At Burlington in this same year, 1809, the launching of the steamboat “Vermont” (of which they had talked so long) took place. The “Vermont” had been built second to the “Clermont” (launched on the Hudson, about two years before), but an unavoidable delay made her the fifth steamboat to be launched.
At great expense this passenger steamer had been built and was to run from White Hall to St. Johns in twenty-four hours! It was almost too much to ask the people to believe, said the newspapers! One and all they predicted failure. Steamboats in those days occupied much the same place in the estimation of the people as airships did a hundred years later. Many called it a foolish waste of money, and dangerous withal, but John Winans, who made the boat, was confident it would mark an epoch in history.
Larger and finer than the “Clermont,” the success of the “Vermont” on Lake Champlain does not concern our hero.
The streets were crowded with passengers from the mail coaches; the Foote House was taxed to capacity; four-, six- and eight-horse teams, with now and then a Canadian spike-team, blocked the thoroughfares.
Into this atmosphere of excitement and interest David and Goss cantered early that morning, and put up at the house of Mr. Loomis. This historic house had sheltered His Royal Highness, Edward, Duke of Kent, who, in the year 1793, was travelling with his suite in sleighs from Boston to Canada. It was built of logs hewn out with a broad-axe and made a most warm and fitting place for so great a personage to tarry in, not less comfortable did our two more humble friends find it sixteen years later.
Nothing eventful occurred after the launching of the boat except that Goss met a horse from Maryland, who gave him news of Mistress Lloyd, now married to an army officer, known as the dashing Lieutenant Tom Dulaney.
The Southern horse told him also of the lately opened Baltimore course and of the great race there between Mr. Ogle’s Oscar and First Consul, and how Oscar ran the second heat in the extraordinary time of 7:40, a speed that had never been exceeded for the same distance, and which seemed almost a miracle!
FOOTNOTES:
[11] “In the relations, duties, and pleasures of the road—and family-horse the Morgan has never had an equal in this country, no matter what his blood.”—John Wallace, Wallace’s Monthly.
[12] “I have always admired the Morgans. I believe that no family of horses has ever been produced which possesses in a high degree so many valuable qualities which go to make up an ideal gentleman’s roadster, a family, or all-purpose horse, as the family founded by Justin Morgan.”—S. W. Parlin, Editor, American Horse Breeder.