The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1851-02-22

NEW RAILROAD INVENTIONS
winter, the Legislature of Virginia appro-
priated $4,000 to- test the invention of J..
French. Of Old Point Comfort. in an i'm
pr"vcu,ent on locomotives for ascending
steep grades, and eh Saturday two weeks
ago. as we learn by the Richmond Enquir-
er. the first experiment was made. Mr.
French expended u large sum IN arranging
locomotive and car for the pnrpose. and
for laying down railway on the opposite
side Of the river. mile above Richmond.
On this railway the road. as constructed
by Mr. French. is urOre than third Of u
mile in length. on a grade of 900 feet 10
the mile. The ends Of the sills are cut of
square with the string pieces; the rail, six
inches wide and three fourths Of an inch
thick, is placed upon the string pieces, and
extends outwards two and half inches.
thus affording an under-surface, against
which pair Of rollers (the simple principle
Of the whole invention) are pressed.
These rollers Or wheels are suspended from
the engine, little in advance of the
driving wheels. and are pressed against
the extended rail by lever, by the regula-
ton of which any amount Of adhesion may
be obtained.
The engine used for the experiment vas
only 81 tons, and was built by Messrs
| bNSso N DctdWdtdF, VI ~. CITY, untIcr
the superintentlance of Captain John Err
| rickson, a gentleman we'll known Tor his
great mechanical talents Up this grade
Of 200 feet, this little engine drew "A pas
senger car filled with about 100 passsen.
gers, at "a velocity Of about ten miles an
hour. On descending, both engine and car
were perfectly under control, capable Of
being stopped at any moment in "a space of
ten feet, and this while descending by
steam power and the force of gravity
combined. -S Scientific american.
Music BY SrEAM.-Mr VIM. Hoyt. Of
Dupont, Indiana, has invented the follow
ing plan for making music OF a steamboat:
ers Of such length and size as may be
proper; both ends said pipe to be stopped
tight; in Or near the centre, there must he
connection pipe to let the steam out of
the boilers into SAID horizontal pipe. On
top OF said pipe. there must be placed
seven ar more small pipes, perpendicular,
ot such height as may suit the operator;
on top Of said small pipes. place whistles,
ot different sizes aud tones, similar to
those used On locomotives and STEAMBOATS,.
Said whistles are to be SO made that The
top part will screw down or up. so as to
regulate the sounds, while turnin. them at
any convenient part Of the boat; place u
set of keys to operate on said Whistles. to
let on and off the steam by means Of press
ing down those keys similar 10 PLAYING ON
piano; or there can be n cylinder SO ar
ranged as to operate on the whistles BIZ
turning crank similar to a hand organ.
Mr. Hoyt says. 81 am satisfied that mu-
sic Can be made by steam on boat or loco
motive, as well as it can be PLAYED will;
brass instruments, and much cheaper.
much louder and without any loss of
steam. as there is always surplus while
landing. whilst at the wharf, and when
leaving. 1t is my candid opinion that the
Western boys will hear ..Olh Dan Tuck
er," 'Auld Lang Sync," &c.. played on
the Western waters. by steam, at dis
tance of ten miles,
This is going music with rush, and
when perfected will astonish Barnum aud
Jenny Lind