Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-02-14

| the square channel against the exteri.
or water acted as an unfailing power
upon the vessel. The reaction Of the
efiuent water propelled her at the
rate above mentioned, flour or five
miles an hour when loaded with
three tons in addition to the weight
Of her engine, of about one-third of q
ton. The boiler was quite curiosity,
holding no more than five gallons OF
water, and needing only a pint at q
time. The whole machinery did not
occupy a space greater than that re-
quired for four barrels of -four. The
| fuel consumed was not more than four
! to six bushels of coal in twelve hours.
Rumsey's other project was to apply
the power of steam engine to long
poles which were to reach the bottom
of the river, and by that means push
a boat against the CURRENT
"Both began as original inventors,
but both had the modification to learn
that they were not prior inventors
For Rumsey's propelling arrange
ment, Bernoulli had preoccupied the
ground fftg years before, and as to
the engine, the invention had been
respect however the engine of Fitch
is to the engine of Rumsey as an i'm
DrOUed machine, what Watt is 10
Newcomer. The latter was without
circular motion, without, therefore,
a complicated connecting series, with
out axles or shafts, cranks or cog
wheels. The engine Of the former
appears to have included the "Gouble
acting" principle by which the old
atmospheric engine was made true
and real steam engine, working, as he
says, with equal force at both ends"
Fitch's petition for monopoly to
the Legislature of Pennsylvania is
dated in 1856. At this time he had
constructed an engine with three
inch cylinder in which a continuous
rotary molten was effected. The first
rotary engine in America. The
double-acting cylinder is said to have
been retained a secret by Watt for
long time. It is doubtful whether
Fitch at this time was aware of Watts
improvement. Il is certain that he
could have had no detailed descrip-
ton of it.
DIR. William Thornton says, I'VE
labored under the disadvantages of
never having seen an engine, and of
not having single engineer in our
company or pay, we made engineers
of common blacksmiths. ~
Fitch himself, in his petition to
Congress, dated July 2, 1880, says:
''1'hat the great length of time and
vast resources of money expended in
bringing the scheme to perfection, 1
have been wholly oecasioned by his
total ignorance of the steam engine,
a perfect knowledge of which has not
been acquired without an infinite
of fruitless experiments, for
hot a person could be fonnd who was
acquainted with the 1letc engiae OF
Bolton and Watt. Whether your
petitioners engine is similar to those
in England or not, he is at this mo-
ment totally ignorant, bnt is happy
to inform Congress that he is now
able to make q complete steam engine,
which, in its effects, is equal to the
best il Europe ---i---
Years later the workshops of Amer
lea could not furnish an engine. In
England none such existed. An en-
CINE suitable for a cotton mill could |
not drive boat without many altera- |
tions. 1t was his great obstacle, with !
but little knowledge within his reach |
save the inventive powers of his own
mind. Twenty years later Fulton
found himself much embarrassed with |
these obstacles even with the assist
anee of Watt, his engine being made
10 order in England.
These facts alone show Fitch to |
have been a msin OF great courage and
Torce of character, who in spite Of
without education or proper
", could perfect an invention which
lis age did not comprehend"
To be Continued.) /