The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-11-02

Distance 40 miles: time, s hours The sum is
$50 miles IN 80 hours; equal TO nearly five miles
an hour.
While Mr. Fulton in the above letter evil
IDENTIFY repressed the enthusiasm that must
have dubbed up in his soul at the magnifi-
cent triumph he had achieved through his
great invention, he evinced a compre hem
sion of the magnitude and the splendor of
the victory he had won in a private letter
written about the same time 20 his old and
intimate friend, Mr.. Barlow, in whose fam
lily he had previously resided in Paris. Here
is portion of the latter letter:
The power OF propelingsbodts oy steam is now
fully proved. The morning / left New York
there were perhaps not thirty persons In Tie city
who believed that the boat would ever make one
mile an hour be of The leasI utility. And
while we were putting of from the wharf heard
number OF sarcastic remarks. This Is the
way In which ignorant men compliment what
they call philosophers and inventors.
In the same connection Mr.. Blight showed
me paper descriptive of the trip of the
ClermOnt read by Lieutenant Governor Cad
walader Golden. IN 1917, before the New
York Historical Society. The following is
an extract:
Nothing conld exceed the surprise and admir-
alton OF all who witnessed The experiment. The
minds of the most incTedu Gus changed In a few
minutes. Before the boat had made the progress
of quarter OF a mile The greatest revolution
must have been encountered. ! he man, who
while he looked on The expensive machine
lhankr his stars that he had more wisdom than
changed the expression of his features as Tie
boat moved from the wharf and gained in speed.
His complacent smile gradually stifiened with
an expression oil wonder. The ieeTs OF The
Ignorant, who had neither sense or feeling
enough to suppress lheir contempIuous ridicule
and rude jokes, were seDced In a moment by a
vulgar establishment, which deprived them OF the
power of utterance III the triumph OF genius eX-
tracted from the incredulous multitude which
crowded the shores shouts and acclamatiOns of
congratulations and applause.
1t may be well, perhaps, TO state here as
matter OF interesting information 10 those
who do not know the dimensions of the
pioneer steamer Clermont as well as to re-
fresh the recollection of those who have
forgotten the figures, that the steamer was
133 feet long, feet deep and Is feet broad.
1t is unnecessary TO state that from this
rude beginning steamboats, of larger dimen-
sions, built under the direction of Mr.. Full
ton, soon began 10 make regular trips be-
tween this city and Albany, and this being
long time before railroads were thought
of, they, of course, enjoyed liberal patron
age. The United States Government, ap-
preciative of the great invention OF Mr.
Fulton, commissioned him to send two
steamers down the Mississippi during the
war Of 1912, which, as is well known, rem
dered great assistance to General Jackson in
the memorable battle of New Orleans
1t Is not worth while to recapitulate the
familiar facts in the career Of Mr.. Fulton.
He produced many inventions, but his mind
for years was almost wholly taken up with
the great idea Of steam navigation. He
died on February 4. 1915, at / State street
in this city. He is buried in Trinity church.
yard, his remains being in the vault of the
Livingston family.
Il have always regretted" said Mr..
Blight, that some action has not been
taken in this city for the erection of statue
concentrating my grandfather. Neither
monument, nor slab, nor inscription of any
kim tell where his body lies"
IN fhar III
Blight stated that the only statue Of Mr.. Full
ton is the one now in Statuary Hall in
Washington, ID. c., presented by the State
of Pennsylvania to the United States Gov
arnmpnt N ". Harald