Why did John Fitch kill himself
2007-02-23 03:36:55 · 2 answers · asked by Megan L. Rinehart 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
As for poor John Fitch, the man who long before any one else had used the “steam-boat” for commercial purposes, he came to a sad death. Broken in health and empty of purse, he had come to the end of his resources when his fifth boat, which was propelled by means of a screw-propeller, had been destroyed. His neighbours jeered at him as they were to laugh a hundred years later when Professor Langley constructed his funny flying machines.
Fitch had hoped to give his country an easy access to the broad rivers of the west and his countrymen preferred to travel in flat-boats or go on foot. In the year 1798, in utter despair and misery, Fitch killed himself by taking poison.
2007-02-23 04:14:17 · answer #1 · answered by Eden* 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
John Fitch's life was a problem from the begining. When he decided to build the steamboat it failed miserably because it could only carry seven passengers and was much slower then the stagecoaches. People seemed to be much more concerned with speed thean comfort so not many people rode in it. The second boat he built ended up sinking. He felt dejected so he killed himself.
2007-02-23 11:57:03 · answer #2 · answered by swim_girl712 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋