Item #340 "Honor to whom honor is due." Origin of steam navigation. A view of Collect pond and its vicinity in the city of New York in 1793. On which pond, the first boat, propelled by steam with paddle wheels or screw propellers was constructed by John Fitch, six years before Robert Fulton made trial of his boat upon the river Seine, in France, and ten years prior to his putting into opperation [sic] his boat Clermont in New York; with a representation of the boat and its machinery, on the Collect pond. John Hutchings.

Hutchings, John

"Honor to whom honor is due." Origin of steam navigation. A view of Collect pond and its vicinity in the city of New York in 1793. On which pond, the first boat, propelled by steam with paddle wheels or screw propellers was constructed by John Fitch, six years before Robert Fulton made trial of his boat upon the river Seine, in France, and ten years prior to his putting into opperation [sic] his boat Clermont in New York; with a representation of the boat and its machinery, on the Collect pond.

Williamsburgh, L. Island: 1846. Item #340

Folio broadside lithograph. 340 x 482 mm. (15 3/4 x 19 inches). Text printed in three columns. Illustrated with an image of Fitch's boat the Perseverance in the upper right, Robert Fulton's Clermont in the upper left, and an image of Fitch's drawing of his Model Boat made in 1797. The broadside is folded, with wrinkles at the center fold, a small piece is missing from the upper right corner, a few tears at right margin; some insignificant water staining at right margin, otherwise sound and attractive.

A rare testimonial broadside, written by John Hutchings, who participated as a young boy in the launch of John Fitch's steam powered boat in the Collect Pond in New York City in 1846. Hutchings writes that he made this testimonial because he had not seen in print any reference to Fitch's invention and he though it incumbent upon himself to produce a record of the event. The first column of the broadside contains a short biography of Fitch, three testimonial letters supporting Hutchings claims, and a sworn statement by Hutchings, signed by the Commission of Deeds in New York that the information in the boardslide is true to the best of his recollection. The middle column illustrates Collect Pond in Lower Manhattan and local streets that intersect the waterway. The third column contains Hutchings's remarks on the launching of the Perseverance and states that Robert Fulton and Robert Livingston were passengers on the short voyage and also witnesses to Fitch's invention. This is followed by a description of the vessel, the nature of the steam boiler and the various apparatus that made it function. Finally, Hutchings states that Fitch abandoned of the project when he lost his investors and return to Kentucky where he died in 1798. He concludes with a very short history of steam navigation and the successful application of the power source by Fulton and beginning of an industry that was to thrive for over one hundred years.

Although unsigned, the lithograph was printed by Francis Michelin of New York in 1846. Peters makes mention of an apparent variant printing of the broadside, calling it one of Michelin's most "interesting" lithographs.

NUC lists copies at NYPL and the Huntington. OCLC adds University of Missouri and Connecticut Historical Society.
Appleton II, p. 471. Allibone I, p. 600. Concise Dictionary of American Biography I, p. 388. Peters, American on Stone, p. 282. (340).

Price: $600.00