The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1911-05-11

On Monday. August II, 1907, the
New York American Citizen contain
ed this momentons announcement, q
fair indication OF how the importance
OF contemporaneous events Is often
.tors:
"Mr Fuiton's ingenious Steam
Boat, invented with a View to the
Navigation of The Mississippi from
New Orleans upwards, Sails to-day
/ from the North River, near The State
| Prison, TO Albany, The Velosity OF
| The Steam Boat is Calculated at 4
miles an hour; it is said that 1t will
make a progress CT two against The
| Current of The Mississippi; and IL
SO, 1t will certainly be a very valu
able acquisition to the Commerce Of
the Western States"
That morning the shore OF the
Hudson River was crowded with
| thousands of citizens, many of whom
had come To deride what was called
"Fulton's Folly" Jeers and cat-calls
saluted Fulton's ears, and the wag
gishly inclined significantly tapped
their foreheads. God help you, Bob
/ BY" cried one. "A fool and his
money are soon parted" cried an
/ other. Bring us back a chip Of the
north pole." facetiously shouted an
other.
Fulton, pale, but with an air of
confidence, went about his prepare
tons to start Presently, dense vol
umes Of smoke began to pour forth
: from the smoke-stack. The boiler
began to hiss. At l o'clock the haw-
ser was drawn in, the throttle open
ed, and, to the accompaniment of the
stertorous exhaust, the uncovered
side-wheels began to CULVER, then
slowly to revolve. A hush fell on the
spectators. Fulton's own hand at the
helm turned the bow.
, The Clermont moved out into the
i, stream, the steam connections hiss
ing at the joints, the crude
machinery humping and groaning
the wheels splashing, and the smoke
stack belching like a volcano. The
+ boat continued to gather momentum
; and move away. Then the nervous
, tension of the situation was broken
All on board swung their hats in the
. air and gave cheer. and, like ar
+ echo magnified a thousand times
came back a roar of applause from
the shore. Skeptics had been con.
verted.
Those who came to scoff remained
to cheer. The Clermont was a sue
cess, and steam navigation in Amer
lea was established beyond peradven
ture.
g The Clermont reached Albany at
S p. m. on Wednesday. The running
$ time for the whole one hundred ant
d fifty miles had been thirty-two hours
a or at the rate of nearly five miles al
b hour. The return trip on Thursda,
o and Friday was made in thirty hours
d running time, or an average of jus
five miles an hour. The wind has
/ been against the CIermont both ways
e says Fulton, so that no advantag,
d could be derived from mis- sails. Tn,
: whole journey, therefore, had beer
" performed by the power of the steam
= engine.
e On Saturday, August 22nd, tn
II American Citizen bestowed upon thi
0 extraordinary achievement the fol
lowing thirty-seven words of com
ment:
I've congratulate Mr.. Fulton an.
the Country on his success in tn
steamboat, which cannot fail of bein
l, very advantageous. We understan
that not the smallest Inconvenience i
II felt in the boat either from heat O
n smoke
It is not perhaps so well-know1
u that Fulton, as well as being a pic
II neer in steam navigation, was one O
e the first men to devise a submarin
IS boat. That was during his residenc
in Paris. whittier he had gone t
, study art and remained to practic
II APPLIED science.
i During his first year in Paris b
,, had made experiments with torpe
n does in the Seine. With a view {,
Il discovering means of applying hi
d torpedoes to the enemy's ships. h;
thoughts turned to submarine boats
and he proposed to deliver Franc
y and the world from British oppres
: sion"
d In the spring of 1901 he went {,
d. Brest to make experiments with ,
o plunging boat which he had con
= structed the previous winter. On
= July 8. 1901. and on subsecuen
o dates, he gave exhibitions OF his beat
e called the Nautilus. in the harbor
Proceeding under sail q suitable dis
lance from shore, accompanied b,
s three companions, he struck the mas
and sails, and plunged below the sur
o face, where. on one occasion, he re
|. NAMED four hours and twenty min