Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-06-21
NOT BASED ON FACTS
PENNsyLvsNIAN csvs HON0Fs
BELONGING TO A mAnaLANDER.
Ramsey was Invensor OF the River
Steamboat Conceived His ideas az
shepherassown- First TEST on
the Potomac

In Warminster township near Dow
lestown. Pa. there has inst heen
erected Il onume bearing an in
scription which takes honors rightful-
Iy belonging TO a man who was a res
ideut Of West Virgins md who con
relved his ideas ut Shephtrdstown.
W. VA, The aonument ia question is
erected TO James Fi,on the first in
ventor Of the steamboat.
Histori nj records. however. prove
beyond a doubt hat thus honor be-
longs 70 James Ramsey. n native OF
Bohemm Manor. Cecil county. Md,
who built a steamhott which he
launched on the Potomac River and
which he succeeded in nropeiling
against the strong current of that
river. The monument to Fitch
claims that he conducted his exueri-
meuts with n steamboat In Pennsyl
wanna in 1875. The recorGs NJ AnnaD-
oils nrove bevond n doubt that Ram
sew applied to the legislature in 1888
for q grant for q monopoly in The use
OF steamboats, in the waters OF the Po-
tomac for a period OF 10 wears. q peti-
ton which was granted ut the next
session. Flo some months before the
fling of the petition Ramsey had on
Grated his steamboat successfully on
the Potomac George Washington
had been one OF the distinguished
mon OF the town Who had taken a trim
on the boat against the Iapia current
OF the Potomac.
EXPERIMENT In 1877.
Kamsey's home was at Shepherds
town, though he worked IN NARY
land. In 1887 an effort was made TO
secure an appropriation by the West
Virginia legislature with which to
erect a monument to him, but the
effort failed. The first public expert
ment by RAMSEY with steam as a mo-
tor was made on the Potomac river
ON December .. 1887. Subsequently,
Ramsey went TO London. over there
his novertv and friendlessness beser
and entangled him in many nf those
misfortunes TO which he had become
accustomed in America. Ii Is said
his experimental boat. when about to
b Q launched On the Thames, was ut
tached and seized for debt.
He succeeded however in getting
an audience az the Hotel Adelphi in
the committee room OF the '.Suclety
of Arts ON December 20. 1902.
While preparing to produce his mod
els and exUlain his invention ne was
stricken with a sudden and vielent
pain in the head and almost immedi-
ately fell speechless in a H. OF apo-
plexy. 1t was in this Hottl Adelphl
that, surrounded bv sympathefir
friends. a few davs later the great
inventor breathed his last. lie was
buried in st. Marv's Parish, West
minister, on December "a. 1892. A
short time after ward, however his
boat was launched and made a suc-
ceskiul tIlD On Aue luhiIlSh Nv tHo iuh0
of four miles an hour.
MET ROBERT FULTON.
II NAV be here mentioned inciden-
tally tina. RAMSEY in his norrespon-
dence from London mentions having
made the acquaintance Of an inReni-
ous youth by the name Of Robert
Fulton. - that time Fulton was en-
gae cd IN other mechanical expert
mtufs sAa he never dreamed OF .
steami o. before his acquaintance
and assoc tion with Ramsrv. IL 10
therefore, beyond question true that
Fulton conceived the idea Of amply
ing steam TO the propulsion OF vessels
only after his acquaintance with
Ramsey and exhibition of Ramsev's
great and successful invention.