River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-09-26
Fuiton's Trip zap the Hudson from New
Work 40 Albany in 1907.

THE FIRST STEABOAT VOYAGE.
Fuiton,s Trip zap the Hudson from New
work 40 Albany in 1907.
Three score and three wears have roll
cd by since Fulton died. at the age Of
forty nine, eight years after the trial trip
III the Clermont on the Hudson river,
from New York to Alhany--the first
practical demonstration that steam could
ne applied to the propulsion of vessels
With entire success. OF those who en-
owed the privilege of being on the Cler-
nlonts deck before the start, during tn
rip or just after the arrival at Albany
mere is but one alive, and he was car
ned in his mothers arms at the time, be
ny only two years old. His personal
temem bcrance of the event, or course,
Ices not amount to much. but he has
nevertheless a ore Of information con
corning the trip, not in the possession OF
nobody else, for as so as he became
I'D enough to- realize che importance OF
the mater he naturally sought with more
tssduity than a person less directly in
crested would exhibit for facts pertain
ng to the occasion The gentleman is
Rev Frederick Reynolds Freeman,
Baptist clergyman, OF Illinois, now, with
ms wife and children. on visit to this
rity. Mr. Freeman is in his seventy
third wear, white haired, but fresh look
ing and vigorous.
THE event is like dream to me, says
Mr.. Freeman. "Probably my memory
would now be unable to reach it but for
he constant rehearsals of the scenes and
Incidents made to me in my youth. These
Wv div impressed the whole upon my
mind, and together with my faint reccol
lections of the occasion left more faith
ful picture than unassisted tradition or
history could paint upon memory less
allied to the circumstances.
"Thc first steam packet (of 140 feet kee
| aud 10 1-2 feet beam) vas trim and hand
some enough, excepting the boilers, ma
tlinery and smokestack, which were
rude, cumbrous and of extremely 0rmid-
| able appcarence The side wheel, toe,
vas clumsy affair, uncovered aud with
twelve huge paddles, held in their place
/ by a ring half way between their extremi-
| ties and the hub, that sent water splash
| IN upon the deck with every revolution
| The top of the smokestack was about
thirty feet above the deck nearly as higt
as the two masts, from the rear one OIL
which floated the stars and stripes.
"Hours before she started great mul
tude had ass m lied along the wharts t.
witness the expected inglorious ending d
what Is generally known as 'Fultont
| lony.' Cries of God help you, Bobby
Bring Us back chip of the North Pole !
"A fooI and his money are soon partea
etc, we're frequent, loud and annoying
Fulton, however, knew that the GROVE
we're sincere in their ridicule, and with {
confident smile. went on experimenting
preparations for the start, as If he knew
that triumph would presently more than
overbalance the sneers, iibes ana cat-call
OF the vulgar, and the pitying manners 0
The more refined Smoke issues from tht
stack; the hawser is drawn in; the side
wheel qulvers; it slowly rev0lves; Full
toms own hand at the helm turns out th'
bow; he Is pale, but still confident ant
self possessed; the Ciermont moves gu
into the stream, the poEderous machin
cry humping and groaning, the whee
lrantically stlashing and the stack belch
ing like a volcano; bat the CleImon
steadily moves; all aboard swing thei
i3ats III the air and give a cheer that i
Immediately taken up by the entire null
titude on land; the Pennsylvania has
| iriumphed. and the hitherto incrednlou
and m0cking populace of New York arr
the first to do him honor; the crowd re
main cheering him on the piers until tbs
Clermont is out of sight no the Hudson
Mr. Freeman says that the boat arrived
al ALBANY ON September II, thirty sil
hours after starting from New York.
had not been Continually in motion, thu
| ,:arty having stopped at The residence o
/ Chancellor Livingston on the way up
| Tie speed was at the rate OF five miles al
hour. The appearance of the strang'
vessel as she steamed up the river had
remarkable effect, even in day time, upon
| til crews of craft passing by, for com
aratively few of the shippers coming
down could, IN those days Of slow mai
aud NJ telegraph, have been prepared to
encounter such an oddity but at night
the Clermont spread CONSERVATION and
terror on all sides. 1t was very dark
and the fires were fed with dry, white
pine wood, which, when stirred. would
SIND ~ 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 rum
bling and grooming of the hard-4aborlng
machinery, was we'll calculated to strike
terror into the hearts Of sailors on the
sloops and other craft coming down with
grain and general farm produce, who had
never heard of any motive power foI
vessels except wind, and who witbal, were
extremely supers itious.
"My father and others told me-" says
Mr.. Freeman, that whole crews pros
tfated themselves upon their kness and
pesousht Divine Providence TO protect
them from the horrible monster that was
marching on the tides and lighting up
is pathway by its fires"
When the members of the Freeman
family went aboard the CIermont, upon
its arrival at Albany, Mrs. Freeman OBJ
served workman emerging from the
engine room "a place very suggestive to
her of the infeTnaL regions-carrying IN
his hands ladle filed with molten lead.
With this he proceeded to ston up holes
whose presence here and there in the
rude machinery was indicated by escap-
ing steam. Captain Freeman then
lcarnel thai the workmen had been bus
Nv employed doing the same thing ever
since the Clermont had left New York
The people OF Albany had been apprised
=: the arrival in advance, and the whole
town turned out to receive Fulton and
his steamb boat, giving them ap enthusi-
astic reception. After a short stay the
CEermont returned 10 New York. max.
ing the trip in thirty -four hours. -PhiG
delphiG Times.
JOhnnie's Grafton.