New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-12-14

or the cars constructed between the years
| 1876 aud 1850, we may first notice those made
IN 1880, and placed upon the Liverpool and
Manchester (England) Railway. These cars
had four wheels but no springs the bodies con.
sisting of stills, to which the Journal boxes were
bolted, and upon which the floors were laid
From these stills stakes or posts arose, TO which
pieces of wood were attached, some longi-
tudinaly and some vertically; and these cars
were formed without roofs, they being similar
to those now used, and termed rack cars. q"
In 1881, in OCTOBER, one Mr.. Joseph Knight
| proposed TO employ springs under all cars. to
support the body of the car and the contents
thereof. Mr.. Knight also suggested an i'm
| proven mt in car wheels which entitled him TO
be ranked "a among those who have excited
our wonder, and who, by the exercise of his
genius, has, more than most others, contributed
to the successful operation of railroad cars.
The improvement suggested at this time was
that the treads of car wheels should be made
conical, for the purpose of facilitating their
passage around the road. How important this
suggestion was, all now fully realize, and it is
not regarded as saying too much that up to
this time no more important improvement
which has referred to railroad cars, has been
made in this or any other country.
In 1889, cars for the transportation Of passen-
gers in England and Scotland consisted of three
provided with seats for the passengers to sit
upon, which seats were furnished with cushions
The second class were of plain finish, without
cushions or ornaments. The third class were
little more than plain boxes set upon wheels
and supplied with seats, but in many cases had
no roof. In addition to these three classes
there were what were termed mixed car
riages," which were designated by names, and
consisted OF three compartments, the center
one being for hrstclass passengers, and the
two end ones for second class passengers.
The next novelty which will be mentioned in
the way of passenger cars was introduced in
the year l847 by Mr.. Hanson, of England.
and consisted of compartment car, the body
of which was iron, and constructed as follows
In each of the partitions there was placed "a
hoop of iron which was bound together by two
cross stays, one Of which connected the roof to
the floor. To this framework sheet or sheets
of iron were riveted, sheet of felt being placed
between the head of the rivets and the sheets
Of metal These cars had only one seat in each
compartment, it being arranged so that the
faces of the occupants could always be in the
direction in which the car was moving. At the
bottom OF the car there were arranged boards
for resting the feet upon, which consisted of an
upper and under piece, with space between
the two into which To thrust the feet, the inner
surfaces being covered with sheep skin it'll the
wool on it, the object being to provide for keep
ing the feet of the passengers warm during the
time OF occupying his seat. AT about the
height of the faces of the passengers there was
placed headboard or cushion, formed of sponge
and covered with leather or cloth, so that In
the event of any sudden shock upon the cars
the head OF the occupant would be brought
into contact with the cushion, aud thus, to some
extent, be saved from injury.
The freight car, introduced at the same time
and by the same inventor, was of the same gen
eral construction, except that its interior was
arranged for the reception of freight. and u
portion OF It's roof was made to slide upon the
rods over or under the fixed portion, the object
being to provide for the reception or discharge
of goods through the roof of the car.
In the same year, lS47, a decided novelty in
the shape of car wheel, made its appearance
in England, which consisted of a wrOughtiron
wheel which was made in sections, portion OF
the hub and rim joined together by means of
tongues and grooves formed thereon as the
sections were made, and each being provided
with projection upon the outer segmental
surface TO enter the grooves formed in the en-
tire surface of the tire. The hole in the hub of
the wheel for the reception of the axle was
bored larger than the axle, so as to leave room
Tor the insertion OF an expanding ring, while its
exterior was conical in form, SO that, as it was
forced in the segments would be forced outward
and thus frightened within the tire, the cone be-
ing held in place by the ring, which was cast in
two parts, and placed in groove turned in
the axle.
At about the time of the last named date in
contracting for the passenger cars to be run up
the road leading from Strasburg to Basile,
France, it was stipulated that the roofs, parti-
lions, and seats were to be made of American
pine, three fourths or an inch in thickness, and
that the roofs were to be covered with three
pieces of leather, weighing at least thirty eight
pounds each.-Nati0naE Car Builder.