Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1897-04-14
fAE FIRST RAlLRoAp.

TIE fbhSI HALFWAY
orariSst:d in = Cool Nine ana Wa:
4 Crude AFFAIR.
The primitive railway appears to have
been the product Of the coal mines in
Great Britain. History rcsSrns that, ID
the early part Of the sixteenth Century
rails of timber were laid at the collieries
near Newcastle-upoH-Tyn over which,
by means of bulky carts provided with
rollers, one horse could draw four or
1--WE tons. For fully 200 years the use
of these rude railroads was cqn1ned to
the collieries. Improvements developed
slowly. The first change was in Sc
curing the wooden rails, by means Of
pegs, to cross ties or sleepers placed
two, or three feet apart. The rails were
six INCHES high and six inches broad.
On top of each rail strip of hard wood
was fastened, which could be renewed
whenever occasion warranted without
disturbing the remainder of the stric-
ture.
Flat iron bars were first substituted
for. this temporary strip of wood in
1888, and about so years later cast iron
bars were forged for that purpose.
These cast iron bars were each five feet
three-quarter inches thick, with holes
for spikes to secure them TO the wood.
Toward the close of the eighteenth cen
fury the practice was adopted of cast
ing the rails with perpendicular ledge
ON the outer edge to prevent the wheels
from leaving the track. Subsequently
the ledge was transferred to the inner
side of the rail.
It was not until 1889 that the present
type of rail and car wheel appeared.
Tlangcd rails and fat wheels were dis
cardcd and the lange transferred to
the tire of the wheels. Mr.. Jesup intro
duced, at that period, rails cast in
lengths of IS feet, with the top 1A
inches wide. They were of the fish
belly pattern; deeper in the middle than
at the ends. After various experiments
it was found advisable to set the ends
of the rails in cast iron. chairs, which
were bolted to the wooden OF stone,
ties, and into which secured by a key
or wedges. Cast iron, however, proved
to be too brittle for the passage of
heavy loads at high rates of speed, and
about the year 1920 malleable irotY was
substituted and the length of the rails
was increased.
The idea OF uxing steam as n motive
power on the tramways in the English
coilieries was first preached by James
Watt in 1854, when he applied for n
patcnt for steam carriage. In 1904
Richard Trcvethick built locomotive
engine which was tried upon the MGR
+hyr d. Tydvil railway, in Wales, and
which drew wagons containing ten tons
Of coal each, at n rate Of five miles an
hour. W. IIassell Wilson, in his "RaiI-
way History" says that in 1912 BIcn-
kinsops engines began running between
Middleton co!licrics and Leeds Ga dis
lance OF 3M miles), and continued in
use for several years, being the first in
stance OF the regular employment OF
steam locomotives for commercial pur-
poses. 1t was in 1914 that George Ste
phenSon'S first steam engine was placed
on tho K.i!inmworth railway. = L..
30 tons At the rate of four Nils 81: i'ui
upon an incline Of one foot in 40. T..
provemcnts in locomotive. fu;,,'r,
gradually. When the Stockton : -.
lington railway was opcnc,' f;r !,r5:..
use in l&2j, ono OF Stephcn9IG T..
motives drew Il train cOi:.reS"i e:
wagons filled with passcH",'-" =. ! :
wagons loaded with coal. 80. =
tai weight Of about 90 tor". .!....t.''
the engine and tender, AT ;.% ;.r"a~..
speed Ct about five miles an hour. ~.
attainin" maximum rate Of II niles