The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-05-13
From the Knickerbocker Magazine.
THE FIRST LOCOMOTIVE.
BY ONE WHO SAW 1T.

81 ONE w hO SAW H.
1t is now very generally conceded, that of
all the inventions of man, none holds any
comparison with the steamboat. The mind
can scarcely combine calculation which
may measure its importance. Some vague
estimate may indeed he formed of it, by i'm
agining what would he the state and condi-
ton of the world, at the present day, were
there no steamboats,; were we still to find
ourselves OH hoard soops, making an aver
age passage of week to Albany, exposed to
all the disasters of flows from the downs
comer,' and discontinue of close cabins; or
ascending the Mississippi in a keel boat
pushed every inch of the way against its
mighty current, by long poIes,a at the rate of
fourteen miles in sixteen hours
1t is now just thirty years since the first
steamboat assembled the Hudson, being the
first practical application of steam engine
to water conveyance. Then, no other river
had ever seen n steamboat; and notU, what
river, capable ofany kind of navigation, has
not been bepoddled with them? 1t is not
my purpose to enter the list of disputants,
lately sprung up. striving to prove that the
| immortal FULTON was mol the first successful
protector of steamboat. In common with
The world, can but mourn over the power
ty of history, that tells not ofany WeviouS sue
cessfiIl effort of the kind. Steam, no doubt,
was known before, The first tea kettle that
was hing over fire, furnished clear de-
velopement ofthat important agent. But all
can say now, is, that never heard OF u
steamboat, before the North River moved
her paddles on the Hudson; and very soon
after that period, when it was contemplated
to send steamboat to Southern Russia, a
distinguished orator of that day, in an adj
dress before the Historical Society of this
city, eloquently said, in direct alusion TO the
steam boat: The hoary genius of Asia, high
throned on the peaks of Caucasus, his moist
teye glistening as he glauces over the destruc-
ton of Palmyra and Perseopolis, of Jerusa-
lem and of Babylon, will bend with respect
| full Difference TO the inventive spirit Of this
western world;'' thus proving conclnsively,
that the invention was not only of this coun-
try, but that no other country yet knew of 1t.
In fact the invention had not yet REACHED the
| Mississippi; for it was not until year, that a
long armed, high shouldered keel boatman,
who had Just succeeded in doubinga bend
in the river, by dint of hard pushing, and run
his boat, in quiet eddy, for resting spell,
sawa steamboat CALAMITY padding up a.
gains the centre current of that Fathcr OF
Rivers;' and gazing at the scene with ming-
ed surprise and triumph he threw down his
pole, and slapping his hands together in &C.
stacy, exclaimed "Well done,old Massassip-
pi May be etarnally smashed, fyou ha'n't
got your match at last"
But. as before limited, it is not my design
to furnish conclusive history of the origin
of steamboats,. My text stands at the head
of this article; and propose here to record,
for the information of all future time, faith
full history of'T'he first Locomotiue.' am de-
termined, at least, that that branch of the
great steam family shall know its true origin.
T., 81, 40 a.
forgotten qualification ola paddle up the Hud-
son, on board the aforesaid first steamboat
that ever moved OH the waters of any river
with passengers. Among the passengers,
was man had known for some years pre-
vious, by the name Of Jabez Doolittle. He
was an industrious and ingenious worker IN
sheet iron. tin, and wire;but his greatest sue
cess Law i'm that wire work, especially in max
ing rat traps:'and for his last and best inven-
ton in that line, he had just secured patent;
and with specimen of his work,he was then
on a Journey through the State ofNew York,
for the purpose Of disposing of what he cali
ed county rights or, in other words. to sell
the privilege of catching rats, according 10
his patent traps. 1t was a very curious trap,
as simple as il was ingenious; as most inge-
Nous things are, after they nre invented. Ii
was an oblong wire box, divided into two COM
partments; rat entered ono, where the bait
WINS hung, which he no sooner touched, than
the door at which he entered fell. His only
apparent escape was by funnel shaped hole
into the other apartment, in passing WHICH,
he moved another wire, which instantly reset
the trap; and thus rat after rat was furnished
the means of following in the foot steps of
his illustrions predecessor until the trap
was full. Thus it was not simply trap TO
catch rat, but trap by which rats trapped
rats, I'D iafritun. And now that the recol-
lection of that wonderful trap is recalled to
my memory, would respectfully commend
il 10 the attention of the treasury department,
as an appendage to the sub treasury system.
The specification may be found on file in
the patent Office, number eleven thousand
seven hundred and forty six.
This trap, at the time 10 which alIude,
absolutely divided the attention ofthe passen-
gers: and for my part, it interested me quite
as much as did the steam engine, becnuse,
perhaps, could more easily comprehend It's
mystery. To me, the steam engine was
Greek; the trap was plain English. Not SO,
however, to Jubez Doolitile. found him
studying the engine with great avidiiy and
perseverance,, inasmuch that the engineer
evidently became alarmed, and declined an
swering any more questions,