John Stevens
In February, 1812, John Stevens addressed the commissioners appointed by the State of New York to explore a route for the Erie Canal. John Stevens wanted to prove that railways would be much more in the public interest than the proposed canal.At the same time, John Stevens wrote to Robert Livingston requesting his influence in favor of railways. Both Livingston, as well as John Stevens' partner Robert Fulton were commissioners. Robert Livingston was involved in the steamboat business, holding a monopoly on navigation on the waters of New York State.
At that time, few businessmen supported the idea that both canals and railways were needed. Robert Livingston written reply to John Stevens expressed the common objections to the railway, as seen at the time.
Letter from Robert R. Livingston to John Stevens
Albany, 11th March, 1812.
"I did not, till yesterday, receive yours of the 5th of February; where it has loitered on the road I am at a loss to say. I had before read your very ingenious propositions as to the rail-way communication. I fear, however, on mature reflection, that they will be liable to serious objections, and ultimately more expensive than a canal. They must be double, so as to prevent the danger of two such heavy bodies meeting. The walls on which they are placed must at least be four feet below the surface, and three above, and must be clamped with iron, and even then, would hardly sustain so heavy a weight as you propose moving at the rate of four miles an hour on wheels. As to wood, it would not last a week; they must be covered with iron, and that too very thick and strong. The means of stopping these heavy carriages without a great shock, and of preventing them from running upon each other (for there would be many on the road at once) would be very difficult. In case of accidental stops, or the necessary stops to take wood and water, many accidents would happen. The carriage of condensed water would be very troublesome. Upon the whole, I fear the expense would be much greater than that of canals, without being so convenient."
Commissioners Disagree
John Stevens could not convince the commissioners. The letter from John Stevens was discussed. The commissioners stated that, "they have considered the said communication with the attention due to a gentleman whose scientific researches and knowledge of mechanical powers entitle his opinions to great respect, and are sorry not to concur in them."John Stevens, however, kept up the fight for railroads. He published all the correspondence, hoping to get aid from Congress for railroads. But the War of 1812 soon absorbed the attention of the country. Then came the Erie Canal, completed in 1825, and the extension into the Northwest of the great Cumberland Road. From St. Louis steamboats churned their way up the Missouri, connecting with the Santa Fe Trail to the Southwest and the Oregon Trail to the far Northwest. Still only horses, mules, and oxen carried travelers by land. However, travelling on land by steam power was about to happen.
