. Railway and locomotive engineering : a practical journal of railway motive power and rolling stock . the countryquickly perceived the immense possibili-ties of railroad construction, and enter-prises of that character were pushed for-ward with amazing rapidity, consideringthe scarcity of superfluous capital. Withina few years pathless prairies and denseforests that had previously been thehaunts of savage animals and ferocioushuman beings were converted into smil-ing fruitful fields nurturing happy homes,all by the influence of the iron highway. The providing of the skilled workmento build an
. Railway and locomotive engineering : a practical journal of railway motive power and rolling stock . the countryquickly perceived the immense possibili-ties of railroad construction, and enter-prises of that character were pushed for-ward with amazing rapidity, consideringthe scarcity of superfluous capital. Withina few years pathless prairies and denseforests that had previously been thehaunts of savage animals and ferocioushuman beings were converted into smil-ing fruitful fields nurturing happy homes,all by the influence of the iron highway. The providing of the skilled workmento build and care for the railroad ma-chinery was a problem solved in a waythat reflected the greatest credit upon heingenuity of Americans. When PeterCooper had his Tom Thumb locomotivebuilt in Baltimore, there were no con-struction mechanics in the country exceptwatchmakers, carpenters and blacksmiths ;yet people following these callings readilydeveloped into machinists and some of these men who had acquiredskill under extreme difficulties developedinto mechanical engineers of PART OF THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYS 1 here were greater opportunities forimproving the condition of the people ofthe United States by the construction ofrailways than there was in any othercountry. A vast area of fertile land waswaiting cultivation, immense forests ofvaluable timber were wasting for want of Circumstances made the Americanfarmer something of a mechanic, for hefrequently had to do blacksmitbing on hisown implements and to construct and re-pair his own buildings. When he had abent in that direction he was ready to lendhis skill in other lines of industry. When July. 1915. RAILWAY AND LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERING. 245 the Master Car Builders decided to adopta certain type of car coupler, many pa-tents for improved couplers were securedI iv farmers. For some time railroadmechanical officials were burdened by theapplications of farmers and others to ex-amine car cou
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