The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-10-22

In 1872, Fulton's steamboats, were
running on the Hudson, and travel
by water was shortened. On land,
the stage coach went from Jersey
City to Philadelphia in a day, and
the Journey from New York to Bos
ton was long one. In 1887 we go
to Albany in four or five hours, and
to Boston in six or eight. If our
railways were more firmly built, 1t
would be possible to reach Phila-
delphia in an hour, and Boston In
two or three. But when George
Stephenson the author of these
wonders proposed his plan for
railway, he met with lew to aid him.
His locomotive of I8I4-very i'm.
perfect, but great improvement
over that built by Evans-was ten
years afterward employed on a rail-
way eight miles long at Darlington.
The railway succeeded and the next
step was to project one 10 run from
Liverpool, the famous seaport, to
Manchester, the center of manufac
turers. A huge bog or swamp,
called Chat Moss, lay between the
two cities 1t was thought impos
sible to build track over its treach-
erous serface; but Stephenson and
his friends persevered, and at last,
to the wonder of the age, in 1890
firm road. the first of the railways
of any importance lay ready for use.
But how was it possible to move
train so great distance? The To-
comotives were still so imperfect
that they seemed almost worthless.
Stephenson alone was able 10 over
come the difficulty, and when in
1920 the directors proposed a prize
of Zoo for the best and swiftest
engines, he produced his Rocket.
The Rocket was the first OF those
wonderful machines that now al
most run around the globe. 1t was a
small imperfect awkward locomo-
tive; but it was the first to prove
successful. 1t is still kept for exhibi
ton in the museum at Kensington,
London, as a memorial of the maker
and his work. Stephenson now
set himself to improve and enlarge
his engines and railways. He be
came the founder of a new system
of travel. He produced new inven-
tons constantly, and his great and
powerful mind placed him at the
head of the railway interests of
| England, He grew famous and
wealthy, but was always honest,
modest and true. Nothing could
be more unpopular than his rail
ways. They were called "nuisan
ces" by respectable lawyers. Every
one foretold their failure. 1t was
asserted that they would soon be
abandoned and fall to ruin. Some
said they would starve the poor
destroy canals, close the taverns
cruch thousands in fearful accidents
and cover the land with horror. II
was, said others, attempting a
thing nature had forbidden, and or
which Providence would never
smile. But Stephenson went on
building railways. They proved
very profitable, and were soon ad.
opted in Europe and America.
1t is only ffty-one years since
George Stephenson's Rocket begar
to run from Liverpool to Manches
ter. Since that time the whole civ.
ilized world has adopted his inven
ton, and travels and traffics by its
aid. The locomotives climb up the
Andes in Peru, runs beneath the
Alps at Mount Gents, is initiated ir
Japan, and mobbed in China. The
: Chinese recently tore up railway
because they thought it the work
5 of evil spirits. Fifty years ago, Eng
, lish mobs threatened to destroy Ste
phenson's railways, and his mer
] worked under the protection of Z
l guard. There are now twenty thou
sand miles of railway in England
alone, and eighty thousand in til,
/ United States.
: Stephenson lived until 1913, anc
: died honored by his countrymer
r and all the world as one of its chic
: benefactors. Like Watt and Fultor
he was the son of hard working
5 father. He inherited a clear mind
: He educated himself, going t.
school at night He was never dis
| couraged and never repined. H,
5 never lived for money alone, Blu
was chiefly anxious to be useful t.
S his fellow-men. Every one who see
the railway train rush by, laden will
, food, goods and passengers, shoulc
: remember George Stephenson
4 With Fulton and Watt and Evans
he has made steam the most poten
servant of mankind.