that in less
than century, we shall see cur western ri
vers swarming with steam boats, and ex-
presses wish TO be buried on The shores of
the Ohio, where The song OF the boatme en-
may enliven the stiffness oil his resting place
and the music OF The steam engine sooib his
spirit. What an ideal Yet how natural TO
the pind ofsn ardent protector, whose whole
life had been devoted TO one darling object
which il was not bis destiny 10 accomplish
And how touching is The sentiment found in
one Of his journals :--"ibe day will come
when some more powerful man will get
lame and riches from my invention; but