The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-21

introduce the steamboat were made
from time to time, notably by James
Rumsey at Shepherdstown. on the
Potomac: John Fitch on the Della
ware. William Longstreet on the Sa-
vannah, Elijah Ormsbee on the Paw
tucket, Samuel Morey on Long Island
Sound. but none of the experiments
could be called successful Fulton
born Of Irish, parents in Lancaster, Pa,
1855. had mechanical turn as we'll
as taste for drawing and painting.
After spending some time in Phiiadel-
phia he went to London and came into
contact with Benjamin West. the
painter, but finally took up his abode
in Paris with the family OF Joel Bar
low. There he devised a submarine
and offered 1t to Napoleon for destruc-
ton of the English feet His craft
actually blew UP hulk in the harbor
OF Brest and went out to attack a
British man -of-war in the offing. but
was foiled in the attempt by the ships
weighing anchor and sailing away be-
fore she could come in contact Ma
poleon. however. was not impressed
by his plans. so his efforts failed of
success
But while In Paris Fulton met Rob-
ert r. Livingston, formerly Chancellor
of New York, whom Jefferson had ap-
pointed minister to France. Living
ston had long been considering the
subject of steam navigation, had made
experiments on the Hudson with a
boat built at his cost. and had secured
grant of monopoly from the legis-
lature Of New York as early as 1898.
That grant was revived In 1903 and
again in 1905. though its terms had
never been fulfilled. Livingston form
ed q partnership with Fulton in Paris.
Being q man Of wealth he was able
to order an up to date engine Of Watt
4 Boulton at Birmingham. and Fulton
returned to New York. where he ar
rived in Decent Der. 1906 The engine
had preceded him. but was held on
the wharf Tor payment Of freight.
Fulton busted himself after his arrival
mostly with attempts to get the United
States government to adopt a torpedo
of his invention. but meanwhile the
Clermont WIS built. probably at the
instance Of Livingston. Less than a
year later the Clermont steamed up
the Hudson and won for the partner
ship Of Livingston & Fulton a monop-
oily Of steam navigation in New York
waters
Long Struggle
Then followed the long struggle Of
Livingston & Fulton not only to
enforce their monopoly on New York
waters but elsewhere over the coun-
try. John c. Stevens, OF Hoboken.
had built a steamer called the Phoe-
nix In 1906 to ply between New York
and New Brunswick. but she was pre-
vented by Livingston & Fulton from
plying in New York bay. 80 she was
sent by sea to the Delaware and ran
between Philadelphia and Trenton. A
new route was established In 1916 by
the Phoenix running up the Delaware
to Trenton. connection by stage with
New Brunswick. and the steamer
Raritan- from that place to New York.
The profits OF, the Raritan trade. IL
shiilings for each passenger. went to
the Livingston & Fulton company.
That provoked the wrath Of the peo-
PIE Of New Jersey. and Ia the sue
ceedtng session OF the legislature Of
that state the monopoly OF the COM
pany was attacked. A demand was
mnda that II New Jersey steamboat
could not cross the Hndaon without
permission Of Livingston 4 Fulton,
none Of their boats should enter New
Jersey waters. The les1elsture did
not 80 that far, but Il pasoed Z law
empowering the owners Of ! New Jer-
sey boat seized BY New York state
to sei3e any boaf of I New
Yorker found IN the waters Of New
Jersey. But trouble Tor the monopo-
lists arose also On Nav York waters,
\ hoGt called the Hope b1Gnn 70 run
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