The Washington times., 1909-09-22
DECLARES FULTON
WRONGLY HONORED
Southerner Says James Rum
Sey Steamed on Potomac
In 1887.

Robert Fulton's honors as the first
American to apply successfully the
principle OF steam TO navigation are
vigorously disputed by John Moray. of
Berkeley Springs. W. Va, who. in a
letter 10 Andrew Carnegie. the IRON
master. not only declares the claims
Of historians giving this distinction to
Fulton as "perversions Of historic
truth" but asserts that James Rum
sey, native of Maryland and a gifted
mechanical engineer Of post-Revolution-
airy times. was the inventor of the
steamboat.
The great honors which will be paid
the name of Robert Fulton in the
coming Hudson Fulton celebration,
therefore. belong TO Rumsey, accord
ing TO Mr.. Carnegie's correspondent,
who gives 1857 as the year when the
steam boat was first given to the world
to revolutionize its mode of water
navigation, instead Of 1907, the year
that history acoords Fulton of having
successfully demonstrated his steam
boat. Moreover, TO the Potomac. and
not the Hudson, belongs the distinc-
ton Of having been the first river
upon which steamboat was navi-
gated in this country.
Says Credit Is Wrongly Given.
Mr.. Moray asserts that Robert Iiv-
ingston, OF New York, Fulton's friend
and benefactor, in being the one largely
responsible for the honors that have
come to Fulton's name and giving him
credit as being the originator Of steam
boat navigation. has "falsified history"
I'm his An Historical Account Of the
Application of Steam Tor the Propelling
of Boats Livingston statements"
says Mr.. Moray. were Immediately and
universally accepted as Of unquestion-
able authority. His dictum was vested
with an infallibility often denied TO his
medieval rival And yet the statements
Of that article were atrociously false;
they were, under the circumstances.
wicked performance for this great
statesman who, with thorough knoWl-
edge OF the truth. deliberately chose TO
substitute falsehOod.'
Mr.. Moray's letter is accompanied by
a petition to Congress asking that he
his name and memory be perpetuated
by an appropriate bust TO stand IN Sta
tuary Hall in the Capitol The petition
also tells this story OF Rumsey's strug-
gle and triumph with steamboat naviga-
ton:
0LOIy OF RulSeyS WOIk.
''rhe deed books of Berkeley county,
Va. for the year 17S2. record the fact
that James Rumsey. a native of Mary
land. and Revolutionary soldier. pur-
chased a farm and soon after a pond
for experimental purposes in the line
OF his calling. Gle was a millwright)
on that pond. as the result Of many ex-
periments in steam and hydrostatics by
James Rumsey. the wonderful discovery
of the principle of steam navigation took
place; a propulsive power till then IN
known to the world.
Thoroughly satisfied by continuous
experiments that the newly discovered
principle wor become Of immense
value " ID, Rumsey contracted
with his brother i-law, Joseph Barnes,
for the builc. OF a boat for steam
purposes at St. johns Run on the Poto-
mac river
The resulting steamboat was pub
iicly exhibited at ShcpherdstOwn, Va,
on the Potomac, on December and IL
11s7 The great success and practically
useful character Of Rumseys steam
boat was esta blished by sworn testi-
mony OF many notable witnesses. in
Guiding Gen. Horatio Gates, conQueror
Of Burgoyne. and Dy a multitude of as
tonished and delighted spectators.
This practically successful trial took
place twenty years before the Hudson
river trial ia 1907, and its rate Of speed
was fully equal 10 that OF the Cler-
mont in its initial trip 20 AIbany-four
miles an hour-Without sails. paddles,
and complexities Of the Hudson river
boat; as these facts about Rumsey's
1857 boat have been thoroughly proved
by sworn testimonies or many reliable
eye-witnesses, there should now be no
question as 70 who was the inventor
OF the steamboat. James Rumsey has
undeniably proved his right to that
honor. and the glory that belongs
thereto"