The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1913-04-10
George Stephenson.
Continued from 1st page

ons on rails" AS Trevethick was a
year ahead of him, however, his
claim is absurd. This case reminds
me of another claim made by Rob-
ert Fulton, who had seen a steam
boat named the Charlotte Dundas.
built in England in 1901. From
this boat he cribbed his plans for
building the Clermont which was
launched in 1907, and yet he is the
accredited pioneer of the steamboat,
hut / am DEPRESSING.
After making careful study of
what had been done by others,
Stephenson came to the conclusion
that he could improve upon the
excisting locomotive models. His
first effort resulted in the building
OF the Butcher, the colliery black
smith undertaking to carry out his
design. The engine worked upon
what is termed the second motion,
the power of the two cylinders be-
ing combined by means of spur
wheels which communicated the
power to the driving wheels. 1t
showed speed of four miles an
hour in drawing load of thirty tons.
immediately after the trail trip the
engine was improved by its inventor,
his first improvement being to
double the steam making power of
the boiler by turning the exhaust
from the cylinder into the smoke
stack, thereby creating a forced
draught. Another engine was built
by him in which he made direct
connection between the piston and
driving wheels. This engine marks
the turning point in locomotive
design, and the principle embodied
is used in present day locomotive
practise.
The year 1923 was another step
forward for George Stephenson and
railroads. Two years before road
had been chartered to connect the
Durham coal-6elds with the coast.
Stephenson heard of the project, and
by his arguments won over the
sceptical directors. They had their
charter amended 80 as to permit the
use of steam as a motive power for
the carrying of passengers and mer-
chandise. This marked the birth of
the Stocton and Darlington Rail-
way, the first in the world with a
passenger charter. The chief en-
gineer was George Stephenson, with
a salary of 81. 500. At the same
time, with the assistance of the peo-
pie, he founded the locomotive shops
at Newcastle, which bear his name
to this day. The road was opened
in September 1926.
Stephenson was very sanguine of
Its success and said to his sou Rob
ert: i venture to tell you that /
think you will live to see the day
when railways will supersede all
other methods of conveyance in
this country-when mail coaches
will 90 by railway, and railways
will become the great highway for
the King and all his subjects. The
time is coming when i, will be
cheaper for workingman to travel
upon railway then to walk on foot.
| know there are great and almost
unsurmountable difficulties to be en-
countered, but what | have said will
come to pass as sure as you live.
only wish l may live to see the
day, though that l can scarcely hope
Tor, AS know how slow all human
progress is, and with what difficulty
| have been able to get the locomo.
tive thus far adoped. notwithstand-
ng my more than ten years. success
ful experiment at Killingworth."
His assertion that trains could be
moved at speed of twenty miles an
lour raised doubts in many minds
is to his sanity. Some of the ques-
ion put to him by the Parliament