The Placer herald., 1858-03-20
Steamboats, Half a Century Ago.


Framed and carefully preserved as relic
in the residence of one of our citizens, is one
of the original street bills of Fulton's first
steamboat, printed just half a century ago.
The dingy brown paper is printed in antique
type. and informs us that
"The steamboat being thoroughly repaired,
and completely reftted for passengers, will
arrive at Albany on Sunday evening next,
about o'clock. Precautions have been
taken that injuries shall not be done to her
wheels in future. 1t is intended to run as a
packet for the remainder of the season. She
will leave New York and Albany at o'clock
in the morning, and always perform her voy-
age in from 80 to SO hours.
Her depar ures for the first nine voyages
will be as follows:
From Albany, Monday, the 2lst Of Sept.
From New York, Wednesday, the 23d.
From Albany, Friday, the 25;h.
From New York, Monday, the 28th.
From Albany, Wednesday, the 9Oth.
From New York, Friday, the I'd October.
From Albany, Monday, the 5th.
From New York, Wednesday, the 18th.
From Albany, Friday. the 9th.
The days on which she leaves Albany, she
will stop for few minutes at Hudson, about
4 o'clock in the afternoon to receive passen
gers. For passage, apply to the captain on
board.
September 10th, 1907"
The wheels Of this boat were first hung
without any support for the outward end of
the shaft, and not only were the wheels like
I. q ec.p ,,I 1,l,
ton, but as the boat Immediately became an
object of the enmty Of those who were en-
gagged in the ordinary navigation of the river,
she was several times greatly damaged 10y
vessels running into her wheels-intention-
ally, if we may credit the testimony which
was published in the newspapers of the time.
Familiar as most of us have been from in
fancy with steam navigation, it is hard for
us to realise that less than fifty years
ago, successful steamboat had never been
seen, and its projectors were regarded and
treated as lunatcs.
In report recorded in the Transactions
of the American Philosophical Society at
Philadelphia, dated May Goth, 1903, we are
told that
During the general lassitude of mechani
cal exertion, which succeeded the American
Revolution, the utility Of steam engines ap-
pears to have been forgotten, but the subject
atterward started into very general notice,
in form in which it could not possibly lie
attended with much success. A sort Of
mania began to prevail, which indeed has
not yet entirely subsided, for impelling boats
by steam engines.
''rhere are, indeed, general objections to
the use of the steam engine for impeling
beats, from which no particular mode Of ap-
plication can be free. These are:
"First-The weight of the engine and Of
the fuel.
"Second-The large space it occupies.
"Third-The tendency of its action to rack
the vessel, and render it leaky.
"Fourth-The expense of maintenance.
"Fifh-The irregularity Of its motion, and
the motion of the water in the boiler and
cstern, and of the fuel vessel in rough water.
"Sixth-The difficulty arising from the
liability of the paddles or oars to break if
light, and from the weight if made strong"
The New York Legislature, in March, 1898,
passed an act vesting Mr.. Livingston with
the exclusive right for twenty years of nav-
eating all kinds of fire or steamboats, on all
the waters within the jurisdiction Of the State
of New York, on conditiun that he should
within one year build such boat, the aver
age of whose progress should not be less
than four miles an hour.
Doctor Mitchell, of New York city, who
introduced this bill writes to friend: "Upon
this occasion the wags and the lawyers in
the House were generally opposed to the bill.
One main ground of their objection was that
it was an idle and whimsical project unwor-
thy of legislative attention.
Senator L'Hommideu states also that Mr..
Livingstons application was a standing sub
ject Of ridicule throughout the session, and
whenever there was disposition in any of
the younger members to indulge little
levity, they would call up "the steamboat
bl' that they might divert themselves at
the expense of the project and its advocates.
In the Spring Of 1907, the first boat Full
ton built in this country was launched from
the ship yards of Charles Brown, on the
East river. The engine from England was
put on board of her; in August she was COM
peted, and was moved by her machinery
from her birthplace to the Jersey shore.
This boat, which was called the Clermont
soon after sailed from dock near the State
Prison for Albany. 1t is announced in the
newspapers Of that date that the boat built
by Messrs. Livingston and Fulton, with a
view to the navigation of the Mississippi
river, would depart from Albany in the after
noon. 1t was not then conceived that steam
boats could be pro6tably employed as packet
boats between New York and Albany.
In letter to his friend Mr.. Barlow, giving
an account Of bis 6rst voyage, Fulton says:
my steamboat voyage to Albany and bacl