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I have a story about a piece of technological history that has  probably been lost for good.  As I was their when the Marine archeologists lifted it from its watery grave, mounted aboard the Steamship Columbus.

I had worked for the Baltimore Maritime Museum, before I became a Marine Machinery Technician for the Army in 1989. We used our tugboats, floating derrick, and our construction dive team, to help recover one of Robert Fulton’s first steam engines, which sank in the hull of the Steamship Columbus; in the mouth of the Potomac River in the early 1800’S if memory serves me correctly.

I will have to (dig out of my garage) the only published story (that I know of on this issue) to use as evidence for my claim. But again I was their when we lifted the massive steam engine, torched it in half, and transported it to our docks for pick up.

The little bit of knowledge I have about maritime history, and preservation of such artifacts is limited; but I know that at least half of the engine rusted away at our pier while waiting for the marine archeologist (that never showed up) when the tractor trailer was waiting for its pick up, to be shipped and treated in a bath electro-magnetically to prevent corrosion.

I also know as a marine equipment technician, that Oxygen will quickly reduce old iron to dust on something that old! We had even placed sprinkler systems on our barges, and pier to help slow the corrosion process.

It is my understanding that half the engine was to be treated, preserved, and exhibited at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor by the, Baltimore Maritime Museum (my previous job) so I took a distinct interest in this piece of Maritime History.

The other half was shipped to the South Street Seaport Museum in New York, for treatment and then display. A place I had visited while working aboard the USNPS Lightship Chesapeake prior to the statue of liberty re-dedication, as apart of Op-Sail.

I once even tried to contact the museum about the artifact, yet they could find no record of it!

I remember the Steam Piston being about five to eight foot in diameter; (since the engine crankcase was cut in half) with a piston ring made of 3"- 4" diameter rope hemp, as it could be seen when lifted from the river bed. The connecting rod looked proportionally the same as any other from a piston that large about 10' long, but it is hard to recall from almost twenty years ago correct sizes.

It was my understanding that the engine half’s were insured for about a million dollars a piece; this was since the National library had burnt down, that held the original drawings from Robert Fulton, of this early designed engine.

That’s about all I can recall from memory about the Steamship Columbus mission; but it would not be hard to collaborate this story from other Personnel on scene that day.

I will try and dig out the old 97th ARCOM newsletter and maybe share it later.