Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-06-08
TX, BRATTLEBORO, FRIDAY, JUNE 8. 1906.

Stevens They were greatly amazed at
MQrey's success, and offered many sug
gestions.
The inventor continued his expert
ments and after some years he devised
a two-wheel idea for paddles That was
two years after his first test, and with
shaft across the boat, with crank in
the middle, worked from a beam Of the
engine with a shacde-bed, he was able
to make considerably better time. The
principle was the same as that used
today, where a steamer is a side wheeler.
That was a dozen years before Fulton's
public test
After devising the new arrangement,
patents were Immediately secured and
the work Of perfecting continued
Fulton and Morey became fast friends
after the latter's test in New York
harbor, and that friendship continued I'M
til very short time previous to Futons
famous trip on the Hudson river. Prior
to that time Fulton gave all the credit
to Morey, and the former established
his claims finally by declaring to the
patent office that Morey's invention was
simply steam engine, while his was
steamboat.
While the researches Of the Vermont
Historical society have been made only
during the past few years, the contro-
versy started early in the last century,
when a work entitled Eminent Mechan-
les" published by Henry Howe, gave the
public the idea that Fulton was the first
to conceive the notion Of propelling water
craft by steam power. The author adj
mitted that he did not have the time or
means to investigate the pretensions Of
those who claimed to have preceded Fulton
in the application Of steam power to
navigation.
AS early as 1898 Morey correspondent
with Prof Stillman of New Haven, and
trs0a rra1 he hot inc trfc11 ad
patron of arts and sciences. 1t is a con-
ceded fact among those who have
thoroughly investigated the early days Of
the steamboat that Fulton, backed by
wealthy New Workers. offered Morey
100000 for the model, but Morey refused
II, as he was anxious to have the name
and gain as result of his labors. Fulton
paid him many visits at Fairlee, and
watched the progress Of perfecting the
engine, and Morey's relatives claim that
Fulton, who was also an inventive genius,
stole the idea and then refused to recog-
nize Morey afterward whenever they met.
Earliest Patent to Morey.
The earliest patent secured by Morey
was in 1895. when he made a steam en-
CINE, with which he proposed to apply
power to prope boats of any size. He
secured other patents for improvements
in 1893 and 1900. The original patent is
now IN the possession OF the New Hamp-
shire Antiquarian society, and although
the patent Office was burned by the
British in 1915. when they took the city
Of Washington, the patent was restored
to the record. and this fact. together
with the original patent paper issued
to Morey, which is now I'm Concord,
makes the evidence weighty that Morey
was far ahead of Fulton.
Pecuniary embarrassment alone was
rogDOngibla for the uOcOutpgtad thaff NJ
the idea and the infringement of the
patent. relatives OF Mercy for more than
half a century declare. He was too
anxious to own the whole thing and
when he did not have enough money to
push 1t he refused to sell unless he could
retain a controlling interest.
The Vermont Historical society num-
bers among its members some Of the
most prominent men in the state. The
chief aim of the organization is to secure
all the relics Of the early settlers of the
Green Mountain state, and in this the
members have been very successful, and
an exhibit has been accumulated which
greatly surpasses that OF many similar
organizations in the United States
The officers OF the society include
George Grenville Benedict of Burlington,
president; Joseph Arend De Boer Mont
pelier, recording secretary; Henry Fran
els Field, Rutland, treasurer: and Ed
ward NJ Goddard, Montpelier. librarian
In addition there are several honorary
officers, all Of whom are residents Of
the state.