| To Captain Brink | 30 | dollars |
| George, the Steward | 10 | ” |
| Paid Griffin, the Black Steward, | 12 | ” |
| Paid Richard Wilson, the Black Cook, | 10 | ” |
Captain Brink lived on the west bank of the Hudson, opposite Clermont. After he had landed his passengers at the Chancellor’s dock, on the voyage up the river, he borrowed a rowboat, crossed the river, and brought his wife back to take the remainder of the trip, for he had promised “to take her to Albany on the boat driven by a tea-kettle.”
The chief engineer was a Scotchman who had to be discharged, for at Albany he went ashore and indulged too freely in drink as a celebration of the successful voyage. Fulton promoted Charles Dyke, assistant engineer, to his place, and he did so well that he remained for many years in Fulton’s employ, and in time became chief engineer of the first ferry-boat used at Fulton Ferry.
So Fulton proved himself not merely a master of mechanics, but also of management and administration of the new method of travel. He not only began well but continued wisely.
After Fulton reached New York he took time to write a letter to the one newspaper, the American Citizen, which had noted the departure of his boat. It was well that he did so, for this furnishes an historical record of the achievement. It is a simple and straightforward account of the voyage, with no extravagant predictions as to the future.
New York, August 20th, 1807.
To the Editor of the American Citizen,
Sir;