Part 4 (1/2)

Paragon, built in 1811 331 ”

Richmond, built in 1813 370 ”

It makes one smile to read the newspaper notices of those days. The time was rather long, and the fare rather high--thirty-six hours to Albany, fare seven dollars.

_From the Albany Gazette, September, 1807._

”The North River Steamboat will leave Paulus Hook Ferry on Friday the 4th of September, at 9 in the morning, and arrive at Albany at 9 in the afternoon on Sat.u.r.day. Provisions, good berths, and accommodation are provided. The charge to each pa.s.senger is as follows:

To Newburg Dols. 3, Time 14 hours.

Poughkeepsie ” 4, ” 17 ”

Esopus ” 5, ” 20 ”

Hudson ” 5, ” 30 ”

Albany ” 7, ” 36 ”

For places apply to Wm. Vandervoort, No. 48 Courtland street, on the corner of Greenwich street, September 2d, 1807.”

The wind blew over the land and the waves With its salt sea-breath, and a spicy balm, And it seemed to cool my throbbing brain, And lend my spirit its gusty calm.

_Richard Henry Stoddard._

_Extract from the New York Evening Post, October 2, 1807._

Mr. Fulton's new-invented steamboat, which is fitted up in a neat style for pa.s.sengers, and is intended to run from New York to Albany as a packet, left here this morning with ninety pa.s.sengers, against a strong head wind. Notwithstanding which, it is judged that she moved through the waters at the rate of six miles an hour.

_Extract from the Albany Gazette, October 5th, 1807._

Friday, October 2d, 1807, the steamboat (Clermont) left New York at ten o'clock a.m., against a stormy tide, very rough water, and a violent gale from the north. She made a headway beyond the most sanguine expectations, and without being rocked by the waves.

Arrived at Albany, October 4th, at 10 o'clock p.m., being detained by being obliged to come to anchor, owing to a gale and having one of her paddle wheels torn away by running foul of a sloop.

But see! the broadening river deeper flows, Its tribute floods intent to reach the sea.

_Park Benjamin._

The following was recently recopied in the _Poughkeepsie Eagle_, as an old time reminiscence:

=To Poughkeepsie from New York in Seventeen Hours.=

--The first steamboat on the Hudson River pa.s.sed Poughkeepsie August 17th, 1807, and in June, 1808, the owners of the boat caused the following advertis.e.m.e.nt to be published in prominent papers along the river:

=STEAMBOAT.=

FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE PUBLIC.

The Steamboat will leave New York for Albany every Sat.u.r.day afternoon exactly at 6 o'clock, and will pa.s.s:

West Point, about 4 o'clock Sunday morning.