Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1862-04-09
Selerted Stills, ellann.
Biography of Captain Eric sson.

The success of the Monitor In defeatipr
the frigate Nerrimac has naturally crea-
ted desire in the minds of our people to
become acquainted with the history Of the
inventor whose orr sinal mind designed
the little iron-sided champion of the Union
fleet We have therefore prepared the
Following brief biography, obtained from
reliable sources, accompanied with an en-
craving from a Photographic likeness
Capt John Ericsson is "a native of the
country of Gustavus Adolphus and is
true scandinavian, having been born in
1903 in the Province of Nermeland among
the iron mountains of sweden His
fat er was a mining proprietor, so that in
his youth he had ample opportunities to
watch the operations of machinery
When quite young he exhibited a strong
predilection for scientific and mechanical
/ pursuits he was an expert draughts sman,
and made several philosophical instru-
ments and miniature machines before he
was eleven years of are. The celebrated
Count Platen who was a distinguished
civil engineer and an intimate friend Of
Bernadotte the king of Sweden having
heard of EricssOn's precocious mechani-
cal talents, went to see him After care
f-Hy examining the various plans and
drawings which the youth exhibited on
this occasion, the Count handed them back
to him, simply observing, in an impressive
manner, Continue as you have com
menced, and you will one day produce
something extraordinary" These words
of kind encouragement from so distin-
guished parsonage sunk deeply into the
mind OF the yonng mechanic, and con
firmed him in the choice of that career
upon which he had entered
E Il.
son was entered rs a cadet in the corps of
Swedish engineers, ID at the age of
twelve years he was appointed an engineer
under Count Platen, in the construction
of Grand Ship Canal, which unites the
North Sea with the Baltic. This great
canal chiefly built by the labor of
the soldiers of the army, and young Err
lesson was required to set ont the work
for about 600 of them As the work on
this canal was only conducted during the
summer months, he was occupied in win
ter with his pen and pencil in devising
plans and making drawings. There are
now many important works on the canal
constructed after drawings made bv Err
lesson at this early age.
lie afterward entered the Swedish army
as lieutenant at seventeen years of age,
rose to be captain and was chosen as a
military surveyor OF the North Highlands
of Sweden. There are IN the government
archives at Stockholm maps, executed by
his own hands, of 30 square miles of ter
ritory
While thus occupied his mind was alsos
engaged on his most favorite topic-me-
chanlcai 'vention, especially the power
of hl-hly-heatcd gases derived directly
from combustion. The Colonel of his
regiment was his firm friend. and was
captIvated with the experiments he made
on small ngine operated with the heated
p Oducts of Swedish pine wood as Il sub
Sttute tor steam. 1t was supposed that
Engand WAS the most favorable country
for the development of this new motor,
and liberty was obtained from the king to
visit London, where Ericsson arrived in
May, 1926. Here he fixed his abode, and
drew upon the resources of his mechani-
cal genius Tor his support. He soon
brought out a number of new inventions.
especially an improved boiler on the prin-
clpal of artificial draft, for the building
OF which he subsequently associated him
self with Mr.. John Braithwaite. While
thus engaged, in 1929, the Liverpool and
Manchester Railway Company offered
prize for the best locomotive engine, TO be
tested on he small portion of the railway
then completed. Ericsson, not willing to
allow this occasion to escape him, imme-
diately set to work, planned the engine,
executed the working drawings and caused
the patterns to be made, aud the whole
machine was completed within seven
weeks. The day 0. trial arrived Three
engines entered the list for the prize.
namely, the Rocket, by George Stephen
son; the Aoreity by Ericsson, and the
SanspareU, by Timothy Hackworth This
was the most important railway trial that
ever took place, The Norelty was fur
nished with bellows draft and winding
Aue boiler With its tank it weighed only
) tuns II cwt, while the Rocket wei ichcd,
with tank, { tuns 9 cwt The latter was
the only engine which fulfilled the condi-
tions required, but the London Examiner
Of oc ober 8, 1928, describing the trial.
stated that the Noreity attracted universal
admiration on account of its beauty and
the work which such a small engine per-
formed. IL darted along at the rate Of
80 miles per hour, and it drew load Of
2S.5 tuns-its own weight included at
an average speed of eight miles per hour.
The greatest Improvement ever applied
to steamships of war is due, we under
stand. 10 EricSson-we mean the screw
pipDtllGI anu tue Vi All the
machinery under the water line The
screw Is an ola device, but it had been
laid aside as an entire failure, until he re-
suscitated it and proved its utility on
small boat on the river Thames, which
the Jolly waterman called The Flying
Deru He invited the Lords of the Brit.
ish Admiralty to take a trip in this little
vessel for the purpose OF showing them
how the screw operated. and to give an
explanation of the machinery. and the
advantages of placing it below the water
line, out oil the reach of shot The Ad
mirality authorities took the trip. but Sir
William Simond-, then chief Naval Con
structor concluded the interview by as
serting it was impossible to steer a war
vessel aving screw aced at the stern.
Such was the bright conclusion arrived
at twenty SIX years ago. respecting the
merits of the rev by the leading naval
constructor in England. The only steam
vessels then used in the British Navy had
paddle wheels. and a considerable portion
Of their machinery was above the water
line, Not a paddle-wheel steamer has
bee: built for that navy in fifteen years
There We're two Americans who had exam