Most of the cities along the Hudson River, and even some of the villages, at one time had steamboats named in their honor. The old colonial city of Kingston was no exception and for a six-year period in the late 1880's, Kingston was the home port of a sleek and graceful steamboat named “City of Kingston.”

During the post-Civil War years, the Cornell Steamboat Company and the Romer and Tremper Steamboat Company operated freight and passenger steamboats out of Rondout Creek for New York, each company operating a steamer on alternate nights so as to provide daily service.  On March 27, 1882, the Cornell steamboat “Thomas Cornell” was wrecked by running up on Danskammer Paint, north of Newburgh, in a fog.  The “City of Kingston” was built to replace her and was launched at Wilmington, Delaware on March 11, 1884. 

When she first appeared, the “City of Kingston” was a sharp departure from other steamboats of the day.  Almost all steamboats then were wooden hulled side wheelers with walking beam engines, but the “City of Kingston" had an iron hull and a screw propeller powered by a 750 h.p. compound engine.  She was also equipped with 165 electric lights, which in 1884 put her well ahead of almost anything afloat or ashore.  She is generally credited with being the first steamboat of a type that later became standard as overnight freight and passenger carriers out of almost every major city along the Atlantic coast. 

Her First Trip
The “City of Kingston” arrived in New York from her builder’s yard the latter part of May 1884 and on May 31 set out on her first trip to Kingston.  With a group of invited guests, she left New York at about 1:30 p.m. and was escorted through New York harbor by the Cornell tugboats “Hercules,” ‘‘S.L. Crosy” and “Edwin Terry,” all gaily decorated for the occasion with flags and with guests aboard.  She arrived at Rondout shortly after 6 p.m. where she was greeted by a large crowd, including many local dignitaries. 

The “City of Kingston" entered regular service on June 2, 1884.  Her schedule called for her to leave Rondout at 6 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday with landings at Esopus, Cornwall and Cranston's the later landing being named for the large hotel on the bluff south of the village of Highland Falls.  On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday she would leave her pier at the foot of Harrison Street, New York at 4 p.m. for the up-river run. 

During the summer, on Saturdays she would leave New York at 1 p.m. and make connections at Rondout at 6 p.m. with a special train of the Ulster and Delaware Railroad for Catskill mountain resorts.  Sunday nights, the train would make connections with the “City of Kingston’’ at Rondout from where she would depart at 11 p.m. for New York.  Arriving in the metropolis at 6 a.m., the steamer would then run right back up river to resume her regular Monday night schedule.  Normally, the steamer would run from the latter part of March until about the middle of December. 

On June 23, 1886 the “City of Kingston” had her first serious accident.  She left her last up-river landing at Cranston’s at about 9:40 p.m. and being somewhat ahead of schedule was proceeding down through the Hudson Highlands at reduced speed.  She had a good passenger list and a large load of freight, the principal item of which was Hudson River Valley strawberries.  It was a hazy night of early summer, the kind when the smoke from passing trains used to lay over the water off Conns Hook, there being no breeze to carry it away. 

Loaded With Cement
All of a sudden off Manitou, directly ahead of the “City of Kingston,” lay schooner the “Mary Atwater,” drifting with the tide.  The “Mary Atwater” had left the James Cement Company, opposite Wilbur, that morning loaded with 550 barrels of cement.  The schooner was displaying no lights, it frequently being the habit of schooner men in those days on a still night to keep all lights out so as not to attract mosquitoes and bugs. 
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They would have a lantern ready in the hold and when they heard the plop, plop, plop — plop, plop, plop of the side wheels of an approaching steamboat, they would then run the lantern up the mast.  On a quiet night, they would normally hear the pounding of steamer's side wheels up to two miles away.  The “City Kingston," however, having a propeller made no noise at all through the water.  Since she made no noise, the “City of Kingston” had become known to sloop and schooner men as ”The Sneak.”

In the haze, the “City of Kingston” was upon the darkened ‘‘Mary Atwater” too late to avoid a collision.  Her knife-like bow cut the schooner in two and the “Mary Atwater” immediately sank.  Although the schooner’s helmsman was saved, her owner and the cook asleep below decks were drowned.  The “City of Kingston" was undamaged. 

Many steamboatmen used to think nothing could surpass a sidewheeler for speed.  So on one of the “City of Kingston's” summer Saturday up-trips — July 2, 1887 — the crew of the smart sidewheeler ‘‘Kaaterskill” of the Catskill Line thought they would give a lesson to the new propeller steamer from Kingston.  The “City of Kingston” left her New York pier a few minutes after 1 p.m. and between there and Rondout was scheduled to make landings at Newburgh and Poughkeepsie.  The “Kaaterskill” got underway a few minutes later from her dock three piers below and was to go straight through to Catskill.

Accepted Challenge
On the “City of Kingston," they could tell by the smoke pouring from the ‘'Kaaterskill's’’ twin smoke stacks and by counting the strokes of walking beam, that her throttle was wide open and she was planning a race.  The “City of Kingston” accepted the challenge and, at the time, it was estimated she had a lead of nine minutes.

All the way up through Tappan Zee and Haverstraw Bay, if one was standing on the shore at Ossining, Rockland Lake or on the Haverstraw steamboat dock they could heard the heavy beating of the “Kaaterskill’s” paddle wheels pounding into the clear waters of the Hudson for more speed.  But try as she might, she could not shorten the distance.

The “City of Kingston" was cutting through the water like an eel and causing hardly any commotion in the water at her bow or stern, while the “Kaaterskill” was causing water fly in all directions from her large paddle wheels. 

The “City of Kingston” lost approximately nine minutes landing at Newburgh and Poughkeepsie which canceled her lead.  Leaving Poughkeepsie, the two steamers were almost abreast of each other, the "City of Kingston" slightly ahead.  Between there and Rondout Light, the "City of Kingston’’ steadily increased her lead and made the 10 mile run from Hyde Park to the mouth of Rondout Creek in exactly half an hour.  As she entered Rondout Creek, her rival, the "Kaaterskill’’ was below Port Ewen and the loser of the race by four minutes.  Many old boatmen told me the “City of Kingston’s” success was due in large measure to the skill of First Pilot William H. Mabie getting her in to her landings and on her way again in minimum time. 

Another Collision
The following year, on June 5, 1888, the “City of Kingston’’ was in a collision in New York harbor with the steam yacht ‘‘Meteor." The steamboat had just left her pier and the yacht was getting underway from her anchorage off 24th Street.  The yacht's bow sprit hit the “City of Kingston” on the starboard side and ripped out considerable joiner work before it broke off.  In the investigation that followed, the ‘‘City of Kingston” was held blameless and the captain of the yacht had his license suspended for 10 days. 
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In 1889, after only six years of service on the Hudson River, the "City of Kingston'’ was sold and went to the Pacific coast.  To get there she had to go all the way around Cape Horn.  

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Editor's Note: The text is an announcement for an 1840 excursion on the steamer American Eagle to the dedication of the Thomas Paine Monument in New Rochelle, NY erected the previous fall on 28  November (Thanksgiving Day) of 1839. The monument was organized and raised through the efforts of Gilbert Vale (1789-1866) of New York City, a teacher of navigation, equal rights reformer, printer, publisher, author and Thomas Paine biographer. Well over 200 persons, mostly in NYC but throughout the country, donated towards the monument's creation. Vale and the New York Assemblyman Job Haskell were the keynote speakers for the 1840 event and the banquet following was held at the Mansion House in New Rochelle aka Captain Pelor's Hotel and The Cross Keys. ​

​NEW-YORK, SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1840,
VISIT TO ROCHELLE AND THE PAINE MONUMENT ON THE 4th JULY, 1840. The steamboat American Eagle will leave the slip east of but adjoining the Fulton ferry, at precisely 9 A. M on the 4th of July and will return from Rochelle at 6. P. M. on the same day, at their usual prices 50 cents each way. Light waggons will convey passengers, who may not choose to walk, from the landing to the Monument, at 25 cents; as we are informed by a friend who has made the arrangement: and as the distance is at least two miles, we do not recommend any to walk, at least without an umbrella, if it should be a clear day. The waggons will stop at the Mansion House in the village, for a few minutes, and any person wishing to dine there at 50 cents, can leave their names. It is expected that several short addresses not exceeding twenty minutes each will be delivered at the monument or in the nearest shade. N. B. - The Captain will advertise the trip in the Sun two or three days previous to the excursion, and will there name other particulars, and as the party may possibly be large, we advise our friends to be on board the steamboat in time. Several private conveyances will go by land: these will leave the city between 7 and 8 A. M., and cali at Bradford's ("Here she goes," &c.) Harlem. No public land conveyance is engaged, but a stage runs daily at 2 P. M. from the Bowery, near Bayard street.
The Beacon. 1:32 New Series. 27 June 1840. p. 256

1878-12-12 Sun (NY) - GREAT DAMAGE BY FLOODS.
Railroad Bridges Swept Away, Passenger Trains Wrecked, Mill Property Destroyed, and Villages Inundated—The Highest Flood Known for Many Years in the Delaware.

Kingston, N. Y., Dec. 11.--The rainstorms of Monday and Tuesday [Dec. 9 and 10, 1878] have terribly affected Ulster County. The heavy mountain snow melted, and the result has been a freshet that has worked frightful damage. Bridges have been swept away on the Wallkill Valley and on the Ulster and Delaware Railroads. The roadbed of the latter is damaged to an extent that cannot be remedied for several days. At 3 o'clock this morning the canal barges on the Rondout broke adrift and went crushing one against the other downstream. Several of them, loaded with coal, were sunk. Nearly all of them had crew aboard, and some of them had entire families. Whether loss of life resulted is yet uncertain. The loss of property along the Rondout Creek will approximate $75,000, $10,000 of which is the value of cement barrelled [sic] and ready for delivery to New York markets. At Saugerties, on the Esopus Creek, the loss is not less than $50,000. Six boats of the steamer MARINA were carried away, and the MARINA left high on the flats. The bulkhead of the dam on the creek was carried away, and much coal, lumber, and wood were lost. From the back country come reports of loss of life. Several wrecked residences have passed down the Esopus. The white lead factory at Glen Erie [sic, Glenerie?] suffered to the extent of $10,000. The loss at Wilbur exceeds $3,000. The mouth of the Rondout was crowded this morning by a confused mass of boats and vessels of every kind, the majority of which were total wrecks.

A rumor was rife this morning that there had been great loss of life at Eddyville, a small village on Rondout Creek, in this county. THE SUN's representative visited that place to investigate. The route was difficult. The wagon wheels were hub deep in mud and water for half the distance. Within three feet of the roadway the current seethed and rushed with a terrible velocity. The creek was fairly crowded with household goods and wrecked buildings from up the stream. Within half a mile of the village the road was washed away. The bridge across the turbulent waters was standing, but the approach to it was cut off by a gulch fifty feet deep. There was but one way to reach Eddyville, and that was by crossing the rushing creek through the débris. It was with difficulty that a boatman was procured willing to risk such  a venture. The streets of Eddyville were still flooded. Not less than twenty houses have been swept away. The guard lock burst last night, and the village has since been at the mercy of the flood. The foundations of every building in the place have been weakened and there is scarcely an outbuilding remaining. The canal stables were flooded, and toward of 100 horses and mules were drowned. One large tenement house was washed from its foundations and carried some distance to the main road, where it is wrecked. The entire place is flooded below the hill. The stables, outhouses, &c. on the “fly" were carried down the creek with the current. The débris is strewn all the way from the lighthouse to Eddyville. The house of Hiram Davis was floated to the upper end of the Island pier, and there lodged, when the furniture drifted away. The barn belonging to Mr. Black was floated to the south dike, with a horse in it. The horse was saved. Stables with pigs, cows, and geese in them went down the creek and were lost. The stores are flooded and the goods damaged. The lumber for Lambert's new ice house was carried away. The steamers MARTIN and EAGLE, of the Newburgh and Albany line, could not enter the creek. After the guard lock broke[,] a boat went over the dam, loaded with upward of 1,000 barrels of cement. The boat parted in the middle, and her cargo went to the bottom. The crew were saved, though one young man is severely bruised. The report of lives lost was unfounded. One boat, however, went down the stream in which was the family of a canal boatman. They are missing. It is possible that they escaped drowning.

Rondout, Dec. 11.—The schooners KATE and MARY and the sloops JAMES GRANT, BEN AIKIN and CHARLES LYNCH, McCausland’s sectional docks. the barges C. R. WORDENDYKE, ScCHUYLER HONESDALE, MARVIN KING, and a large number of canal boats, laden and light, are either piled on the north and south dykes or sunk. The steamers W. B. CRANE, PITTSTON, and A. B. VALENTINE are damaged. The JAMES W. BALDWIN and WILLIAM COOK are uninjured, but cannot leave, owing to the freshet. The extent of the damage is not yet known and cannot be estimated. All the wharves are submerged and everything not secured has floated off.
​
Newburgh, Dec. 11.—Some small buildings have been swept away. The tide last night was the highest ever known, the river covering nearly every wharf in this city. The buildings in the lower streets were filled with water, and several serious washouts occurred on the short cut branches of the Erie Railroad. No trains have passed over it since noon yesterday, the trains to and from New York going by way of Newburgh branch. At Cornwall, yesterday, many houses near the river were flooded, and the people rowed over the wharves in boats. One or two small barns were carried away at Highland Falls. Sixty cords of wood floated off the wharf at Fort Montgomery. At Fishkill Landing the Duchess Hat Works were partially inundated. Brundage & Place's storehouse was flooded by the high tide, 300 barrels of lime slaked, and the building narrowly escaped destruction by fire. Loss, $500.
​
ALBANY, Dec, 11.—Many cellars and basements on the river front are full of water, and much damage has been done. Among other sufferers are Mr. McCabe, who loses $1,000 worth of lime; Robert Geer, who loses $800 worth of tobacco; Mr. Rork, who had a large amount of lumber swept away; and Messrs. Durant & Elmore, who lose a car load of flour.

1878-12-12 Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY) TORRENTS' TERRORS
Rondout, Dee. 11.—The freshet is the most damaging one in Rondout and Esopus creeks ever known. The schooners KATE, MARY and CANAL, with the sloops JAMES GRANT, BEN AKIN and CHARLES LYNCH, McCausland's sectional docks, the barges C. R. WORDENDIKES, SCHUYLER, HONESDALE, MARVIN, KING OF THE NORTH, and a large number of canal boats laden and light are either piled on the north or south side or sunk. The steamers W. B CRANE, PITTSTON, and A. B. VALENTINE are damaged. Some lives are supposed to be lost on the sunken boats. Tugs cannot assist the vessels on the dikes by reason of the strong current. Six boats and the steamer MARINA were carried away. The MARINA is high on the flats. The bulkhead of the dam on the creek was carried away. Much coal, lumber and wood have been lost. There are fears that there is loss of life on the boats carried out of Saugerties creek. The entire damage in Kingston, Wilbur, Eddyville, Rondout is roughly is estimated at half a million.

​At Eddyville, the water damaged the guard lock on the Delaware and Hudson canal. The water ran over and through it and has flooded what is known as the fly on which there were buildings, five of which are destroyed and many others damaged. One large tenement was washed from the foundations and carried a long distance to the main road, where it is wrecked. The entire place is flooded below the hill. The stables, outhouses, etc., on the fly were carried down the creek with the current. The debris was strewn all the way from the lighthouse to Eddyville. The house of Hiram Davis was floated to the upper end of the island dock and lodged, when the furniture drifted away. The barn of Mr. Black floated to the South Dike with a horse therein. The horse was saved. The stables with pigs, cows and geese therein went down the creek and were lost.  Stores were flooded and goods damaged. The lumber for Lambert’s new ice house was carried away. The steamers MARTIN and EAGLE of the Newburgh and Albany line could not enter the creek. The canal at Eddyville was much damaged.

Back in 1929 when I was a deckhand on the steamer “Albany” of the Hudson River Day Line, I thought maybe I’d like to go quartermaster on one of the boats of the Saugerties Evening Line.
 
I walked from the 42nd Street Pier of the Day Line down to Pier 43, North River, at the foot of Christopher Street—where the Saugerties boat would be tied up during the day.  I wanted to talk to an old friend of my brother’s from their days on the “Onteora.’’  He was pilot on the steamer ‘‘Robert A. Snyder” and his name was Harry Grough.
 
As we sat in the Snyder’s pilot house talking and looking out over the harbor, we could hear all kinds of steam whistles from all sorts of floating equipment— including  tugboats, ferries, ocean liners and sidewheel steamboats. I told him I thought I would like a quartermaster’s position if one was open.

Captain Absent
He said I would have to see, the captain, Richard Heffernan. The captain, however, was not aboard that afternoon as he had gone downtown to get the boat’s papers renewed, and would not be back until just before sailing time.
 
Harry said to me, “If I were young like you, Bill, I would go over to Jersey and get a job on the railroad tugs.  That’s where the business is.  This business is dying out every day.”
 
Then, we went down on the freight deck.  Harry said, “Look, here it is almost 3:30 p.m. and we only have a few boxes and bags on board.  A few years ago at this time, this deck would have been piled right up to the carlings with all kinds of freight.”
 
Harry continued, “Tonight, we’ll be lucky if we have a half dozen passengers.  The passengers used to start to come on board at 2 p.m. and, by now, the staterooms would be sold out.  Tonight, you could take your pick of almost anyone you’d want.  This Line can’t go on like this very long.  When the company doesn’t make a dollar, then we don’t have a job either.  No, Bill, you will be better off going on the tugboats.”

He Was Right
Over the years, I found out for myself Harry was right.

The Saugerties Evening Line boats were the ‘‘Robert A. Snyder’’ and the ‘‘Ida.” Every night, one would leave Saugerties, sail out Saugerties Creek and make landings at Tivoli, Barrytown, Rhinecliff and Hyde Park on its sail to New York.

When the “Snyder” and “Ida” were operating back in those long ago days, every night at about 7:30 of 8 p. m. one would hear one or the other blow three long whistles for the Rhinecliff landing to take on freight and passengers.  Between 1 and 2 a.m. in the lonely morning hours the up boat would be heard blowing her whistle for Jim Conroy, the dock master at Rhinecliff, to take its lines.

To the tugboatmen, the night boats were like old friends.  During the long night and early morning hours, it was indeed pleasant to see the night boats approaching in the distance and hear the slap, slap of their paddle wheels in the stillness of the night. 

A Glittering Crown
Then, as they passed by, they would often blow a low salute on their whistle.  As they faded into the night, their deck and cabin lights would blend into a glittering crown of light reflecting on the water.

I remember on several occasions Dan McDonald, the pilot on the “Osceola,” telling me how he would be coming down river with a large tow off Germantown, and on a clear night look down the river at about 3 a.m. and see one of the Saugerties boats coming up off Crugers Island; then turn and show her green starboard light as she went into Saugerties Creek.  He would remark how nice it must have been at that hour to get tied up and go to your room in the pilot house block and sleep until you felt like getting up and then look out on the quiet and peaceful dock at the fine little village of Saugerties.  No worries about morning fog, how the tow was going to follow, or old leaky brick or stone scows in the tow.

The “Robert A. Snyder” was layed up for good in 1931 at her dock on Saugerties Creek.  As there was only enough business for one boat, the “Ida,’’ since she had a steel hull and was the younger boat, continued for one more year.  Then in 1932 she was quietly layed up.
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Strangely, the Saugerties Evening Line, serving Saugerties and small villages on the upper Hudson, outlasted all the other night lines on the river except the big night boats to Albany.  The Central Hudson Line, serving Kingston, Poughkeepsie and Newburgh went out in 1929 and the last boat of the Catskill Evening Line stopped for good in 1931.  Finally, in 1932, the automobile and the Great Depression took their tolls of the last night boat from Saugerties.

​The steamboats CONNECTICUT and CHANCELLOR LIVINGSTON will take people to see the launch of the OHIO; the ferry master of the Williamsburgh ferry says that a good view may be had from Williamsburgh

Caution. -- The launch to-morrow will necessarily attract a number of persons, and it is more than possible, that many boat will be on the water. We trust that it will be recollected that the ship by its great size, will create much agitation and swell in the water, sufficient to fill small boats; those therefore, who are for aquatic excursions, will be warned thereby. Boys and children will also be looked after. and let there be no pressing or hurry to cross the ferries; accidents too frequently occur by an overweening anxiety to get a good view or an early sight of the object. The best position is from Corlaers Hook.
National Advocate, May 29, 1820, N-Y D Advertiser, May 30, 1820,

THE LAUNCH. FIRST BRIGADE N. Y. S. ARTILLERY. BRIGADE ORDERS.

A NATIONAL SALUTE will be fired on Tuesday, (this day), the 30th instant, at Corlaers Hook, in honor of the U. S. 74 gun ship, by a battalion from the 9th Regiment. 
. .
Ammunition will be provided on applying to the Brigade Quarter Master
***
THE LAUNCH. PERSONS who wish to see the launch of the Line of Battle Ship from the Navy Yard, are advised to be at the ferries to cross early in the morning, as the crowd will probably be immense, and many persons prevented from getting there in time. The steam ferry-boat will take passengers to see the Launch, at half past ten.

FOR THE LAUNCH, THE sloop RANDOLPH will leave the end of the Pier at East Rutgers-street, or at Rutgers-slip, this morning at 9 o'clock, cross over and anchor as near the Ship to be launched as is proper. As the Randolph is large and commodious, she can accommodate 50 or 60 persons more than have engaged. *** Price 25 cents.

LAUNCH, THE Steam-Boat FRANKLIN, Captain Macey, will start from Pike-slip . . . and take her station at a convenient distance, with safety, to afford the passengers a good view of the Launch. . . . Tickets of admission, 50 cents each. . . .

LAUNCH, THE sloop HOPE, a vessel of 70 tons, (with good accommodations). . . . Passage 25 cts. Refreshments to be had on board.

THE LAUNCH, THE sloop FANNY. . . . [25¢]

THE LAUNCH. AN elegant STAGE, erected at Lawrence and Sneedens Ship Yard, Corlaers Hook, east end of Water-street, completely fitted with seats for the accommodation of gentlemen and ladies. . . . The prospect is superior to any in the city. Admittance from 12½ to 25 cents.

THE LAUNCH, THE most eligible place for a sight of the Launch of the New Ship of the Line, . . . will be on the Bluff Point, a little south of the Williamsburgh Ferry, Long-Island. This Bluff being high, and commanding so elegant a view of the Navy-Yard, Wallabout, Corlaers Hook, and the surrounding harbor, that there is no place equally inviting. Besides, it will not be attended with that bustle and possible accident that may occur at those places likely to be more thronged. ***

THE LAUNCH, THE elegant Steamboat OLIVE BRANCH. . . . Fare 50 cents each. Refreshments may be had on board. After the Launch she will sail round the Islands,
and touch at the Quarantine Ground. ***

THE LAUNCH, THE elegant fast sailing sloop SYREN. . . . "the moderate price of 25 cents each" The SYREN will, if the wind should breeze, take a sail after the Launch, if the passengers wish, as far as the Quarantine Ground, and also round the Harbor. John Hunt, Corner of Corlaers Hook has made arrangements to accommodate a large number of Ladies and Gentlemen with seats at his residence at Corlaers-Hook, directly opposite the Navy Yard, which will afford a beautiful prospect of the Launch. . . . Admittance 12½ cents each -- children half price.

THE new and swift Steam-Boat MANHATTAN, is plying continually from the foot of Walnut-street to Little-street, Brooklyn, within a few yards of the Eastern Gate of the Navy Yard. ***
also the Steam-Boat CONNECTICUT and the Steamboat CHANCELLOR LIVINGSTON, each 50¢
New-York Gazette & General Advertiser, May 30, 1820.

Launch. -- At 15 minutes past 11 o'clock, this forenoon, the beautiful line of battle ship OHIO, built under the superintendence of Mr. Eckford, at the navy-yard, left her cradle and majestically glided into her destined element, amidst the firing of cannon and acclamations of thousands of spectators, which crowded the surrounding hills and house-tops in the neighborhood. The day was fine, and all the steam-boats, and indeed almost every other kind of water craft, were put in requisition to convey parties of ladies and gentlemen to the spot, to witness her descent. . . . Wallabout Bay and the East River were literally covered with boats, many having on board elegant bands of music. . . . salutes were fired from the navy yard, from a detachment at Corlaers Hook, from the WASHINGTON 74 and from the HORNET; the latter vessel being decorated, in a most tasteful manner, with the flags of all nations, and her yards manned with hardy American tars. *** The concourse of people which lined the margin of the East River, from the country and from the city, it is calculated, amounted to upwards of twenty-five thousand. *** New-York Evening Post, May 30, 1820, 

Editor's Note: The following text is a verbatim transcription of an article written by George W. Murdock, for the Kingston (NY) Daily Freeman newspaper in the 1930s. Murdock, a veteran marine engineer, wrote a regular column. Articles transcribed by HRMM volunteer Adam Kaplan. ​

For the past 35 summers the steamboat “Hendrick Hudson” has been a familiar on the Hudson river, and even now she awaits the coming of spring when she will sail again under the banner of the Hudson River Dayline.
               
March 31, 1906, marked the launching of the steel hull of the “Hendrick Hudson” at the yard of Thomas S. Marvel & Company at Newburgh, and at that time she was the largest marine craft ever constructed above New York city. Quite a celebration attended the launching of the new vessel, including a special run of the company’s “New York” from her winter berth.
               
W. & A. Fletcher & Company of Hoboken constructed the engine of the “Hendrick Hudson,” and on August 19, 1906, the new vessel made her first trip to Albany. She had cost more than a million dollars and could do better than 25 miles per hour. Her principal dimensions were: Gross tonnage, 2847; net tonnage, 1,598; length of hull, 379 feet, one inch (overall, 390 feet); breadth, 45 feet, one inch (over guards, 82 feet); depth, 13 feet, four inches; extreme draft nine feet, four inches. Her engine was an incline compound with three cylinders and three cranks, having a stroke of seven feet. The high pressure cylinder has a diameter of 45 inches, and the two lower pressure cylinders, 70 inches; horsepower is 6,200; boilers are the Scotch type, two being double-ended and four single-ended, with a working pressure of 170 pounds of steam; wheels are the feathering type, with 12 buckets to each of the two.
               
The appearance of the “Hendrick Hudson” created a stir in river steamboat circles. She was furnished in regal splendor and licensed to carry 5,500 people- the largest licensed passenger capacity in the world; and she continued to hold this honor until 1913 when the still larger “Washington Irving” made her debut. Under the more stringent inspection laws of today, she is permitted to take aboard 5,252 passengers.
               
Immediately upon her appearance, the “Hendrick Hudson” was placed on the Albany-New York route in line with the “New York” and later with the “Robert Fulton,” “Washington Irving,” and “Alexander Hamilton.” In 1933 she was placed on the New York-Poughkeepsie run, making a round trip daily out of New York, and since then she has continued in this service with the exception of occasional trips to Albany and the annual excursion in late August from Kingston and other river cities to Albany.
               
The “Hendrick Hudson” has compiled an extremely fine record with only one accident of any import being recorded in her history. In September 1930, on Labor Day, she had the through run from Albany down river, and that night she left New York to deadhead back to the Capital city in order to come down again the following day with the large crowd of returning vacationists. The night was somewhat clouded by fog, and at Van Wie’s Point, five miles short of her destination, she ran aground out of the west side of the channel. She was fortunately undamaged, was hauled off by tugs the following day, and returned to New York under her own power.
               
Death has recently claimed three of the principal officers of the “Hendrick Hudson”- Captain Alonzo Sickles, First Pilot Harry Kellermann, and Chief Engineer William Van Wie. During the season of 1940 Captain Frank Brown was in command of the vessel, Theodore Conklin was purser, Elmont Nelson and John Garavan  were assistant engineers, Alexander Hickey and Clarence Plank were pilots, and Thomas Kraljik and John Antoncic were mates.
               
At the present time the “Hendrick Hudson” is in winter quarters at Pier 81, North River, awaiting the coming of spring and another year of work upon the mighty river for whose explorer she is named.

​Long-Island Star, April 6, 1814
NEW FERRY BOATS. On Sunday last the public were gratified by the performance of a new invented Ferry Boat, on the New-Ferry between this village and New-York. This boat was invented by Moses Rogers, Esq. of New-York. It is in some respects similar to the Paulus Hook ferry-boats, and calculated to receive waggons in the same commodious way; but the water-wheel in the center is moved by eight horses. It crossed the river twelve times during the day, in from 8 to 18 minutes each, and averaging 200 passengers each time. It makes good was against wind and tides and promises to be an important acquisition. Another boat to go by horses is now building for that ferry; and a Steam-Boat . . . is nearly ready for the ferry between Brooklyn and Beekman Slip. 

Columbian, May 18, 1814
Brooklyn Steam Ferry-Boat. "The Nassau", The new steam-boat . . . , which commenced running from Beekman-slip to the lower ferry at Brooklyn a few days ago, carried in one of her first trips, 549 (another counted 550) passengers, one waggon and pair of horses, two horses and chairs, and one single horse. She has made a trip in four minutes, and generally takes from four to eight; and has crossed the river (in width about three quarters of a mile) 40 times in one day. The convenience and utility of this line of boats to the inhabitants of Long-Island and this city, may be easily conceived. The boat impelled by horses from the New-slip to the upper Brooklyn ferry, carried at one time 545 passengers, besides some carriages and horses. And a horse-boat is to run soon from Grand-street dock to Williamsburgh. These astonishing improvements in domestic navigation are without equal in the known world. . . .

N-Y Evening Post, June 8, 1814
COMMUNICATION. On Saturday morning was launched, at the ship yard of Mr. Charles Browne, an elegant double boat, intended to ply as a ferry boat, from Corlaer's Hook to Williamsburgh, Long Island -- Bateau allant par Chevaux. This beautiful boat is called the Williamsburgh, and is to be propelled by horse-power. . . . She is by far the most spacious [such boat] . . . -- presenting to view an extensive deck of 80 feet by 42 feet wide. . . . ***

N-Y Evening Post, August 4, 1814
Team Boat Williamsburgh. -- Trial was made yesterday of the TEAM Boat Williamsburgh, intended to ply as a ferry boat between Corlaers Hook and Williamsburgh on the opposite shore of Long Island. This boat certainly far exceeds any other propelled by horse power. *** She proceeded with only eight horses from Williamsburgh against a strong ebb tide up the East River opposite the New Alms House, from thence to Delancey Slip, and from thence she proceeded down the River, passed the Navy Yard, Long Island and Brooklyn against a very rapid flood tide to the admiration of a numerous assemblage of spectators on the wharves. Thus in a few years we have witnessed the wonderful improvement from sails to steam, and from steam to animal power, which is calculated in a great measure to supercede the necessity and expense of steam, particularly for these short ferries.

 oulson's American D. Advertiser (Philadelphia, Pa.), November 11, 1811 
Newburgh, (N. Y.)  ROBBERY.
On Saturday afternoon last, a short time before Capt. Griswold sailed from New-York for this village, nine thousand six hundred dollars, in bills, was given him directed to the Bank of Newburgh, and by him put into his trunk in his state room; as soon as the vessel was got under way, the captain discovered the money had been stolen. Proper enquiries were immediately made of the passengers on board the sloop, from which it appeared that no cause of suspicion attached to them. It is supposed the money was taken previous to the vessels leaving the dock in New-York.

Evening Post March 4, 1812
Yesterday took place, at the Sessions, the trial of Charles Willard and William Sherwood, on suspicion of having robbed Edward [sic] Griswold of $9000, money entrusted to his care to be deposited in the Newburgh Bank. After a patient hearing of all the circumstances, the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty; and the accused were acquitted.

FOR THE EVENING POST.
Sessions -- The people vs. Charles Willard and Wm. Sherwood -- Indicted.
*** The important trial of C. Willard and William Sherwood, who were indicted the last term on suspicion of having robbed Capt. Edward [sic] Griswold of the sum of $9 or 10,000 entrusted to his care by the Directors of the Mechanic Bank in this City to be deposited in the Bank of Newburgh. *** Mr. Fisk on this occasion shewed more than ordinary talents, his solid mind was apparently set to the keenest edge to come at justice in the conviction of the said Sherwood and Willard, for nothing short of conviction would be justice, for so it seemed he had determined in his own mind. -- Permit me to digress: for this seems the proper place for remark. what value can be placed upon the invaluable privilege of trial by jury? *** Associated with me in the defence was Martin S. Wilkins, Esq. . . . . The Jury took their seats between ten and eleven in the morning, and retired to consider the case about the same hour at night. After 20 or 30 minutes absence, they returned, a verdict of acquittal. I owe it to Mr. Griswold, as a candid man to state, that his character was well supported as an honest man, though an interested witness in the cause, as were the characters of the accused, (with the exception) that they could not be witnesses. The money is lost, and the jury say on their oaths that the accused did not take it -- common has been the injury, and common be the redress.

From a prejudice existing against Messrs. Sherwood and Willard, while in confinement, it became necessary in my opinion as their Counsel and ally, on whom the business devolved to prepare the cause for trial, to request the public to suspend their opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the accused, until after their trial. . . . I admitted my clients were accused of a robbery of great magnitude, and I owed it to these gentlemen in
particular, who were respectable merchants, and to the public in general, to give this uninterested narrative, that after a full hearing by the court and jury, who merit the highest praise for their great patience and impartiality to declare that Messrs. Sherwood and Willard were acquitted of the charge alledged against them. For certain reasons I forbear making further comments on the trial at present.
WM. KETELTAS, Counsel first engaged. N. B. Published at the request of the late accused.

Evening Post, March 7, 1812
ADVERTISEMENT. HAVING volunteered in behalf of the president and directors of the back at Newburgh . . . , to assist the company to discover the felon or felons who robbed captain Edmund Griswold [sic], of the sum of $10,000, entrusted to his care, to be deposited in said bank, who made oath he had been robbed of the paper said to contain such sum; nothing would afford me greater pleasure than to detect the felon or felons, and recover said sum for said company, for which I offer a reward of one hundred dollars for the felon or felons to be placed in the hands of justice, and one hundred and fifty dollars to the discoverer of the said sum said to be stolen. *** If my clients Charles Willard and William Sherwood are guilty, they have abused the honesty of my heart, and escaped the discernment of the mind's eye, both of the jury and advocate, and the perseverance of the prosecuting counsel for the people, but the guilty, be they who they may be, cannot escape the all-seeing eye of the searcher of hearts, who was appealed to by both parties under oath, with whom, in the course of his divine providence I leave to punish the perjured, be they whom they may. -- "Let justice be done if the heavens fall." WM. KETELTAS.
Columbian, March 11, 1812

N-Y Evening Post, May 21, 1812
TO THE PUBLIC. [a card signed by the directors of the Bank of Newburgh acquitting Capt. Griswold of the "uncharitable" and "entirely unfounded" insinuation that he had been the thief who had stolen the bank's money last November]

N-Y Evening Post, July 31, 1817
Thief detected. -- Several years ago, a packet containing ten thousand dollars in bills and post notes of the Bank of Newburgh, and belonging to the band, was put on board captain Griswold's sloop, to be sent up the north river, and was stolen a few minutes after it was received. The bank made great exertions to detect the villain who had taken the money, but without success, till within a few days past. The cashier lately received a letter from Montreal, informing him that several post-notes of the Bank of Newburgh, to the amount of about twenty-five hundred dollars, indorsed by Griggs Knap, had been offered there under such circumstances as excited suspicion: the notes were described and the person who offered them. This information, together with the fact of the absence from Newburgh for several weeks of the person described, fixed the suspicion upon Briggs Belknap, who was mate of the sloop at the time of the theft. -- He was apprehended, and a package containing $200 of the very bills that were stolen, and which appeared to have lain untouched in the drawer since the time they were missing, were found in his desk: Upon examination, he was ordered to be committed to the jail at Goshen, where he is lodged for trial. He them made a full confession of his guilt, and acknowledged that he had been to Montreal, and offered the post-notes there, but being suspected, had said he destroyed them. His property, we understand, is sufficient to make good the amount, with interest.

It may be recollected, that suspicions were abroad at the time involving many innocent persons. Two men by the names of Sherwood and Willard were actually indicted for the theft, tried, and with difficulty acquitted; the jury declaring they believed them guilty. but could not feel justified in bringing a verdict to that effect on mere circumstantial testimony.

N-Y Herald, October 4, 1817
At a court of Oyer and Terminer, held in the county of Orange, last week, before his honor Judge Spencer, came on several trials for felony. Briggs Belknap, whose case was some time since stated in the papers, was the first. It may be remembered that this is the man that stole a large quantity of money put on board of a vessel of which he was mate, for the purpose of being sent to a Newburgh bank. After the most satisfactory evidence of his guilt, the jury brought him in not guilty; because it was more than six years since the theft was committed, and the statute limits the time of commencing a prosecution to three years and one day, but within which time it was impossible to commence this, for it was not found out till after that time had expired that he was the thief. And so the jury said he was not guilty.

From the Evening Post.
As an act of justice towards capt. Griswold, we republish the following from the Newburgh Gazette, which came to hand this morning.

N-Y D Advertiser, October 4, 1817
TO THE PUBLIC.
Whereas unfounded and unjust imputations have gone abroad, prejudicial to the
character of capt. Edmund [sic] Griswold and that of his family, relative to a sum of
money feloniously taken from on board of his sloop, at New York, in the month of
November, 1811, and belonging to the back of Newburgh; I, the undersigned, repenting
of the crime, and of the injury I have done capt. Griswold, do hereby declare, that I did
take the money from his possession, without his knowledge or consent, and that any
suspicions or imputations against his character or any of his family in relation thereto,
are entirely malicious, idle, and without the least foundation. Dated Newburgh, state of
New-York, Sept. 19, 1817. BRIGGS BELKNAP. Signed and acknowledged to have been done voluntarily in the presence of Leonard Maison.

Political Barometer (Poughkeepsie, New York), February 28, 1810
The EDWARD, John Foster, Jun. Master, WILL sail from the Landing of GEORGE B. EVERTSON, &Co. for the accommodation of Ladies and Gentlemen travelling on business and pleasure. As the Edward is designed entirely for the convenience of passengers, the proprietors hope that the extra accommodations will please every person that takes passage on board. Her births are furnished with sacking bottoms, new beds and bedding, and the owners pledge themselves that there shall be nothing wanting on their part to accommodate the public. Passengers will be set on shore or taken on board, if requested, at any place between Poughkeepsie and New-York.

The EDWARD will leave Poughkeepsie on Tuesday the 27th inst. at 4 o'clock P. M. and New-York, at Coentie's Slip, on Friday the 2d day of March, at 4 o'clock P. M. and continue to leave each place every Tuesday and Friday throughout the season. -- Passage 3 dollars -- children half price. Every person engaging a birth and not occupying the same, must expect to pay the usual price.

The subscriber acknowledges the favors of the public since the commencement of the Edward for passengers only, and begs leave to solicit a continuance the ensuing season. JOHN FOSTER, Jun.

New-York Evening Post, April 11, 1812, COMMUNICATION.
A passenger who lately came down from Albany in the Paragon [writes about] the superior accommodations of this extraordinary vessel. With more room than any steam boat on the river, being of the same length of keel with the frigate President, and considerably wider than the Car of Neptune, it may be added that in speed she excels all competitors. It is not too much to say that she unites in herself, convenience, neatness, elegance and dispatch beyond what has been yet seen in this country.


George Temple.  The American Tourist’s Pocket Companion; or, A Guide to the
Springs, and Trip to the Lakes.  New York, 1812.
The different steam-boats afford the easiest, most certain, and expeditious manner; they have, however, their inconveniences, as they leave Newyork of an evening, the opportunity is lost of viewing the romantic scenery of the highlands, the steam boats passing them during the night.  By proceeding in these vessels, little of the country is seen, the glance is transient, and as correct an idea of it might be formed by peeping into a raree-show, which exhibits the same views.  The crown and bustle on board of a steam-boat, is also disagreeable to the valitudinarian, the sedate, and all those who entertain an aversion to be jostled about like cattle in a pen.  The gay, and those in the hey-day of youthful spirits, may, however, find them agreeable, and have ample scope to indulge their exuberance of mirth.

Stages also pass alternately every day from Newyork to Albany, on each side of the river.
       
When a numerous, or a family party, are about proceeding on this tour, they will generally find it to their advantage to agree with the captain of one of the Albany sloops, for the exclusive right of his cabin, and by laying in a small supply for their voyage, will find themselves infinitely more at home, in every respect, than on board of a steam-boat.  They must, however, be possessed of patience to bear the occasional bad luck of contrary winds and calms.  However, to a party of pleasure, not pressed for time, and having no urgent cause for expedition, a day or two longer, passed on the water, especially in agreeable weather, and sailing on a fine river, the banks or which are constantly regaling the eye with a variety of interesting prospects, is no material objection, more especially if the party are happy among themselves, and carry with them books and other resources against tedium.
       
When the tourists form a duo, and are equally desirous of leisurely admiring the romantic beauties of nature, and a few days is of no consequence to them, I would advise the following manner of pursuing this tour.
       
To ferry over the Hudson to Hoboken, and proceed in the stage to Patterson; view the falls of the Passaic; proceed by a chance conveyance to Goshen; thence to the celebrated spot of West-Point, and the romantic scenery of the highlands; proceed to the agreeable village of Newburgh; thence by the steam-boat to Hudson, and wait there for the succeeding steam-boat to proceed to Albany.  Here a day may be passed in viewing the city, and visiting the mineral springs of Harrogate, or the opposite shore of Hudson river.  

. . . as a monitor, I would be careless of my duty, if I did not avail of the present opportunity . . . to caution in the strongest manner, the young, unwary, and unexperienced, against joining strangers on board of steam-boats, packets, and at boarding -houses, at cards, the smallest inconvenience, is their being involved in disputes, which are at all times disagreeable.  And sharpers are always prowling about, to take advantage of the heedless -- besides those, who are professionally sharpers, there are others who, unmindful of their situation in life, make a practice to avail of their dexterity, and boast of defraying their travelling expenses by this polite science -- of all such beware.
       
Where there is such a number confined together in a small space, as there is usually found on board of steam-boats, it is natural that some little intimacies should be formed and groups or little parties assemble, drawn together by some small similarity of taste and relish for conversation; influenced by these circumstances, we formed part of a circle composed of about a dozen ladies and gentlemen, and retiring to a corner of the deck after enjoying much cheerful and agreeable conversation, it growing rather languid, a song from the ladies was proposed; diffidence however, prevented the accomplishment of our wish, and one of the gentlemen favoured us with the appropriate song of the "Heaving of the lead," in a masterly stile.  The person whose turn it next was to regale us, declaring that nature had not favored him with any vocal powers, substituted an amusing anecdote; after which a compromise was arranged with the fair ones, by which they were prevailed on to  sing alternately with those gentlemen who could, and that those who could not, would relate a real story.  The moon rose clear, the night was charming, and the hour for dowsing the lights, and establishing tranquility in the cabins being ten o'clock, we preferred prolonging our agreeable recreation until a late hour, to descending to stew out the night in the regions below.