t I. ... i Jt*"'-/' 



Figure 73. — Baldwin's locomotive wheel, showing wooden 

 felloes (d) between spokes and rim. From U.S. patent, April 3, 

 1835, restored drawing. National Archives photograph. 



To this I replied, that appears to be a claim for 

 protection in doing good work, and that any one should 

 make it was astounding; that in the practice of my 

 father's shop from my earliest recollection, well- 

 fitted metallic joints was the rule, canvass and red 

 lead a rare exception. Mr. Chauncey asked me to 

 reduce to writing what I had to say on that subject, 

 and let him have it that evening; that he had an early 

 appointment with Baldwin for the next morning, 

 and named the hour he would see me. 



In drawing this paper I referred to the custom of 

 our shop, and our manner of making metallic steam 

 or water-joints; that we had long known by experience 

 that a lump or fullness could not be ground off 

 without making a corresponding depression in the 

 opposite; that the joints on the locomotive steam- 

 pipes were as they came from the lathe, having been 

 tried under direct pressure, with Venetian red finely- 

 ground in oil: that care and little practice showed 

 where the scraper, if required, was needed; also, 

 when it had done its work, the joints were not ground. 

 I referred to the gunbarrel steam-pipes of the old 

 Hawkins engine, one barrel coned into the other 

 and drawn together with clamp-bolts that had 

 carried steam of 8oo° temperature, and where these 

 pipes, then in existence, could be seen. I also re- 

 ferred to Jacob Perkins' English patent of 1824, as 



published in Newton's journal, 233 claiming the uniting 

 of steam-pipes by a short double-cone section drawn 

 into the ends of the steam-pipes reamed out conically 

 to receive them, drawn together by bolts through 

 flanges on the steam pipes, said to have carried steam 

 of 1,000° Fahrenheit; also, to the account of steam- 

 heating the house of Sir J. Sloan, London, which I 

 believe was the first published account of heating 

 by steam-pipes, the joints of these pipes being metal 

 to metal, as described in the Perkins patent. 



At the time appointed, as I went into Mr. Chauncey's 

 office, I met Mr. Baldwin coming out; his passing- 

 greeting was hurried and excited; what had passed 

 between him and Mr. Chauncey I never knew, nor 

 did I inquire, for Mr. Chauncey said to me, "You 

 put your engine on the road; you will never hear more 

 of these patent claims." This episode did not produce 

 any estrangement; after-meetings were always pleas- 

 ant; neither of us ever reverted to it. 



As I have before stated, this our first locomotive was 

 put on the State road early in September, 1835, my 

 elder brother Charles and Mr. Brandt handling the 

 throtde on its first trip to Columbia and back with a 

 freight train; after this, my brother made other trips 

 with the runner having charge. 



333 British patent 4732, December 10, 1822. 



177 



