Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-10-10
Mistellantous.
THE FIRST TRIAH OF LoeoMO-
TIVES

succcss III lne DfSI trial OF locomotives IN the
world-out Of which. ih less than thirty years,
has grown that wonderful development Of
railways which has added a new feature to
the civilization of this age, and the result OF
which we are even now hardly beginning TO
appreciate. The Westminster says:
The Stockton and Darlington line was
opened for traffic on the 9th of September,
lS25 and on that day the first goods and
passenger train in the world was driven by
George Stephenson The line was successful
beyond anticipation; passenger traffic, which
had hardly been vt first dipamt of, swelling
the profits greatly. There being now some
demand FOR locomotives, Stephenson, in part
nership with Mr. Pease and another member
of the Society of Friends, set up locomotive
mandatory at Newcastle, where be trusted
to produce better engines than. with his
rougher means, be bad been ablc yet to con-
struct. Still, the fnul success Of locomo-
tlves seemed problematical aud it was not
on the Stockton and Darlington line, but on
the Liverpool and Manchester, that the
question was TO be finally determined.
| The history OF the Liverpool aud Man
chester Railway divides itself into two parts I;
| lirst, the battle of the projectors of the rail
way against the opposition of the landed pro-
prietors aud farmers between the towns, and
against the public aud parliament and, Sec
ondly, the battle among the promoters Of the
railway as 10 the tractive power to be en-
ploysd. The narrative Of the first battle is
one OF the most extraordinary passages OF our
social history. How dukes, aud lords, and
gentlemen set themselves in array against
this horrid iron road, with It's trains of wa
gons--and perhaps its snortlng and oily en-
ginrs-thut was 10 pass through their pro-
pertles; how the survey had to be executed
almost by stealth. and against peril FROM
pitchforks, farmers dogs, and actions for
tresspass; how the scheme had to run the
gauntlet Of parliamentary committees, who
cross.examined witnesses or heard them cross
examined by the FIRST lawyers Of the day ;
how poor Stephenson, in particular, who had
been appointed to make fresh survey of the
line in 1925, and who was by this time iGden-
;iied with locomotives. was badgered by the
lawyers and called everything short Of u
knave because he thought he could lay O
railway across Chat Moss, and could not but
admit, on being questioned, that lie believed
ten or twelve miles an hour practible speed,
if locomotives were used how, in the end
when at the expense of f27,000 the Act of
Parliament WAS obtained early in 1926 and
Mr.. Stephenson appointed principal engineer
to the Company at salary Of $1,000 year,
tho opposing landlords resorted to new
mode OF opposition, 10y demanding exorbtant
compensation for the right of way all this
is as interesting bit Of social history as one
could wish to read, and is well told By Ste
phenson's biographer. He narrates also
equally well that the battle which Stephenson
had to fight for his locomotive before he could
convince the Company that it would pay
better than fixed engines, horses, or any
other tractivc power whatever. The battle
had begun from the time Of Stephenson's con-
nexion with the railway; it went on while the
line was being made and the difficulties en-
couutered in making it were dscouraging the
promoters; aud il was not ended when Mr..
Robert Stephenson returned from America.
At the time OF his return, many eminent en-
gineers had reported so unfavorably of the
locomotive system, as compared with the sys-
TEN OF stationary engines, that his pen had
to 10 called Into use to defend his fathers
ideas. At length, influenced by the argu-
ments on that side. and by the experience Of
Mr.. Stepheusuns tTustworthness, the drec-
tors took their memorable resolution to offer
prize of $500 for such a locomotive as they
thought would answer, if it could be cous,ruc-
ted
The conditions were these -
81. The engine must eiTsctually consume
its own smoke.
~. The engine, if Of six tons weight, must
bo able to draw after il, day by day. twenty
tons weight (includiug the tender and water
tank) at ten miles an hour with pressure of
steam on the boiler not exceeding fifty pounds
to the square inch.
"3. The boiler must have two safety valves
neither Of which must be fastened down, and
one of them be completely out Of the control
Of the engine man.
| 81. The engine and boiler must be sup.
ported on springs, and rest on six wheels, the
height Of the whole not exceeding fifteen feet
10 the top Of the chimney.
-. Ths engine with water must not weigh
more than six tons, but an engine of less
weight would be preferred on its drawing O
proporlonate load behind it if only four and
half tons, then it might be put on foul
wheels. The Company to be at liberty tC
test the boiler, &c, by pressure Of one hun
dred and fifty pounds to the square inch.
"6. A mercurial guage must be affixed tc
the machine showing the steam pressure to
be forty-6ye pounds per square inch.
AZ. The engine must be delivered complete
aud ready for trial q: the Liverpool end o
the railway, not later than the LIST Of October
1929.
.'rhe price Of the engine must not exceed
1850.
On the 9th of October. 1929, the greaI
match came of. Out Of four engines entered
for the prize, two were withdrawn as not ful
filling the conditions IA third broke down OF
trial; aud Stepheuson's Rocket alone stood
the test. Its performance is thus described
by Mr.. Smiles -
1T was quite characteristic of Mr.. Ste
phenson. and Of his business-lke qualities
that, although his engine did not stand frs
on the list for trial, it was the first that was
ready, aud il immediately entered upon th,
contest. The engine Was taken to the extre
nifty of the stage, the fire was filled will
coke. the ire lighted, the steam raised unit
it lifted the safety loaded to pressure
OF fifty pounds to the square inch. This pro
ceeling occupied fifty.seven minutes. tn,
engine then started on its journey. dragging
after il about thirteen tons weight in wagons
and made the first ten trips backwards an'
forwards along the two miles OF road, running
the thirty-ive miles, including stoppages, ii
an hour aud forty eight minutes. The secont
ten trips were in like manner performed il
two-honrs and three minutes. The maximum
velocity attained by the Rocket during III,
trial trip, was twentynine miles an hour, o.
about three times the speed that one OF th