New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-21

humble sty Tor ue reception oil his young bnde.
The marriage vas celebrated November %, 1902
George SepheDsons signature, as it stands in the
books, 10 hat Of person who seems 10 have just
learnt 10 write. Yet it 10 the sir:a.ure Of man,
written slowly and deliberately, 10 strong round
band. With all his care, however, be lad not been
able 10 avoid botch; the word Stephenson has
been brushed over before the ink was dry. AZ
ter toe ceremony, George ADD he newly-wedded
wife proceeded to the house Of old Robert Stephen
son and bis wife Mabel At Joly's Clo,e. Tne Old
man was bew becoming l6hrm, though bs stil
worked as all engine fireman, and cOntr we'd with
difficulty to keep bis head above water When
the whit had been paid, the bridal party prepared
70 set out for their new bone at WihiDgt,n Qdsy.
They went in homely old fashioned styIe, though
one quite usual iD those days, before macad,n,zed
roads had been adopted, travelling by r,il@ay SO
noch as dreamt OF. Two stout farm horses were
borrowed from Mr.. Burn Of the R.d-House farm,
WskDgbaIn, where Anne Henderson, the brides
sster, lived 90 servant. The two horses were each
essvided with a saddle and pillion; and George
having mounted one, bis wife seated herself on the
piOn behind him. holding on by her arms rouod
his waist. Robert Gray and Anne Henderson in
Ike manner mounted the other boree; and in this
wise the wedding party rode across the couatry,
passing through the old streets Of Newcastle, anu
then by Wallsend to their home at Wilmington Quay
"a long ride of about fifteen miles"
Stephenson's life at Wilmington was that Of
regular, steady workman. While other men OF his
class were idlDg in alehOuses, he was busy IN
studying the principles of mechanics aud the laws
by which his engine worked. Like most young
and self.taught students, he was not 9 little sd-
dicted to speculation and theory. While sitting
by the eide of his young wife in their cottage
dwelling in the Winter evenings, he was intent on
making mechanical experiments, and In modelling
experimental machines. Among his various fan
eies, was the discovery of perpetual motion Nor
did he disdain more profitable employment. From
mendipg shoes he proceeded to making them, and
also drove good business in the manufacture of
lasts.
In le04, he removed to the village of Killing
worth, one of the best known colieres IN the VI
cinity of Newcastle, where he still held his old pO-
sition of brakesman. He had scarcely settled
down in bis pew home, ere he sustained a heavy
lObe Ill tuc Ocdlu VI LIE NiiC, foi nhVih III ShOi-
ished the sincerest affection. Their married life
had been happy, sweetened as it was by daily sue.
cessful toll. The husband sober aud hard-wOrk-
ing, and his young wife made his hearth SO bright
and bis home so snug, that no attraction could draw
him from her side in the evening hours. But this
domestic happiness wasslll to pass away; aud the
twinklpg feet for which the lover had made those
tiny shoes at Calerton, were now to be hidden
for evermore from his eyes. 1t was terrible blow,
but he bore 1t as he best could. There was work
before bin to do-wOrh, which Stephenson, like
many more, found to be balm for even the heav-
iest SORROW"
Soon after this event, he accepted an offer TO Gu
perintend one of Watt and BoultOn's engines IN
large establishment near Montrose, in Scotland. lie
set out on the long journey On foot with bis KIT on
his back Passing over his early struggles for few
years, We find him i'll 1910 again at Kilingworth,
where an opportunity at length presented itself to
turn TO practical account the knowledge he had
been so long patiently acquiring.
An atmospheric or Newcomer engine, originally
made BY SINE ATOM fixed there for the purpose OF
pumping out the water from the shaft but somehow
or other the or CINE failed to clear the pit AS one oil
the workmen has since described the crcurnstsnce-
"She couldn't keep her jsck head in water; all the
epginemen in the neighbOrhOod were tired, as well
as Crowther Of the Ouseburn' but they were cie"n
bet"
Good working en- gineers then rarely to DO met
with: and many even of those who were most IN re-
pute, worked very much IN the DARK, Witnout any
knowledge of the principles OF mechancs Inc toois
used in the construction Of engines were oil the rudest
DESCRIPTION the fabrication of the parts beng tor the
most part done by hand. few Ill CONSTRUCTED athes,
With drills and boring machines of rude construction,
constituted the principal tools. Inc mecnsnics were
also very clamsy and for the most part il-traioed
hide ed there were only three CT four Establishments
at tnat time in the kingdom that could turn out re-
sp.ctsble stean-engne. X is not therefore surprising
that this engine should have proved failure, ana
that neither the msser engineer nor any OF Inc "ofh'
men III the neie hboIhood could set her to nights.
The engine went on ftuitlessly pumping Tor nearly
twelve months and began 70 be looked GU a. tota'
failure Stephenson haa gone TO LOOK az =" "hen III
course Of erection and then observed to the over man
that he thought il defective; he also gave a.
his opinion that, if there were much wafer IN Tue
mine, the engine would never keep II under vi
c,r a. he only brakeman, his opinion was con-
sidered 10 be worth very little such point and no
moe was thought about it. lie continued, however,
TO make frequent visits 10 the engine, 10 zee how she
was getting on From the bank.head where he
worked his brake he could see the chimney smoking
at tho High Pit and the workmen were passing TO
and from their work be would call ont and inquire
they bad gotten 10 the bottom yet y And the reply
was slwsys to toe came effect-the pumping made
no prosress, and the workmen were stu drowned
OUT
One Saturday afternoon he went over to the High
Pit TO examine The engine more carefully than he had
yet dene. He had been turning the subject over il
his mind and after long examination he seemed TO
satisfy himself as to the cause of the failure Nit
Heppel who was a sinksT at the mine, SAID ~ him:
"Heel George, what do you max o her DO you
think YOU could DO anything to improve her Man,
ssid George in reply, 81 could alter her and make
her draw: in week time from this could send you
10 the BOTTOM