Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-04-12
A GREAT INVENTOR.
JAMES RUMsEY, THE FIRST STEAMBOAT
INVENTOR.

The first man that ever succeeded In
propelling boat by steam wasJaines
Rumsev, a native of Maryland. when
a Young man he removed TO Shep-
herdstown, where he devoted much
OF his time to mechanics. He was, at
one period of his life, engaged as
merchant, in company with Nicholas
Orrick. at the Berkeley Springs. In
the summer of 1871 he was employed
by the Potomac Company, OF when
General Washington was member,
to improve the navigation OF that riy
er. In 1898 he directed his attention
to the subject of steamboats,; and, IN
the autumn of 1884, succeeded in a pri-
vate but very imperfect experiment,
to test some of the principles OF MS IN
vention at the mouth Of Sir Johns
Run. In the October session OF that
year he obtained the passage OF an
act from the Virginia Assembly guar
anteeing to him the exclusive use OF
his invention in navigating the waters
of that State. for the space OF ten
wears from date In January, 1888,
he obtained patent from the Gener-
al Assembly of Maryland for navi-
eating their waters, and through the
whole of this year was engaged In
working at his boat. December, 1888,
he made public trial at Shepherds
town, and succeeded in propelling his
boat, by steam alone, at the rate Of
four or five miles an hour, against the
current of the Potomac.
Among those on board, or on the
river bank as spectators of this trial
trip, were Generals Gates, Stephen
and Darke, Mr. Bedinger, DR.. Alexan
der of Baltimore, Mr.. kearsley, Mrs
| Ann Baker, and hundreds of others.
! As the little rude structure darted out
| into mid stream, and then shot up the
river, General Horatio Gates, who
stood upon the shore, cried out, with
a spirit of enthusiasm, My God! she
goes, she goesr The iron work Of this
boat was constructed by the mechan-
les of Shepherdstown. Rumsey him
self made the steam pipe by twisting
an iron tube around horse collar
block at saddler shop, thus making
part of the original propelling appa-
ratus was secured by Hon. Alexander
X. Boteler, who has placed it i'll the
patent Office at Washington for pres
ervation. This gentleman has de-
voted great deal of attention to the
subject, and has gathered indisputa-
BILE evidence that James Rumsey is en-
titled to the credit of philosophically
working out the invention of the
steamboat, and reducing it to prac-
tical use on the Potomac, at Shep-
herdstown, in 1885, when there was
not single steam engine on the
! American continent, and twenty years
before Fulton's experiment on the
Hudson; and that, beyond a doubt,
Il
Fitch (the claimantiof the honor at
Bardstown, kentucky, and Fulton,
of New York, got their ideas, if not
the full details of the invention, from
| him.
General Washington was always fa-
vorably impressed with the practica-
bility of this invention, as developed
to him by Rumsey, and did much to
encourage him. In a letter to Hugh
Williamson, NJ. c., dated at Mount
Vernon, March 10, 1885, Washington
says in alluding to Rumsey's boat: IF
| a model of Il thing in miniature is
just representation of greater object
in practice, there is no doubt of the
utility of the invention. a view of his
model, with the explanation, removed
the principal doubt | ever had of the
practicability of propelling against
stream by the aid of mechanical pow
er; but as he wanted to avail himself
of my introduction of it to the public
attention, | chose, previously, to see
the actual performance of the model
in descending stream, before passed
my certificate and having done so, all
nv doubts are satisfied"
The following description of this,
the first steamboat ever constructed,
Is taken from "Stewart's Anecdotes Of
the Steam Engine, an English publ
cation:
"Rumsey's boat was about fifty feet
in length, and was propelled by
pump worked by steam engine,
which forced a quantity of water up
through the keel; the valve was then
shut by the return of the stroke, which
at the same time forced the water
through a channel or pipe, a few inch
es square dying above or parallel to
the kelson), out at the stern, under
| the rudder, which had a less depth
! than usual, to permit the exit of the
water. The impetus of this water,
forced through the square channel
| against the exterior water, acted as
an impelling power upon the vessel.
The reaction of the effluent water pro-
PEELED her at the rate above mention
ed -four or five miles per hour against
the currentl, when loaded with three
tons in addition to the weight of her
| engine. of about one third of ton
The boiler was quite curiosity, hold
ing no more than five gallons of wa
ter, and needing only pint at time.
The whole machinery did not occupy
space greater than that required by
| four barrels of flour. The fuel con-
sumed was not more than from four
to six bushels of coal in twelve hours.
Rumsey's other project was to apply
the power of a steam engine to long
/ nolaS which wara to ran oh rho hot