Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-06-23
Fulton's First Steam Voyage.

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The following reminiscence ofFul-
tons first steam voyage, and the
reception of the passing money,
was communicated to the Buffalo
Commercial Advertiser by R. w.
Haskins, Some years since I form
ed a travelling acquaintance upon a
steamboat on the Hudson river
with a gentleman who, Oh that oc-
casion, related to me some Incl
dents of the first voyage of Fulton
to Albany, in his steamboat, the
CIermont, which l never met with
elsewhere. The gentleman's name
l have now lost, but l urged him
at the time to publish what he re-
lated, which, however, so far as l
know, he never has done;
II chanced," said my narrator,
"to be at Albany, on business, when
Fulton arrived there in his unheard
craft, which everybody felt so much
interest in seeing. Being ready to
leave, and hearing that his craft
was to return to New York, | re-
paired on board, and inquired for
Mr.. Fulton. l was referred to the
cabin, and there found q plain, gen
uemanly man, wholly alone, and
engaged in writing"
"D1r. Fulton, ] presume 7"
eyes, sir"
do you return to New York
with this boat p
"We shall try to get back, sir. "
Can l have a passage down p
"You can take your chance with
us, sir"
inquired the amount to be paid,
and, after a moments hesitation, a
sum, l think six dollars, was nam
ed. The amount, in coin, laid in
his open hand, and, with an eye
fixed upon it, he remained so long
motionless that l supposed there
might be a miscount, and | said to
him, Is that right, siry'
This aroused him as from kind
of reverie, and as he looked up at
me n tear was trembling in his eye,
and his voice faltered as he said,
"Excuse me, sir, but memory was
busy as l contemplated this, the
first peculiar reward / have receiv-
ed for all my exertions in adapting
steam to navigation. l would glad
ly commemorate the occasion over
bottle of wine with you, but, real
ly, l am too poor even for that
Just now; yet I trust wo may rnOot
again when this will not be So"
Some four years after this, when
the Clermont had been greatly I'M
proved, and two new boats made
making Fulton's fleet three boats
regularly plying between New
York and Albany, | took passage
in one of these for the. latter city
l walked its length to aud fro
| saw | was very closely OBJ.
served by one l supposed a stran-
ger Soon, however, | recalled
the features of Mr., Fulton; but
without disclosing this, contin'
ued my walk and waited the result
At length, in passing his seat, our
eyes met when he sprang to his
feet, and, eagerly seized my hand,
exclaimed; II knew it must be you
for your features have never es
capped me, and, although am still
far from rich, yet l may venture
that bottle now"
1t was ordered, and during its
discussion Mr.. Fulton ran rapidly
but vividly, over his experience o
the worlds coldness and sneers
and of the hopes, fears, disappoint
ments and difficulties that were
scattered through the whole careel
of discovery, up to the very point
of its final crowning triumph, a
which he so fully felt he had at las
arrived. "And in reviewing al
these" said he, 81 have again ano
again recalled the occasion and th'
incident of our first interview a
Albany; and never have l done Sc
without its renewing in my mint
the vivid emotion it originally
caused. That seemed,and still does
seem, to me the turning point il
my destiny-the dividing line be
tween light and darkness in my ca
reer upon earth for it was the frs
actual recognition of my useful
ness to my fellowmen."
"Did it rain tomorrow" in
quired a Dutchman of French
man. "Me guess it was" replied