Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-07-19
SHEPHERDSTOWN w. VA, FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1889


called the little town into existence
when the tyranny of the mother
country oft repeated and increasing
aWoke the colonies to revolution.
Then British greed combined with
British power to rob OUR fathers of
their inheritance of freedom. The
army and the navy of the empire
were turned upon the Atlantic sea
board; then came the trying scenes at
Boston, famous field OF Lexington
and historic Bunker Hill. 1t was then
that Massachusetts, called unto her
sister the great Virginia for aid in her
hour of trial; for the invader was
upon her soil, and Virginia answered
her appeal with her best blood and
treasure.
H ere at Morgan's Spring, the brave
sons of our valley, loving liberty bet
ter than life and country rather than
self, assembled and responded TO the
call. The memorable gathering, the
fatiguing march, their trials and SUI
ferings, are matters of history, and
while time does not permit to me than
a moments mention, their memory Is
still fresh in the minds Of their coun-
trymen, and as long as liberty enlight-
ems the world, the merited fame OF
the revolutionary soldier will survive.
Passing onward to later but still
early period, is the year 11S5. The
war for Independence has closed, the
willows of suffering have been con
verted into the laurels of victory. The
right of colony to shake oil the
bonds of slavery has been successful
ly vindicated and the American peo-
pie have taken their place i'll the
galaxy of nations as free and sover-
eign States.
But those Nations are as strangers
the wild expanse of sea and ocean
divide them and DER the wide stretch
of waters, the plodding sluggard sail
with shifting wind and motion,
bears the tardy commerce of the
world. Cline viewed by cline and
continent by continent, seemed then
as distant as the stars TO us to-day.
Inventive genius was required. The
times demand a speedier Transports
ton, and the brightest minds were
busy in the solution of the problem.
Here in the then village of Shep-
herdstown James Rumsey-dubbed
Crazy" by his contemporaries but
now the immortal, was night and day
struggling, battling amid circumstan-
ces most adverse to fill the need, to
meet the requirements of an increas-
ing civilization. Ingenious and de
termined, hopeful and untiring, alone
and almost friendless, he dived into
the hidden caverns of Natures laws
and brought forth the buried secret.
Steam as n motive power could ride
the shifting wave. Up the winding
river stream, up the swiftest current,
DER the pillows of the deep blue sea,
and Oh the bosom of the storm tossed
ocean, the mighty monarch OF resist
e-sTEAM-would take the once
helpless ship. Here in the currents ot
the Potomac was witnessed the first
public experiment.
What day--a memorable day In
the worlds history was that. On the
banks of your noble river conspicu
Gus assembly gathered. Your ances-
tors, the veteran founders OF your
town, men distinguished in the annals
of the Revolution, Generals Gates,
Darke and Stephens, came to see the
triumph Of mind over the laws OF
matter. Fair ladies and brave men
came hither as they have come to-day
full of intense excitement and curious
attention. We can in retrospect see
the gathered crowd-the hope-the
doubts that mingled in their minds.
We can imagine the feelings, hopes
and fears, of Rumsey-the scoiis OF
his doubling enemies and the treplda-
tion of his friends. We can see the
launching of the little boat and the
sudden start up stream and hear the
earnest exclamation Of the impulsive
General Gates: Ny God, she moves,
she moves! We can divine the feelings
of the multitude who saw it and the
triumph of the man whose dream had
become reality.
A century has glided by since then,
"A century of rapid progress and un-
precedented improvement.
The experiment of Rumsey-tested,
tried and approved-is the legacy be-
aueathed by him o.all mankind, and
to-day, wherever the waters of the
briny deep lave the shores OF peo-
the banner OF sover-
eighty floats upon the sea, in every
cline, in every harDor, In every river
bearing the commerce OF nations,
steam applied to navigation attests
the genius Of James Rumsey, Of Shep-
herdstown.
Since then the wheel Of progress in
your vicinity has slowly but percepti-
bly moved. The life Of town like
that of an individual, is full Of change.
The checkers of existence move OBJ
liquely.
Life has not always been quiet upon
the Potomac. Scarce a quarter OF a
century has passed since the tramp
OF martialed men resounded in your
streets. Then as in the Indian time
YOU were the line between the North
and South. The suburb Of ADtietam
and Sharpsburg and Gettysburg, in
your midst bivouacked eontending
a