In the year 1800, merchants residing a hundred miles, or more, from New York, and distant from the North River ten or fifteen miles, sent their bed and bedding to the landing from which they were to sail for the city, by a team, and themselves followed on horseback. At the landing, their bed, &c., was placed on board the sloop that conveyed their produce to market, and by it they took passage for the city. The horse was put to pasture, or in the stable, until their return, when the owner rode him home; and by the team that went for the merchandise the bed and bedding were returned. Such was the convenience of traveling at that day.

In November, 1806, five gentlemen associated themselves together, for the purpose "of rendering the passage between Hudson and New York by water more expeditious, convenient, and pleasant to ladies and gentlemen traveling North and South through the State of New York, as well as to promote the interest of those concerned" (as expressed in the words of the agreement), by building a packet of one hundred and ten tons burthen, for the purpose of carrying passengers only. To accomplish this object, they bound themselves to each other to furnish the sum of six thousand dollars. In accordance with this agreement, the superior packet sloop Experiment was built, and superbly fitted up with state-rooms and berths, her whole length below deck for the accommodation of passengers, and performed the passage between New York and Hudson in an unprecedented short space of time.

In January 1807, some new names were added to the original subscribers, and a further agreement entered into to build another packet of the same class, and for like purposes, to accomplish which the subscriptions were increased to twelve thousand dollars. This packet, like the first, was fitted up in style, and placed, with the other, on the North River; and at the time the two created quite an excitement. We have before us a bill and a receipt for a passage on board one of these vessels forty years ago. It is somewhat formal, and we give it at length as a curiosity, as it shows the manner in which things were done on the North River at that day.

The passage referred to was performed in twenty-seven hours:__

"Sloop Experiment, Laban Paddock master, for the accommodation of passengers on the North River, will sail from Hudson every Wednesday morning at ten o'clock, and from New York every Saturday evening, at six o'clock. And the sloop Experiment, Elihu S. Bunker, master, for the same purpose will sail from Hudson every Sunday morning, at nine o'clock, and from New York every Wednesday evening, at five o'clock, throughout the season.

"On board the Experiment, Captain Laban Paddock.

                                                                                                                                 May 2, 1810.

Dr. J___P___

For passage and provisions from Hudson to New York : Five Dollars
Spirits
Madeira wine
Port do
Sherry do
Porter
Cider
Punch

Received payment in full,

                                                                                                ABISHA JENKINS"

In 1807 Fulton made his successful passage to Albany by steam; and in 1810 the old North River steamboat was performing the distance between Albany and New York in thirty-six hours; and Oliver Evans of Philadelphia, was predicting that the person was then living who would see the distance between Philadelphia and Boston accomplished in three days. This individual made a number of useful improvements. He commenced a steamboat on the Delaware before Fulton, but had not the means to finish it. He was many years in advance of the age in which he lived, and finally died in New York about the year 1819.

The old North River boat, in her original construction, had a strange appearance. Her water-wheels were without houses, as at the present day, and crossheads connected with the piston, instead of the walking-beam, now in general use. The countryman, when he first saw her from Hudson, told his wife he had seen the devil going to Albany in a sawmill.

After the North River, the Car of Neptune was built, then the Lady Richmond, the Paragon, the Chancellor Kent, and others. Afterward, lines were formed to New Brunswick, New Haven and Providence, and to Charleston and New Orleans; and, at a later period, from Liverpool to Boston and New York, and from New York to Bremen. Recently, Collins' splendid line of steamers from New York to Liverpool have commenced their trips. In the mean time, the Mississippi, and the great lakes, are alive with steamers; and lines are forming to connect with Havre. Railroads are threading the country in every direction, even to competition with the North River. What is to be the end, for steam is yet but in its infancy?

In connection with the sloop Experiment, was a project by the same parties to run a horse-boat on the North River from Hudson to Albany, uniting at the former place with the sloops. This appears from articles of agreement entered into by the parties, which are now before us. This experiment was made in 1810, and proved a failure. There is reason to suppose the sloops proved profitable at first, but they were driven from the river by the steamboats. They were sold, and a final settlement of their accounts made in February, 1813.

Steamboats on the North River first performed their trips with wood. Lackawana coal was afterward introduced, by which the expense of fuel was reduced from $150 a trip to $30. This was the commencement of a new era in steam boating, hardly less important than the original application of steam to boats.