Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-01-14
REsURREcIING RvMsEY.
Col. BotsIsr's Story Of tho First
Steamboat and Ito Alleged
Inventor.
Some of the Proofs on Which the
Claims Of Fulton, Fitch and
Rumssy Rest.
Doing Honor to the Dead, to
Whom We Did Injury White
They Were Living.

some brief mention of the address of Hon.
Alexander r. Boteler, of Jefferson, before
the West Virginia Historical Society, last
Friday evening on the origin of the steam
boat and the history Of itS Inventor, Janea
Rumsey. '''4''s--s
For more than thirty years Mr.. Boteler
has pursued the investigation of the claim
having made the first practical application
of steam to navigation, using all the oppor-
tunities which large experience in public
life and an extended acquaintance with
books and men afforded him. In addition
to o well.t trained and active mind, Mr..
Boteler has the genuine antiquarian in
stinct and working con amore, and with all
the enthusiasm of one who feels that on
his own industry the establishment of the
truth depends, he has gathered together q
mass of evidence in the shape of records
and oral testimony which OF
necessity can only be referred
to briefly within the limits Of spoken ad.
dress. Those who listened TO the clearly
written and gracefully delivered lecture Of
Friday, in which the conclusions of the
orator were given, will be glad to know
that the data on which such conclusions
were based will shortly be published and
made part Of our permanent literature.
Virginia AntiquariaBs.
Looking over the manuscript OF this pro-
posed volume one is struck with the full
ness and fairness with which its materials
have been gathered. Old Col. Floyd, OF
Logan, used to- tell q story on his brother
a. hat x-Aa thA lott p-aS q
member of Buchanan's cabinet, he was
stricken with the genealogical fever. He
hired an expert in such matters to trace
the family line back to Pocahontas, and
started him down into Virginia. When
no report was finally rendered, the Secre-
tary Of the Navy explained to waiting
relatives that the expert got so far away
from the Indian and so close to the Afri-
can that he thought he had better call him
off. There is none of this timidity visible
in Col Botelers collection Of testimony on
the subject Of RHmseys claim. That
which is weakest is given fairly
and that which is adverse is stated as clear
" as that which seems conclusive. The only
motive apparent in the work is desire that
the truth should be established and that hav'
ing settled the question the State should
see to il that such truth should be perpetu-
ated II he has secured evidence so full
and satisfactory on the 50 ject that there
can be no longer any ques on OF priority,
his suggestion that the Legislature OF West
Virginia within whose present borders the
most OF Rumsey's work was accomplished,
shall record his achievement upon suit
able monument to be erected al some
prominent point within the State, is good
one and should be carried out. "Honorem
Mortuo cui injuriam fecimus faciamus."
T Il 30 ha tn w w n
have done injury, and at the same time do
honor to ourselves in honoring them.
The Inventors Early Life.
Rumsey was born at Bohemia Manor,
Cecil county, Nd, in 1852. He was the
son of a farmer in moderate circumstances
and had in early life but limited opportu-
mites, which common schools of his age
and residence afforded. He managed, how
ever, to pick up in connection with
knowledge of forming some acquaintance
with mechanical engineering. When the
Revolution began he Joined the army raised
tosupport the Declaration OF Independence,
and when peace was again declared he set.
tied down in the little Virginia town OF
Bath, or Berkeley Springs, at that time
favorite resort during the summer months,
for people of the Southern States. In lISl-2
he was engaged in mercantile business and
at that time lay in series OF experiences
with steam appliances. Nicholas Orrick,
who was his business partner in 1888, in a
letter to Rumsey's executor, mentions one
of his experiments also, which was carried
on with wooden tubes and designed to
show the force OF hydraulic ressnre.
His First Steamboat.
Joseph Barnes, OF Bath, and John Wilson,
of Philadelphia visitor at the springs,
Join with 0rrick in describing steamboat
built by Rumsey in 1888, to run on the
principle of hydraulic propulsion. This
boat, built near the mouth Of Sir Johns
run, on the Potomac, two miles distant
from Bath, is mentioned as vessel OF six
tons burthen, constructed with tube or
box extending along its keelson, open at
the stern and connecting at the other end
with a pump located in the bow OF the
boat, The motor, built at the little black.
smith shop in Bath, was q common atmos.
bheric engine, after Newcomers plan, and
the boiler consisted OF two potash kettles
banded together with iron strips and riyets.
From this primitive steam generator the
power was communicated to a pump for
ward, and the water pumped up from the
river was forced through the tube before
mentioned, the impact OF that escaping
through the open end forcing the boat for
ward. 1t may be imagined that with this
primitive machinery there were many de-
fects in its operation. but the testimony is
clear that this boat, tried on the Potomac
river at Sir Johns In June, 1888, attained q
speed of three miles an hour, and demon
strated the efficiency OF
Hydraulic Propulsion.
since further shown in the British gunboat
Waterwitch and the American vessel Nau.
titus, which with perfected appliances OF
the same character attained q speed OF
1905 knots an hour.
George Washington, then summer resi-
dent at Bath. was witness OF these early
experiments of Rumsey's, and Sparks Lie
Of the First President contains several OF
his letters to Rumsey urging upon him M the
propriety OF perfecting and bringing Tor
ward his invention Before his plan was
adopted by others.
Rumsey was poor and like most other in
ventors was too much wrapped up In his
investigations to properly protect his busi-
ness interests. He was induced, however,
IN November, 1888, to petition the legisla-
lures of Mary land and Virginia TO grsnt 70
him the exclusive right Of navigating their
streams with steam vessels for period oil
ten years, and IL is some evidence of The ap-
probation in which his work was held by
these bodies that his petition was promptly
grente0 Dy OOtn, tut tcHibthtutsV VI NhBihts,
reserving the right to Withdraw its grant
at any time On payment TO the inventor OF
ten thousand pounds sterling.
Pending these proceedings Rumsey was
engaged upon other Improvements in the
application of steam to mills, pumps and
oi6er machinery. but he went to work -
soon n possible to build larger bozt and
more satisfactory engine than be had been
able to secure for his first venture, and
pushed this project forward q rapidly n
his circumstances would permit
HIS seeeoA oaecesA
In iT74 be was employed % the 9uperin
| tendent OF the Potomac Improvement Com
pany, of which Warrington was tbg NOV
ing spirit, and which proposed 70 maxi
| that stream highway OF commercs iron
| the mountains 70 the seaboard. bat fouat
time between other engagements 70 con
tinue work on his second vessel, ,and IN f70f
bad 1t completed and waiting fof tts M
chinery At sheppardstown on tue Potomac
twelve miles above the present site Of Haf
per's Ferry. While lying hsre
! freshet in the river In tht
month Of December carried out the 10
! from above, and the boat torn from 10
moorings was wrecked on the rocks below
| The damage TO it was so extensive that tn
! owner hesitate d>whether 10 attempt ITS re