Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-03-16
VOL. LVI NEW SERIES, VOL. AAlA.

Two brothers here appear upon the scene.
Their names were John and James Win
ans. We opine John was the elder of
the two. And it is evident they had seen
tho "Clermont," and from herdeck watch
ed with admiration the make and move
ment of the new craft. Coniecturing
that these men had formerly been resi-
dents on the Hudson river, we find them
in 1907 settled in Burlington. At pres
ent, however, we are unable to trace their
origin, or to learn who were their active
associates and hackers. No historical
record of burlington gives us the bio
graphy Of the Winanses. No biographi-
cal work we have seen even names these
men. Appleton omits to insert the name,
and the writer of the article ou "Steam
Navigation" found in this cyclopedia, as
also every other authority i'll this line,
strangely enough makes no mention OF
the first steamboat on Lake Champlain.
In the odd speech Of Artemus Ward we
inquire, "Why is this thus?"
Was Captain John Winans a civil engi-
neer? Was he in communication with
the New York steamboat builders Did
he expend fortune out of his own means
to build the steamboat ? If not, then
who betrayed the expense and pushed the
plan to completion =? We are sorry we do
not know. At present, we must give the
Winans brothers the entire credit, extol
their well-earned fame, and leave their
memory to grateful or ungratcful pos
terity and public. John Wlnans lived in
n house on Water street. AS late rs 1867
the building still remained, and was oc-
cupied by Burlingtonian. Not'far from
this spot, at the foot of King street, un.
der the shade of n large, spreading oak,
known in local history rs 'the oak tree, y
and back of where stood for years land
may still stand) the rude store of an &C.
centric and hermit character named Isaac
Nye, the new boat was put on the ways
in the summer of 1S07-the exact month
and day unknown. The curious reader
can, if he plenses, find and recognize the
site. Water street still skirts the lake
shore, and King street intersects it. 1t
was n year before the boat was launched
mot bow first, but sideways). The own
er was unfortunate. His vessel stuck
fast in the sand. Much exertion was re-
quired to get her into her native element.
Hydraulic jacks and power screws were
almost, If not quite, unknown. The pro-
gress was slow. The summer of 1908 saw
her i'll the water, and christened "Ner-
mont" i'll honor of the State, With what
feelings of pride did John Winans gaze
upon this offspring of his skill
Then the machinery was put i'll. As
carly as 1903 Col. John Stevens, of Ho-
boken, built engines having sectional
steam boilers, condensing engines of di-
rect acting, and high pressure. We sus-
pect the Vermont's outfit was of this kind,
although it is said to have been procured
at Albany. Her engine was of only
twenty horsepower land secondhand
one at that), with cylinder Of twenty
inches, and three feet stroke, with "side
lever bell crank and balance wheel
some ten feet in diameter. The engine
aud boiler were entirely hidden under he,
deck, nothing but the smoke-stack being
visible above it. As clumsy as the en-
gine would seem to have been, no doub
it was one of the best the times afforded
and must have possessed considerabl,
durability as we find it in use elsewhere
as late MS 1921.
The Vermont was one hundred ant
twenty-five feet in length, twenty fee
beam, about eight feet in depth, and o
one hundred and sixty-seven tons burden
the Clermont, but the Vermont was twen
In shape she resembled first class mod
structed with flushed deck, and withou
guards. There was no covering over TIN
wheels, no pilot house on deck. The pi
lot stood at the stern, helm in hand, an'
steered the vessel with tiller, such u
L then was in use on all sailing vessels
She was steered with difficulty. 1t i
avid tl ol, fur ba1 v,tt Ia naCt
of some kind, as we are told that durin
a favorable breeze her master would hois
sails to accelerate her speed The pre-
d vailing color of the vessel was black, an
i when she went whizzing and coughin
IS over the water, Vermonters, New Yorker
1t and Canadians concluded she had yer
e queer and solemn look while from til
resemblance the steam Coughs" had i
!. their sounds to the harsh, quick stroke {
E n saw, some irreverent wags at Chan
l. of steam before their eyes, contemptr
J: ously nicknamed her "The Old Saw
At mill"
Passing below deck, one could ha,
le found, in addition to the space given
W the machinery, her engines workin
c. horizontally,-a comfortable cabin
ID length twenty-five and breadth eightee
le feet, having berths on two sides, and
tt ng-tablc in the centre. 1t was ii
as only dining and sleeping room. The
IN grand hall, and little or no ornament
'e ton. And yet the entire expense of Ii,
Is, construction reached the sum of $40, 90
as no small sum, in those early days, fc
her owner to invest in new and untri,
nj enterprise Of this kind.
m 1t was gala day in the rosy, sun,
r. month of June, 1909, Just two years fro
de the time her keel was laid and two ce
te turies from the summer when CaI
he Samuel de Champlain, with his Indi
" allies, had, in birch canoe, first enter
ol. upon the waters of the lake at its Can
To- dian outlet, that the first trip of the V,
III mont was made. John Winans was Il
captain Ziba Manning, of Whiteha
as her first pilot, stood with his hand on t
III helm. We have this from the lips OF Il
ms second pilot, Hiram Ferris, of Cha2
so n. Y, who was also on board that dG
)at Captain Ferris-now dcad-was n pers
Dm of great experience on the lake, fill
the Office of pilot and captain on boa
ert sailing vessels and steamboats, for
the riod of ffty-four years, from 1905 to Is
md A crowd was present to witness her
s n parture. Citizens of Burlington to
ing passage q. B. Sawyer and A. Trum,
era two of the number, were still living
vas 1868 70, when most of these facts w
ry gathered up. Shouts rent the air as
pie moved out of the spacious harbor. So
ces cheered in hope of success others, W
nit, words of doubt and derision, predic
nus her failure. Gideon King, who kel
ere tavern in the place, had also become
ing most famous boat-builder aud ownel
en- sailing vessels on the lake. He had Y