Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-04-03
WESTINGHOUSE, NOTED
INVENTOR, A VICTIM OF
HEART D|SEASE,|SDEAD
Great Engineer Founded Factories
Now Employing an Army Of 50,-
600 Men and $2oo,ooo,-
600 Of Capital.

New York. Special: George West
inghouse, a foremost figure in the
world of engineering, and inventor Of
the air brake that bears his name, died
here March - at his residence Of
heart disease. The end came a few
hours after it became publicly known
that Mr.. Westinghouse was seriously
ill. He was in his 6Sth year.
Mr.. Westinghouse became an in
ventor at the g Of Is, when he pro-
duced a rotary engine. Four years
placing derailed steam cars. Then,
when p years old, he sought the
financial backing of the late Coma
modre Cornelius Vanderbilt for his
now famous airbrake, perfected after
three years Of labor.
do you mean to tell me o can
stop a railroad train by wind?" de-
manded the commodore.
well, yes: inasmuch as air is wind,
I suppose You are right" spoke the
youth.
II have no time to waste on FOOLS"
aid the commodore, thus abruptly ter
minating the interview.
Westinghouse sought M found
capital elsewhere, manufactured his
invention and made high speed pos
sible On railroads, revolutionizing
traffic systems and i~naugurating a
notable era Of railway development.
Made Many Inventions.
Mr.. Westinghouse did not conf1ne his
genius to railroading. For half q
century he continued to make con-
tributions to electrical as we'll as en-
cheering advancement. His inventions
and Improvements had to do with rail-
way signaling; the development of the
alternating current system for electric
lighting and power. devices for safety
and for economically conveying ma
tural gas over long distances and
using it for industrial and domestic
fuel, air springs for motor vehicles, and
a geared turbine system for the
propulsion Of ships, developed in col
liberation with h late Admiral
George L. Melville, United States navy,
and John H. MacAlpine.
In return for his many achievements
the highest konors in the gift of the
technical societies and institutions OF
Europe and America were bestowed
upon him. even sovereigns conferrini.
distinguished orers. AS recently as
last December he received from the
the celebrated Grashof gold medal.
Mr.. Westinghouse founded many
manufacturing companies in this coun-
try and abroad. In these plants some
$4,000 persons are employed. and the
many companies have a capitalization
a~SgToSaJlnS SEUU,UUU ,UUV.
Mr.. Westinghouse mental alertness
and activity remained to the last
unimpaired. The final few years of
his life were among the most pro-
ductive. For several months he had,
however. limited his activities, placing,
greater responsibilities on his associates.
1t was stated On behalf of his many iu-
terests that there will be no change Of
policy in connection with n of the
industries which will be operated on a
plan long ago thought out by the liz
ventor himself.
Mr.. Westinghouse and his various
ventures suffered severely in the panic
of 1907. In October Of that year the
Westinghouse Electrice and Mansl-
featuring company went into bank
ruptcy from which it was released a
year later after the creditors had az
copied a plan Of reorganization. After
that episode the control of the West
inghouse company and some of it's sub
salaries rested with a group CT New
York, Boston and Pittsburgh banking
interests.
Westinghouse common, which had
paid 10 per cent yearly from 1904 to
1907, suspended dividends altogether
from the latter part Of 1907 until 1912,
when they were resumed on a 2 per
cent basis, and last rear 4 per cent
was paid. According to some Of his
business associates Mr.. westinghouse
never recovered from the shock he re-
ceived when control Of his numerous
enterprises was taken out Of his hands.
The Reorganization plan was con-