Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-23
JOEL BARLOW,PA PATRIOT
Diplomat in Early Days of
the Republic,
LIVED IN GEORGETOWN
ROBERT FULTON AMONG GUESTS
OF HIS HOME.
incident in the Inventors Life - His
Submarine Venture-Barlow's
Record for Probity.
LIVED IN GEORGETOWN

The recent pleasant episode and presehta-
ton of a tribute to Mr.. b. H Warner at
his residence corner of Massachusetts, ave
nue. and DIST street northwest, which was
participated in by the members of the civic
committee for the Inauguration, of which
Mr.. Warner was chairman. brought to mind
the old associations which still cling to
that neighborhood of bygone days of glory
and -GeorEetown-with its social
wealth on one side of Rock creek and a few
of the fine old hospitable families upon the
other bank
In the same square at the next corner,
that of 22d and Q streets northwest lived
the poet. Joel Barlow. one of those invnc-
ible spirits which went to make up the
early historic period of our country. Rob
ert Fulton, the inventor of the steamboat,
referred 10 him as his good friend Bar
low. From Barlows house, which stood
here up 10 a few years ago Fulton carried
his guests over TO Rock creek. About the
year $50 he made his first experiments with
submarine cor jumpingJ boat as he
termed IL. irnmersing himself in a copper
tube in the stream for over an hour and
breathing air from an oxygen retort he
had in the cube with him. People on the
shore became alarmed when he did not come
10 the surface within reasonable time,
and got long poles and begun to stick them
into the water TO such an extent that from
fear of them he came to the surface, stat
ing he could have stayed under water at
least half an hour longer. This experiment
was "a beginning of a series, which have
been followed up by one person and another,
until today We have the nearly perfect sub
marine boat, which performs almost mrac-
ulous things under the surface OF the water
Mr.. Joseph /. kecter has for several years
been advocating the building Of a monument
10 the genius OF Robert Fulton somewhere
len F.. rFFfFrs fH.4 Sol b..
Tributes to His Memory.
The only marks of respect to Fulton's
memory are two. One is a stone tablet
erected 10y the Engineers Society at Trim
ity Church, New York city, where he is
buried. His grave is alongside Of that Of
Alexander Hamilton, one Of Washington's
fdyOrite generals and the first Secretary of
the Treasury of the United States The
other is The old warehouse where Fulton
first moved away from Staretts wharf on
the Hudson river. with the Clermout. his
first steamboat which is preserved com
p,ete az Glen Island. "a pleasure resort of
New York city.
Joel Barlow house was a great center in
thus, days OF the elite and fashionable peo-
pie of the national capital and having such
q fine record both AS scholar and diplomat.
% was no wonder that Robert Fulton. then
in tae prime of his years and success, should
also want 20 come there SO as 10 be among
the finer class who GwelJ in this section.
joel Barlow history tells of his being
sent lo Dartmouth College In l7T4. After
a short while he entered Yale, New Haven.
whore he displayed great talent. More than
once during tie summer vacation of the
college Le served as volunteer in the CON
uHeutai army. and had the credit of hav-
ing written several songs and addresses.
which are said TO have greatly encourage
the revolutionary soldiers. He was ordained
Congregational minister and served as
chaplain during that war. after which he
studied law He is said 20 have served gall
lanuy al the battle OF White Plains, n. Y.
Goes to France as Agent
About l7is Mr.. Thomas Lee of Virginia,
Augustine ana Lawrence Washington and
others formed the Ohio company their OBJ
Ject being 10 establish trade between Mary
land, Virginia and the Ohio river, the
dcruess and known as the Ohio valley.
Years rolled by and "A party Of reckless spec
ulUturs eHdcaVored 90 initiate the Ohio COM
p1uy, calling themselves the SciOtO Land
Company. and claiming TO have -3.JOOOOl
acres OF land in Ohio which IL sought "a
market abroad. They employed Joel Bar
low 10 forward the scheme in Europe Bar
low iuuoceuuy went to France. but soon
becoming suspicious of the scheme ne was
employed in, gave up the matter and eX-
posed what he conceived TO be a FRAUD
which had been planned upon the Ohio com
pany The swinding concern tried IN every
way 20 destroy the Washington-O Com
pany. but had to abandon its purpose, III,
names of these honest men being too wei