New-York daily tribune., 1859-07-07
STEAM CARRIAGES S ONA COMMON RCAL
A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT.
Correspondence Of the N Y. Tribune

Correspondence Of the n. Y. Tribune 80
PHILADELPHIA. July ith, 1889.
The novelty and the OF the recent trips Of
Lee & Larned's Steam Fire Engine over the public
highway to this city by its locomotive facilities
seem TO Justify more detailed account of the expe.
dton than that which the telegraph transmitted to
The TRIBUNE.
This engine was finished only on Tuesday LAST, and
late the same mis- ht run on trial trip from the
Novelty Works to Burnhsms, on the Bloomingdale
road and back. On "Wednesday its powers in throw
irg water were tested, taking suction from of the
dock at the Novelty Works; Thursday was devoted
TO polishing up the machine and putting it in its best
holiday Dress ard Friday it was sent by railroad
to Trenton where it had successful trial aud exhlo-
ton. OF course, from so new al engine ts iu capac-
ty cspnot at Cnce be obaned yet the impre. SION pro
duced by its performance at Trenton, both IN IT'S
hydraulic and its locomotive functions, was one OF un-
mixed astonishmeDt and admiration.
II had be en- the intention he engine the whole
distance from Trenton 10 Philadelphia, 80 mules by the
common road but examination Of the canal BRIGGS
few miles out IRON Trenton shoged that they Were
unsafe and il became necessary to send II by rarosd
ten miles TO Bristol leaving twenty mies 10 bs run ny
it's own s,esm. At the request of Mayor Mills, and
,hroueh the kindness Of Mr. Fish, the railroad superin
tendeft, special train provided. and the Mayor
himself accompanied Us TO Bri-tol. Our party con-
sisted of Messrs. Lac Larned, the bu'iders-Mr Lee
r r
is one of the features of the engine; Prot Phelps OF
the State Normal School Of New w.Jersey-who kept
the record Of time distance and stoppages; four gentle
men from Phisdelpbis, representing the southwark
Hose Co aid an engineer, fireman. and other assist
ants 10 the number of SIX. Nine persons rode on the
CINE nearly al the w,ythe remainder accompany.
ing in two-horse carriage and taking turn aoont
between the horse and steam conveyance. lhe total
weight including the engine, fuel water in boiler aud
tanks, and the nine Passengers, was about i2coo
pounds Of which sb6 ut 9O00 pounds was due to the
engine itsef We heard st Bristol an om'nous report
of the condition of the the bridge over Nesha
ming Creek three lies ahead but It was too late ID
be scared by any more bugbesrs In that shape. I9e
mile ahead but still keeping in sight, and then, al
exscty 2:62 p. m, steam was let on, and the
engine started. II had been the intention that
the tcaIriAge should keep shead, but 1t SOON
became manifest that this out Of the question:
The horses were strong and wiling but they could
hold no contest with the treless horse-gisnt ths had
taken the road with them In q very few minutes
oyerhauled them checked up and finally stopped for
little while 10 let them get another a bat IL Wa OF
10 nse. Almost Immediately it cloee on them
cate near Nesbanipg Bridge good half mile 10 ad
yapoe in IL minutes from the time Of starting, having
made tbe first three miles in l6 nnute~ ruoning tine.
Here while the water tanks were repleHished and the
lcurpals examised and oiled the Carriage drove up and
crossed che bridge, and L joined IN survey OF It's
ooy1tioc II is covered bridge, in two parts, about
90 feet in epgth with draw in the middle OF about
40 feet. The main bridge ali right, bat the draw
ola spi shaky and the loads thst ordinarily cross
Il furnished no test Of is sufcency Tor our purposes
However. il wac short and even If II should Do dis
nosed 10 give way, by " cracking on steam the en-,
D. "a corlS cross II before would have time 10 tal
soy. hut that wa not the only difficulty Onthe cfder
,Je rose a long hill, of high grade throughout
vith A sharp pitch one third ct the way up,
much sleeper hsn any ascent the engine fsd