Old Steamboat Days on The Hudson River
By: David Lear Buckman, The Grafton Press, 1907

CHAPTER 6

Steamboat Evolution

The shipyards of New York and Greenpoint and along the Hudson were more than busy with the large number of boats under construction, and the activity in this line continued for many years.

Some of the builders of the larger boats were Henry Eckford, Brown & Bell, Blossom, Smith & Dimon, George Collyer, William H. Brown of New York, C. Bergh, Devine & Burtis, John Englis, William Capes, Lawrence & Sneden, E. S. Whitlock of Brooklyn, M. S. Allison of Jersey City, William Brown of Ryde Park, Mr. Kenyon of Albany, Morton & Edmonds and Van Loan & Magee of Athens and Marvel & Company of Newburgh.

Robert McQueen and James P. Allaire built nearly all the engines for the river boats constructed before 1830, but those for the Swallow, Rochester and other famous boats of that period were from the West Point Foundry, a plant noted for its output of machinery. James Cunningham, Hogg & Delarnater, Fletcher, Harrison & Company, T. F. Secor & Company and the Neptune Iron Works were the most active producers of steamboat engines during the forties and fifties.

Following the example set by Fulton in the construction of the boiler for the Clermont, the boilers of all the best boats were built of copper as iron was found to be so liable to burst, and this fact made the construction of new boats very costly. The Clermont’s boiler weighed 4,399 pounds and at 2s. 2d. a pound cost £476. 11s. 2d. as is carefully noted by Mr. Fulton in his cash account covering the expenses of building this first steamboat. The boiler of the Chancellor Livingston weighed 44,000 pounds and that of the James Kent 60,000 pounds, which at recent rates would have made the copper in the boiler alone worth nearly $15,000. As it was, the Kent’s boilers were worth nearly one-third of the cost of the boat.

It was not until 1830 that tubular boilers were introduced on the boats, the Novelty being the first to have that distinction, and it was some ten years later that the burning of anthracite coal under the boilers was successfully introduced by Isaac Newton on the North and South America and the expense of fuel was cut down one-half. The large wood-burning boilers had required a prodigal expenditure of cordwood, which also demanded a large amount of deck room for stowage, and the introduction of hard coal fuel was considered one of the greatest advancements made in steamboat building.

Another of Isaac Newton’s successful experiments was a small boat, the Balloon, built in 1839. She was one hundred and sixty feet in length and eighteen feet beam, but was very fast, having extra large paddle wheels for her size.

He also designed the Isaac Newton in 1846 and the New World in 1847 and they ran for several years as day boats. In 1855, however, both were converted into night boats, the latter being lengthened some sixty feet and a double tier of staterooms added. When these two boats appeared after their alterations, New Yorkers opened their eyes, and they were called floating palaces. Newton had introduced the grand saloon extending through two decks and surrounded with galleries. The New World was fitted up with Corinthian columns and trim and the Newton in Gothic. The saloons were lighted with gas, the cabin furnishings were elaborate and in many respects nothing approaching in elegance the two new night boats had never before been seen afloat.

The many new accommodations that these boats afforded travelers not only made a distinctive type for river boats which has since been closely followed, but did much to establish the popularity of the line with which they were identified and which has since been largely retained. The New World continued in the service until her mishap in 1861 and the Newton until she burned in December, 1863.

As early as 1844 there was an iron hull steamer on the river named the Iron Witch. She was subsequently rebuilt and named the Eric. The hull and engines were both constructed by Hogg & Delamater of New York. She was two hundred and twenty-five feet long and twenty-seven feet beam. She ran from New York to Albany. It was not until within a comparatively short time that any further attempts were made to introduce iron or steel into the hull construction of the river boats. All the recent additions to the river fleet have, however, steel hulls and water-tight bulkheads.

The boats of the Fulton type were built with their boilers well down in the hull of the boat, but in 1826, the New Philadelphia appeared with her boilers built on her guards, a form of construction that prevailed for many years.

Many still regard the old boats, such as the Mary Powell and Dean Richmond, more picturesque, affording glimpses of the stokers tossing the fuel into the fiery furnaces, than the newer boats which have reverted to the type of boats with the boilers down in the hold of the vessel. It is not at all likely, however, that any more steamers will be built of that variety, as the modern boats afford much more deck room than those of the other construction.

The propeller type of steamboat has never attained much popularity on the Hudson River, though there have been several excellent specimens of that class in service and some smart boats of that description of comparatively recent construction are now running on regular lines. They are apparently too narrow in beam to afford an opportunity for lofty construction, grand saloons and imposing cabin vistas, which the public seem to desire in traveling on the river.

All of the old boats were stiffened and hulls made to carry the enormous load of engines and boilers by resorting to a “hog frame.” This was a framework of heavy timbers, built up truss fashion to which lifting rods were attached. These heavy “hog frames” are no longer resorted to in modern built boats and the trusses are entirely out of sight, giving the newer vessels a much neater and smarter appearance.

With the advance in mechanical appliances came the steam steering devices, rendering it unnecessary to have four stalwart quartermasters to handle the big double steering wheels in the pilot houses of the larger steamers; electric dynamos for lights supplanted the cumbersome gas machines that were in turn an advance on the kerosene cabin lights, and feathering wheels have made it possible to so reduce the diameter of the paddles, that it is now possible to walk the length of the lower deck without climbing over the crank shaft or “ducking” to go under it.

The evolution of the steamboat from the primitive Clermont, on which Fulton sailed up the Hudson one hundred years ago, to the boats that now daily ply the river, affording every convenience to the passengers to be found in a first-class hotel on land, is truly wonderful.

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