Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

in the United States during the last
century, the 100000 which Fulton esti-
mated would be the cost of the Erie canal
may be compared with the 100000 which
the Rivers and Harbors congress and many
commercial organizations throughout the
country are urging the government to ap-
propriate annually for the maintenance and
Improvement Of the national waterways.
Father of the Steamboat.
Time has softened much Of the criticism
which followed the building of the Cler-
mont, and today Fulton is universally ac-
knowledged as the father of steam naviga-
ton. Steamboats, were heard Of as far back
the middle of the sixteenth century,
when a spaniard, Blasco de Gary, is re-
ported to have propelled vessel by steam
in the harbor of Barcelona. Writers on
steam navigation, however are inclined to
give the honor Of the first attempt at
steamboating to Papin who published his
IDEAS in 1880, giving a rude plan of a paddle
steamer, and who in 1907 experimental with
a steamboat upon the river Fulda in Ger
many.
About thirty years later Jonathan Hull
built steam towboat, equipped with a
single wheel at the stern. which, was ex-
William Henry of Chester county, Pennsyl-
vania, tried experiments with steamboat
on the Conestoga. This happened Just two
years before Fulton was born at Little
! Britain NOW Fulton), in the neighboring
! county of Lancaster. and perhaps in his
boyhood Robert was told of this expert,
ment.
Before the end OF the eighteenth century
| Count d. Auxiron and the Marquis dc
JOuffroy conducted experiments in steam
navigation in France. The ingenious DR.
| Franklin, who drew the lightning from the
| Skies" also believed the steamboat practi
| cable, but he rdiculed the wheels which
| years later, serving as propelers, mad,
| Fulton's steamboat a success james
| Rumsey, who experimental on the Potomac
| in Washington's presence in 1874, and JohI
Fitch Of Philadelphia, who designed
steam craft in 1855, are worthy of mention
though nothing came of their endeavors
and the same applies to Nathan Read, an
other American. who in 1889, in a boa
equipped with paddles moved by steam
achieved some success at Danvers, Mass
Nevertheless Fulton claimed-and now re
ceives-the credit of inventing the steam
boat for the simple reason that his wa
the first useful and profitable vessel OF it
kind.
Revolution wrought by CIermOnt.
The ClermCnt took its name from tn
country seat of Chancellor Livingston, Ful
tons partner in the enterprise II wa
$50 feet long, lGIA feet wide and Of lGO ton
displacement; and it drew four feet @
water. The engine used in it was built b
the famous inventor, Watt OF Birming
ham, England, according to designs mad
, by Fulton. The Clermont was launChe
in August, 1907 and on Monday, August j
started on its historic trip to Albany an
return, which was accomplished in fOu
days. Its speed, allowing for stops, wa
1--WE miles an hour. They used white pin
for fuel, and every schoolboy has read no
at night, with sparks sky-rocketing out q
its smokestack, It made an appearance this
; terrified the sailors on many a river Graf
! Later this terror turned to envy, and sel
p eral attempts were made 70 destroy n
I revolutionary packet. The fare TO Alban
from New York was 81. A 81 fare wa
E the cheapest, no matter how short the dis
lance. In less than two years there wa
/ a regular packet service up and down III
Q river. The Clermont and its immediat
successors costs between $4,000 and S50,O
E each
! Fulton's fame is so intimately connecte
D with the Clermont that II Is not general
I known that he built many other steam