Steve and the Steam Engine

by Sara Ware Bassett

  CHAPTER XIII

  DICK MAKES HIS SECOND APPEARANCE

  When Mr. Ackerman's car rolled up to the hotel later in the morning thepuzzle no longer lacked a solution for in the automobile beside thesteamboat magnate sat Dick Martin, the lad of the pocketbook adventure.At first glance Steve scarcely recognized the boy, such a transformationhad taken place in his appearance. He wore a new suit of blue serge, asmartly cut reefer, shiny shoes, a fresh cap, and immaculate linen. Soapand water, as well as a proper style of haircut had added their part tothe miracle until now, with face glowing and eyes alight with pleasure,Dick was as attractive a boy as one would care to see.

  "I have brought Dick along with me, you see," the New Yorker explained,when the three were in the car and speeding up Fifth Avenue. "He and Ihave been shopping and now he is coming home to stay with me until wehear from one of the schools to which I have written. If they can find aplace for him he will start at once. Then he is going to study hard andsee what sort of a man he can make of himself. I expect to be very proudof him some day."

  The lad flushed.

  "I am going to do my best," said he, in a low tone.

  "That is all any one can do, sonny," declared Mr. Ackerman kindly."You'll win out. Don't you worry! I'm not."

  He smiled and Dick smiled back timidly.

  "Have you been up to Mr. Ackerman's house yet and seen the boats?"Stephen asked, to break the pause that fell between them.

  "His collection, you mean? Sure! I'm--staying there."

  "Living there, sonny," put in the financier.

  "Then I suppose he's told you all about them," went on Stephen, a hintof envy in his tone.

  "I haven't yet," laughed their host, "for there hasn't been time. Dickonly left the hotel yesterday and we have had a great deal to do since.We had to go to his lodgings and say good-by to the people there whohave been kind to him and tell them why he was not coming back. And thenthere were errands and many other things to see to. So he has not beenat home much yet," concluded Mr. Ackerman, with a kindly emphasis on thefinal sentence.

  Dick beamed but it was evident that the magnitude of his good fortunehad left him too overwhelmed for words.

  Perhaps neither of the boys minded that there was little conversationduring the drive for there was plenty to see and to Dick Martin, atleast, an automobile ride was such an uncommon experience that itneeded no embellishments. They rode up Morningside Drive and back again,looking down on the river as they went, and exclaiming when some unusualcraft passed them. Evidently Mr. Ackerman was quite content to letmatters take their natural course; but he was not unmindful of hisguests and when at last he saw a shadow of fatigue circle Dick's eyesand give place to the glow of excitement that had lighted them he said:

  "Now suppose we go back to the house for a while. We have an hour ormore before Stephen has to rejoin his father and you two chaps can pokeabout the suite. What do you say?"

  Steve was all enthusiasm. He had been quietly hoping there would be achance for him to have another peep at the wonderful steamboats.

  "I'd like nothing better!" was his instant reply. "I did not see half Iwanted to when I was there before, and we go home to-morrow, you know.If I don't see your ships and things to-day I never shall."

  "Oh, don't say that!" Mr. Ackerman said quickly. "You and Dick and I aregoing to be great friends. We are not going to say good-by and never seeone another any more. Sometime you will be coming to New York again, Ihope. However, if he wants to have a second glimpse of our boats nowwe'll let him, won't we, Dick?"

  Again the boy smiled a timid smile into his benefactor's face.

  "I wish you'd tell me about this queer littleold-fashioned boat." Page 181.]

  It did not take long to reach the house and soon the three were in thewonderful room with its panorama of ships moving past the windows andits flotilla of still more ships decorating the walls.

  "Now you boys go ahead and entertain yourselves as you please," Mr.Ackerman said. "I am going to sit here and read the paper; but if thereis anything you want to ask me you are welcome to do so."

  Stephen strolled over to the mantelpiece and stood before the model ofthe quaint side-wheeler that had held his attention at the time of hisfirst visit; then he stole a furtive glance at the man in the big chair.

  "Did you really mean, Mr. Ackerman," he faltered, "that we could ask youquestions?"

  "Certainly."

  "Then I wish you'd tell me about this queer little old-fashioned boat,and how you happened to put it between this up-to-date ocean liner andthis battleship."

  The elder man looked up.

  "That boat that interests you is a model of Fulton's steamboat--or atleast as near a model as I could get," explained he. "I put it there toshow the progress we have made in shipbuilding since that day."

  Steve laughed.

  "I see the progress all right," replied he, "but I am afraid I do notknow much about Fulton and his side-wheeler."

  Mr. Ackerman let the paper slip into his lap.

  "I assumed every boy who went to school learned about Robert Fulton,"answered he, half teasingly and yet with real surprise.

  "I suppose I ought to have learned about him," retorted Stephen, withingratiating honesty, "and maybe I did once. But if I did I seem to haveforgotten about it. You see there are such a lot of those old chaps whodid things that I get them all mixed up."

  Apparently the sincerity of the confession pleased the capitalist for helaughed.

  "I know!" returned he sympathetically. "Every year more and more thingsroll up to remember, don't they? Had we lived long ago, before so manybattles and discoveries had taken place, and so many books been written,life would have been much simpler. Now the learning of all the agescomes piling down on our heads. But at least you can congratulateyourself that you are not so badly off as the boys will be a hundredyears hence; they, poor things, will have to learn all about what _we_have been doing, and if the world progresses as rapidly in history andin science as it is doing now, I pity them. Not only will they have togo back to Fulton but to him they will probably have to add a score ofother inventors."

  Both boys joined in the steamboat man's hearty laugh.

  "Well, who was Fulton, anyway, Mr. Ackerman?" Stephen persisted.

  "If you want me to tell you that Robert Fulton was the first American tomake a successful steamboat I can give you that information in asecond," was the reply. "But if you wish to hear how he did it that is amuch longer story."

  "I like stories," piped Dick from the corner of the couch where he wassitting.

  "So do I," echoed Steve.

  "Then I see there is no help for me!" Mr. Ackerman answered, taking offhis spectacles and putting them into the case.

  With an anticipatory smile Stephen seated himself on the great leatherdivan beside the other boy.

  "Before the steamboat came," began Mr. Ackerman, "you must remember thatpaddle wheels had long been used, for both the Egyptians and the Romanshad built galleys with oars that moved by a windlass turned by the handsof slaves or by oxen. Later there were smaller boats whose paddle wheelswere driven by horses. So you see paddle wheels were nothing new; theworld was just waiting for something that would turn them around. Afterthe Marquis of Worcester had made his steam fountain he suggested thatperhaps this power might be used to propel a boat but unfortunately hedied before any experiments with the idea could be made. Variousscientists, however, in Spain, France, England and Scotland caught upthe plan but after struggling unsuccessfully with it for a timeabandoned it as impractical. In 1802 Lord Dundas, a proprietor in one ofthe English canals, made an encouraging start by using a tow-boat witha paddle wheel at its stern. But alas, this contrivance kicked up such afuss in the narrow stream that it threatened to tear the banks along theedge all to pieces and therefore it was given up and for ten yearsafterward there was no more steamboating in England."

  The boys on the couch chuckled.

  "In the meantime in America thoughtful men were mul
ling over the problemof steam navigation. Watt's engine had opened to the minds of inventorsendless possibilities; and the success of the early railroads made manypersons feel that a new era of science, whose wonders had only begun tounfold, was at hand. In Connecticut there lived a watchmaker by the nameof John Fitch, who, although he knew little of the use of steam, knewmuch about machinery. Through the aid of a company that furnished himwith the necessary money he built a steamboat which was tried out in1787 and made three miles an hour. Of course it was not a boat like anyof ours for it was propelled by twelve oars, or paddles, operated by avery primitive steam engine. Nevertheless, it was the forerunner oflater and better devices of a similar nature, and therefore Fitch isoften credited with being the inventor of the steamboat. Perhaps, had hebeen able to go on with his schemes, he might have given the worldsomething really significant in this direction; but as it was he simplypointed the way. His money gave out, the company would do nothingfurther for him, and after building a second boat that could go eightmiles an hour instead of three he became discouraged and intemperate andlet his genius go to ruin, dying later in poverty--a sad end to a lifethat might well have been a brilliant one. After Fitch came otherexperimenters, among them Oliver Evans of Philadelphia who seems to havebeen a man of no end of inventive vision."

  "Wasn't he the one who tried sails on a railroad train?" inquired Steve,noting with pleasure the familiar name.

  "He was that very person," nodded Mr. Ackerman. "He evidently had plentyof ideas; the only trouble was that they did not work very well. He hadalready applied steam to mills and wagons, and now he wanted to see whathe could do with it aboard a boat. Either he was very impractical orelse hard luck pursued his undertakings. At any rate, he had a boatbuilt in Kentucky, an engine installed on it, and then he had the craftfloated to New Orleans from which point he planned to make a trip up theMississippi. But alas, before his boat was fully ready, there was a dropin the river and the vessel was left high and dry on the shore."

  "Jove!" exclaimed Dick involuntarily.

  "Pretty tough, wasn't it?" remarked Mr. Ackerman.

  "What did he do then?" demanded Stephen. "Did he resurrect the boat?"

  "No, it did not seem to be any use; instead he had the engine and boilertaken out and put into a saw mill where once again hard luck pursuedhim, for the mill was burned not long after. That was the end of OliverEvans's steamboating."

  Mr. Ackerman paused thoughtfully.

  "Now while Fitch and those following him were working at the steamboatidea here in America, Robert Fulton, also a native of this country, wasturning the notion over in his mind. Strangely enough, he had notintended to be an inventor for he was in France, studying to be apainter. During a visit to England he had already met several men whowere interested in the steam engine and through them had informedhimself pretty thoroughly about the uses and action of steam. In Parishe made the acquaintance of a Mr. Barlow and the two decided to raisefunds and build a steamboat to run on the Rhone. This they did, butunfortunately the boat sank before any degree of success had beenachieved. Then Fulton, not a whit discouraged, told the FrenchGovernment that if they would furnish the money he would build a similarboat to navigate the Seine. The French, however, had no faith in theplan and promptly refused to back it."

  "I'll bet they wished afterward they had!" interrupted Dick.

  "I presume they did," agreed Mr. Ackerman. "It is very easy to see one'smistakes after a thing is all over. Anyway, Mr. Barlow came back toAmerica, where Fulton joined him, and immediately the latter went tobuilding a steamboat that should be practical. On his way home he hadstopped in England and purchased various parts for his engine and whenhe got to New York he had these set up in an American boat. You must notfor a moment imagine that everything about this first steamboat ofFulton's was original. On the contrary he combined what was best in theexperiments of previous inventors. He adopted the English type ofengine, the side paddle, everything that seemed to him workable. Barlowand a rich New Yorker named Livingston backed the enterprise. Now sometime before the State of New York, half in jest and half in irony, hadgranted to Livingston the sole right to navigate the New York waters bymeans of ships driven by steam or fire engines. At the time theprivilege had caused much mirth for there were nothing but sailing shipsin existence, and there was no prospect of there ever being any otherkind of vessel. Hence the honor was a very empty one and nobody expecteda time would arrive when it would ever be of any value to its owner. ButLivingston was a shrewder and more far-seeing man than were the oldlegislators at Albany, and to Fulton he was an indispensable ally."

  The boy listened breathlessly.

  "How these three men managed to keep their secret so well is a mystery;but apparently they did, and when Fulton suddenly appeared on theHudson with a steamboat named the _Clermont_ for Mr. Livingston'scountry seat on the Palisades, the public was amazed. A model of theboat with a miniature engine had previously been tried out so the threepromoters had little doubt that their project would work, and it did. Asthe new craft moved along without any sails to propel it the sensationit made was tremendous. People were divided as to whether to flee fromit in terror or linger and marvel at it. It is a pity that thenewspapers of the period did not take the advent of this remarkableinvention more seriously for it would have been interesting to know moreof the impression it created. As it was little is recorded about it.Probably the very silence of the press is significant of the fact thatthere was scant faith in the invention, and that it was considered toovisionary a scheme to dignify with any notice. However that may be, thenewspapers passed this wonderful event by with almost no comment.History, however, is more generous and several amusing stories have comedown to us of the fright the _Clermont_ caused as she crept along theriver at dusk with a shower of vermilion sparks rising from her funnel.One man who came around a bend of the stream in his boat and encounteredthe strange apparition for the first time told his wife afterward thathe had met the devil traveling the river in a sawmill."

  There was a shout of laughter from the boys.

  "The trial trip, to which many distinguished guests were invited, tookplace a few days later, and after improving some of the defects thatcropped up the steamboat was advertised to run regularly between NewYork and Albany. Now if you think this announcement was hailed with joyyou are much mistaken," continued Mr. Ackerman, smiling to himself atsome memory that evidently amused him. "On the contrary the owners ofthe sailing ships which up to this time had had the monopoly of trafficwere furious with rage. So vehemently did they maintain that the riverbelonged to them that at last the matter went to the courts and DanielWebster was retained as Fulton's counsel. The case attracted wideattention throughout the country, and when it was decided in Fulton'sfavor there was great excitement. Every sort of force was brought tobear to thwart the new steamboat company. Angry opponents tried to blowup the boat as it lay at the dock; attempts were made to burn it. Atlength affairs became so serious that a clause was appended to thecourt's decree which made it a public crime punishable by fine orimprisonment to attempt to injure the _Clermont_."

  Mr. Ackerman paused to light a fresh cigar.

  "From the moment the law took this stand the success of the undertakingbecame assured and it is interesting to see how quickly the very men whojeered loudest at the enterprise now came fawning and begging to have apart in it. Other steamboats were added to the line and soon rivalfirms began to construct steamboats of their own and try to break upFulton's monopoly of the waters of the State. For years costly lawsuitsraged, and in defiance of the right the New York legislature had grantedto Livingston, the fiercest competition took place. Sometime I shouldlike to tell you more of this phase of the story for it is a veryexciting and interesting yarn. Yet in spite of all the strife and hatredthat pursued him Fulton's river-boats and ferries continued to run."

  "The State stuck to its bargain, then," murmured Steve, "and leftLivingston the rights awarded him?"

  "No," replied Mr. Ackerman. "Fo
r a time they clung to their agreement;but at last the courts withdrew the right as illegal, and poorLivingston, who had sunk the greater part of his fortune in thesteamboat business, lived to see the fruit of his toil wrested from him.In point of fact, I believe the decision of the courts to have been ajust one for no one person or group of persons should control thewaterways of the country. You can see the wisdom of this yourself.Nevertheless, the decree hit Livingston pretty hard. It was the firststep in the destruction of a monopoly," added Mr. Ackerman whimsically."Since then such decrees have become common happenings in America,monopolies being considered a menace to national prosperity. Certainlyin this case it was well that the Supreme Court of the United Statesdecided that all waters of the country should be free to navigators, nomatter in what kind of vessel they chose to sail."

  "It was tough on Fulton and his friends, though, wasn't it?" observedDick, who was plainly unconvinced as many another had been of thejustice of the arguments.

  "Yes," agreed Mr. Ackerman, smiling into his troubled eyes, "I grant youit was tough on them."