Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1878-07-20
The First steamboat.

the ReV. freQi1ck heyr OlQS freeman,
a Baptist clergyman ST Illinois. now in
his 73d year, was an infant of two years
at the time OF the arrival of the Clermont
at Albany on her first voyage mp the
Hudson. He was carried on board in
his mothers arms, and male The history
of the voyage a matter OF study and re-
cord in after years, he communicates the
following account to the Philadelphia
Press:
'The first steam packet (of 140 feet
keel and 1917 feet beam) was trim ana
kanusome enough, excepting the BOZ
ers. machinery and smoke-stack, whic
were rude, cumberoas and of extremcla
formidable appearance. The side wheel.
too. was a clumsy affair. uncovered and
with twelve huge paddles, held in their
place by a ring half way between their
extremities and the hub, that sent wa
ter splasaing upon the deck with every
revolution. The top of the smoke-stack
was about thirty feet above the deck
nearly as high as the two masts, from
the rear one of which floated the stars
and stripes.
Hours before she started great null
titude had assembled along the wharfs to
witness the expected inglorious ending
of what was known as "Fulton's folly"
Cries of God help you. Bobby! Bring us
back chip of the North Poler "A fool
and his money are soon parted?' ETC.,
were frequent, and annoying. Fulton,
however, knew that the crowd were
sincere in their ridicule. and, with con-
fident smile, went on experimenting
preparations for the start. as If he knew
that triumph would presently more than
overbalance the sneers, jibes and cat
calls OF the Vulgar. and the plying man.
ners OF the more refined. Smoke issues
from the stack; the hawser is drawn in;
the side-wheel quivers; it slowly re
wolves; Fulton's own hand at the helm
turns ont the bow; he is pale, but still
confident and self possessed; the Cler-
mont moves out into the stream, the
pOnderOus machinery humping and
grooming. the wheel frantically splashing
and the stack belching like volcano;
but the Clermont steadily moves; all
aboard swing their their hats In the air,
and give cheer that is Immediately
take up by the entire multitude on land;
the PENNSYLVANIA has triumphed, and
the hitherto incredulous and hooking
populace OF New York are the first to do
tlC CiONu ICihdiICN CuSSihS
on the piers until the ClermOnt is out
of sight up the Hudson"
MIR. Freeman says that the boat arriv.
ed at Albany on September 10. thirty-six
hours after starting from New York. 1t
had not been continually in motion. the
party having stopped at the residence OF
Chancellor Livingston on the way up.
The speed was at the rate of five miles
per hour, The appearance of the strange
vessel as she steamed up the river had
remarkable effect, even i'm day times, up
OH the crews of crafts passing by, for
comparatively few of the shippers COM
ing down could in those days Of slow
mail and no telegraph, have been prepar-
ed to encounter such an oddity; but at
nj rht the Clermont spread CONSERVATION
and terror on all sides. 1t was very dark.
nd the fires We're fed with dry, white
pine wood, which, when stirred, wOuld
send up columns of flame and sparks
from the mouth of the tall stack. This
apparent volcano. moving steadily
through the darkness up the middle Of
the river and accompanied by the -umb-
ling and grooming of the hard labOring
machinery, was we'll calculated to strike
terror into the hearts of sailors on the
sloops and other craft coming down with
grain sand general farm produce, who
had never heard of any motive power
for vessels except wind, and who, withal,
were extremely superstitious.
my father and others told me-" says
Mr.. Freeman, that whole crews pros
trated themselves upon their knees and
besought Divine Providence to protect
them from the horrible monster that was
MAJ ching on the tides and lighting up
its pathway by fires"