50 THE INFIRM PUMPING-ENGINE. CHAP. IV. 



valve between the air-pump and condenser. This 

 expedient, although it led to no practical result, showed 

 that his mind was actively at work in mechanical 

 adaptations. It continued to be his regular habit, on 

 Saturdays, to take his engine to pieces, for the purpose, 

 at the same time, of familiarising himself with its action, 

 and of placing it in a state of thorough working order. 

 And by diligently mastering the details of the engine, 

 he was enabled, as opportunity occurred, to turn to 

 practical account the knowledge thus acquired. 



Such an opportunity was not long in presenting itself. 

 In the year 1810, a pit was sunk by the " Grand 

 Allies" (the lessees of the mines) at the village of 

 Killing worth, now known as the Killing worth High 

 Pit, An atmospheric or Neweomen engine, originally 

 made by Smeaton, was fixed there for the purpose of 

 pumping out the water from the shaft ; but, somehow 

 or other, the engine failed to clear the pit. As one of 

 the workmen has since described the circumstance 

 " She couldn't keep her jack-head in water : all the 

 enginemen in the neighbourhood were tried, as well as 

 Crowther of the Ouseburn, but they were clean bet." 

 The engine had been fruitlessly pumping for nearly 

 twelve months, and began to be spoken of as a total 

 failure. Stephen son had gone to look at it when in 

 course of erection, and then observed to the over-man 

 that he thought it was defective ; he also gave it as his 

 opinion that, if there were much water in the mine, the 

 engine would never keep it under. Of course, as he 

 was only a brakesman, his opinion was considered to be 

 worth very little on such a point, and no more was 

 thought about it. He continued, however, to make 

 frequent visits to the engine, to see " how she was 

 getting on." From the bank-head where he worked 

 his brake he could see the chimney smoking at the 

 High Pit; and as the workmen were passing to and 

 from their work, he would call out and inquire " if they 



