CHAPTER 4-3

The “Clermont”

THE NORTH RIVER STEAM BOAT

Will leave Pauler’s Hook Ferry on Friday the 4th of September, at 6 in the morning, and arrive at Albany, on Saturday, at 6 in the afternoon. Provisions, good berths and accommodations are provided. The charge to each passenger is. as follows:

To Newburgh	$3	14 Hours
To Poughkeepsie	4	17
To Esopus	4½	20
To Hudson	5	30
To Albany	7	36

For places, apply to Wm.Vandervoort, No. 48 Courtlandt-street, on the corner of Greenwich-street.

Way passengers to Tarry Town, etc., etc., will apply to the captain on board.

The Steam Boat will leave Albany on Monday the 7th of September at 6 in the morning and arrive at New-York on Tuesday at 6 in the evening.

She will leave New-York on Wednesday morning at 6, and arrive at Albany on Thursday evening at 6 in the evening.

She will leave Albany on Friday morning at 6, and arrive at New-York on Saturday evening at 6.—Thus performing two voyages from Albany and one from New-York within the week. On Monday the 14th, and Friday the 18th, she will leave New-York at 6 in the morning, and Albany on the 16th, at 6 in the morning, after which the arrangements for her departure will be announced.

THE STEAM BOAT being thoroughly repaired, and precaution taken that injury shall not be done to her wheels in future, it is intended to run her as a PACKET for the remainder of the season. She will take her departure from New-York and Albany at 9 o’clock in the morning, and always perform her voyage in from 30 to 36 hours.

The time of her departure for the first nine voyages will be as follows:

From Albany, Friday the 25th September.
From New-York, Monday 28
From Albany, Wednesday 30
From New-York, Friday 2d October
From Albany, Monday 5th
From New-York Wednesday 7

For passage, apply to Mr. WILLIAM VANDERVOORT, No.48 Courtlandt-Street, corner of Greenwich-street.

It is recorded that chief among the troubles encountered were the erratic movements of the river sloops which ran afoul of the steamboat whenever opportunity offered. On October 2d the Clermont lost one paddle-wheel from such a collision, and had to be withdrawn from service. This damage was speedily repaired and she was soon able to resume the regular trips. Each day the passengers became more numerous. Twenty-four made the trip on September 4th, but by October 1st the number had increased to sixty, and by November her cabins were overcrowded with more than a hundred.

The “Evening Post” of October 2, 1807, contained this item of news:

STEAM BOAT. Mr. Fulton’s new invented Steam Boat which is fitted up in a neat stile for passengers, and is intended to run from New York to Albany as a Packet, left here this morning with Ninety passengers, against a strong head wind. Notwithstanding which, it was judged she moved through the water at the rate of six miles an hour. Yesterday she came in from Albany in 28 hours with 60 passengers. Quere, [sic] would it not be well if she could contract with the Post Master General to carry the mail from this city to Albany?

It may be of some interest to the present generation to have a correct account of the first boat built by Fulton and Livingston, on her first trip as a passage vessel, by one who was then a passenger. The writer of this article resided in New York, and was often in the shipyard when Mr. Fulton was building his first boat. She was a queer looking craft; and, like every thing new, excited much attention, and not a little ridicule. When she was launched, and the steam engine placed in her that also was looked upon as a piece [of folly] with the boat built to float it.

In those days the operations of the steam engine were but little known. A few had seen the one for raising the Manhattan water, but to the people at large the thing was a hidden mystery. Curiosity was now greatly excited. When it was announced in New York that the boat would start from the foot of Courtlandt street at 6 ½ o’clock on Friday morning, the 4th of September, and take passengers to Albany, there was a broad smile on every face as the inquiry was made if anybody would be foolhardy enough to go. A friend of the writer of this article, hearing he intended to venture, accosted him in the street: “John, will thee risk thy life in such a concern? I tell thee she is the most fearful wild fowl living, and thy father ought to restrain thee.”

When Friday morning came the wharves, piers, housetops, and every spot from which a sight could be obtained, were filled with spectators. There were twelve berths, and every one was taken. The fare was $7. All the machinery of the boat was fully exposed to view; the water and balance wheels were entirely uncovered. The peripheries were of cast-iron, some four inches or more square, and ran just clear of the water. The weight of both the water and balance-wheels was sustained by the shafts, which projected over the sides of the vessel. There were no outside guards. The forward part of the boat was covered by a deck, which afforded shelter for the men employed in navigating the boat. The after part was fitted up in a rough manner for passengers; the entrance into the cabin was from the stern, in front of the steersman, who worked a tiller, the same as in an ordinary sloop. Thick, black smoke issued from the chimney—steam hissed from every ill-fated valve and crevice of the engine. Fulton himself was there, his remarkably clear and sharp voice was heard above the hum of the multitude and noise of the engine. All his actions were confident and decided, unheeding the fearfulness of some and the doubts and sarcasms of others. In the whole scene combined there was an individuality and an interest which, like “love’s young dream,” comes but once, and is remembered forever.

The time for the departure of the boat arrived; some of the machinery still required to be adjusted; there was a delay. Some of the passengers said, in Fulton’s hearing, they feared the voyage would prove a failure. He replied:

“Gentlemen, you need not be uneasy; you shall be in Albany before twelve o’clock tomorrow.”

When everything was ready, the engine was started, and the boat moved steadily but slowly from the wharf. As she turned up the river and was fairly under way there arose such a huzza as ten thousand throats never gave before. The passengers returned the cheer, but Fulton stood erect upon the deck, his eye flashing with an unearthly brilliancy as he surveyed the crowd. He felt that the magic wand of success was waving over him, and he was silent. It was agreed that a kind of log-book should be kept. Gerrit H. Van Wagenen was designated to give the time, and the writer of this article to set it down. At the termination of the voyage, the following paper was drawn up and signed by all the passengers and published in the Albany “Register” of Tuesday, September 8, 1807:

“On Friday morning, at eighteen minutes before ‘7 o’clock, the North River steamboat left New York, landed one passenger at Tarrytown (twenty-five miles) and arrived at Newburgh (sixty-three miles) at 4 o’clock in the afternoon; landed one passenger there, and arrived at Clermont (one hundred miles), where two passengers, one of whom was Mr. Fulton, were landed at fifteen minutes before 2 o’clock in the morning, and arrived at Albany at twenty-seven minutes past 11 o’clock, making the whole time twenty-eight hours and forty-five minutes; distance, one hundred and fifty miles. The wind was favorable, but light from Verplanck’s Point to Wappinger’s Creek (forty miles). The remainder of the way it was ahead, or there was a dead calm. The subscribers, passengers on board of this boat on her first passage as a packet, think it but justice to state that the accommodations and conveniences on board exceeded their most sanguine expectations:

Selah Strong,	G. H. Van Wagenen,
Thomas Wallace,	John Q. Wilson,
John P. Anthony,	Dennis H. Doyle,
George Wetmore,	William S. Hicks,
J. Bowman,	J. Crane,
James Braden,	Stephen N. Rowan.

Albany, September 5, 1807.”

When coming up Haverstraw Bay a man in a skiff lay waiting for us. His appearance indicated a miller; the paddle-wheels had very naturally attracted his attention; he asked permission to come on board. Fulton ordered a line to be thrown to him, and he was drawn alongside. He said he “did not know about a mill going upstream, and came to inquire about it.” One of the passengers, an Irishman, seeing through the simple-minded miller man at a glance, became his cicerone; showed him all the machinery and contrivances by which one wheel could be thrown out of gear when the mill was required to come about.

After finishing the examination, said he, “that will do; now show me the mill-stones.” “Oh,” said the other, “that is a secret which the master,” pointing to Fulton, “has never told us; but when we come back from Albany with a load of corn, then if you come on board you will see the meal fly.” Dennis kept his countenance and the miller left.

As we passed West Point the whole garrison was out and cheered us. At Newburgh it seemed as if all Orange County had collected there; the whole side-hill city seemed animated with life. Every sail-boat and water craft was out; the ferry-boat from Fishkill was filled with ladies. Fulton was engaged in seeing a passenger landed, and did not observe the boat until she bore up alongside. The flapping of the sail arrested his attention, and as he turned, the waving of so many handkerchiefs and the smiles of bright and happy faces, struck him with surprise. He raised his hat and exclaimed, “That is the finest sight we have seen yet.”

FULTON‘S LETTER TO THE CAPTAIN

New York, Oct. 9, 1807.

Capt Brink:—
Sir—
Inclosed is the number of voyages which it is intended the Boat should run this season. You may have them published in the Albany papers.

As she is strongly man’d and every one except Jackson under your command, you must insist on each one doing his duty or turn him on shore and put another in his place. Everything must be kept in order, everything in its place, and all parts of the Boat scoured and clean. It is not sufficient to tell men to do a thing, but stand over them and make them do it. One pair of Quick and good eyes is worth six pair of hands in a commander. If the Boat is dirty and out of order the fault shall be yours. Let no man be Idle when there is the least thing to do, and make them move quick.

Run no risques of any kind when you meet or overtake vessels beating or crossing your way. Always run under their stern if there be the least doubt that you cannot clear their head by 50 yards or more. Give in the accounts of Receipts and expenses every week to the Chancellor.

Your most Obedient
ROBT. FULTON.

“Fulton was in person considerably above the middle height; his countenance bore marks of intelligence and talent. Natural refinement, and long intercourse with the most polished societies both of Europe and America, had given him grace and elegance of manners. His great success, and the belief that his invention had secured the certainty of great wealth, however unfounded this belief was proved to be after his death, never for a moment rendered him arrogant or assuming. Fond of society, he was the soul of the intelligent circle in which he moved, and of which his hospitable mansion was the center. The fine arts, once his chosen profession, were his recreation and delight in after life; and he not only practiced them himself, but bountifully encouraged the efforts of others.”

STEAM BOAT—Yesterday morning the Steam Boat left Courtlandt-street dock for Albany, with between 40 and 50 passengers. She had not proceeded further than opposite the State Prison, before one of the axeletrees [sic] broke off short, and she was obliged to return. We understand she will be repaired in the course of the day, and start again tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock.

We learn by the passengers who arrived last evening from Albany in the Steam Boat, that on Monday last the river from Albany down as far as Coxsackie froze entirely across.

New York, November 19, 1807

The subscribers, passengers in the North River Steam Boat, state that the Boat left the dock at Albany, at half past 4 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon, the 17th instant—that they took in some passengers at the Overslaugh—came too [sic] at Hudson, and owing to the violence of the wind, was obliged to cast anchor near Stony Point. That they arrived at the Hoboken ferry, on the Jersey shore, last evening, the 18th inst. at half past 10 o’clock. The time then will be as follows:

From Tuesday half past 4 P. M. to Wednesday half past 2 P. M. . .	30 hours
Deduct time the Boat was at anchor during the passage, at and near Stony Point	7 hours
	23 hours

The subscribers cannot but express their most unequivocal approbation of the treatment they received during the passage, and that no accident of any kind occurred, although during the whole passage the wind was extremely violent, particularly when the Boat came too [sic] at Stony Point.

J. V. N. Yates, James McVarner, Sidney Berry, Junr., W. V. Yates, T. Stitson, Peter Morte,

J. Warner, Junr., William W. Russell, J. Nathan Perkins, Pliny Adams, Daniel Geer.

The Steam Boat will start from here again next Sunday morning precisely at 10 o’clock.

Return to Top