Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-06-23
THE FATHER OF THE LoooAorIVE
How Oliver Evans Of Newport Per-
severed Amid Discouraxemen fs-
His PrODhecv.

How Oliver Evans Of Newport Per-
severed Amid Discoaraxements-
His Prophecy.
The Chicago Tribune says that the loco
motive engine, as well as the stationary |
engine, was first used in this country, |
and its inventor was Oliver Evans,
native of Delaware. The New York Times
takes up the question and says;
Oliver Evans was born at Newport, |
Del, in 1906, and died in this city in
1873. The Rocket first ran i'll 1929. In |
1913, while yet an apprentice, he began |
his efforts to discover some substitute for |
animal power in running wagons.
According to Mr.. S. ID. Tillman's account,
it was an incident related by his brother
which, fortunately, gave the right direc-
ton to his Investigations. As a boyish
trick gun barrel partly filed with water
and stopped at both ends was inserted in
a blacLsmith's forge with results which
may be imagined. Instantly it occurred
to Evans that this was the power he was
in search OF. Subsequently he found u
book describing the atmospheric steam
pump used in English mines and in which
ne ut once noticed that the sole use OF
steam III it was to produce vacuum.
1--WE and two were quickly put together,
experiments followed in which piston
was driven by steam, and iii 1881 ho
announced that he could thus propel
boats and wagons. lie was promptly do
clared crazy, and patent was denied
him on that ground. But he perseyered.
ln this country there were no rails (what
tie did by way of trying to introduce them
will soon b. told) but in the English
mines there were, and to England lie sent
his ideas. In 1881, one Captain Masters
took drawings and specifications to Eng
land for the express purpose OF exhibiting
them to engineers. In lI94-'9j Mr.. }. >.
sampson Went oyei for the same purpose,
and i'll the first year OF this century the
engine was exhibited actually at work to
two British engineers in this country.
No impression whatever seems to have
been made IN England, except that in
lsU2 Richard Trevithick patented a high
pressure engine.
The American edition of 'WOod on
Railways" distinctly charges that he
awaited himself OF Evans ideas, but the
point need not be insisted upon, sine
Evans engine was beyond dispute l.
sarlirr and better. In this country, noa-
ever, Evans pushed his conceptlo to
ths incOntrstaUle records of patr IS ill
Maryland (7S7 and Penn Jylvania
I1o6), and To embodiment in iIon and
employ nent i'll actual practical use. The
iiea Of land aud water locomotion was
lempora1ly abandoned, and in 1901, CON
| cent Atlng his entire financial resources
Tor lie mad been too busy inventlng to
make money, though it came 10 him
rapidly enough When he turned his atten-
go" :" U"'i' 'io ."ls' soooo '''
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