Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-06-16
r1Rsr LocoMoTTvE ENGINEER.
Ralph swlnburn Dead. Who Helped to
Build and Run George Stephenson's
First Locomotive

Ralph swinburn Dead. Who Helped 70
Build and Run George stephenson
First Locomotive.
Charleston, w. Va, June 15.--Ralph
Swlnburn. whose funeral services were
held here, was not only the oldest To-
connective engineer In the world, but he
was the FIRST to sit In n cab and hyp-
notice the throttle. Mr. Swinburn was
n little pnst his DIST year when he died
last Friday at his Davis Creek home.
Just a short distance from this city,
having been born at Newcnstle-on-the
Tyne In January. 1905 He was tho son
OF d Newcastle miner who worked In
the mines with George stephenson, the
Inventor OF the railway locomotive, and
fast friendship existed between them.
At 10 years Of age Ralph Swlnburn
was apprenticed to Stephenson, who
was then working on his invention, and
continued to work with him in the
shops up to the time OF MIR. Stephen
sons death.
In 1850 Mr.. swigburn came to the
United States. landing In New Orleans
and atterward going TO Richmond. Va,
where he got employment with Colonel
Peter Fontaine, who was then building
the old virginia Central railroad, which
afterwards became the main line In the
Chesapeake and Ohio system. Mr..
Swinburn remained IN the railway SER
vice until % years ago, when he bought
farm on Davis Crock. In lSanawha
county. where he settled down and
made his home until his death. At the
time he went to forming he entered the
Baptist ministry and engaged In evan
gelical work For the last two years
he had quit preaching on account Of
his physical disability, After he quit
the railway service he said he knew
he would soon rust out, but he lived
longer than he expected. He died,
however, from the exhaustion that
comes with old age, and did not suffer
a pong of pain during his last days
on earth.
Mr., swinburn was with George
Stephenson when the trial trip OF the
first locomotive was made, and sat In
the cab with his hand on the throttle
that day, 1T was the proudcst day
OF my lie, for I felt that we were
in0uRurating an Industrial revolution"
said Mr.. SWlnhurn, when speaking Of
that notable event, The old man Uas
mellowug into the serene twilight OF
life at the time he was talking on this
subject, aud while his memory was de-
focuy clear as TO the happenings OF
half n century ago
he remembered every detail Of that
ovcutiul day when Stephenson first put
his locomotive on exhibition, and the
lord mayor ot London and the members
of parliament came out to SEQ the new
tangled thing. They hadn't much filth
In either The inventor or the Invention,
but thvy.ca TO see II on account az
the novelty Of the thing. They Thought
that stephenson got the model for the
wheels on the locomotive from the
Wheels IN hts head. But when Ralph
Swinburn touched the valve and the
thing moved OF, pulling a car load Of
people, the English gentry began to
take moro serious vlcw OF II.
"Our engine was an uucanny object
In comparison with q modern loco
motive said Mr.. Swinburn, but II
was the biggest thing out that day
From the time OF its nrst public trial
exhibition. when It's success was dem
onstrRtcd. all England was In an up.
roar and Stcpensou's name was on
every lip The obscure Newcastle min
er had suddenly risen to plane along.
side Of Newton and ArEwright"
Mr., sWiuburn described Stephenson
as man of modest demounor, whC
manifested no special enthusiasm over
the success Of his invention. He had
no educational advantages except what
he had acquired by porting over books
under the light OF his mlner'H lamp
but he was natural mechanic and
understood the philosophy OF mechan,
Ism, HIS mind, too, was OF the prac,
teal trend, When making the first
public exhibition Of his LOCOMOTIVES n,
said 10 the assembled British dlgnL
tnies that he believed 1t could be made
TO run twenty miles an hour, This
seemed TO be Incredible. But tho
lord mayor Of London said to him
suppose, Mr. stephenson. that YOU
locomotive attalus that high rate of
speed, ana a COW should get In front
OF II. what would be the rosultg" Mr.
stephenson reelected Tor n moment, and
then, with the nasal twnng peculiar tt
tho shire, replied II would be bad fol-
| the N-e-ow." Ralph SWlnburn i'm.
| hihed the mudcsty VI his master. IL.
never boastcd OF tho fact that witt
| hin own hands he had helped to con
| slruet the first LOCOMOTIVES. and thai
| he had been chosen by hla master Il
| sit In the box on the day OF It's trim
| trip, He merely spoke OF II az IA,
| would Of any other ordinary perform
nnce OF duty
He was known by the people OF Kan
/ avian county as a sturdy, upright old
| man, who feared his God and loved
| hls neighhora, and who. In Imitation
| eI tho example OF tho Nazarenc. wen
| about doing good, The tenra TINT fol
| upon his coffin az II was lowered int,
the earth last evening, Just na ia,
| parting rays OF the setting sun glide,
] the hllltops, We're the nttost testimon
ne 'sN"
JiFiRRNvg VETERINARIANS