4 May 1843
adams-john10 Neal Millikan Steam Power Unitarianism
505 Philadelphia Thursday 4. May 1843. New-York— Steamer Cleopatra.

4. V. Thursday.

There are two lines of daily conveyance— One, departing at 7. in the morning, which after crossing the river to Camden proceeds to Amboy by the Railway to Amboy, and thence in a Steamboat to New-York—arriving there between 2 and 3 O’Clock P.M. The other, crossing the river at 9. and proceeding by the Railway to the Ferry at Powle’s hook, or Jersey city, and arriving at New-York between 3 and 4 P.M— I had determined to take the early line, and for that purpose rose at 5. and wrote till past 6. then breakfasted alone; but being visited while at breakfast by an old ex member of Congress whose name I did not remember was delayed till I had scanty time to reach the wharf— My trunk carried in a hand cart by a man from the hotel but I missed my way, and going first to the chesnut Street and thence to the market street wharf, finally returning to the true walnut street wharf saw the ferry-boat move off from it and lost my passage to Camden— The carrier from Jones’s had just turned round with his cart and was taking my trunk back to the hotel, when by a short race I overtook him, and made him lodge my trunk in the corner room where the ticket office is kept, and it being a public house, engaged a chamber till the next boat should go. had my trunk taken up in the chamber; and there finished writing the journal of yesterday.— I thus avoided the ennui and waste of two lost hours of time and how many such hours I might have saved had I throughout my life resorted to similar expedients— Nine O’Clock came and I had lost no time, and made no arrears of journal— Crossing the river to Camden I met Mr Furness the Unitarian Minister escorting two of his nieces named Osborne, who were returning from a visit of some weeks to him, to their home in Connecticut—he introduced them to me, and recommended them to my attentions.— He left them seated in the Cars, and I took a seat near them. I met too in the boat a man by the name of Bradshaw a native of Massachusetts, who claimed old acquaintance with me, and charged me with having forgotten him, which was true, but which I promised him, should not happen again— In the Cars also there was Mrs. Whitney, wife of one of my neighbours going home from a visit to her daughter— The cars rolled steadyly and smoothly on to the ferry boat at Jersey city, on crossing which to New-York, a young man a brother of the two young Ladies met them and escorted them to the Steamer Cleopatra bound to Norwich, in which I also engagement? was finally to embark— My trunk had been first shipped in the Steamer Rhode Island bound to Stonington, lying on the other side of the wharf I walked round the battery and to the exchange, where I paid a visit to Lewis Tappan, who introduced to me the Revd Mr Raymond returned from the Mendian Mission.

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