Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-10-27
THE BURLINGTON FREE PRESS THURSDAY OCTOBER 81 1898
STEAM NAVIGATION on LANE
CHAMPLAIN.

I
Capt. George Rushlow in the vcrmonter)
Lake Champlan enjoys the distinction
of being the first inland water upon the
American continent navigatcd By c,riliz-
ed man. From time immenorlu this
beautiful body Of water was the highway
of Indian tribes occupying this section Of
the country, and during each recurring
summer season myrlads of birch bark
canoes navig1tcd its breadth AMI length.
II was in 1909 that the great French eN-
plorer, Samuel dc Champain, discovered
the lake now bearing lis name. his @as
III years after Columbus discovered
America and eleven years earlier than
the landing of the Maynowcr at Plymouth.
l ne two centuries following the dis
.covcry of Lake Champlain were history
making cpochs. Ii was n period VT wars
between the white men and the aborie"
inocs and of struggles for supremacy be-
tween the French and English The lat
ter portion of the eighteenth century wit
messed the warfare between the ColOhies
and Great Britain. resulting in the indie
pcndcncc of the colonists. The naval bat
ties between the contehding forces during
this cventful period were fought by sail
ing vessels The United States mad been
II nation more than twenty years before
steam was utilized for purposes of aari-
CATION
The first boat successfully propelled by
steam. midc tho passage on Tin" Hudson
between New York and Albany. Sept. 4,
1907; Just N years ago. This steambo 1t was
invented by Robert Fulton, and was call
ed the "Clcrmopt" This vessel was 100
feet long, ~ feet wide and I feet deep. and
had capacity of l6O tons. She made the
distance, $50 miles. in 20 noura.
Steam navigation upon Lake Champlain
was practically contempu-aneons with
the Inauguration of a steamboat service
on the Hudson by the "Clcrmont." in 1871.
Tho very next spring, that of 1855 wit
messed the building of the second steam
boat in the world, vt Burlington, which
was launched into Lake Champlain, at
the foot of King street. near the present
dock of the Champlain Transportation
company. This boat was constructed by
J Wnans and ]. Tough. 1t was Lamcd
the Vermont" and was built for the
transportation OF passengers and freight
She was 100 feet long, 20 feet BEAM feet
deep aud lGI tons burden. Her decks were
clear. having no pilot house. being steer
ed by a tillcr The Vermont" was equip
ped with an engine of 20-horse power nav
ing Il 10 inch diameter cylinder. IS inch
stroke and 4 balance wheel ~ feet In
diameter. A compartment under deck.
2lxiS feet. was used for dining saloon
and n stateroom. she began her regular
trips between Whitehall, New York, and
St. Johns. Canada, in juno, 1909 iaking n
speed of some four miles an hour. The
Vermont" was queen If the Lake" for
six years but in October 1915, she was
SINK Il wreck near Isle Aux NoiS. Dur
ing this period the boat remained tho
property of her builders, and she had no
competitors except sailing vessels, vhl n,
I'm good breeze, frequently passed. ner.
Inc success attending the operation of
the first steamboat on Lake Champlan
resulted in the organization. i'll 1919, Of
the Lake Champlain Steamboat COM
..stN ;, ffal
the first steamboat company formed n
America, and its subsequent consultation
with the Champlain Transportation ,om-
pany makes tho latter the oldest orgnniz-
cd steamboat company in the world,
Among the directors and largest stock
holders we're several distinguished YER
monters. including Cornelius p. Van Ness,
Moses and Guy Catlin, OF Burlington, end
Amos W. Earnum of Nergeunes. Tine new
steamboat company began building their
first boat on the lake, at VerSennes. in
1913 The boat was in progress of con-
struction when Commodore McDonoLgh
arrived with an army of carpenters and
mechanics to build f5et for service
against the British navy. The InGnishe d
steamboat was seized by McDonough AMI
iittcd up for a war vessel ana was known
as the "'rconderoga" In the battle of
Plattsbursh.
/ The new steamboat company, nothing
daunted. built another boat at Vergennes
IN 1915. and named it the Phoenix" She
was li6 feet long q feet wide and pa
feet Coep. and had n speed of eight miles
an hour. The next season the "Cham-
plain was built at NerGenucs for j. WI
mans She was 10 fet long. % feet wide,
and feet deer. In ISIS the Congress
was launched at Nergannss. This boat
was built at Ncrgcnncs Cor j. Sherman
and was los feet long, % feet wide" and
feet deep. Tho Phoenix" was destroy d
by FIRE in 1919 and the next year a boat
was built for j. Sherman at NerGcnnes
and named the phoenix" Her length
was LOO feet. breadth % feet, and depth g.!
feet. The following rs n fac sim'lc copy
of an advertisement published IN lsl7
watch shows that advertising was an art
in the early days of steam naviSatipn:
LAKE CHAMpLAIN STEAMBOATS,