The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-09-22
The First Steamboat in
Providence River.
Built by Ormsbee and Ante
Dated FultOn'S Boats.
How The Fire Fly Was Driven Out
of Business by Packets.

II Is the generally accepted idea that
the first steam boat that ever nayigated
the waters of Providence River and Mar
ragansett Bay was the Fire Fly, which
was built by Fulton and which came
from New York in 1917. This impress
sion, however, is not exact, for several
years earlier an inventive genius OF Prov
idence had constructed a steamboat
which was successfully propelled by
steam power. Ii was in 1892 that Elijah
0rmsbee began his experiments. lie
was carpenter by trade and some time
before had noticed the difficulties OF nav
igating the Hudson, while he had also
observed the power OF steam employed
In the pumping OF water from mine
in Cranstcn. After pondering on the
matter for some time Ormsbee decided to
consult David Wilkip,oi OF Pawtucket,
who az mechanic had rendered such
valuable service TO Samuel Slater In the
establishing of the cotton manufacturing
industry In that place.
Ormsbee succeeded in convincing Will
kinson Of the practice bility of propelling
boats by steam power, and II was frst
agreed that " Wilkinson should furnish the
castings and that Ormsbee should build
the boat. Two kinds of paddle-w heels
were considered, one which WAS called a
futter wheel, which was probably OF
about the same'ss the present side wheel,
and the other a goose-foot. Ultimately
they decided to try the goose-foot, az
the power could De applied more cheap
". Ormsbee worked hard and dill
gentIy-on his boat and had 1t ready for
trial in the fall OF 1892. This trial was
emInently successful, for q contem porary
chronicler said: "The boat went steadily
through the water and arrived In safety
at the lower wharf In Providence.
The following day Mr.. Ormsbee left
the boat for Pawtuc ket for the pur-
pole OF showing Mr. Wilkinson how
TWO absence the boat came back to Prov
idence where 1t caused a great deal Of
sstonishment, and for several weeks 1t
ran up and down Inc river. An early de-
&C siption of the boat says: he steam was
not applied to elevate and depress the pis-
ton as was done by Watts, hut the steam
was applied to raise the piston and then
teing condensed by cold water, the pis-
ton turned by atmospheric pressure In
this way the paddles were moved forward
and aft. When they moved forward they
closed and when they moved aft they ex-
banded to q width OF from IL to 20
inches. The speed made by the boat was
from three to four miles an hour and this
woaid probably have been increased to
i've or six II wheels had been su bstituted
for paddles. Ormsbee, howeve', had no
one with ready purse TO back him in his
experiments and after having shown the
possibility of steam navigation his golden
dream faded and the enterprise was aban-
doned.
II the Fire Fly was not the first steam
boat TO navigate the waters herea bouts
she had the distinction OF being the first
vessel propelled by steam to round Point
Judith. she had been built by Fulton
t. run between New York and Newbury.
She arrived In Newport from New York
on May 26, 1917, nearly 15 years after
Ormsbee had built end tested his steam
boat. The sea was very rough as she came
around tho Point, but the Fire Fly stood
the buffeting and when she reached
port she was pronounced beautiful cre0-
sion. Captain Smith was her commander
and the intention was TO run her between
Frovideace and Newport. Her frat trip
over this route was made May 2s, and oc-
cupied three hours. The packet masters
were very jealous of the new-fangled
craft and they did ell In their power to
break down the enterprise. They carried
their opposition TO such an extent as to
offer to carry passengers to Newport for
rs cents ana charge nothing II they
did not get there ahead OF the steam boat
BY this kind of competition the Fire Fly
was finally criven of.