The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-10-17
altered. Every authority that I have

been able to consult insists that the
Ciermont made the round trip from
New York to Albany under her own
steam. but the model carries two
square sails, aud If the proportions
were accurately followed in building
the model, they were not so small
either.
Finally the glad day arrived that
saw the Clermont finished; the craft
that marked new epoch in naviga-
ton; that was to revoiutionize COM
mercial systems and bring the nations
of the earth several months and weeks,
and IinalIy only days aud hours nearer
to each other; she was one hundred
and thirty feet long, four feet deep
and about sixteen feet wide. The
boiler, as | have already stated, was Of
sheet-iron. twenty feet long aud set in
heavy masonry. She was decked only
at the stem and stern, the paddle wheels
and machinery being left exposed
The original crank shaft was of cast
iron, but after having broken several
times, wrought-iron was substituted
and stood the test splendidly. The
paddles were not strengthened with
circles and braces as are the wheels of
our modern side and stern wheel
steamers, but had mnch of the appear
ance of a big wagon wheel with the
tire and felloe removed. There were
no paddle boxes, and with any kind of
a wind, save one dead ahead or astern,
raincoats and umbrellas were decided
necessity.
Despite the seeming crudeness of
this boat it is remarkable fact that
with but few unimportant changes
this first boat of Robert Fnlton's pos
sessed most of the features of q mod
ern river steamboat. OF course many
improvements and eiaborations have
been made, but the underlying princi-
pies and the system are the same. If
the great inventor could once be trans
lated from the land Of the Shades to
the more prosaic world of today and
see the palatiai steamer City Of New
York, Of the New York and Albany
Day Line, pIUwing her stately and
msjestic way up the mighty river, he
would recognize her relation to the
original CHILD of his fertile mind.
Or, the 9th Of August, 1907, at day
break, Fulton and his crew went on
board aud the start was made from
the New York side for the shore of
Jersey, and right here the boatmen got
the scare of their lives. They were
awakened by the "chug chug" of the
engine and the vicious spat of the pad.
dies MS they struck the water and rush
ing on deck, they saw bearing down on
them boat with no sails, propelled by
an unseen power, that seemed about to
Overwhelm them. Is it to be wondered
at that they dashed below. hid in their
hunks and tried to pray? 1t is said
that 1t was several hours before some of
them could be induced to come on
deck and have breakfast. This Incl.
dent reminds me of one related of a
Chinaman who met an electric car for
the first time in his life. Hastily he
dncked between a couple OF buildings
and remained hidden for some min
ltes. Finally peering out very eau
tionsiy he was heard to say: "Amelica
gleat clountEys allees samee stleet car,
no pushee, nospullee, goes like light
ming alice ssnee" This liability to be
deceived, as were these boatmsn, by
outside appearances lesds me to recall
Gil incident whereby an attractive
young woman perhaps missed gaining
q good husband because she judged by
outside appearances. The young man
in question was farmer boy ard was
badly disfigufed by freckles, great
brown splotches being scattered all
over his face. but nevertheless he was
in marrying mood, and having sim
gied ont the objBct OF his affections
proceeded TO pop the question. "No
John" she replied, "there Is nothing
doing. / amnot over and above the
idea of getting married, but when do,
Iswant q man that is all Of one color. .
As to whether John ducked below as
did the boatmen, and refused to come
to breakfast, deponent saith not.
On August 18th, the fret trip up the
mighty Hudson By 2 steam vessel was