Steamboats in the Media

Videos

Steamboat Willie

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(Source: "Steamboat Willie"; YouTube)

"Happy Birthday" on a Calliope

(Source: "Happy Birthday on the Belle of Louisville Calliope"; YouTube)

Excerpt of "Ol' Man River" in the Show Boat Musical of 1936

(Source: "Ol' Man River"; YouTube)

Show Boat Musical at Lyric Opera

(Source: "Show Boat at Lyric Opera"; YouTube)

Newspaper Articles/Advertisements

(Source: "Robert Fulton's Steamboat"; American Citizen)

Transcript

“Mr. Fulton’s ingenious Steam Boat, invented with a view to the navigation of the Mississippi from New-Orleans upwards, sails to-day from the North River, near the State Prison, to Albany. The velosity [sic\ of the Steam Boat is calculated at four miles a hour; it is said that it will make a progress of two against the current of the Mississippi; and if so it will certainly be a very valuable acquisition to the commerce of the Western States.”

(Source: "Fulton's Steamboat"; American Citizen)

Transcript

“Mr. Fulton’s Steam-boat left the North River on Monday between one and two o’clock in the afternoon; at 10 o’clock in the evening she was opposite Tappan; between 2 and 3 o’clock on the following morning she was seen 6 miles beyond Newburgh, and at six o’clock she was seen by the Cornelia opposite Poughkeepsie; performing her voyage without sails, and in opposition to the wind and tide."

(Source: Fulton; American Citizen)

Transcript

“To the Editor of the American Citizen:

“Sir,
I arrived this afternoon at 4 o’clock, in the steam boat, from Albany. As the success of my experiment gives me great hope that such boats may be rendered of much importance to my country, to prevent erroneous opinions, and give some satisfaction to the friends of useful improvements, you will have the goodness to publish the following statement of facts:

“I left New-York on Monday at 1 o’clock, and arrived at Clermont, the seat of Chancellor Livingston, at 1 o’clock on Tuesday, time 24 hours, distance 110 miles; on Wednesday I departed from the Chancellor’s at 9 in the morning, and arrived at Albany at 5 in the afternoon, distance 40 miles, time 3 hours; the sum of this is 150 miles in 32 hours, equal near 5 miles an hour.

“On Thursday, at 9 o’clock in the morning, I left Albany, and arrived at the Chancellor’s at 6 in the evening; I started from thence at 7, and arrived at New-York on Friday at 4 in the afternoon; time 30 hours, space run through 150 miles, equals 5 miles an hour. Throughout he whole way my going and returning the wind was ahead; no advantage could be drawn from my sails – the whole has, therefore, been performed by the power of the steam engine.

“I am, Sir, Your most obedient, Robert Fulton.”

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“We congratulate Mr. Fulton and the country on his success in the Steam Boat, which cannot fail of being very advantageous. We understand that not the smallest inconvenience is felt in the boat either from heat or smoke.”

(Source: "Various Matters"; Columbia Democrat)

Description

An article called "Various Matters" located on this newspaper page contains information about several steamboat-related disasters, including explosions, burnings, and wreckages.