Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-12-10

but none dreamed, or # they did, they ncyei
told their dreams, of steam wagon for even
The name oi "a 'locoinOtiye' was then as un
known ~ 'lncuioco.' When, about n ycai
niicr the declaration of the last war witt
E.nglond, (snd may II he The las, y | got
letter from Jabez, marked private telling
the he wanted To see me 'most desputly,' an,
that must make him a visit at his pluc,
nigh Wallingford.' On reaching his res i
dcnce. imagine my surprise when he told ~,
he believed he 'hod got the noiion.'
Motion what notion 2 enqulred.
why says he, that steam wagon tell'C
you about. sUell ago; but udded be, 1T ha,
pretty nigh starved me out !; aud sure enough
he did look ~ though he had been on th,
anxious seat us he used TO say, when thing:
puzzled INN.
u have used up said he 'ploguey nigh aI
the sheet iron. aud old stove pipes and NIL
wheels, and trnnncl heads IN these parts
but I've succeeded aud for fear that some OF
these cute folks about Ecre may have GO, IA
peep through The kcy-bOe, and viii trouble
Inc when come to get patent, I've sent or
you 10 be witness for you was the 1rst and
only man J ever hnied the notion to; IN
TACT continued h", 4 think The most curious
part Of this invention is, that IA yet ! dou't
know any one about here who has been able
to guess what I'm about. They all know it's
an invention, OF some kind, for that's my
business, you know; but some say n's q
llthrlshIng machine, some a distillcry and OF
ate they begin TO think ii's u shinglG splitter;
but they'll sing another tune when they see
It spinning past the slngc coaches,' added he
with knowing chucke, won't they!'
/ This brought ~ To the door of an old clap.
boarded, dmgy, long, ,one-s,ory building, with
window or two 10 The roof, the knot holes
and cracks all carefully stuffed with old rags,
and over The door he Was unlocking. was
written, IN bold letters, mo ADMIrrANcE
IhIs was his 'sanctiiID sanc,orum.' There il
stood, occupying the centre OF all previous
conceptions, rat traps, churns, apple. pearcr,,
pm rollers, cooking stoves, and shlnglc split.
ters, which hung or stood around IT or as
my L'rd Byron says, with fcfencc To II
more ancient, Iut not more important inycn.
ton
II "Whcrc each conception was heavenly guest,
II ray ~ immortality, and stood
s'ariike around, untl they gathered to n Cod"
And there It stool, the concentrated 70
Gus of all previous rays of inventive genius
THE FIRST LOCOMOTIVE
An unpa'nied, unpoisl cd, unpdorncd. oven.
shaped mass, oi douberltlcd sheet iron
with cranks, aud pixies, aud irunne. heads
and screws, ana valves, all Grm!y braced on
four firmly made travelling wheels.
III Is curious crltter TO look at said Ju.
bcz. but you'll Ike It better, when YOU see il
Il IN notion
lie was By this time igniing quantity Of
charcoal, which lie had stui,d under he boil.
cr. 4 filed the bIIer,' says h", art,r op.
ped working yesterday, and 1t hau't leaked
drop since. IL will soon bile up; the coal
Is first rate
Sure enough the boiler soon gave evi.
dencc of troubled waters when by pushing
ono slide, aud pulling anorher, the whole
machine, crnnks and piston, was in motion.
u III works slick, don't ~ said Jubcz
But, replied III don't move
Il You menn,' sand he, the travelling wheels
don't move well don't mean they shall, I'LL
get my patent. You sec, lac added crouch.
ing down the trunncl head llicrc-ihat small
cog.whcel? We'll that's out Of gear Just y.,;
when turn Mn INTO gear, by this crank, 1t
II his, you see "h The main travelling wheel,
!, and then The hall scrape viii move as niph
/ ns can calculate, iecllc faster than chain
II lllebtnIh' and u dnrncd lectle too, But il
\ won't do 10 give 1t n Try. aturc | get the pa.
|, tent. There's only one thing yet he con.
4 ilnued, That han't conrivcd-but that is q
simple ma,ter-nnd tlot Is, the shortest mode
of stoppIn on her. My tirst no,,nn Is, to sec
how fast Can make her york, without smash
! ing all 10 bits, aud that is done by screw,ng
| down this upper yayC; and III show you.'
II And with that he clanbered up ON the top
and with u turning screw III one hand, and a
horn of soap tat III The other, commenced
| scrcwlmg down The valves, mud oiilnp the
piston rod and crank joints and The motion
! ui the mysterious mass Increased Ill II se.m
! cd buZ.
\ us nigh nbout perfection. amt ii:' said hc.
\ sioud amazed IN con,C Cmplatng the object
: before me, which confess ] could not fully
understand; and hence, with The greater
readiness, permitted my nlnd 10 bear of To
other matters more comprehensive ; To The
tnlure which Is alwuys more clear than The
present, under similar circumstances.
needed rot, for the best reason in the world
because | Understood not, the complicated
description that Jabez was giving of bis slili
more complicated machine. All knew was
That here was a machine on four good slur.
dy well brIccd wheels, aud Il only required a
|. recorded patent 10 authorize that email con.
/ Meeting wheel or trunneI head 10 be thrown
! into gear when 1t would move oft, without
! hay. oats or horse shoes, aud distance mail
ii Coaches. AS was surrounded with notions
1t was not exlraordinary that one should lake
II " hen first saw the machine put iD motion.
and 1t was now full orbed above The horizon
of my desire II was to see The first ocomo-
tive move Of. The temptation was irreslst.
Ibc. And who Knows thought !, but some
pryIng scamp may have been 'peeplng lhro'
the key hole while Jnbez was ot work,
aud catching The idea, may be now at work
Il at some clumsy imitation i-und If lie does
1 not succeed ~ turning the first trick, may at
least dlWde the houors with my friend"
n 'Jabez,' sald ], elevatIng my voice above
ihepnzzIng noise at the machine there's
only one thing wanting
Il What's that" sald he, eagerly.
Immortality SAID I; and you shall have |
lave 1t, patent or no paenl;' And with that /
4 pulled the crank that twisted the connect.
I ing tuhncI head into The travelling wheels,
aud IN an instant away went tie machine
with Jabez on the top of II, with the uhlz nnd
Il rapicny of finished partridge. The sde of
the old building presented the rcslstprce Of
wet paper. One crash, and the first locomo.
\ tlve' was ushcred INTO iliIg breathing world.
II hurried 10 the op, nlng, aud had lu.t time
\ to chamber TO HE top OF The fence TO catch
H..