The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-08-06
Ml.i srfIl ann.
From the Jersey City Sentinel
The First Steamboat.

The first American swan" whose
metapborical progeny were to cur; their
smoke, if not their nccks, above the Gas
plan waters, first sought its native ele
meut on the Hudson River, from the
building yard of Charles Brown, in Au
gust, 1907. After some improvements
in the arrangement of the paddles. the
steamboat built by Livingston and Ful,
ton was advertised to start for Albany
from New York on certain afternoon.
Fulton's narrative to Judge Story, in
his own words, will best describe this
voyage.
When was building my first steam
boat" he said, the project was viewed
blythe public at New York, either with
indifference or contempt. as a visionary
scheme. My friends. indeed. were civil,
but they were shy. They listened with
patience to my explanations, but with a
settled cast of incredulty on their couu-
tenances I.fclt the full force of the la.
mentation of the poet -
90 Truthn would you teach, to save sink.
ing land,
All shun, none aid you, and few under
stand
" AS | had occasion to pass daily to
and from the building yard, while my
boat was in progress, have often loiter-
cd, unknown, near tho idle groups of
strangers gathering in little circles, and
heard various inquiries as to the object
of this new vehicle. The language was
uniformly that of scorn, sneef, or rdi-
cule. The loud laugh rose at my ex.
pcnse the dry jest. the wise calculation
of Losses and expenditure the dull, but
endless repetition of"the Fulton follyw
Never did single encouraging remark,
bright hope, or warm wish cross my
path.
AT length the day arrived when the
experiment was to be made. TO me it
was a most trying and interesting occa
sion. wanted many friends to 60 on
board and witness the first successful
trip. Many of them did me the favor
to attend, as a matter of personal re.
spect but it was manifest they did it
with reluctance, fearing to be partakers
of my modification, aud not of my tri-
umph. l was well aware that, in my
case, there were many reasons to doubt
of my own success. The machinery was
new, and ill-made many parts of it were
constructed by mechanics unacquainted
with such work and unexpected Difficult
ties might reasonably be presumed to
present themselves from other causes
The moment arrived in which the
word was to be given for the vessel to
move. My friends we're in groups on
the deck. There was anxiety mixed
with fear among them. They were ST.
lent, sad and weary. I read in their
looks nothing but disaster, almost re.
pented of my efforts. The signal was
given aud the boat moved on a short dis.
tance aud then stopped and became i'm
movable. To the silcLce OF the preced-
ing moment now succeeded murmurs Of
discontent and agitation and whispers
and shrugs. 1 could hear distinctly re.
peated, told you SO; it is foolish
scheme ] wish we were we'll cut of it
l elevated myself upon a platform and
addressed the assembly. l stated that
| knew not what was the matter but if
they would be quiet and indulge NE half
an hour, | would either 20 on or aban.
don the voyage for that tune. This short
respite was conceded with objection
l went below and examined the machine
ry, and discovered that the cause was a
slight malformation of somo of tho work.
In short period it was obviated. The
boat was put again in motion; she con.
tinucd to move on. All were still in
credulous-nonc seemed willing to trust
the evidence of their senses. We left
the fair city of New York we passed
through the romantic and ever. varying
scenery of the Highlands We deserted
the clustering houses in Albany; wo
reached its shores yet even then imag.
lnation superseded the force of fact. 10
icaS doubted If ii could be dane again.
on " an any case, IL could be made of
any great value i"
Perhaps the severest struggles of geni.
us are the contentious with unsympa.
thizing and unreasOning iucredulity
which the sons of science have continual
ly to undergo. 90 his return TO New
York, Mr.. Fulton published the follow
ing account of his voyage in the Ameri,
can Citizen, addressing the editor of that
Journal -
" Sir III arrived this afternoon at 4 o.
cloek IN the steamboat from Albany. As the
success OF my experiment gives my great
hppes that such boats may be rendered of
great Importance to my country, to prevent
erroneous opinions, and givo some satisfac-
ton to the friends of useful improvements,
you VIII have the goodness to pu blish the fol-
lowing statement OF facts: