Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1897-02-12
FIRST TRIP OF THE cLgsmoN1.
a Group OF Women Who Made tho His
.toric VOYAGE

.
.toric Voyage,
The new boat" of the letter was the
row celebrated Cleimont. the steam
boat of Robert Fulton, which in Au
gust, 1907, made the first successful
steam voyage up the astonshed IIud-
son, and demonstrated to the word
that new force had been discovered
by which old methods in nearly all lines
were TO be revolutionzcd.
Very likely. with all Their loving cou-
fdcnce in the wisdom of the chance.-
lor the sisters embarked with some
iistrust OF his new boats making good
it,; promise TO get them homae in less
than three days, even if bath wind and
Tide should prove unfavorable; but
they were not afraid of anything worse
elTn delay, though most of their
friends feared for them. During the
nine years that hud passed sncc Hoa.
crt Il. Livingston and Robert Fulton
had first secured the concession 10 nnyi-
gate the waters in New York state for
20 years. providing they should build
Il boat of not less than 20 tons. that
would go not less than four miles iLn
hour against wind and tide" the sub
ject had been so often talked over in
their presence that the sisters we're
already quite Intelligent upon il, and
laughed at the fears OF their t'morous
friends.
The cmha;kation WAS from II dock
near the state prison" (Which WIS in
Greenwich village" on the ncrth
river). and WAS witnessed by II crowd OF
mot less than 800 persons" Mnny
were friends of the passengers. who
babe them farewell with as much snlici-
tude as If they were going to Madngas-
car, especially trembling with apprc-
hcnsion at the terrible r:sl, run by,
sailing in II boat full of fire"
Tho adventurous voyagcrs. who we're
the guests of Robert Fulton and Chan
cel'or Livingston, were about IA IN
number, including but II few ladies'
Among the latter, besides our two
Young sisters and their aunt. Mrs
Thomns Morris tdaughicr-in-Iaw of
Robert Morris, the iinancier of the
rcvolut;on), were al LEAFS, one Of The
chnncclior's two daughters. four Of
the many daughters of his brothers
John Il. and Col. Harry. and young
lady who WAS more Interested in the
result Of this memorable cXpcrimcn,
than anyone save the inventor himself.
In nll the biographies of Fulton. Miss
Harriet Livingston Is called the clan
ccllor's niece. but she was rollly his
cousin. She was Il beautiful, graceful
and accomplished woman. and had
long given her heart to Robert Fulton.
Tho fair Harriet was nj this time ubour
two-and-twcnty, ard deeply in love
with her handsome. gifted lover as ANY
':irl well could be-" There were many
distinguished and nnc-looliing men on
board the Cicrmont, but my grahmoth-
az always described Robert Fulton ns
surprising them all. THAT son of a
Pennsylvania farmcr," she was wont to
ffr. "was really prince among men
T., was as modest as he was great, and
rs handsome as he was modest. His
eyes were glorious with love and
genius"
y little before reaching Clcrmcit,
when the success of the voyage WAS we'll
assured, the bctrothal was announced
ny the chancellor in graceful speech.
~ ~ NHN' ~ vi NiltNli It EIOIlltSttN
that the "nnmc of the inventor, would
descend to poSterity Us tina; of u hrnr
factor of the world, and that il was not
impossible that before the close of the
present century vessels might even he
able tn make the voyage to Europe
without other motive power than
steam"
This hardy prediction was received
with but moderate approval by amy.
while smiles of incredibly were ex-
changed between those who were so
placed that they could not be seen by
the spcechmakcr or the invcntor. John
r. Was heard to say, in an aside to
his cousin, John Swift Livingston. that
Bob had many bee in his bonnet he
fore now, but this steam folly would
prove the worst one yet" But the
-hancciior's brothers lived TO see the
ocean regularly traverscd by steam YES.
sells, but the prophet himself and the
inventor both passed away before the
realization of their drcan.s.-IIclcn
HNertson Smith, in Century.