Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-09-20
q YOUTHFUL GENfJn.
Only &c Years Old, but He Has Built q
Locomotive.


1t would be no very extravaganza prophecy
to say that in the near future there VIII oe
established somewhere d locomotive works
with the name OF George kilberg over the
door as proprietor At the present time the
George Kilberg in question is a lad only II
years of age, but for all that he has built,
practically with his own hands and with lit
tie assistance, perfect working locomotive.
This is the more remarkable because he never
worked III a locomotive shop; he and his
brother Richard are employed in the iron
works of Vierling &, Mcdowell, of Chicago,
but it is almost entirely building iron that
this firm turns out, and young Kilberg could
have obtained no idea of steam engine build
ing from his employment there.
Ever since young George knew what paper
and pencil meant and were used for he has
been drawing, and his bent seemed to be ever
in the direction of mechanics. His mother
says of him that she never saw the time her
George would not rather draw picture than
eat pie. Georges home is at 225 Twenty
sixth street, aud it is a neighborhood where
he sees numberless engines passing and re-
passing With his fancy for mechanics 1t is
no great wonder his young mind turned 70
them as the height Of mechanical skill A
locomotive never stopped where he could ex-
anime 1t but he did SO. and the time came
when, with an old bank book be speut his
leisure hours about the round house or al any
point where he could copy the various part,
of the machinery. These sketches h. took
nome and from them made drauGEts drawn
70 a perfect scales lie has bad ro moro
schooling III draughting than that received
in the public schools, and Jet bis work on
paper shows has genius.
From ire drawing the youthful mechanic
imbihed the desire 10 construct, and the loco
motive he has at his home tcstiiles - k.s per
severance AID 10 his ability L IS complete
in every detail, and, besides sofle lathe work
done Cor him By his brother Richard and the
castings from the foundry. the patterns Tor
which he himself cut ont u wood, no one has
put hand 70 the construction. Ile ioconO-
tive which was built ~ the works II Vierhng,
McDoweI {; Co. j. Of the mosul consolsda-
ton and OF tue latest dsaign for road freight
engines. i IS fully aluippei with a.. the
necessary requirements Tor an engine Of iis
class and very part works perfectly. Il
weighs wnen empty 80 pounds - pounds
being on the drivers; is SIX feet ak inches
long, and the gauge Of the track Is seven aEg
three-4uarters. The driving wheels are six
inches ia diameter and have chilled rims aud
the CYLINDER are two aud thre,-si Ktseuth inch
bore by three inch stroke. The boiler Is made
Of thresslxtesutA wrought iron and carries
forty pounds WORKING pressure to the square
inch. The safety valve Is set u blow or a,
forty-fve- The pump, which Il under tbs
engine, between the Links, Is worked oy an
eccentric On the forward axle and Is nine
sixteenth bore ty one inch stroke.
4 steam pipe heats the water before Il
reaches the pump. The engine Is fitted WITH
steam brakes, which are placed between the
middle and back driving wheels There L
s.s.1 a iindsr under the cab which draws
up the brakes ou the engine and tender. Ths
brakes on the engine ard tender operate a.
The sane tme. Under tic working pressure
the brakrs can be put on With enough power
% skid tie Vhe..ls On The engine AID tender
The bell ricgs By steam and Is neatly Guizn-
Cd TIE frame q the snziue rests On zobd
steel springs, connected s1ta equAliziny Ian
from TIE front trucks 70 The b2ck drivers
thus aIlo 'sing the nso3al - run On very rough
rails without danger II sprIng1Dg froEsi the
frame. ne driving wEasss. zhen raised
from the truck, have made J. 90 revolutions
Pr rIsiuJts under g pressure Il forty poas4s
Cd t8s boiler. The locomotive burns q -
f0si
TIA boy has worked steadily IL sever
foonths AID TIE resul: frOvea kcv cIoaetY Is
has watched tee Ino4els from Which ia
has worried George says ro~ that bis great
dez1re IL 70 ga into some locomotive Glop
where ne can pat % uss tbs kn0~Je.igs hs
psJG~szzaA--C 13caEo TlueE