The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-07
4 RELIC OF ROBERT FULTON.
4 Man Still Living Who Went On the
Trial Trip of the First Steamboat.
DR.. William Perry, of New Hampshire, Tells
the Story Of that Memorable Day of Is
Years Ago-Letter from Robt. Fulton.


ITS list Of citizens a venerable gentleman who,
seventy eight years ago, went down the Hudson
river with Robert Fulton on that memorable
trial trip, the first voyage Of the first steamboat
In the world He is the only survivor of the
Fifty passengers who enjoyed that distinction,
and though now his years have almost reached
the century turn point, still his memory is so
clear and his intellect so strong that he is able
70 recall every detail of the journey and to cor
rect several msapprehensions which have found
ersdence even with careful historians. Not
alone for his trip down the Hudson is DR..
William Perry notable. To-day he stands
the oldest living graduate Of Harvard
College veteran now in his ninety-seventh
Cambridge University. Studying medicine
afterward, under the eminent DR.. John Warren.
he showed marked ability, and the worthy ply
stefan advised his protege to settle in the -four
ishing little town of Exeter. He did So and
soon won an extensive practice, and wide
spread reputation for surgical skill His analysis
Of insanity became standard authority, and he
projected the first insane hospital in the State.
He was director for many years of the State
asylum, which, at his suggestion, was endowed.
Those who desire glimpse of the good old
Doctors personal appearance, have but to read
Che tale of his granddaughter. Sarah Orne jew
EFT, and they will find in IA Country Doctor"
many traces of the veteran physician of Exeter.
The years have dealt kindly with him. His
snow-crowned head is slightly bowed, but the
CLEAN of the bright eyes from under the long,
shaggy eyebrows is as piercing as ever The
old-fashioned, curved handle cane is necessary
for support, but with that in his hand the man
Of six and ninety years walks daily the streets
of the town alone, and with firm, albeit some
what slow STEP never does he fail on Sunday
to traverse the road to the old
church, where, for a lifetime, he has
been constant attendant Never does he miss
the polls on election day, and at the last presi
Dental election the venerable physician was the
first to reach the ballot box. Although his son
is now one of the oldest physicians of the town,
yet until within few years the senior Doctor
has been consulted by the residents, whose faith
in him will never cease The steady hand in
1875, when the Doctor was passing his eighty
seventh year, guided three times, most success
fully the instrume nts is serious case of stran-
gulated hernia. Again, at the age of Dlnety-two
DIR. Perry performed a fourth operation OF the
Kind, and since his nineteth year many medical
and surgical cases requiring highest skill have
been under his direction. With sight and hear
ing fully preserved, and with mental faculties
undimmed, he is both an interesting converse
tionalist and reliable historian.
The Doctor, sitting in his pleasant chamb Der
overlooking the center of the beautiful little vii
lage spoke of his famous trip with Robert Full
ton. Yes, he said, the name of the boat has
been so often misquoted that even many careful
recorders have mentioned it as the Clermont.
That was not her full name | remember
it distinctly 1t was Katherine, of
Clermont, given in honor of Fulton's wife, Kath
srine Livingston, of Clermont, Columbia county,
New York Fulton you know, had gone abroad
TO study his profession of painter, but having
his attention turned to mechanics, he brought
back to New York an engine, and over that he
constructed the hull of his vessel He lacked
the necessary money to- complete the expert
ment, and his wifes father, Livingston then
American minister to England, came to his aid
with financial help
"How did you happen to be passenger, Doc
torf'
.T was attending Union College, at Science
fadv, N Y, but was not satisfied with the
institution, and so determined to enter Harvard.
On my way home / arrived at Albany, and
there, to my discomfort, learned that must en-
dure q long delay, for none OF the river boats
then in use were to start for several days. l
went to the tavern and engaged a room. But
early the next morning man hurried into the
bar-room of the inn and announced, The steam
the river at o'clock decided at once that
would be passenger on the strange craft, what
ever it migha be. There was a lady of Connecticut
under my charge on her way to New York city,
and when told her that we could take the new
steamboat she expressed her willingness to travel
that way. But it took her so long to get ready
that when we reached the wharf the boat was
steaming off However, they were more accom-
modating on that trip than they would be now.
The officers heard us call, and, stopping the ves
hack boat
Then we were off on our voyage"
"What happened on the trip, Doctors"
"At first it was smooth sailing, or rather steam
ing but in the afternoon-ths you know was
August TO- 1807-she ran aground and we had to
wait for high tide before we could float off.
After that the boat got into more serious trouble,
but did not happen to be on board at the time.
When we arrived at Kingston / thought would
stop over day and visit my brother there and
so went ashore. The Katherine, of Clermont,
continued her course but had gone only few
miles further when her boiler burst, and she had
to be laid up for repairs for several days Soon
after that she began to make regular trips be-
tween New York and Albany"
"Do you remember how the boat looked,
Doctor2n
"As distinctly as though it all happened yester
day. She was a rudely built craft, about l25
feet long and nearly 20 feet wide, with side pad
die wheels and sheet iron boiler She could
make .S-out six miles an hour You recollect
what trouble there was afterwards about the
rights of the boat, do you not!"
II can't say do. Unfortunately my memory
does not reach SO far back"
BEG pardon. forgot it was so long ago
Well the owners Of the sailing vessels, who, pre-
vious to this had had the monopoly of the river
transportation, claimed that the right to navi-
gate the Hudson belonged to them and they Sc
cured an injunction restraining Fulton from
using his steamboat But they couldn't hold
their case for Daniel Webster appeared in be-
half of the steamer, made his first great plea and
won the case. That gave Mr.. Webster wide
reputation at once"
Afterward Fulton had many lawsuits. for his
patent, covering rs it did only certain points re-
hating to the attachment of the paddle wheels to
tho axle of the crank left great opening for in
fringemcnt All his life he was fighting for
bis claims in that respect, although he
and Livingston had the monopoly of steam
traffic on the waters of the State through a
grant of the Legislature. Fulton constructed
not only tho first practicable steamboat for