The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-12-12
ON THE CLERMONT.
INCIDENTS or THE FIRST VOYAGE or
FULTONS STEAMBOAT.

A Group of Women Who Made the His
toric Trip-IIow the Engagement of the
Inventor Was Announced Predictions
Made by Chancellor Livingston.
Helen Evertson Smith. in The Cen
fury, has "A paper on "A Group of Amer
lean Girls Early In the Century" which
gives pleasant glimpses of Chancellor
Livingston and Robert Fulton. The
chancellor invited several Of his Fair
cousins to make IA trip from New York
TO his home at Clermont in new boat.
Miss Smith says:
The ''new boat" of the letter was the
now celebrated Clermont, the steamboat
of Robert Fulton, which in August,
1907, made the first successful steam
voyage up the astonished Hudson and
demonstrated to the world that q new
force had been discovered by which old
methods in nearly all lines were to be
revolutionized.
Very likely, with all their loving
confidence in the wisdom of the chan
cellor, the sisters embarked with some
distrust Of his new boats making good
its promise to get them home in less
than three days, even if both wind and
tide should prove unfavorable, but they
were not afraid of anything worse than
delay, though most of their friends
feared for them. During the nine years
that had passed since Robert r.. Liv-
ingston and Robert Fulton had first Sc
cured the concession to navigate the
waters in New York state for 20 years,
providing they should build boat Of
not less than 20 tons, that would go not
less than four miles an hour against
wind and tide" the subject had been so
often talked over in their presence that
the sisters were already quite intelligent
upon it and laughed at the fears of their
timorous friends.
The embarkation was from a dock
"near the state prison" (Which was In
"Greenwich village" on the North
river and was witnessed by crowd OF
mot less than 800 persons. Many were
friends of the passengers, who babe
them farewell with rs much solicitude
as if they were going to Madagascar,
especially trembling with apprehension
at the terrible risk run by sailing in O
boat full of fire. F"
The adventurous voyagers, who were
the guests of Robert Fulton and Chan
cellor Livingston, were about 40 in mum.
Der, including but few ladies. Among
the latter, besides our two young sister:
and their aunt, Mrs. Thomas Morri:
(daughter-in-l law of Robert Morris, the
financier of the Revolution), were al
least one Of the chancellor's two daugh
tiers, four of the many daughters OF his
brothers, John II. and Colonel Harry ,ant
"a young lady who was more interested
in the result of this memorable expert
ment than any one save the inventor
himself. In all the biographies OF Full
ton Miss Harriet Livingston is called
the chancellor's niece, but she was real
" his cousin. She was a beautiful
graceful and accomplished woman ant
had long given her heart to Robert Full
ton. The fair Harriet was at this time
about two and twenty and deeply il
love with her handsome, gifted lover a
any girl we'll could be. " There were
many distinguished and fine looking
men on board the Clermont, but my
grandmother always described Rober
Fulton as surprising them all. Tina
son of Pennsylvania farmer, she wa
wont to say, twas really a primo
among men. He was as modest as n
was great and as handsome as he wa
modest His eyes were glorious Wit
love and genius.
A little before reaching Clermont
when the success Of the voyage was wei
assured, the betrothal was announce
by the chancellor in a graceful speech
i'm the course of which he prophesie'
} that the "name Of the inventor woul
, descend to posterity as that OF bene
factor to the world, and that it was no
impossible that before, the close OF tn
present century vessels might even D
able to make the voyage to Europe with
out other motive power than steam.
This hardy prediction was receive
{ with but moderate approval by any
: while smiles Of inoredulity were eS
changed between those who were s
placed that they could not be seen by tn
J speechmaker or the inventor. John
was heard to say in an aside to his cous
in, John Swift Livingston, that "Bo
had many bee in his bonnet befor
now, but this steam folly would prov
the worst one yet" But the chancellor
brothers lived to see the ocean regular
" traversed. by steam vessels, but tn
? prophet himself ana the inventor bot
{ passed away before the realization
their dreams.