The New York herald., 1851-10-14

Hudsoa. ~
Leave Albany Con return) on Monday, Ssptem-
Der 7th, at A. NJ, and arrive in New York, on
Tuesday, at 6 p. M"
This WAS the first steamboat advertisement fol
passengers ever published, and is therefore curou:
and of interest The boat started on the day liver
tised, an made q successful run to Albany. Thers
whom published card in the Albany papers, dated
September b, 1907. and stating that they left New
York, in the North river stea nboat, on Friiay
September 4th, at GAP A. NJ, and arrived in AL
sribers, passengers board of the above boat, or
her first passage packet, think it but justice tC
state, that the accomm odations and convenieno
board exceed their most sanguine expectations"
q; r. ID. Van Wssonen, j. bowman bowman
John q Wilson, James Braiden.
John Z. Anthony, Stephen N. Power,
wilsm Hick, Dennis, probably Dennis III
u. .. Wetmore, Doyle ~
On the return to New York the steamboat me
with accident, which laid her up for short time
The following extract Of a letter from one OF the
passengers on board gives an account OF the ansir
It was published in the American Caisen, and il
dated
You must have been pleased ut the manner in which
gded from the wharf Friday last and passed up
the North river There about twenty passengers
board all delighted with the rapdity and novelty Of
this new method Of navigating. We had q charming
passage to Newburg Of nine hours, and In thirteen hours
OF POughkeepeio. We arrived at Albany Satur-
day morning between IL and ~ o'clock, making our
whee voyage in ~ hours.
The letter further states, that on her return pas
sage, on Monday, sloop, (called the Fox of Troy
foul of the wheels of the boat, then tackled and
repeated the shock. The malice of the captain,
says the letter, was obvious to each person on
board. After this accident the pilot OF the steam
boat ran her q sand bank, which broke the
axles of the wheels. This, says the writer, looked
more like design than accident on the part of the
captain and pilot OF the steamboat; and adds: "We
had no personal accidents our ladies behaved like
angels, regretting their being disappointed OF an
agreeable passage. We went on shore in the boats,
and arrived here in four wagons. The axles Of the
wheels are to be replaced, and the boat will be in
motion again in eight or ten days.
On the oath September, the stea mb0at was ad-
vertised as being thoroughly repaired, and precau-
tion taken that injury should not be done to her
wheels in future, and that 1t was intended to run
her as packet for the remainder OF the season:
She was to leave New York and Albany on fixed
days, at 8 o'clock, A. M, and "will always (says
the advertisement,) perform her voyage in from 80
to :6 hours After this the Clermont continued to
run regularly as packet between New York and
Albany. drawing Of this first successful stea N
boat was preserved, and has been copied By Los
sing, in his .Fied Book of the Revolution. In the
of the first season, the boat met with seve-
raj accidents and those who had been forced to be-
leve that she would succeed began TO return to their
former incredulty But it was not only to accidents
arising from defects in the machinery that the boat
was exposed. 1t was soon perceived that she would
interfere Win the interest OF tnOSe VINO were en-
gagged in the ordinary navigation of the river by
sailing vessels. BY many of these MIR Fulton was
spoken o: and treated if he had introduced some
project bineful to society The boat became an
object of their enmity. She was several times
greatly damaged by vessels running foul OF her, in
tentionally, il may credit the letter We have
ferred to, and other testimony which was published
in the newspapers Of the time.
at no. unimportant (says Golden in his MEMORY
to notice these facts; they illustrate the character
Of Mr.. Fulton. They show what embarrassments
are TO be expected by those who introduce improve
ments in the arts, which interfere with established
interests or prejudices and they evince the perse
yerance and resolution which were necessary to
surmo unit the ply steal and moral difficulties which
Mr.. Fulton encountered.
In February, 1909. Mr. Fulton took out his first
patent for his inventions in navigation by steam;
and in February, 1911, he obtained second patent
for some improvements in his boats and machinery.
We not aware that he ever derived any special
benefits from these patents. He relied, however,
for remuner alton for his sacrifices and public ser
vices prnciI ally the exclusive privilege which
was granted to himself and Chancellor Livingston,
by the Legislature Of New York, TO navigate the
waters of the state by steam, which privilege was
set asde by the decision Of the United states Su-
pr1ne Court, some years after the death OF both
Livingston and Fulton.
The following is list of the steam vessels built
in the city of New York, under the direction and
superinteIdeIce Of Mr. Fulton. or according to his