The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-05-03

History and Legends OF the DeleWare
Water Gap" published in 1851
Mr.. Brodhead says Long before
any facilities, other than the rough
wagon roads, were afforded the peo-
pie, both north and south of the
mountain, for the transportation Of
the products of the Valley of the Della
ware to market, the old furnace at
Durham on the Delaware, few miles
below Easton, had constructed, about
the year 1910, class of boats, some
what longer and narrower than the
present canal boats and in shape
somewhat resembling a weayer's
shuttle The deck extended a few
feet only, from stem and stern
THE Captain or steersman, stood
on the stern deck, and guided the
boat with a long rudder. A narrow
planking on either side afforded
walking place for the pikemen, who,
with long poles or pixies propelled
the boat up the current
These we're called Durham boats
and soon came into general use on
the river They were used as early as
1880, by John Van Camper, for the
transportation of -four to Philadel
phia, manufactured from wheat grown
In the Minisink Mr.. Van Campen's
mill was at Shawnee, and stood near
where Mr. Wilson's mill is now To-
Gated.
in 1886 one Jesse Dickinson came
from Philadelphia, and laid out city
in Delaware county, New York, called
Dickinson city 1t was situated near
what is now called Cannonsville. Mr..
Dickinson brought his men and ma
terial up the Delaware in Durham
boats. (Gould's History of Delaware
County,
"The old firm of Bell & Thomas, at
Experiment Mills, known for their
energy and integrity, and pleasantly
remembered by many still living, used
the Durham boats extensively in their
day, both in the transportation of
flour to Philadelphia, and in bringing
up supplies for the neighborhood.
| THE boatmen were strong and
hardy set of men, and seemed to en-
| joy their laborious occupation. The
Captain feeling the responsibility of
his position, bore himself with great
dignity, especially on his arrival at
port; and the boys who collected
about the wharf, when the vessel hove
in sight, were terror stricken at the
imperious manner of the Captain and
the stentorian tones by which he COM
manded all alike, on board and on
shore.
after the completion of the Della
ware Division of the Pennsylvania
Canal the Durham boat began gradu-
ally to disappear. so that one Is now
seldom seen on the waters of the
Delaware"
Of the places mentioned in the
| lie q
miles above the Water Gap, Expert
ment Mills is on a small stream flow
ing into the Delaware few miles
above the Gap, Minsi being at its
mouth, Cannonsville is a few miles
above Deposit, New York, nearly a
hundred miles above Port JerVis.
Boats known as Durham boat"
have been used in number of diff
ferent localities, a fact which has led
to some inquiry as to the correctness
of the statement that the boat so
called originated on the Delaware.
In his History of Bucks County"
Gen. Davis says, THE Durham boat
came into use to carry the iron made
at Durham furnace to market" and,
again, The product of the furnace
was transported to the river and
there loaded into Durham boats and
taken to Philadelphia. These boats
carried the greater part of the freight
between Philadelphia and the upper
Delaware, before the days of canals
and railroads. The testimony of
Abraham Haupt says that the first
Durham boat was built on the river
bank, near the mouth of the cave, by
one Robert Durham. the engineer and
manager of the furnace, and that the
boat was nearly in the shape of an
| Indian canoe, and the works were
| possibly named after the builder OF
the boat. This was before 1850 AS
early as 1853 Durham boats We're
used to transport flour from John Van
Campen's mills at Minisink, to Phila-
delphla. The Durhams were in this
county (Bucks) as early as 1928"
1t appears that Haupt had a black
smith shop near the original Durham
furnace. which was at some distance
from the river and that in his shop
was found the date stone of the
original furnace, in use for nut crack
ing. His opportunity, therefore, for
getting information respecting the
matter may be taken as being good
The date on the stone is 1927.
The records of the furnace throw
no light on the subject but the state
ment quoted would seem to be CON
elusive as to the origin of the boat
This statement is in entire conformity
with the tradition among the river
men, although. unfortunately, it is
indefinite as to the time of building
the first boat. The account has been
repeated by other writer's and has
been generally accepted as correct
Indeed 1t is not to be supposed that
so careful writer as Gen Davis
would accept the statement without
being we'll assured of its accuracy.
The early product of the furnace,
built In 1927, must have been carted
to market, over extremely rough
roads, or carried by the river In quite
inadequate craft, until a more eff
cient water transportation could be
provided. The necessities of the case
would seem to have led to the con-
struction of a suitable boat
The use elsewhere of boats known
as Durham" has led the writer to
make inquiries regarding the matter
of similarity as we'll as priority of
| construction.
In the Introduction to an early
edition of Cooper's Pathfinder" is
found an account of boats in early
use on the Mohawk, by which the pro-
ducts Of the interior were moved down
! the stream, toward the Hudson, and
the manufactures of the seaboard
We're carried to Utica and the smaller
towns farther west. 1t is stated that
there We're two kinds of these boats,
one being known as the Science
tady," which was small, fiat bottomed,
and rugged with an ungainly sail,
though dependent chiefly on the mus
cular power of the boatmen with their
oars or poles, After the description
of the Schenectady" boat is the fol-
! lowing The Durham boat, of
which there were large numbers, was
long. shallow. and nearly fiat bot
: toned" After some mention of the
method of operation by poles, the
writer proceeds, The Durham boats
found their way from the Mohawk to
the St Lawrence and We're much used
on Canadian Waters. And it was said
that one of these craft went into the
Missouri river, making voyage of
six weeks, from the rude wharf at