The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-09
o y Z + u A r z


Edwin A. stevens
A cattle telegram received yesterday announced
the death at Paris on Friday night OF Edwin A.
Stevens, OF Hoboken In the seventythrd year of his
age. This gentleman was the son OF John stevens.
contemporary OF Fulton and who built the steam
boat Phoenix about the same time that Fulton was
engaged In constructing the Clermont. Fulton
having Obtained the exclusive right to the navga-
ton OF the hudson, Mr.. Stevens placed his Doats
the Delaware and Connecticut. In 1872 he published
remarkable pamphlet urging the government to
make experiments In railways trayersed by steam
carriages and II bis plan should prove feassle he
proposed to construct such q railway from
down differ very little from the railways now
in OperatiOn. He died in 1898 at HoDoken Translate
ting to his children the entire territory embraced
only marsh, with few shanttes resting thereon,
when he acquired It, His sons were Edwin Az,
the only one now living. BY family arrangement.
after the fathers DEATH the territory alluded to
porating the Hoboken Land ana Improvement Com
pany under the operations OF which he amassed
Mr. f. A. stevens and his brother, Rober, L., both
engineers OF considerable noorety, were among the
projectors OF the Camden and AmbOy Railroad, and
originated many improvements which have since
been adopted throughout the various railroads
OF the country But It Is In connection with
defence in war that Mr.. Stevens attracted
most attention for some years past. SO tar
back as ls4l he and his brother undertook ex-
perments with view TO the construction OF an
ironclad steamer or battery, which should be shot
and shell proof The plan was, after some moditica-
lions, approved by Comm0dores Stuart and Perry
and Engineer TOtten, upon whose recommendation
Congress subsequently made an appropriation for
broke out Mr.. Stevens had at his own expense
almost completed his floating battery at H0boken.
Other appropriations were asked for and granted by
Congress- VINO eventually refused TO make any fur-
ther advances on the project Despairing OF having
aid to finish his large battery Mr.. Stevens designed
to present to the government, II they refused
to purchase. a small battery OF 1870 tons. This,
II unsuccessful, would not be urged to
and if successful 1t would prove most conclusively
that it was superior to the British method OF plating,
for the latter maintained that vessel under three
thousand tons could support plating thick enough
to resist Armstrong shot at six hundred feet distance
On the oath OF February 1853 he made propositions
ment OF all risk as to the success OF at least one oil
these vessels by 'obgating myself to complete the
stevens battery and deliver her for service on the
following terms, viz.:-That she shall be impenetra
BILE to the most destructive missile fired from the
most powerful gun now used IN our own or IN any
range, say go yards; second, that she shall have
greater speed than any other iron-cad war steamer
In the world; third, that she shall be more
manageable and more quickly turned and
manGuvred than any other large armed sea-going
steamer; fourth, that she shall have an armament
capable OF throwing br0adside at least equal to
that OF any ship now anOat." The remaining con-
diton that she was to be delivered to the gov
eminent ready for service within nine months from
the time the order was given for the sum Of
Si,500,oOO. This proposition was rejected by the
-
Congress, where 1t "died the DEATH" like so many
other projects stifed by committees. Mr.. Stevens,
however nothing daunted built anu fitted out tho
iron-c.ad Naugatuck, OF one hundred TONS carrying
one gun. AT the attack upon Fort Darling, on the
James river, May Is, 1852, her gun burst killing, sew
eral ON board.
His brother, John C. Stevens, was the first CON-
modore and founder Of the New York Yacht Club,
after whose DEATH In $780, the subject OF this sketch
was elected commodore which position he held till
1865 when he resigned, In consequeNe OF "age and
some OF its attendant innrmties" ON May In that
| year the club entertained him to slnptuOus din
OF plate to testify their respect for him his
tirement from the Office OF commodore. The COM
| mittee appointed to draft complimentary resolutions
consisted OF Moses ii. Grinnel, George 4. Talnan,
Robert 3. Hone and Commodore Mcvicker.
| In the political world Mr. stevens never took q
very active part He headed the ticket OF Presiden-
tia electors several times In New Jersey but
held any other Office, honorary remuneratIve. lie
| was always q staunch democrat.
| When the Great Eastern left our harbOr with pas
sengers for the Paris Exposition, about the middle
| OF April last Mr. stevens and his family took pas
| sage In her. He spent last winter at Nice and
| though he had been subject to rheumatic attacks,
with occasional pneumonia, for the last ten years,
| his death was unexpected. He leaves wife and
eight children, TO whom he beQueaths an Inheritance
| approaching, It Is said, s1S,O00.00O lie was
sole proprietor OF the entire water front from the
H0bOken ferry TO the Elysian Fields A short time
before his death he negotiating for the sale Of
the Elyslan Fields as terminus and depot for .
proposed railroad to the West; but the negotiations
were not completed. Mr.. Stevens was In every
sense OF the word an old landmark. No lord Of the
manor ever received greater ovation from his sub
ects than that annually rendered to "Kng Stevens"
the right arm or Camden and Amb0y" Dy the jolly
and festive denfzens or that little Dutch city at tho
foot OF the hill confronting the metropolis. Once
year he invited all the prominent citizens to his resi-
the school children win miss him. He was to them
generous patron and kind friend.