The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-10-20
THE FAME OF FULTON
'(Continued from sixth page)

church, bar and statute. Rigid hon
esty, dominant will-power and indus
try characterized this son. Much of
his business activity was given to
numbering and to clearing his extern
sive lands. He acquired celebrity as
a civil engineer his most conspicu-
Gus work being the design and con-
struction of canals, locks and in
clined planes at Bellows Falls, thus
rendering the upper Connecticut
River navigable His counsel was
sought in public affairs and for sew
eral years he was a member of the
New Hampshire legislature. Though
without scientific training, his writ
ings show that he had the alert. an
alytic mind of the true scientist. The
records of the Patent Office show
eighteen patents were issued to him
for various mechanical devices,
prominent among which are several
applications of steam power. His
first patent for steam engine is dat
ed March 25, 1895. 1t is stated in
document that the engine may be
applied TO propel boats of any size.
The original letters-patent bearing
the signature of George Washington,
President, is now in the possession
of the New Hampshire Historical
Society The Vermont Historical So
cie is the custodian of the diminu-
tive model of one of his types of
steam engines. For many years he
was a correspondent of Professor
Silliman, of Yale College, and was a
frequent contributor to Silliman's
Journal on scientific and mechanical
topics.
Who invented the steamboat?
Fitch with his passenger-carrying
boat on the Delaware easily first in
all the world in producing boat
that could be placed in commercial
service. But his propelling mechan-
ism was defective in principal. Nor
ey stuck to his paddle wheels from
his first experiments made as early
as 1893. He sands at the front in
the successful application in 1897 of
this essential mechanism.
BY Fulton's energy the commercial
success of the steamboat was estab-
lished. By his claims as inventor
the rights and honors of others have
been obscured. The committee of
the New York Legislature appointed
in 1914 to investigate the validity OF
the claims of the twenty-yeaf steam
boat monopoly previously granted to
Fulton and Livingston, reported that
il found the work of Fulton was TAX
en- essentially from the inventions of
Fitch. 1t is probable this committee
previous TO its report, knew nothing
of Moreys work.
Fulton In his early plans for his
experimental boat built in France
contemplated as the propelling mec-
hanism the use of revolving endless
chains with paddles attached, bands
OF paddles" he called them, running
from bow to stern. 1t is clear that
previous to about 1903 he did not
look with favor on the use of paddle
wheels. His second patent was
granted February g. 1911 The fol
lowing is set forth in that document:
Having been the first to demon
strate the superior advantages of
water wheel or wheels, | claim as
my exclusive right the use of two
wheels, one over each side of the
boat TO take the purchase on the
water"
Herein is Fultons chief injustice
to Morey, who in 1897. had with en-
tire success applied two wheels, one
over each side, to his Bordentown
boat This usurpation was the cause
of the bitterness of spirit with which
Morey was wont TO iterate of Fulton,
in his later years, Curse his stom-
ach, he stole my patent"
What. then, is Morey's place in
this great invention?
No claim has ever been made that
in the slightest degree he ever ap-
propriated to himself the inventions
Of others, or that he ever Witnessed
the trials of others work previous TO
his own success. In his New Hamp-
shire home, within thirty years after
the settlers axe had felled the first
trees of the forest remote from men
of scientific attainment, and with on
ly the crudest facilities. for mechani.
cal construction available, he applied
the paddle wheel to his steam-pro-
PEELED dugout. Here the beginning
was made from which, without modi-
fcation of principles in essential
parts, the successful steamboat was
wrought.
Is anything more needed to prove
that Morey had success within his
grasp than Chancellor Livingston's
offer of seven thousand dollars for
the right to use his invention on the
North River and to Amboy, made
prior to 1897?
From century's perspective judg-
ment we can only reach the conclus-
ion that had Morey seen fit to accept
this offer, Livingston would never
have had occasion to seek out Full
ton i'm France, the centennial cele-
bration might have been held ten
years ago and the immediate proto-
type of the modern steamboat would
have been inseparably associated
with-not Fulton's-but Morey's
name.-James l.. Davis in Van Nor
den Magazine.