April 2, 1854

The Inventors of Railroads
We hear the question asked who was the inventor of the railway and

have never heard it satisfactorily answered, and believe there are

very few persons in this country who know anything on this subject.

Some few years ago,Howett,of Peoples Journal gave a somewhat lengthy

sketch of the alleged inventor who, upto May 1836, had been neglected

in England. While thounsands had been enriched by his brilliant

scheme, he had remained forgotten — forced by poverty to sell glass

on commission, for a living. How many of the railway projectors,

agitators, stockholders &c., have ever heard of the subject of these

remarks,About half a century ago, the exact year is not known,there

was born at Leeds, England,a man named Thomas Grey. Scarcely anything

is known of his early history. He was, we believe, a poor collier; and

being very ingenious, he conceived the idea of facilitating the

transportation of coal from Middle-town colliery of Leeds, a distance

of three miles, by means of a short railway which he constructed of

wood. Upon this, his cars moved along at the rate of three and a half

miles an hour, to the great merriment of a wise and discriminating

public, who laughed at the idea of a railway as something very

visionary, and as the mere suggestion of laziness. Poor Grey thought

otherwise. Magnificent visions of future railways such as are now

stupenduous realities, loomed up before him, and he began to talk in

public of a general system of iron railroads. He, was, of, course,

laughed at, and declared a visionay moon struck fool. But the more Grey contimplated his little railway for coal, the more firmly did he believe in the practicability and immense usefulness of his scheme. He saw in it all that is now realized, and he resolved inspite of his ridicule, the sneers and rebutts that were heaped upon him, to prosecute his undertaking. He petitioned the British Parliament, and sought interviews with all the great men of the kingdom; but all of this had no effect, except to bring down upon him, wherever he went, the loud sneers and ridicule of all classes. Still he persevered, and at length engaged the attention of men of intelligence and influence, who finally embraced his views, urged his plans, and the grand result is now before the world. Thos. Grey the inventor of railroads, who not longer than 1820, was laughed at for ever mentioning the idea, still lives in Exeter England, in the full realization of his grand and noble railroad schemes, for which he was declared insane. How much has the world benefited by his insanity !

March 23, 1854

WANTED
At the Observer Office, an Apprentice to the Printing Business. Good

wages given, with an opportunity of acquring a perfect knowledge of

the business.

Observer office, March 1854

March 23, 1854

An Accident Occured on Saturday Last to one of the Strokers on the

Engine Erie, belonging to the Great Western Railway Co. here. He had

been standing on the outside connecting rod,fixing a hook, when the

Engineer not knowing his position, put on the steam, the poor fellows

foot, got between the rods and was severly crushed over the ankle

joint. It was thought judicious to give him a chance to save his limb,

but that chance going against him, on Tuesday the limb was removed at

the middle of the leg, by Drs. Brown and Wanless, while he was kept

under the influence of Chloroform by Dr. Going. The man suffered no

pain during the operation, but instead sang a right merry song.– He

is now doing well. London Free Press

March 23, 1854
Splendid Financial Success of the Grand Trunk Railway
The attempts so perseveringly made to injure this magnificent

enterprise which will cause an expenditure of £9,000,000 sterling, on

account of Canada, have been carried from this province to England.  A

call on the Grand Trunk shares was payable in England on the 6th of

February; and the enemies of this enterprise made a dead set to

prevent the call being responded to by the shareholders.  A scurrilous

pamphlet containing a rechauffe of all the exploded charges which had

been made against the company for months past, was issued and

circulated gratuitously in England on the 3rd of Feb’y, just before

the call came due.  The concoctors of this infamous production

doubtless calculated that the falsehoods they scattered broadcast

amoung the shareholders of the Grand Trunk would do their work, and

that there would be no time for correction and refutation.  Wherever

it was believed that the Grand Trunk shareholders were to be found,

there was this bundle of falsehoods sent.–It is hardly necessary to

mention that such a production as this was issued anonomously:  nobody

could be found to father the calumnies it contained.  Amoung those who

were honoured with a copy of this unowned production were the Duke of

Newcastle, Secretary for the Colonies, Lord Elgin and other persons of

distinction.  But the concoctors of this disgraceful work mistook the

public whom they addressed.  They are accustomed to address a Canadian

audience and they greatly mistook when they concluded that the arts

which they practise here would have an effect on the capitalists of

England.  How utterly this contrivance failed of it’s object which

will be understood when we state that not only has the call amounting

to £360,000, sterling, been promptly paid; but that there has in

addition been received at the company’s Bankers nearly  £300,000

sterling, in anticipation of future calls; and at latest accounts the

money continued to pour in with unabated rapidity.  These payments,

together with deposits paid in May last, and the capital already paid

up on the Quebec and Richmond, the St. Lawrence and Atlantic, and the

Toronto and Sarnia companies amount to more than one fourth of the

total capital of the amalgamated capital companies.  Whoever were weak

enough to entertain doubts of the success of this enterprise will now

doubt no longer.  This eminent financial success has been attained in

spite of the deperate and unprincipled efforts that have been made to

write down the enterprise.  It has, by it’s enemies and the enemies of

provincial prosperity, been described as a “grand bubble;”  And we

were bid wait a few weeks to see it burst.  But fortunately this

instance, the efforts of calumny have prooved fruitless; and whatever

advantages may reasonably be anticipated from the success of the Grand

Trunk are certain to be realized.–Leader

MARCH 16, 1854
The Grand Trunk is likely to fair badly between Prescott and Cornwall,

the land owners along that portion of the route having combined,

according to the Reorder, to force extravagant prices for the land

required by the company.  One hundred pounds per acre is the price

asked for land no better than has been purchased in other parts of the

province for £12 10s per acre.  The Company have offered £15 per acre,

and if this is not accepted, a new line is to be surveyed ten or

twelve miles in the rear; so that the great damage complained of by

the farmers in the front will be avoided, and those combined to force

extravagant prices taught a lesson at the same time.–Examiner

February 9, 1854

From New York to Liverpool in Six Days-The New York Tribune says, The

new steamer W.M. Norris, which is to make the passage to Europe in

five or six days, is rapidly approaching completion.  Her outside is

nearly finished, and she will probably be floated in a fortnight. 

This vessel is simply flat and sharp, with a good mould for turning

fast in smooth water.  She is made unusually strong, having her

timbers strapped diagonally with bars of iron, and by an iron kelson

extending from the keel to the deck, excepting in the central part of

the vessel devoted to the engine.  This kelson is composed of two

parallel sheets of iron, near half and inch in thickness, less than a

foot apart, and so fastened and connected as to form a water tank.  On

either side of the kelson are bilge kelsons, formed in the same

manner, also connected with the deck.  It is expected that these

unusual supports will give an amount of strength and solidity to the

steamer, as to make her excel all other vessels of similar dimensions.

 We are bound to speak with ditlidence in the presence of scientific

naval architects, but are conviction is, that no more strength is

gained by this construction, than would be by expending a fourth part

of the money in a fabric of proper wooden supports.  The Actic

exploring vessels, and the Newfoundland sealers have shown

conclusively, that wooden structures are fully adaquate to all demands

upon their powers of resistance, and these are as great as any to

which sea-going craft can be subjected.  Indeed, we doubt it wood and

iron, in the combiuations on board the Wm. Norris, will prove as

effectual for strength as either used by itself.  But the main thing

to be tested in this vessel is, not her ability to resist the wind and

waves of the Atlantic, which she is very likely to do successfully,

but her model.  If she does not prove to be too flat, and to draw too

little water to be a good or safe boat, it will be a new experience in

naval architecture.

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