The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-27
THE STEAMBOAT.
An Old Engineer Speaks His Mind
Freely on an Interesting Subject.
H..

DtlTOlL EIet ITtSS.
Grandpa" said the old engineers pet
and pride as he looked up from his history
book in what year did Mr. Fulton invent
the steamboat"
He didn't" responded grandpa, with
snap of his jaws.
This book says he did, protested the
youngster so
I'VE can't help that my lad, but come
over here and let me tell you some real his
tory" The boy obeyed by gladly firing his
book into corner and climbing into the
ceeded: Away back yonder only about
fifty years after Columbus discovered
America, that is to say in l54s when
Charles V was King of SPAIN Spanish
captain named Easco de Guerrero put
decentralization steamboat on the water at
Barcelona that made a record for itself in
no time. There was an exhibition run be-
fore the King and all his court, and there
wasn't a hitch in the whole trial trip. The
known, but there was big tank of boiling
water and steam on board, and there were
two wheels visible on the outside of the
hull. AS l said. she was a success, and the
King was greatly pleased and wanted his
treasurer to buy the whole thing from
Captain Guerrero and build some govern
ment steam vessels, but the treasurer was
away behind the times, and poked around
until Guerrero took the engine out of the
hull and let the boat rot in the water. As
for himself he died from disappointment,
taking his secret to the grave with him.
Spain had discovered America. and the
effort had been too much for her in the
on the poor captain, my child, and killed
him.
For a hundred years after that the
steamboat business was as dull as it is on
Western river. during drought, and then
in 1887, one Solomon de Coste came into
France from Normandy with an engine that
would prOpel a vessel on the water a
carriage on land, and he showed it to the
King, and later to Cardinal Richelieu, who
held a mortgage on France, body and soul.
This engine of De Costes was pretty much
all that was claimed for it, and was with
out question quite as successful as it's sue
cessors. yet the best Richelieu could do for
for his persistence, where in good time,
suppose the poor fellow died France wasn't
any better than Spain in the navigation
business, and the steamboat interests lam
guished for another hundred years, when
up on the Potomac at Shepherdstown, Va,
James Ramsey had steamboat that that
ton thought was good thing, and advised
him to push 1t along. Mr.. Fitch ran in one
about the same time and poor Ramsey had
such q hard row to hoe with his invention
that at last he gave 1t up in despair. Two
hundred years wasted, my lad, and still no
steamboat doing regular passenger and
freight business. The next trial was made
by William Symington on the Forth and
Clyde Canal in Scotland, with the tug Char
lotte Dundas. and nobody said then that
steam navigation was a new thing. The
Dundas lowed for awhile and was laid by
because her wheels washed the banks of the
canal This was in ao 1902 and there re, was an
mention showed little steamboat called
the Clermont. out on the Hudson river and
made trip to Albany In her. he had rallied 60
America, but he had the money behind him
this time. and he got there exactly as Capt
Guerrero would have done 300 years ahead
of him, if he had only had the backing
That's history, my child" concluded the
old gentleman, and whenever anybody
the steamboat, you tell him what your
grandfather tells you. Do you hear?'