Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-23
JAMES RUMSEY'S STEAMBOAT
His Successful Experiments on the River
Potomac.
The Invention Acknowledged by Res
olufion by Congrcss-Acquainta
With Fulton In London.
From the Engineering Magazine.

From the Engineering Magazine.
To Robert Fulton is generally given the
credit of having discovered the first method
I of propelling vessels through the agency of
steam; yet it can be clearly shown that
two men ante-dated him, even here in
America, in this discovery. One preceded
him. by almost twenty years, the other by
eighteen or nineteen years.
The man who in America first discovered
method of successfully propelling YES
sci against wind and tide, with steam as
the motive power, was James Rumsey.
The government of the United States has
recognized this to be an established fact,
for in 1889 Congress ordered a medal to be
struck In his honor. commemorative of this
brilliant achievement James Rumsev was
porn OF Scotch parents in 1854. Maryland
was ms native state, but he removed to
snepherdstown, Va. when about twenty
years OF age. He had all the native
shrewdness and astuteuess generally as
cribed to the Scotchman. He was a man
OF nne presence, tall and powerfully built.
Mniie' strictly speaking, not an educated
msn, ne was an omnivorous reader and
Wen Versed in matters pertaining to his
profession-civtl engineering. He was a
eood taiker but better listener and his
neighbors regarded him with respect and
looked upon him as a man of undoubted
genius. He early turned his attention TO
invention, and the writer had, until short
s lime ago, a pistol made by him. which
SHOWS MS inventive capacity.
When Rumsey removed from MARYLAND
10 Shepherdstown he entered the service of
the POTOMAC Company as superintendent
" nile in the service of this company he
suggested many novel views in mechanics
and invented and put into operation numer-
Gus improvements in milling, especially in
the application of hydraulics as the motive
on yfYn 49,.
infancy. Watt was Just beginning to per-
feet his wonderful invention. Machinists
We're rude and unskilled In their profession.
and Rumsey was forced to plan, model
and make his own machinery. He even did
MS most important casting himself-mak-
Ing the moids and running or the metal
with his own hands.
Action Of Congress.
Testimony adduced before the House of
Representatives in 1890 shows that Rumsey
had conceived the idea of steam navigation
| as early as August, 1873 Gong. Record.
Laboring under very adverse circumstances,
he succeeded in the autumn of 1854 in max
| inga test of some of the principles of his
engine and propelling apparatus. In Octo-
her, 1IS4, the Virginia legislature passed an
act guaranteeing to him the exclusive use
of his invention in navigating the waters
of Virginia" (stat. virg.. l1s4,: About this
municating to him the principles Of his in
vention. Gen. Washington wrote Of Rum
sey's invention to Gov. Johnson of Mary
| land. This letter Is dated November 1851,
and was produced before committee of the
House in 1889, at which time the following
! resolution was offered and passed:
Resolved. by the Senate and House Of
Represen tatives OF the United States Of
America in Congress assembled: That the
President be, and he IS hereby. requested to
present to James Eumsey, jr, the son and
only surviving child Of James Rumsey, de-
nca1 ,,,sf al Al
tive of his fathers services and high agency
in giving to the world the benefits Of the
steamboat .4,.ts -, s-.-.t~
In January. 1885, Rumsey obtained pat
ent from the general assembly Of Maryland
for navigating the waters OF that state
acts Gen. As. Maryland. 1850. During the
whole Of this year he was busy in the CON-
struction of a steamboat In 1856 he sue
cessfully navigated this boat on the Poto-
mac at Shepherdstown in the presence OF
hundreds of spectators. The Cincinnati En-
quirer lately printed the following descrip-
ton of Rumsey's boat: The first steamboat
was really built by James Rumsey at Shop
herdstown, Va. (now West Virginia). The
boat was partially constructed in Frederick
county. Nd, in 11S5. It was fitted up with
machinery partly manufactured at fur
mace called the Catoclin,' owned by john
son Bros, near Frederick, and the two CYL
inders boiler, pumps, pipes. etc, were built
in Baltimore. Part Of the work was done
at the old Antietam Iron Works." The boat
was eighty feet in length. and was propelled
by an engine which worked vertical pump
placed in the center Of the boat. The
and discharged a: the stern through hori-
zontal pipe. The weight OF the machinery
was 665 pounds. and the boats capacity was
three TONS All Of the machinery, including
over four feet square. The first public ex-
pertinent took place on the Potomac river
on March IA, 1856"
A Success.
The experiment was eminently successful,
as was proven by the aff1davits and per-
sonal testimony Of. numerous witnesses
who testified before the aforementioned
committee of the House in 1889.
The only man who can contest prece-
dence with Rumsey is Fitch. 1t can be
clearly shown, however, that Fitch's first
experiment was not made until September,
1883, two years after Rumsey's dnal and
successful exhibition on the Potomac at
ShepherGstown. De Warville. an eminent
French writer, says in his work that, be-
ing in Philadelphia in September, 17ss. he
attended. by invitation, and witnessed
Fitch's experiment" ODE Warville, Cong.
February following, while in London. says:
II have just met Mr.. Rumsey of Virginia,
gentleman Of great ingenuity, who pro-
poses building vessel in which. without
the Atlantic in fifteen days" After his
successful experiment in 1855. Rumsey re-
solved to go to England. He believed that.
with better workmen and better oppor-
tunities, he could cross tho Atlantic in If
teeen days in a steamboat built after his
plans. He believed also that he could find
In London the money for the furtherance
of his designs. Slender means, while in the
great city. often occasioned him to fall
back on other inventions, and to abandon
for time his pet scheme. the steamboat,
in order to replenish his purse. After
long delays and many disappointments. he
at last succeeded in building boat Of 100
tons burden. His machinery was SO near
completion that ne had fixed a day for
public trial, when his sudden death from
apoplexy, willie lecturing before philo-
sophicai society, put an end to everything.
DR.. John Hunter, writing of mental emo
ton inducing apoplexy, refers to Rumsey
when he says: THE person who invented
or applied the steam engine to the sailing
of ships, and who. when it was before the
committee of the Society of Arts and Sci
ences, was taken at orce with an apoplectic
stroke, of which he died in about twenty
four hours" Posthumous Papers, vol. L.
p. 264)
Rumsey and Fulton.
Runsey's letters to Mr.. West, his broth
er in-law, show that he and Fulton were
en- intimate terms In London. Fulton was
In Lor don for the purpose of introducing