Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1870-01-29
James RumScy-Shep epherdStOwa

We publish his week tie letter OF
Mojor Henry Dseirger. referred to in Ito
rePor, Published las, week. We are sor'
ry thsl part OF tie Congressional report
and The greater part OF Majnr BIS Isuer
have been misIsld.
PRorrMSA. May l2,h. 1896.
DgAR SIR.-Suniry cau.,s beyond ny
control. have prevented my complying
wrh the wishes ol your diend. to lufuisn
eta .,menr oi the sppiicauvn OF steam IN
prope Ing vessels by James RGmsgy 4
Shrprcrtslouu 9pd which. with hun.
dlods Of o,hers, | personally wi,rt,-,1.
One car.e WAS. had some fifteen wears
since, made eUL fnr printer, then Ierl.
Gent at Sneyherds'oWn. (oT II. Fsuy,)
statement o! exhibitions made, OF Shep-
hcrd,'own, IN the Yrr-tnce oi huuGreds OF
spectators, which was published ahoih-
q cause, my recollecuons, IS to dates cl
past events, sle much impaired by great
age anI consequent lnhrmlues. get. # |
cCulj in any way serve The heirs, ho Dr.
scenjsrts ol Jsmcs Ramsey, !: WoUli
give ne .nfri,c pleasure. knew t'm
vcii, admircd his tal,nl.. bis genius. srd
enterprise, and Souij gladly conwJ.,o'o 70
/ the erection Of 4 surg hnle monument
very lately proposed to te erected Ia
James Rumsey, at Shcphe,dsrovn, as rhc
! inventor OF steam navigation, now adop-
+ ted IN every country OF this glote.
Jsmes Runsey, after having been y
cons,dcrble time the superintendent aud
/ head msrseer Of The Potomac OomPany's
wo,ks, 10 cltsrug that river Of impeGl.
mems 10 boot navigation, rcIlrtd tu lie
family IN Shephetd-town, where lie con
ceiyed the idea OF applying stcam TO nsyl-
gable porposes He fret communicated
lhese IDEAS to hs bro,heI-ln law. Captam
/ Charles Morrow. OF that place. Rumsey
. was poor had a helpless family ; h'I
no weai,by friend or connection from
whom tie could receive assistance. I'm
der sl these discouagInG Circumstances.
Le commenced experiments on q small
scale prevailed on another brothcr-ln-
} law, Joseph Barns, Who was olso iOJ'gert
to asslst han ~ maSIug such vi the ma.
: chiutry as he Has able, by The astsislancr
/ Of Rum,ey. They made, fashioned, srl
: prepared every lhlng they stood IN need
o.. Nobody would assist Rumsey, - %
was believed he vas building cssllc--
TIA, all LIS schemes ctc visionary. Rom
sey thus spent more iHan year 10 msk-
iug machinery aid ~ eXpcumCuis. ~ a
small log shop. locked in lGom ob.cr's.
ton. At lcnetl he sud Barps built = bn't
Of considerable tizc, which was cslruls
rcJ to carry about one bnndreJ barrels Of
-four. enlarged their boiler and machInc-
~, launched their boat al the Ferry lant
ing, at Shepherdstown, placed therein
ihelr boiler ADD other machinery, iCgrthcr
with about zine tons Of stone gave pLb
lic notice that on certain day tie ,Ihl-
! bi,ion should be publicly rfde, of propd.
ling the boa, with It's burlhtn, again. Z =
stream Of 'he river by Iho Application OF
steam. from The Ferry l'ndIng.
Numerous persons from TITO county, .,
well a. men. women and chjdfcl RON
the town attended Itc bank " the rl'cr
wos crowded with spcctarr' Captain
/ Charles Morrow wSs placed 1t ths helm
end James RumseJ attended 10 lat bniI,r
and machinery. No gentlemen acrt per.
united to 60 INTO the boat, 'hougi -'S ~
seven ladies' were prevailed on 10 tako
eceu IN hcr. Afer some delay, while al
eyes we're 6Icd on The boat. sho started
and proceeded Up The rIrer, al The rate Of
abouu three miles al lour ran up g. tho
mouth Of Col. Swearirgen's Spring Run,
,hen TOOK circuit and returned to tie
Ferry landing. IA the midst OF cbsers sDd
huzzss from the crowd. recolleci, ihsi
when The boat fret commenced moving, |
was standing within foot Of Gen. Ilofs-
tia Gates. then our neighbor he WIS
ne,r-sighied, but had intenIIy watched 'ho
boat by BE help Of his glass. The Cen
eral turned to me and said. "She goes
by - she goes" He appeared IN c1.
tacies, the boat having ron up tie river
about half mile and returned. And AZ
ter the tumuliuou. joy Of the crowd Rad
some wi hal sbsted, well written bot short
certificate was produced stating the sctIoU
OF the boal, with the assertion that James
Rumsey w,s lbe protector.