Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1853-03-03

ETc, ETc., ETC-
We live in an age OF wonders. The last half cen
tury has witnessed succession Of the most mighty
events. and the most astounding discoveries which
have ever been made. In 1900, there was not a
single steamboat in The world Our inland seas
and noble rivers were lying. grand and silent. in
primeral loneliness, except when enlivened by the
clumsy bateau, or the rude hat-boaL
In 1907, Fulton launched the CIermont, which
made a passage to Albany in thirty-tyyo hours
At that time the mode Of travel was by schoouers
and sIoops, which were frequently six days on the
passage. The Improvement was certainly great;
bu, what would Fulton now say, 10 see The steam
boats running the same distance in eight hours.
and some Of them large enough to stow the Cier-
mont on their forward decks.
No steamboat had broken the waters Of tn
Mississippi previous to 1915. The voyage from
Cincinnati 10 New Orleans was an undertaking
which occupied more time than a steamboat would
now take to circumuavigate the globe. At pres
ent II is calculated that there are no less than ggg
steamboats, in America.
A person can travel a greater distance in thirty
+ days now, by steamboat, than they could in ore
hundred days in 1900. Just fancy Ben. Franklin
+ being almost wrecked in going from New York
/ 10 Asnboy, and the vessel which he was in, occu-
pyiug thirty-tyyo hours on passage a distance
. which IS accomplished every day by our steam
boats in one and a aalf hours great change,
truly!
In Europe. steamboats, were unknown until
I 1911, and no sea was regularly navigated by them
until ISIS. The progress OF Marine Navigation
Is remarkable. II Isy8 no steamship had ven
tured across the stormy Atlantic 10 establish
ocean navigation. Now we have coumuu jcation
every week with Europe. by regular steam
mails.
+ If the last half century had given Us no other
invention than the steamboat, that alone. consid-
ering its importance, Is enough Jo immortaiize IL
Tn 1900 there was no steamship in the wide world
Where is the country now in which they are not
seen, and where they are not exercising a most
important influence
On the Hudson Mississippi on all our lakes, nv
ers, and seas and on all the oceans OF the world
on that sea where the waters rolled up IN walls 10
allow Moses ana the Hebrews To pas dry-shod -
on the ancient Nile. where Cleopat-a's galley
spread It's slkcu sails 10 the breeze: on the Gan
yes of Indus In the Fast, and the Sacramento IL
the West. there now may Dee seen numerous mon
umeuts to the inventor Of the steamboat the
steamship Rules the Waves
Look at the Iron Horse, moving out Of his sta
bic, screaming and painting start 5n his journey.
That Is the steam engine In It's most perfect state
- =
-.-'.s ''7
1'.' y
'-'' .o''-
con- ,i---' = .r-,--,
o''.5 XIV Nuns
L..-,--4 --.,-- Il -
i'i''-o'-' " ','7'''.' % -'.'-
lo''a l'' 80 '-.- 7a'''s l','''' r-..
O7'I ~ -'--
1.'s
0y RIVER ana sea- 'I las '0'' --''-' ~
FeFoia,loH-ze Ia'e. " -@i'1
III le'5 'AeFe vas "ol 74-'='s 'o'''-''-'7 80
'-e "'i--' '.- ''- ".'.'y '..'1
ward On i''e o.l day oil oc,2..'- -7-.'s 1's "'S.
locomotive i,ocAa1' ran over the -L'elPo'. ana
Manchester hasFay' al the A'eEase rate o. i.'eeA
miles an hour From that moment we Date lie
eommeneenen. - ne" era III tne history q
discovery.
In England there are no" '.,o' miles oi ran
way ai',' ''s many mo-
cost Of more 'nAh 9'...- !" '-.s 0i''s
states there are ao71t 5000 miles OF railway -
and there Is probably about --..1o miles Q. Ia-'
road aow IN operation IN Europe 'I- AH1-E'ea--
But neither ASA nor AElca can eL boast ot a SIN
gle -.as yeI compete
nat were Inc Old l'''I-'l' To.' III con, i'.=
to the iootPa5H5 OF our IRON l''ses II 80
there were only i.'een mics o. IAiE@s !" -'5'