Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-03-30
MARYLAND WAS THE FIRST
Rumsey Invented fhe Steamboat Before
Fulton Had a Chance

The tardines with which great bene'
factors are granted the recognition tc
which their public services entitle
chem is again exemplified by the an
nouncement in The baltimore Sun
that the residents OF She epherstown,
W. Va. are organizing a corporation
to erect a monument to James Rum
sey, the inventor of the first steam
boat.
The article aroused much interest
in local historical circles, becauee
o-called historians have given the
credit Of inventing the first vessel pro-
PEELED by steam to Robert Fulton. The
reason for this is plain. A century ago
Marylanders were too busy making"
history to write history, the latter
work being left to their Northern
brethren who gave. to the New York
er. Fulton, the credit due the Mary
Under, Rumsey.
The citizens of Shepherdstown, where
Rumsey spent most of his life, detir e
to obtain from the Maryland Legisla
ture an appropriation to supplement
the sum given by the West Virginia
Legislature. In regard to the matter
Mr.. Mendes Cohen, president of the
Maryland Historical Society. said:
"Some of the members of the His
torical Society might make contribu-
tions if the Shepherdstown corporation
asked for aid, but am sure that the
Maryland Legislature will not act IA
vorably, and why should 1t? 1t is
only that there should be monument
to Rumsey, bnt If Maryland is to pay
for it, it should be placed in our own
State. The Historical Society could
not aid in the project, for there is no
money in the treasury, but l am Ger.
tain that individual members might
contribute to the memorial"
Rumsey's boat, which was finished
in the fall of 1888, was of six ton bur
den. The boiler was a primitive affair,
being simply an iron pot or kettle, such
as is ordinarily used in the country for
culinary purposes. with lid placed
on its mouth and securely fastened
with bands, rivets and soft solder.
The engine was based on the "atmos-
pheric" principle, its power being OBJ
tanned by the weight Of the air pressing
on the piston. beneath which the yuc
cum had been created by the con-
densation of the steam.
The mode Of propellation was by a
pump worked by steam, which, being
placed in the forward part of the boat.
drew up at each alternate stroke OF
the engine quantity of water, which
the downward stroke forced through q
trunk at the bottom along the kelson
and out at the stern under the rudder
The impetus Of the water rushing |
through the trunk against the exterior |
water drove the boat forward. the re-
action of the effiuent water propelling
it at a rate of speed commemorate |
with the power applied.
ID 1884 Rumsey exhibited to George |
Washington the model of his steam |
boat and that first American" gave
him certificate Of his approval Of and |
faith In the invention.
Rumsey launched bis boat on the
Potomac river and in December, 1857, !
a successful trial trip was witnessed by |
an immense thrOng of people. This
was 20 years before Fulton tried his
invention on the Hudson. The Rum |
sey Society, of which Benjamin Frank
lin was member, was organized in
Philadelphia in 1888 to further the in
vention.
Rumsey went TO England, where a
similar society was formed, and he OBJ
tanned patents for bis boat in Great
Britain, Holland and France, where
the invention was greeted as the new
wonder of the world. Another sue
cesstul trial trip was made on the
Thames river in Decemb Der, 1892. but
at the very summit OF bis success Rum
sey was taken sick and died, leaving
the laurels won by his inventive genius
TO be worn by another,
In 1889 the Legislature of Kentucky
presented to kumsey's son gold medal
60 commemorate bis fathers services
in ''glvlng to the world the benefits of
5le steamboat
Rnmsey was born in Bohemia Manor.
Cecil county, about 1743. One hun
dred and fourteen years have elapsed
since his death In London. and pa
triotic Marylanders believe it is time
that the State erect a suitable memo
rial to bis great achievement,