Daily national Democrat., 1859-11-18
STEAM WAaoN ron CALEDONIA AND AR1-

STEAM WAGON FOR CALrFoRNrA AND ARR
zoNA.-The following from the London En-
quirer is a matter Of much interest to the
people of this coast
We have Just completed the trial of Bar
rams traction engine, built for Mr.. r. L Or
den, in San Francisco, 10y Messrs. j. Whitman
n Sons, at theii Perseverance Iron Works, in
Leeds, and as 1t is the first traction engine
ever made upon Barran's principle. the pa
tent for the invention having been only late
" sealed, we have thought that a brief ac-
count OF its workings on the 8th inst. might
he OF interest to your readers. 1t was sub
ject of regret that this ral could not have
been made on the day previous in the pres
ence of the large number of engineers assem-
bled at n meeting in Leeds, ut we have the
satisfaction of knowing that the engine was
inspected with much interest by Messrs Benz.
Fothergill, John Penn Maudslev. Cowper.
james Kitson, John Butler, Sir Peter Fair
hain, and Others, as it stood prepared for trial
in the workshop
We may as well state in the outset that
this traction engine goes to California, to he
thence transhipped up the gulf to Fort Yuma
on the Colorado river, from which point it is
intended to run back and forth over II dis
tance of sixty miles to the Arizonn coppcr
mines, transporting ore one way, and pro-
visions for the miners the other way, across
desert, mainly of snnd. intermXed at long
intervals with small volcanic rocks.
The first trial began at IL o'clock on the
morning of the 9Th inst More than 900
people were assembled around the gates of
the Perseverance Iron Works and along the
Kirkstall road, to witness the experiment -
The steam having been got up to 40 lbs, Mr..
Whitman, Sr with Mr.. Barrans, being seated
in the steering box, and Wilson, the engi-
neer who accompanies the engine to Califor-
MIA, acting as foreman, it started through its
circuitous and narrow way out of the shop,
turned a right angle into the yard. backed to
be attached to an open van with seats pre-
pared for twelve persons, but which, with
the sides, projections and attachments, took
on siXty-tive, came out into the street turned
up the Kirkstal road, which, though nearly
level, is rougher and more difficult to travel
over than the Kent road can have been since
IKE days of the old Britons, and accomplish
ed the one mile and half at an average
speed of six miles per hour to the toll gate
1t then turned on to the Burley road, where
the ascent, for more than ll2 yards, is up a
gradient of from in to in 6, over bv no
means smooth path, which was accomplish
ed at an average of four miles per hour. The
descent, quite as sharp and rather longer,
was made with perfect ease-the double
wheels furnishing, whenever necessary.
ready available resisting power Several
carriages, carts and other vehicles were met
on the way, so that the power which this
traction engine possesses of instantly stop
ping, backing, or turning out of the middle
OF the road, was shown to be perfect At
the completion of the three mile circuit. in
turning up narrow street to get back to the
ronworks, one of the forward wheels ran
into partially covered drain, sinking quite
to the hub; but the reversing Of the power
applied to the double wheels, brought the
sunk wheel out Immediately, and. turning
into another street, the engiue came home
safely
AT o'clock, another trial was made, with
Is tons attached, over the the level road, and
ten tons over the hill the former of which
was run at seven miles and the latter at four
miles per hour. The three trucks were man
aged with perfect ease, both ascending and
descending the hill.
The last trial was made at o'clock P. NJ. |
Thirty tons of pig iron were piled on the |
trucks, which, attached to each other by
heavy couplings, were strung along the
klrkstall road. The operatives of the town,
just from their various factories, had colec.
ted by thousands. Every window, and
door, and balcony, was filed with human
faces. The police force, for the first time
during the day. were on the ground. With
steam up to 60 lbs, the traction engine
emerged from the gates ''like thing of life"
turned slowly along the narrow space be
tween the loaded trucks and the eager crowd;
took station in front; backed carefully and
accurately to receive the couplings, and,
with apparently as little effort as at any
former time, took the immense load dis
tance of half q mile in five minutes aud %
seconds. As we were then thoroughly salts
fled that she fully answered the contract con-
dhions we gave the word to stop. Mr..
Whitman, however, desiring still further to
test what amount of power the engine had
when put upon its mettle, gave permission
for the workmen, who were crowding a.
round, to get on and ride In an instant,
every part of the trucks was covered with
grimy iaces-l2O persons having found places
where they could stick on. With this addi
tional weight of at least eight tons-making
in all thirty eight tons-the traction engine
started, and attained with ease the speed of
five miles yer hour.