Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-01

ly on the shorter rivers, that the expendl-
ture OF millions of dollars by the federal
government for dredging and removing
snags has not increased the NUMBER OF
steamers or the tonnage traffic, which IL
certainly no greater than 1t was ten or
fifteen or twenty years ago, and Is prob
ably less. If practical use were made OF
these waterways there might be some JUS
now being practically wasted. but even
'on the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers
the number of steamers does not Increase
and those that are now in operation do
not increase their cargoes in a measure
sufficient to justify the expenditures that
are being made upon them.
EARLY Steamboat Inventor.
In ST. Paul's churchyard. about midway
down the walk, on the western side. Is a
venerable tombstone which marks the
resting place Of a man who. the people
here claim, anticipated Robert Fulton by
many years in the invention of the steam
boat. 1t Is asserted that steam naviga-
ton was practiced on the Savannah river
ten years before it was seen upon the
Hudson. The same claim, as you know.
is made for Fitch of old Windsor. just
north of Hartford, who had q steamboat
on the Connecticut river. The epitaph
upon the tombstone reads:
Sacred to II the Memory .
William Longstreet.
Who departed this life
September 1, 1914.
Age "a years, 10 months, days.
"All the days of the afflicted are evil.
i but he that att Is Of a merry heart hath
William Longstreet was a native Of
Augusta and lived here all his life. He
belonged to an excellent family and was
a skillful mechanic. February 1. 1885, the
general assembly of Georgia passed an
act granting patent to him and to
Isaac Briggs, his partner. securing to
them for the term Of fourteen years the
exclusive privilege Of constructing and
operating boats propelled by paddles driven
by steam engines. Monopolies were grant
ed by state legislatures as we'll as by
the federal government in those days.
Pathetic But Manly Appeal.
Longstreet and Briggs do not seem to
have made a commercial success of the
invention and their monopoly, because In
September, 1890, the former addressed
a letter to Gov. Telfair asking for finan-
cial assistance and patronage from the
state in perfecting and utilizing his ideas.
The original Of his letter may now be
seen in the archives Of the governors Of
flee at Atlanta, and it reads as follows:
Augusta, September g. 1870.
''Sr: I make no doubt you have often
heard Of my steamboat, and as often
heard 1t laughed at But in this I have
only shared the fate Of all other projec-
tors, for it has uniformly been the GUS
tom of every country to ridicule even
the greatest inventions until use has
proven their utility. In not reducing my
scheme to practice has been a little unfor-
tunate for me, I confess. and perhaps
the people in general: but until very
lately l did not think that either artists
or material could be had in the place
sufficient. However, necessity. that grand
science of invention. has furnished me
with an idea Of perfecting my plan almost
with wooden materials, and by such
workmen as may be gotten here, and from
a thorough confidence Of its success I
have presumed to ask your assistance
and patronage
"Should it succeed agreeable to my ex-
pectation, I hope I shall discover that
source of duty which such favors always
merit; and should 1t not succeed. your
reward must lay with other unlucky ad-
ventures.
For me to mention to you all the ad-
vantages arising from such a machine, It
would be tedious and indeed quite I'M
liberty to state in this plain and hum
I hope you will excuse, and I shall re-
main either with or without approba-
ton,
Your excellency's most obedient and
WIN LoNGsrREEr.
ITO Gov. Telfair.'