The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-07-03
A Ride la the Steam Carriage.

is STEAM LoCOMOTIOk ON LAND, WITHOUT RAILS,
PRACTlCABLE?-THY AxPRRIMsNr 70 BIZ TRIxD-
DESCRIPTION OF THK NEW sraAM CAssIAaE AND
WHAT 1T HAS DONE.
Many OF readers doubtless noticed the small
carriage which driven abou, tho of
New York and vicinity within the last nine months II s
odd looking machine and has much the appearance OF
artillery wagon, from its low size aad the projecting
boiler, which is not unlike . cannon.
Is has long been a disputed point whether steam
risges be navased safcy and successfully Land,
and the time subserve any useful purpose. The
prevailing belief has been thxs they entirely useless
and impraccable for 1t has been deemed incredible hua
mode OF ocomoon obviously Advantageous shsuld not
long ago have into general II not for some
nsuperabe difficulty In the way.
When the wonderful powers OF steam were first dis
covered, II Immediately suggested that it might be
used the propulsion OF vehicles land and the FIRST
experiments with the new motor were with view to
test a use in this way But all early mpts proved
unsuccessful although the ingenuity OF the best mecos
MICS Europe brought TO bear 10 solve the pr,blem
This not the place 70 detail the numberess experiments
In steam carriages which have been ma1e from time TO
time Suffice say that meme have been acknowledged
successful by the pubc, whatsoever the opinions OF the
several inventors may have been II Is Indeed claimed
that than carriage has been built In England
that would answer every purpose for which they were
dssgneo bu, TIA, popular prejudice tho opposition OF
s,ge pro e,os Or ne poverty Of the inventor have pre-
vented them from coming into general use.
Abe carrisee which has been propelled through the
strects New York for rast, invented by
MI Richard Dudgeon mechanic, OF Eogish birth, but
who learned his trade In America He Ia the inventor Of
the portable hydraulic jack, which Is well known TO
steamboat mep, and also OF other micor applications OF
hydraulic power. He 10 simply good locomotive
10 the making OF steam carriages, aud Is unable 10
plain vhoreu his carriage offers from others, except
TIA, promises to be successful, while is certain tnss
MI former have not been deemed 80.
Mr. Dudgeons carriage weighs 700 os and may be dc.
scrbed as half or quarter sizea oco motive with very
Arrangement Of the steam machinery, which 10 simple
tubular boiler with improved valve gear. Toe cylinders
are fastened the front OF the boiler smoke box the
usual angle, and inside connections 10 the crank
The steam ia distributed u the pstans BY slide
valve and the link motion perfected by sepheoson The
smoke discharged d,wnwsrds 'front.' with
out chimney, and pass ben'n1 water tank on the
front end OF the boiler The cran worked on the
inside Instead OF the outside, In other locomotives
Tho Improvement other engines consists Ia incrcas
ing the stroke OF the piston and diminishing the size Of
the driving wheels The stroke IL eighteen inches and
the osfueier OF the wheels three feet and naH
ms carriage wheels are very similar 10 those In or
are aso similar, though differently applied The hiad
axle 70 which the steam poser 10 applied, Is an
ordinary crank axle. The steering Ia dons BY tue
front wheels, snd with great esss aud certainty,
there beng difficulty in steering through the
most crowded streets IN New York. fho steering Is
accomplished by stout ircn rod, armed with sores nj
one end which the front axle according ths d
recion gets from the crank, which under the control
of Inc dysr VINO ats behind the boer rbc axIes are
At ether end Of the boisr 90 that IL may be kept ow and
q long wheel base obtained, which makes u run very
tady a rough pavement
took trip with him n bic steam carriage 10 as'lem some
time since fbe day was unerspcu., as the roat wss
bad from the rains and fhere Vas but lite oppor
tuny 10 speed OF the carriage mssred ~th
the fast horscs that frequent the Il Is
,sndsd that ms osrrsge VII run o. soit rosa rs great
any progress is imperative thn, the psi should be
hard even and should these vehicles ever come
dator. An Ordinary tram rcsd-tbas IL, boards syed
ienethva2s for the wheels 70 run apop-~ould The In
The party which consisted 0, the n.ertor our reporter
aud lad 10 attend the engine started from GoercK stree,
about two O'Clock in the afternoon aud proceeded 40
Grand street the Belgian pavement, over which the
carriage relied quite easily with ot very similar 10 that
Of an omnibus Although met numosress carts on The
journey there collision, a. could be managed
with much greater and certainty than hnrse and
wagon In progress or attracted great stlen
mscry svSsu,y ressaod as soos JOKE and ,nouss,
Incumbent him or her 70 laugh Al ~ IN passing TIE
juveniles however, we're m mos, ardent admirers and on
the outskr OF the city they fairly swarmed around tho
TO them) novel vehicle clsmorous Tor ride
The route MP the track OF the second Avenue
lance that Was accomplished 10 less Than iwo hours,
With frequent ssopp.ses though there was no ehOr,
p Ssas could % ~" easily have been run IN 40
hour provided The track had been clear
and there had been no impsdlmea,s: The cars were
easily ouirun. and boy on hne -hite horse who a.
tempted 10 keep up with the steam carriage, len
behind In q few minutes The carriage also travels very
avenue above Foreth street. seemed 10 oGer serious
obstruction did that at the other SIDE OF Jones Wood.
The inventor claims tnat " Easily ascend a MI oDV
feet per MILE and IA 10 believe that will
do so From the speed attained was evi lent that Twelve
miles per hour could be easily, provided All IN
condition clear hard road &c and this OF course leaves
margin for improvements In The construction OF other
steam vehicles.
rhe cost OF the mschine under notice Is 81 800. n
quires two persons IN mansge II; hf, bo~sver quite
az competent a. q grown person for t,s duty.
rhere 10 objection N these csrrisges-st
least In crowded. cites-thd will yet raise
great outcry against them, and hn s, the alarm
Il creates among horses. These sensitive suinss
will manifest their fear Us approach. and serious
suences will day ensue. We'll trained horses pay
very lille attention 70 The novelty, but al horses are no,
we'll trained and hence the difficulty. IL true that this
machine has been ia the streets OF Hcr York FOR tbs
Iass nne months without any accident occurring, bul
should any dncuy trknspre the propretors Of borses
be unspmoos 10 putting stop 70 within the city
limits
should however, these steam carriages come into use,
will be on roads maize for the purpose, tor travel be
tween points that would not support railroad. There
plenty Of such IN the country and should these ma
chnse prove practicable, they will make tremendous
revolution n the Of travel throughout the country
porgta DEMOCRAT REpuDIArED.-The Hon. John g.
Davs cuens de nocrst, OF the Seventh Indiana Con.
sressona district repuiated By the Congressional
of dfctrirt