The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-07-08
The OpiOiM0f0r or fhe LOcOniOfirs
IL aM AMseric0n.

Cleveland Leader.
While England, and perhaps the
world. owes much to the genius and
skill of George Stephenson, whose
centennial birthday was celebrated
on the 9th inst, yet he stands cred
tied with an invention Of the locomo.
tive. which had its origin In this
country. Being misled by Smiles.
the biographer. OF Stephenson, the
mass of people have come to regard
England's celebrated mechanical en-.
gineer ~ the inventor of the railway
locomotive. Nothing can be further
from the truth than this claim. The
idea WAS first conceived and wrought
out by oliver Evans, an American
inventor, who was born In the State
of Delaware in 1855, and whose
death occurred at New York in 1919.
The American encyclopaedia presents
an array Of facts. all of which tend
to show that in the course Of time
Stephenson only improved the loco.
motive engine invented by Evans,
just rs more modern inventors and
builders have improved the Stephen
son engine.
Referring to the life of Evans it Is
found that before tho attainment of
his majority he had conceived the
idea of constructing u land carriage,
which should be propelled without
the assistance of animal power. In
1881 he announced that he could
prOpel boats and wagons by steam,
and, although he had perfected II
number or useful inventions of his
own. people treated this announce
ment as All idle dream. Subsequent
", 1877, and again in l7945, he sent
drawings and specifications Of his
engine to England. Richard Treve-
thick, an ,Englishman, had access To
the plans thus sent over, and event
nally used them to build and patent
an engine OH his own account. In
1899 or 1900, Evans set about the con.
strnction of u steam carriage, and
actually built the first high pressure
steam engine known in the world.
This was the real origin of the great
land motor, which now traverses all
parts of the world. Evans patented
his invention, and used it success
fully in connection with mills. He
afterward builta steam dredging ma.
chine for the health authorities VI
Philadelphia, mounted the sc0w, con.
tanning the engine, on wheels. and
propelled it by steam to the Schuyl.
kill river, distance of one and a
half miles. where It was launched,
and, being fitted with a paddle wheel
in the stern, proceeded to its destina.
ton. g...- e.. BIZ. ..a..r
Thus while Evans built his first
steam engine as early as 1900, George
Stephenson did not complete his first
one until July, 1914. Even this was
imperfect, and improvements were
made during the course of the two
following years. Stephenson himself
never claimed to have been the
originator of the locomotive engine.
but in the light of what had been ac-
complished by Evans, he had better
opportunity to improve the machine
which was destined to he of such i'm.
pOrtance to the world. While Ste
phenson was experimenting with his
engine on the KillingwOrth railway
in England, Evans had already con-
ceived the idea of building railroad
between Philadelphia and New York.
and using carriages to be run at the
rate of fifteen miles per hour by
steam, and actually made Il PROPOSE
ton to that effect. Americans may
therefore claim that among the many
other great and useful inventions
which their cOuntrymen have given
the world is that Of the locomotive.
1t Is as much of All American inven.
ton rs the steamboat, the cotton gin,
the electric telegraph, the sewing
machine. the telephone, or the reap.
ing machine, and u Thousand other
matters OF value.