Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-08-21
HISTORY OF RAILROADS
1ROn 8x0saE srKPsEssOS's TINE
DOWR rO THE pxsssEr DSr.
rhs psssnuInss of what IL Now one Of tho
Most Isppsrssns Fsc'ors In Modern Cisi.
hxssisn--fhs Primitive Locomotive
and Iss Present Successor.

TErhe story of George Stepbonson's lie af.
cu<as one OF tho most striking and worthy
shossnples Of self made man, and tho history
hs" The marvellous enterprise which he
Evolved should be moro than Interesting 10
be vast number OF people who are daily ON
t1oyed by, and others who, directly or indi-
oPctly, are dependent for livelihood ON our
ilway@ whilst the thousands who daily en-
pYy our improved mode Of travelling cannot
twsa 10 recognize their Indebtedness TO one
kinS,se noble character and praiseworthy per.
ioVuersnce should prove q stimulus to the
q youth Of the present day to emulate his in-
dustry, thoroughness and thrift
Newcastleupon-Tyne will ever TO justly
,sand deservedly proud of the names OF George
and Robert Stephenson, and 1t Is so closely
wtdentnod with tho early history OF the rail-
pefay system that think II well TO cherish In
.nasr midst the memories OF those men whose
T$mes will always be associated with the
knommencement Of that gigantic enterprise,
int(hich has done much TO enhance the
norfeat social, commercial and political inter.
ceists Of the country.
""'' srEpuESsoS's ORIGIN.
!, In the quiet aud secluded village of Wy
Jam, In y lonely, humble and isolated cot,
Which visited short time ago we Identify
,rnrhe birthplace Of George Stephenson, the coll
shtiery hoy, who has made tho world his
sotlebtor and made himself tho beneiactor not
bniy of individuals, but OF nations lie was
Vborn on the 9th Of June, 1881, about tho lime
,'..when Lord CORVALLIS was shut up In YORK
mH,o-n hy w.Sbiny,ou. and tho American col.
EI.,.- -. n,,,I,. .a,,oroa iron, tina Rri,lsb
ptios "e'o ""'S .,l,.,,,a,, ,ya. hat ot n
,ompire' his hr't "mP'"S uiu' ~, 80 ,.uI
herd boy at two pence day. But we VIII
loaye him during his earlier days attending
the COWS on Widow Ainslie's farm, bird
n..,ing ana modelling his clay engines by
the side OF pswiey Burn. His highest am
bItion was to bs employed at one OF the neigh
boring coiiieries, and his parents being poor
we .oon lnd him accompanying his father
thitber where he started work IA a "pcker,"
IN cIear the Goals of stones and dross, at six
pence a day. Shortly afterwards he was en-
s.ooa IN 5rive tho a. gin - at Black Callerton
sa,,,.,, ana NJ ,ou,,een wears of are no wa,
",.,., ...is,a,, oro,,,n =, hIs father NJ
sPPohueu aS'''a"t "~i'u' ~ " '
pewiey' he wase'snpee' Soa' VI So W
fore he learned to read, but mere were no
! board schools In those days, and the disad-
vantages under which ho lsbored, the many
difficulties he had to contend with, aud the
dearth of means all tend TO Increase the credit
due to him for the indomitabie perseverance,
and determination with which no accom-
piisbed that task. Tbis undauntedness Was
the characteristics feature OF his life II
showed itself conspicuously In the persistent
manner In which he 10 frequently was iound
taking his engine TO pieces for the purpose
OF examining 1t aud mastering Its details III
also showed itself in another and very oiner-
ent form In the coInmendable way In which,
when pressed to 1t, he fought and vanqushed
n Ned Nelson. the colliery bully, at Black Gal.
,s..1n - meS1n In,n ,,a,nns no, @ wbiIs, SteShenson
J continued at his work as usual until the
evening Of the day appointed Tor meeting ms
chalienger, when & he very roSy anu Wbicb he
Justly deserved, and no doubt afterwards
ptonteu y ny ,,nI % ,ha Lnif.
,o,,. s'urse 70 uho p'''o. u 'nV $50 ,.,,o.
.uI0His MARRIAGE AND EAhLh INVENTIONS
~
,,.rr;ed &, Newburn church to Frances Hen.
- a, 80, no ,,as davo,eily a,tached
~ 1Sls, ".'.,'.l, ~ 'h. n,,'roh haya a,aminad the
parish register, ana seen poth the'r sisna-
lures Whilst living at Wilmington quay, on
the banks OF the Tyne, and working a.
brakesman at the Ballast Hills, his only son,
Robert, was born on the 9th Of November,
1903 The Stephenson memorial schools are
now erected upon the site where the house
stood, aud | have been afforded an opportu-
nIty of looking through those schools, and
been privileged to examine q very neat
model of the house In which George stephen
son lived aud spent great deal OF his spare
time in iutie efforts to discover perpetual
motion. Doubtless the efforts made in this
direction, though unsuccessful In attaining
object desired, contributed in no small
rec to mould and develop and strengthen
y a natural mechanical genius He aston
y ~ shed the pitmen by attaching an alarm to
sue sue - -. iocK OF tho watchman, whose duty n,
y iue feP'So call them early to their work -, ,n,
by Hlhings, aud gained the favor ,yt,b "a,
.stors by connecting the craS.o ,, m.h W. m
mercau keiack and making 1t seiia p',-'' sn,d ~
mem as Invented lamp that w9,h air hu ,na.n
he enVyyer it being supplied =. ua ~ a.,nsys,nna,I,
Irowh ~ tnbe from the suria. inc ,bis lam In !,
,necias used has iriends pxht, and the fish beinl
10 attes nsn Po.iu a. 'by the subaqueous illumi
Turing ltion soon 40 . Tueu cohsiueIaple OF spoII
pripg wvo .sn na ,bns sustained ~, ,nsa % VINO,
on 10 no. io,get Heavily mon him. He soon after
"'' VI accepted the care Ct an engine at Mont
a and at this time he also had strong de
e.se u emigrste to America, but fortunatel,
~ ,.Sv his ,ono,na to 90 abroad Uanersorma,
thS ,on,nay tn Mnn,rosa and hact nm foot
II on Iis ret,irn he WAS drafted into the militia
ana nesrly All the money ne had earned wa
spent IN procuring asuos'itute. ~ was ON.
whilst sctlng ~ prakesihan al inc w West MOO
coiliery al klllingworth that MS superioritil "
workman became known and MS aplli
ties ~ an engineer Recognized. A new pi
was being sunk IN the neighborhood calie'
the high pt, anu ater me works had pro
ceoooo ior some tlne sii Infther progress wa
stopped by the men being drowned out
AHer Altering inc engine AZ the p,t % 80 as