The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-04-06
LoNGsrREET RAN THE
FIRST STEAMBOATS,

Fulton's Rights TO the Henors Paid
Hin On challenge by Georgsin.
Atlanta GeorGian.
The elaborate preparations which
are being made In New York TO honor
the achievement of Robert Fulton In
evolving the modern steamboat re-
minds VS. that the man who 6rst sue
cessfully applied steam TO navigation
was william Longstreet. q Georgian.
He was the father Of JuGge A. b.
Longstreet. the author OF Georgia
Scenes" and the grandfather OF Cen
erai James Longstreet, who was Lees
Old War Horse"
American wss 'I Revolution siss the tsa a'e wa@
Longstreet. who was then living AZ
Augusta, began to dream Of the posi-
biifties OF steam In suppiantinG tho
But he received little ENCOURAGEMENT.
The idea of making iron swim Oh tbs
water In an age which was not given
to miracles. Of the Elisha (, sort ; at Least as.
surd; and the poor man became the
object of relentless persecution on the
part Of the shallow wits of tho neigh
Even the wise men who ran the
common wealth Of Georgia were IN
cluded among the skeptIos-
In the archives OF the executive de-
partment there 10 an old letter. dated
September 90. 1870. In which Long
street applied for state aid n, the ex-
periments whiah he was making; but
Governor Edward Telfair possessed
uttle faith IN the project.
We must not forget that this was
in the early pioneer days OF the re-
public: and the minds Of our simple
forefathers were little prepared for the
marvellous inventions and discoveries
which the nineteenth century was
destined to unfold. The concensus of
opinion In regard to the vagaries Of
William Longstreet was phrased ages
ago In the language Of Joseph's breth-
"Hs's only . dreamer"
But LonEstrset was not dismeyed.
He was well enough acquainted vita
srs had p played "ST An the worlds progress.
and he was satisfied to wait for hts
hour 10 come. He boarded and saved
In order to provide himself with funds;
shop, Men stood around and laughed
at the strange craft which this de-
mented fellow was building; but the
same class Of simplstons made fun Of
ing the ark In the days OF the daluge.
And with the same result: for the
queer vessel was destined to noat.
momsnt q Losngstrsei's triumph ar
rived: and ON the waters OF the sa-
vannah river. near Augusta. "a. he
introduced the world TO the successfal
evolutions OF the steamboat: and turn
ed the most brilliant page In the his-
tory OF modern times.
But. alas, he gave no thought 60 the
patent ONCE In Washington, ID. G.
Meanwhile an obscure mechanical
genius was experimenting In Paris
with his submarine diver. In the per-
son of the American minister, Rob-
ert Livingston. he possessed an anftu-
entail friend at court; and being pre-
sented to the FIRST Napoleon, he re-
cetved every encouragement from the
great autocrat Of France. He return
ed home with the idea OF the steam
boat we'll developed In his brain; eel
to work upon the Ciermont which
was soon 70 pillow the waters OF the
Hudson; and when the friends oil
Longstreet finally reached the capita
by the slow means of travel which
were then in use to clinch the patent
rights of the Georgia inventor II wal
found that the honor had been officiai
iy awarded to Robert Fulton.
Thus the man who according to ths
actual records. was the frat to apply
steam navigation failed to reap the
reward OF his great achievement
which may be said to have opened -ths
doorway OF an age of marvels; but In
this respect he differs little from the
renowned Italian who discovered tbs
shores OF the New World. only to be
denied the privilege of annexing his
name to the vast continent which he
gave to civilization and to freedom.