1821 Lyons Republican Canal Item

Submitted by Richard Palmer

Lyons Republican, Friday, Nov. 30, 1821

On Thursday last, the citizens of this place, were gratified with a
view of the elegant Packet-Boat, Myron Holley. She arrived at the aqueduct
on Wednesday evening, having on board a large number of persons from
Palmyra and other places adjacent to the canal. This boat is well
calculated for the accommodation of passengers, and is said to surpass any
one on the whole line of the canal. It is 80 feet in length, and 13 Ω in
width. It has two convenient rooms for passengers, and will accommodate one
hundred persons. It draws but 10 inches of water when loaded, and cost two
thousand dollars.

A great number of persons assembled to witness this truly interesting
scene. Between two and three hundred embarked on board, when she started
back for Palmyra, where she safely arrived the same evening. The banks were
literally lined with anxious spectators to behold this elegant specimen of
western enterprise. Owing to the unfavorableness of the weather the lock
and aqueduct were not in a situation to let the boat pass through,
otherwise she would have come down as far as this village. Mr. Seymour
Scovel, the owner of the boat, deserves great credit for his remitted
exertions in finishing and rendering her thus commodious.

This is the first boat of any magnitude, that has navigated the waters
of the Erie Canal, on this section, and we are not a little proud of having
it said, that even the forests of the west, have yielded to the
enterprising industry of man, and that boats of burden are now gently
gliding in the midst thereof. Every one present evinced a degree of
pleasure in witnessing, what they dreamed impracticable five years ago. The
boat is expected here again next week, should the weather prove favorable.