The Kanzas news., 1857-07-18
The Kanzas News.
SATURDAY, Y,::::::::::::::::::.J ULY IS, 1857.
The First Locomotive.

inG 1CCOIHOblfG.
In the year 1903, I enjoyed the never-to-
be-forgotten qualification of paddle up the
Hudson, on board the aforesaid first steam
boat that ever moved on the waters OF any
river with passengers. Among the voya-
.rers was man had known for some years
previous. by the name of Jabez Doolfttle.
He was an Industrious and ingenious work
er in sheet iron, tin and wire but his
greatest success lay in wirework. especially
In making f" rat-traps ;" and for his last
and best invention IN that line, he had Just
secured patent, and with specimen of
his work he was on journey through the
State of New York, for the purpose OF dis
passing of what he called :. county rights -
or, in other words, to seli the privilege of
catching rats according to his patent trap.
1t was very curious trap, as simple as 1t
was ingenious, as most ingenious things
are after they are invented. 1t was an OBJ
long wire box, divided into two compart
ments; a rat entered one end where the
bait was hung, which he no sooner touched
than the door at which he entered fell His
only apparent escape was by funnel-shaped
hole into the other apartment, in passing
which, he moved another wire, which in
stantly reset the trap; and thus rat after
rat was furnished the means of following
his illustrious predecessors, until the trap
was full. Thus it was not simply trap TO
rats, ad infnitun. And now that the reeol-
lection of that wonderful trap is recalled to
my memory, would respectfully recon-
mend it to the attention of the treasury de-
partment as an appendage to the sub-treas-
ury system. The specification" may be
found on file in the patent Office, number
eleven thousand seven hundred and forty
six.
This trap, at the time to which allude,
absolutely divided the attention of the pas
engers and for my part, it interested me
quite as much as did the steam engine, be-
cause perhaps, could more easily under
stand its mystery. To me the steam engine
was Greek the trap was plain English.
Not so, however, to Jabez Doolittle. I
found him studying the engine with great
ayidity and perseverance, insomuch that the
engineer evidently became alarmed, and de-
clined answering any more questions.
Why, you needn't snap off so tarnal
Short" said Jabez; ga body would think
you had not got patent for your machine.
If can't meddle with you on the water,
nigh as can calculate, I'll be up to you
on land one of these day"
These ominous words fell on my ear,
as l saw Jabez issue from the engine room,
followed by the engineer, who seemed evi-
IDENTIFY to have got his steam up.
"Well, Jabez,' said "what do you
think of this mighty machine ?''
Why" he replied, =" if that critter
hadn't got riled up so soon, body could
tell more about it but / reckon I've got a
leetle notion ont - and then taking me
aside, and looking carefully around, lest
some one should oyerhear him, he then
and there assured me in confidence, In pro-
found secresy, that if he didn't make wag-
on 90 BY steam, before he was two years
Older, then he'd give up invention. ] at
first ridiculed the idea /; but when I thought
of therat-trap, and saw before me man with
sharp twinkling grey eyes, pointed nose,
and every line of his visage a channel of
investigation, could not resist the conclu-
sion that if he really ever did attempt to
meddle with hot water, we should hear more
of it.
Time went on. Steamboats, multiplied +;
but none dreamed, or if they did they new
er told their dreams, of a steam wagon for
unknown as 'locofoco.' When about a
year after the declaration of the last war
with England, (and may it be the last y I
got letter from Jabez, marked private,
telling me that he wanted to see me most
desperately and that / must make him a
visit at his place, near Wallingford.' The
din of arms and the destruction of insurance
companies, the smashing of banks, and sus-
pension of specie payments, and various
other inseparable attendants on the show
and 'pomp and circumstances of glorious
war had, in the meantime, entirely wiped
from memory my friend Jabez, and his
wonderful rat-trap. But obeyed his sum
mons. not knowing but that something of
Importance to the army or navy might come
of it. On reaching his residence, imagine
my surprise, when he told me he believed
he had got the notion
Notion what notion g / inquired.
Why says he, that steam wagon I
told you about a spell ago but it has pretty
nigh starved me OUT and sure enough he
did look as if he had been on sthe anxious
seat as he used to say when things puz-
zled him.
| have used up said he, plaguey nigh
all the sheet iron, and old stove pipes. and
mill wheels, and trunnel heads in these
parts; but I've succeeded; and for fear
some of those cute folks about here may
have got peep through the key-hole, and
VIII trouble me when 1 come to get patent,
I've sent for you to be a witness for you
was the first and only man ever hinted it
to; in fact continued he, I think the
most curious part of this invention is, that
as yet, don't know any one about here
who has been able to guess what I'm about.
They all know it is an invention of some
kind, for that's my business, you know, but
some say it is threshing machine, some
distillery; and. of late. they begin tn
think it's "a shingle splitter but Ihey'u