The Sarnia Observer and Western Advertiser
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 !
