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

Durham boats which had remained
The few that were left were utilized,
partly on the river and partly on the
canals, but their adaptability to the
new conditions was not such as 10
lead to their perpetuation and they
gradually decayed and disappeared.
The last oat at Lambertville, after
being variously employed on canal
and river, was finally laid up for de-
cay In the canal basin at that place
Mr. Lugars boat, with which he made
the last trip TO Philadelphia, in lh,5.
met a like end in the canal few
miles farther up
One Durham boat has been heard
of, as similarly laid up on the Lehlgh,
and as having been taken from human
ken by the tremendous sweep OF the
freshet of 1903.
The question still remains as to
where the builder of the first Durham
boat, on the Delaware, got for it the
perfect model so admirably fitted to
the requirements. The writer has
made some inquiries abroad, to ascer-
tain, if possible, if any such model
existed in other countries. The most
likely places were thought to be Dur
tam County, England and the canals
of Holland. Careful inquiries in both
countries. through the British Mu-
scum and persons in Durham County
and of the Ryks Museum in Amster-
dam, Holland met with courteous re-
sponses, but were fruitless as to any
information respecting the existence
of boats likely to have been the pro
totype of our "Durhams.'
SO far, therefore. as the investiga-
lions of the writer have gone, it seems
that the original story OF the priority
of the Delaware, in the construction
of the boat must be viewed as estdO-
lished, and this paper may be fttingly
concluded by presenting a well de-
served eulogium upon the boat and
boatmen, as delivered by one Of Penn
sylvanias noted sons
The opening of the Belvidere Della
ware Railroad, from Trenton. to Pr
lipsburg, opposite Easton, was cele-
brated, on February Bird, 1854, by the
running of a train of fifteen passen-
ger cars from Philadelphia, carrying
officials and citizens of Pennsyl-
vania and New Jersey, who were en-
Enthusiastically received and enter
tanned by the citizens of Easton.
The principal address of welcome
to the visitors was made by the Hon.
Andrew H. Reeder, who had held the
position of Territorial Governor of
Kansas and was otherwise prominent
in the State and Nation.
Taking up the progress in the
means of intercommunieation, Gov.
Reeder made reference to the canoe
of the Indian as the earliest craft
upon the river, and, before passing to
the more modern methods of trans
portation, pronounced the following
eloquent tribute to the Durham boat
and the men who operated it:
But the age of primitive naviga-
ton passed by, and the march of
progress drove the Lenni-Lenape and
their bark canoes from the banks of
| their favorite river and the graves of
their fathers.
The well-known river boats next
courted its waters, and, in the hands
| of hardy men, before many years had
| elapsed, were made to surmount the
| dangers and difficulties of its nayi-
| cation, and carry the daily trade OF
! the settlement through the dangerous
and conn aratively unknown rapids
| that thread the stream to tide.
| Those vessels covered the whole
| period of its history to TIE cOnstruc-
| ton of our canal, and, the peculiar
| and well remembered class of men
which the eXigence OF t-eir use called
| forth, made their mark upon the time
| in which they lived Muscular, active.
athletic and enduring beyond belief,
faithful and trustworthy to a proverb,
| sportive and social, yet fearless and
ready-handed, they will not soon be
! forgotten Always prompt for fun or
play, the man who sought their
| courtesy and good Offices was sure to
find them, while he who insulted them
J or wantonly provoked their anger.
| was sure to learn lesson that
needed no repeating.
For years they transported to your
! city all our produce and manufac-
/ lures, frequently carrying passengers,
| who preferred their craft to the stage
wagon, which, twenty years ago, ac-
complished in two days, by a shorter
route, the trip you have made in a
few hours this morning.
They carried for us, heavy remit
tances, with a stern honesty worthy
/ VI lilillAliOll III liiSliNl IittNNef anu
| without a single instance of defalca-
| ton.
such were the generous-hearted
open-handed river boatmen of the
| Delaware. But progress came again
| and drove from the stage their long
oars and iron shod poles. AS a class
| they have passed away, while their
feats of prowess and daring are fast
becoming traditions to challenge the
| beliefs of a new generation"
Thus. in fitting phrase, was well
| earned tribute paid to the boats and
men, displaced by canal and railroad
! from the position of activity so long
and worthily held by them in the
river service. and, soon, in the pass
| ing of the few that then remained, to
| finally close the era of the "Naviga-
| tiOn Of the Timer Delaware