The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-08-09
BIOGRAPHICAL CALENDAR
ss--et-.-s - i-e C-si-sts-s .
O5ss Roses-Oes; ;re ~oris Owes
Them

There -s-a u.lE- .t.f4-- ii - 2 1t-
Ia .r.s-a-c- ..rF t-'0-a Thomas Te..
FORD zas Born .1 S~olaad l52 yea1s
ago today a1. the modern science O.
-1at building may claim am and his
sa---up0-a-y Nacadam as s, ORG.
.-a-o-s Every good roads as=Oc.a.
.o- and highway lnp-0y-mer. move
men. o. p-ess1'day Ane-.oa and In
rope Rad .-s.- origin go the aot.viies
ard .a5o-s 90 Te''o-t ard TIA, other
~-o-c1ma- Narata-
To these $40 men the world owes
.-s 5.s. roads today Their me-aot
~ coas.-lc. 9a differed sonevha, in .
detail but ras .he same ir ef'ec.. 20
produce v.'h stone ot various sizes,
ranging from large a. -he road bot.
ton. % finely crushed f-agme-.s az
'he top road tha; would defy time
and sustain the heavies, wear.
Te,fo-d bull, more than 900 miles
- road So The Scottish highlands
tho r-s. tha. region ever had worthy
~ the name. and though they have
been 90 use more 'ha1 century
there are 10 finer roads In norh
Britain
In connection with This work he
bull. l20 bridges. Tho result o' his
rabo-s vas 70 bring lawlessne=s 20
an end in the highlands and pu,
'ha. Wild section forward a century
in civilization az bound
70 vas uo- l- road building hoy.
over. that Tel'o-d spent his best
years Ha was 'he leading canal On.
r,1co- ~ his time n Europe, and was
also occupied with building large
bridges docks and harbO-s of refuge.
He huU' -he Caledonlar canal. ba.
tween the east and west coasts Of
Scotland noted for tho character o'
rs locks. which presented problems
considered wc'l-1igh insurmoun,able
ar 'ha, period
Tho canal connecting the rivers
I Ncrsey. Dee and Severn. on the
Welsh border. was another o' his
great works In two places ne was
) obliged 20 carry the bed OF the canal
across a valley. which ne did success
fully. rhe height in one case being
l2O feet above the bed of the gorge.
Another groa, work was his bridge
across the Mcrai straits IN Wales.
built 20 facilitate travel 20 Hollyhead.
I on tho route 20 ireland
{ Tho bridge was on the suspension
.- principle great chains being used 70
carry g. across tho strait The day
b the frs of -hcso chains-weighiug
4 % 'ous-was hols,od into place. a
friend Of TcIiord's eought ont the
engineer 20 congratulate him, and
s. found him on his knees. giving
q thanks m prayer fo~ his success. He
L had not slept for many nights
j. Tolford's life was sunny and happy.
e n" was tho son of poor shepherd
and in his native town was known
as a boy as Laughing Tam" He was
:. early apprcntlcod as a mason. HI.
b taste FOR books and poetry helped
. him In tho firs. steps OF a hard-earncd
D. education.
From apprentice 20 laborer laborcr
20 foreman. foreman 10 supcrlntend
cn'. and so on. was his progress. His
= first public work was done in the
' county OF Shropshire, England. whore
, he held FOR few years a position as
'' county engineer
- After his reputation was establish
cd his services were sought by vari
ous continental countries He bull
tho Gotha canal IN sweden. and ar
important road In Poland
Tolford never married and llveC
when I'm London IN an old offc,
house m the city His manners were
so engaging. and ne had so man,
friends. that his presence increased
~ -ho patronage ~ the house Wher
, Dee announced his intention of movln.
into home of his own, the 'andlor,
of tho coffee house who had recent,
n bought tho business, exclaimed
.a "What. leave the house Why. sir
,c Two Just paid 80 pounds for you'"
r Telford was a close friend Of m.
poet Campbell, and {, was while Mi
guest. and with his aid that N,
Il poet wrote "Hohcnlindcn'
H. Tclford died In London ON Scptom
al bcr >. 1894.
Twas a Glorious Victory.