The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-10-21
Who Invented the Steam Engine I?

10 what man and to what nation is
the world indebted for the invention OF
the locomotive enginel The Philadel-
phia North American claims that honor
for the little known name of Oliver
Evans of that city, and courteously cor
reefs the Times for recent incidental
allusion to the invention as having its
origin in England, and being only after
wards brought to higher perfection in
the United States than it has elsewhere
reached. We have not at hand that
number of the North American, printed
in 1873, in which Evans claims are set
forth at length, but upon investigation
Of other authorities it appears clear that
sufficient credit has not been given to
this candidate for Stevenson's, Trevith-
ick's and Vivians honors. Thus it is
beyond question that so early as 1887
he obtained patent from Maryland for
steam carriages on common roads, and
he thereafter developed his idea until
his Oruktor Amphibolos was complete.
Even now it is difficult to see what he
could then have added to 1t. 1t would
and did move itself on land or water,
and when not engaged in propelling
itself, the engine would saw wood or
stone, grind plaster, etc. Another such
engine-of-all- has probably never
been in existence before or since. Thus
far it is agreeable to yield to a patriotic
impulse and follow the North American
in claiming recognition for neglected
countryman. But it only needs hasty
comparison of the Amphibolos with the
Rocket to demonstrate how untenable is
the assertion that Evans invented the
modern locomotive. His machine was
a most cumbrous affair. 1t resembled
nothing so much as flat-bo,tomed scow,
carving an engine with vertical cyl
Under, walking-beam and fy-wheel IA
locomotive with a walking beam and fly
wheel), which could be mounted on
wheels, and which would propel itself BY
an ingenious band connection to both
pairs of wheels, or to a stern propeller.
The sole and considerable novelty about
it even then was that it was a high
pressure engine, and one Of the first of
the kind. On the other hand, it would
be hard to name single essential of the
modern locomotive which was not en-
bodied in the Rocket of 1929, and,
though there have been numberless i'm
provements in detail since then, there
has not beehive believe the assertion
needs no Qualifications single new
principle applied to locomotion since
Stephenson's day, excepting only an en-
CINE now building, and which has not
yet had its trial trip. Nevertheless it
is only the rudest Justice to call either
Stephenson the inventor of the locomo-
tive or Fulton the inventor of the ma
rine engine. Nothing can excuse it ex-
cept the popular demand, which con-
Germs itself very little with niceties of
detail, that the honor shall be settled
somewhere The truth is, and it is now
very easy to see, that after the discovery
of the power of steam its application to
use on both land and water was only
question OF time and even Watt,
though he never worked out his idea,
added to his specification a caveat as tc
this idea From that time down there
were endless essays, each one an i'm
provement on the other, SO that land
and marine engines are both a growth,
and no one man can give to the world
such an enormous gift. Thus, while it
may be quite true, as it doubtless is,
that Oliver Evans, three-quarters of
century ago, planned, in his minds eye,
a double.track railroad, sleeping cars
and speed equal to a pigeons flight,
the world will, nevertheless, probably
continue to honor Fulton and Stephen
son, next to Watt, as the human sources
of one Of the two great civilizing forces
OF this century.