Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 December 1894 — A Steam Engine 100 Years Old. [ARTICLE]

A Steam Engine 100 Years Old.

A few years ago an old beam engine, built by James Watt, which had been doing regular work daily for 102 years, was taken down and replaced by a modern engine. The engine was originally a .'5-horse-pawer engine, and was erected in lißs. In 1795 some alterations were made to enable it to worK to 0 horse-power. It had a 21inch cylinder, a t-foot stroke, and sun and planet motion. It worked at 22* revolutions, or 250 feet of piston speed per minute. In 1875 it was tested by Mr. Longbridge, when, with a steam pressure of five pounds per square inch, it indicated 4,-. <2 horse power, with an expenditure of coal of 4.59 pounds per indicated horse-power per hour. Only the best modern engines with the same candition of loading would work with two pounds of coal per indicated horsepower per hour. One is in doubt whether to be surprised that, after a century of endeavor to improve the economy of steam engine working, the progress is so s rail o ■ to be proud that so much has been achieved.—Cassel’s Magaz ne.