Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-05-24

nant to my ideas and warranted by the
pricniple upon which il acts. The small
manual assistance, TO which alluded,
was to be applied in still water and to the
steerage. The counter action being pro-
portioned to the action, it must ascend
swift current faster than gentle stream,
and with more ease than it can move
through dead water. But in the first there
may be, and no doubt is, point beyond
which il cannot 60 without involving dif-
ticullies which may be found insurmount-
able. Further than this am not at liberty
to explain myself; but if model, or thing
in miniature. is just representation OF
greater object IN practice, there is no
| doubt OF the utility of the invention. A
view of this model, with the explanation,
removed the principal doubt ever had OF
the practicabiity of propelling against
stream by the aid Of mechanical power;
but as he wanted TO avail himself OF my
introduction OF it TO the public attention,
| chose previously TO see the actual per-
formance of the model in a descending
stream before passed my certificate, and.
having done so, all my doubts are salts
fed"
Rumsey was reticent concerning his
earlier plans, and confided his ambitions
TO but few, among them being John Will
son, OF Philadelphia, who visited the
springs during the summer OF 1888, and
whose description OF Rumsey'S first boat
is TO be found in treatise on the subject
of steam as means OF navigation publish
ed at later date by the inventor when
he was seeking to introduce his invention
to the public. OF the first formal trial
Wilson wrote:
"The boat was finished in the fall OF
1888. Her hull was built by RumseY's
brother in law, Joseph Barnes, OF Shep-
herdstown, who was acarpenter by trade.
The capacity Of the boat was about six
tons burden. Her boiler was primitive
affair, being simply an iron pot, or kettle,
such as is ordinarily used in the country
for culinary purposes. with lid or top,
placed on its mouth and securely fastened
there with rivets, bands and soft solder.
The engine, which was constructed partly
by the village Bath blacksmith, but
principally by RumseY himself, was upon
the Newcomer, or atmospheric prin-
ciple, its power being obtained by the
weight OF the air pressing on the piston,
beneath which vacuum had been created
by the condensation OF the steam. The
mode OF propulsion was by means OF
pump, worked by steam, which, being
placed toward the forward part OF the
boat, drew up at each alternate stroke OF
the engine quantity Of water, which, by
the return or down stroke, was forced
through trunk at the bottom along the
keelson and out at the stern under the
rudder. The impetus OF the water rush.
ing through the trunk against the exterior
water OF the river drove the boat forward,
the reaction of the effluent water propel-
ling her at rate OF speed commensurate
with the power applied"
The trial was made under cover oil
night in October, 1888, at secluded spot
on the Potomac River near the mouth OF
Sir Johns Run, aboutisix miles from Bath,
with only Rumsey and his two intimate
friends, Joseph Barnes and Nicholas Or
rick, present. Tradition says that for
halt the night the three men labored with
the strange craft upon the placid stream,
pottering at the imperfect machinery,
running the unwieldly bulk hither and
thither, the master mind anxiously ex-
amining each point OF failure in the ma
chinery and suggesting such improve
ments as his better trained intellect DEEM
ed advisable. At length, greatly en-
couraged by the first trial, Rumsey re-
turned after carefully removing the engine
and depositiug it in a secluded place.
AT this period in the career OF the in
ventor he married Miss Morrow, OF Shep-
herdStown, a sister OF the famous Morrow
brothers, one OF whom afterward became
a member OF Congress and another Gov
ernor OF Ohio. Rumsey was then about
40 years old, and was described by a
cotemporaneous writer as an exceedingly
handsome person, tall, OF commanding
presence, powerfully proportioned and
OF splendid address.
The friendship he formed with General
Washington at this time resulted in Rum
sey leaving Bath and associating himself
with the General and others in the prof.
ect OF opening the Potomac TO navigation
from the Little Falls to The place now
known as Harper's Ferry, which proved
failure in the end, but which paved the
way for the construction OF the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Canal, both RumseY and
Washington advocating the construction
OF The ditch as the only solution OF the
problem which they were forced 10 be-
lieve otherwise insurmountable. RumseY
was the secretary Of the Potomac I'M
provement Company, IFS chief engineer
and mainstay, and was so fully occupied
with his duties in connection Herewith
that he found little leisure time TO devote
to the Improvement OF his invention.
He had removed after his marriage TO
Miss Morrow TO Shepherdstown, where
he took up his residence in modest log
house on Duke street.
In May, 1855. he again sought the ser
vices of his brother-in-Iaw, Joseph
Barnes, 10 construct a boat upon larger
and more improved model than the one
previously built near Bath. The second
boat was 80 feet in length and IS in width,
and was completed in December OF the
same year. Joseph Barnes and the Mir.
McMechen previously referred 10 piloted