The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-02
NJ. w. Baldwin.

%. 1914, the progentor OF the
" modern steam locomotive was
born In the comparatively
sasirc'e century engineering cunning
as Increased the speed OF these steam
tractors from four miles an hour to a
vgllar service rate of more than sew
,rty miles an hour. and there are
rer,y ot record runs OF round hun
red mics in sixty minutes.
To George Stephenson the world owes
80 start that has made this cxtraordi-
',sry advance fact-a man OF modest
N-th but endowed with engineering
ssn.us Tue. others led Stephenson In
Saying steam traction, but the honor
c,hav,ng first made the locomotive en-
SIN. success Is commonly accorded
I'm,
Because Of his native bent. Stephen
son at the age Of II became an engineer,
and was put In charge OF the pumping
engine for which his father served in
ne humber capacity OF fireman. At
. N. age Of 81, that Is. in 1912. he was
employed at the Killingworth High Pit
In England. and his duties gave him
general supervision OF all the coll
Neries operated by combination OF in
'srssts. Some time afterward he heard
o., the experiments in steam locomo-
'!1n being made by such men as
Bscket. and Hedley at wylam. neigh
.rlng Coillcries. Then no went TO
,seds 20 witness a test OF Blenk!nsops
engine. which was designed to draw
seventy tons at the rate OF three miles
an hour The engine did its work. but
Stephenson was not very much I'M
'r.ssed by the performance. remarking
50 4 Is said
Y think 7 could make better engine
han that 10 go upon legs"
Stephenson made good his boast and
managed TO secure the financial aid Of
Lord Ravensworth for the building OF
4 travelling engine. This locomotive
vas constructed at the West Moor
workshops. and was completed and
ready FOR testing on July 25. 1914. The
engine was able to draw thirty tons on
a rising gradient OF ten feet 10 the mile,
and attained a velocity OF four miles
m hour on this up hill run. But
S'epieEsons critical eye discovered
many defects IN his locomotive. and II
vas plain that he must do stu batter
% achieve commercial success, because
ne cost OF operation was just about as
great as when horses were used for
traction.
Accordingly, Stephenson decided to
ct nd n ity1n
upon his original. the Butcher. The
greatest difficulty he had to contend
with IN the Blucher was that of main
'ain!rg a sufficient supply OF steam.
This had likewise been the crucial prob
EN- with his predecessors. and history
has Il that Stephenson really hit upon
solution by chance.
As 'he story goes, the noise caused by
hs pulling locomotives escaping steam
the exhaust being led directly into
ne open a!r-frightened draught ami
mails along tho way. and this aroused
storm Of protest TO the authorities. To
''redy the evil ne turned the cylinder
exhaust into the smokestack. thereby
greatly reducing the noise, but the
change produced other more beneficial
results.
Acting something like slphon, the
steam blast caused a partial vacuum
oetNeen the smokestack and the fire.
go, and thus the furnace draft was
Sreatly increased. 1t was possible TO
burn the fuel better and to double the
Quantity Of steam raised. Naturally.
me power Of the locomotive was pro-
porlonally augmented. and thus cor
tected nuisance became the medium of
more efficient apparatus. This fea-
'ne he patented in 1916, and II Is a