The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-03-04

oil boats or water crait Whlch nignt pe
used or propelled by the force OF " fre
or steam" in the waters of the State. lie
lost no time in returning to Philadelphia.
and succeeded in forming a company, the
stock of which was divided into 40 shares,
Fitch retaining 90 ofthcm. The assist
ance of an ingenious clock and watch ma
ker was procured to project and make the
engine. A model steam engine was at
length made, with a cylinder one inch IN
diameter it operated, but proved to be
too small. A new model with three
inch cylinder was now made, and applied
to a skiff, which | spoke Of in my last
communication to the Register. Soon
the 40 feet steiner was built, aud navi-
gated the Delaware.
Not long after, the 60 feet steamer
was launched, and furrowcd the Delaware.
Again in 1899 another, and still larger
boat navigatcd the river, by our now jubi-
liant and plucky captain; and then to cap
the climax, in June, July, August and
September 100, the first steamboat nayi-
gated in the world for a passenger and
freight boat, ran on the Delaware, be-
tween Philadelphia, Burlington, Bristol,
Chester, Wilmington &c /; advertising
her trips regularly in the newspapers, and
passing over three thousand miles during
the season. As stated in my last, this
was Il years before the "Clermont' y
Robert Fulton's first steamboat, nayigated
the Hudson River ; and ye. bombastic and
gaseous New York, would fain attempt
to make us believe that Fulton was the
inventor of the steam engine, and first
navigated the North River. Why Full
ton was but "Babe in the Woods, y
as compared with our great inventor,
and only played a second fiddle in conf
parison with the heroic Fitch
Mr.. Editor, you and were taught in
our boyhood, in the Catechism, that Sol
omon was the wiscst man, and perhaps he
was, in that rude and undeveloped age of
the world without designing to disparagc
the great law giver. ! would respectfully
ask, did he understand the philosophy OF
the Revolution of the Earth ? Did he
understand the nature and action of Eec.
tricity? Did he understand the applica-
tion of Steam as Motive Power? Did
he understand, or apprchcnd that W on.
drous and almost superhuman achieve
ment, the Modus Operandi of our System
of Telegraphy,by summoning the lightning
Of heaven to accomplish it; then mystic
and wondrous achievements, were re-
served for other and later men, for q
Galileo, Franklin, a Fitch, and Morse
Those men are deserving of monuments,
as high as Mount Horcb especially the
last one named Who but Calico, learn
ed that this pondrous globe rotated, and
whirled throughout the great immensity
about US Who but Fitch first applied
steam as motive power in propcllng
boats? Who but Franklin coaxcd the
subtitle lightning from the upper clouds
and dallied with, and fondled the treach.
crous agent at his feet. Who but Morse
has caused continents to be tied together
and the circuit of the earth to be nearly Y
banded with the tiny wire, over whose
surface the whiskiug lightning instantly
communicates from the antipodes, to our
own side of the globe, and hearth stone
The namc and fame of Morse, ought, an
will be transmitted and perpetuated, dow
through the generations as long as civil
zation lasts and until the last football oi
an enlightened humanity is heard, and
long after the corroding hand Of time, ,ha'
caused the crumbling marble to become "'
dust, and has failed to commemorate.
On Mondoy of this week, the ''ader
land arrived at her pier, at the foot o
Washington Avenne, it being the fir4
steamship of the "Red Star Line froa
Antwerp, bringing the Belgium mails,an'
a large number Of. passengers. Th'
"Nederland" and Switzerland" are near
ly completed and soon will be on the line
1t is expected that by June, the Amer
can Steamship Uompany's splendid steam
ers, will be plying between here and Liv
crpoo And still another European lin
is in state of forwardncss. Philadel
phia is soon again to be great CONNER
cal focus With her rapidly increasing
commercial activity, and her immcns
manufacturing interest, she will press al
competition aside, and stand permanent.
the most attractive city, as she is alread
the largest but one on the continent.
There is to be great mass mcetin
tomorrow the 22d, at the Academy 0
Music, in the interest Of centennial fun
and project. Philadelphia has alread
raised more than her assigned quotl
She will probably double, and pcrhap
treble it, With her immense wealth,a
; great resources she could alone, an
single handed, carry the great enterpris
into effect, but nobody wishes that dom
Every State and territory should ste
forth, and put shoulder to the wheel,
, and feel that it is not only an honor to b
coveted, but privilege withal, to hel
!, gather the greatest industrial convocatiol
! the Western Hemisphere has yet, or prol
/, ably ever will witness.
= They have lately removed the sol
. bell' from Independence Hall into ii
: broad passage way, leading through Il
building and hung it with the origin
: massive tmbers, that were first used lol
: before the Revolutionary war. They a.
! painted lead color, and appear to
= well preserved Before placing it on j
!, assigned timbers, they struck the ponde
u GUS hammer thirteen time, in honor Of Il
: old thirteen States. 1t was said to hay
: : rang out remarkably clear, considerir
Z the large crack that has been sawed on
: p. w. G.
j. Utah.