EOR&E WESTINaHOIISE 
 
 UC-NRLF 
 
FT OF 
 
GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE 
 
 1846 1914 
 
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 A TRIBUTE 
 BY ARTHUR WARREN 
 
NAPOLEON, at the age of 24 
 captured Toulon and was made 
 brigadier'general. Three years later he 
 attracted the attention of the world by 
 the victories of his Italian campaign. 
 William Pitt at the age of 24 became 
 Prime Minister of England. George 
 Westinghouse at 24 had not only invented, 
 but had secured the adoption of the air 
 brake, the most important safety device 
 ever known, and the chief agency which 
 helped to transform railways from their 
 primitive conditions to their present state 
 of immense efficiency and magnitude. 
 
 George Westinghouse did many other 
 things of first importance to mankind, 
 and became one of the most famous and 
 honored men of our time. In his later 
 years he was justly called "the greatest 
 living engineer." Throughout his career 
 he afforded one of the most remarkable 
 
examples of ingenuity, persistence, courage, 
 integrity and usefulness that modern 
 history records. From the time when 
 he began to earn his living he was his 
 own master; he never worked for salary 
 or wages; but he did not begin with 
 money; he neither inherited any, nor was 
 given any in any form. At the outset he 
 was his own capital. From his mind 
 came inventions on which he founded 
 industries which, under his direction, 
 grew to huge dimensions. He lived to 
 be the head of great manufacturing 
 establishments, which, in America and 
 other countries employed 50,000 persons 
 and $200,000,000 of capital. 
 
 He was born in the village of Central 
 Bridge, Schoharie County, New York, 
 October 6, 1846. He died in the city of 
 New York, March 12, 1914. He was of 
 American parentage descended on his 
 10 
 
father's side from German ancestry, and 
 on his mother's from Dutch. When he 
 was ten years old his parents moved to 
 Schenectady where his father became a 
 manufacturer of agricultural machinery. 
 The father's factory still stands there, and 
 is still conducted under the Westinghouse 
 name. It faces the huge establishment of 
 the corporation which became the chief 
 competitor of the son whom these pages 
 commemorate, and who will have a place 
 in our hearts while life lasts. 
 
 A clearer understanding of the man is 
 gained if we know something of the boy. 
 He was a worker, not only a diligent 
 but a progressive one. During his school 
 years he spent his out-of-school hours, 
 his holidays, his school vacations, in his 
 father's machine shop. He did this be- 
 cause he loved mechanical work. He 
 learned the use of tools, he studied en- 
 11 
 
gineering; he had a zealous fondness 
 for mathematics. In his early teens 
 he designed and built a rotary engine. 
 Between school and college, he served in 
 the Civil War, first with the cavalry, 
 subsequently as a naval engineer. On 
 leaving college he invented a device for 
 replacing derailed cars on the tracks. 
 Having constructed the device he 
 traveled for the purpose of selling 
 it, developing thus early in life the ca' 
 pacity for handling and financing his in' 
 ventions that made him remarkable in an 
 age remarkable for its men of constructive 
 genius. 
 
 His energy was phenomenal. He 
 strode from one achievement to another. 
 Nothing daunted him. His life was a 
 succession of contests, but it was also rich 
 in victories. As there cannot be victories 
 without contests, it may be appropriate 
 
 12 
 
to say that his contests were a result of 
 his indomitable passion for service. His 
 imagination was active and it ranged far. 
 It enabled him not merely to see oppor' 
 tunities but to create them. He used it 
 with the ability of a trained mechanic 
 and the flaming ardor of a pioneer. He 
 did not work in the field of pure science, 
 conducting research for the sake of scien' 
 tific achievement only, but, like his friend 
 Lord Kelvin, the greatest scientific mind 
 of the nineteenth century, he was keen 
 for making the revelations of science 
 serve the needs of man. 
 
 Much has been written in celebration 
 of his foresight. It had an extraordinary 
 part in his life. Most men have their 
 convictions thrust upon them against their 
 inclination; his came as an effect of what 
 Tyndall called "the scientific use of the 
 imagination." When he began work on a 
 
 13 
 
subject he looked all around it, and 
 through it, and as it were, calculated its 
 expansive powers. From the beginning he 
 practiced the standardization of parts, a 
 course of first importance both to mami' 
 facturers and users of apparatus. And 
 when alternating current apparatus was 
 invented he saw, sooner than anyone else, 
 the possibilities of that current's service. 
 More than to any other man, the intro' 
 duction and development of alternating 
 current systems for light and power were 
 due. But he had to subdue scepticism, 
 and bitter and powerful opposition in that 
 work. For years he fought every inch of 
 the way, against continuous efforts not 
 only to prevent but to crush him. What 
 does not the world owe to his memory 
 for his valiant advance? Many times he 
 accomplished what other men declared 
 would be impossible first the air brake, 
 
 14 
 
then the safe and economic distribution 
 of natural gas for industrial power and 
 domestic fuel; then the mechanisms for 
 the alternating current; in later years the 
 air spring and the geared turbine. 
 
 He took big views, he applied his 
 ideas in a big way, solving his problems 
 on a generous scale. When he under- 
 took the solution of geared 'turbine 
 problems in connection with the propul' 
 sion of ships, he built an experimental 
 installation, not timidly and of small dimen" 
 sions, but of 6000 horsepower. He 
 proved what he sought to prove, and 
 then went on to improve that. And men 
 ceased to doubt. But years before this 
 he had been the first to take up actively 
 the steam turbine problems to which 
 Parsons, in England, had opened the way 
 by the performances of a fast little boat, 
 the TURBINIA. He bought the Parsons 
 
 15 
 
patents for America and applied them to 
 electrical work, driving generators. But 
 as in almost all the cases of his purchase 
 of other men's patents, he had to redesign 
 and rebuild the apparatus "from the 
 ground up," to meet American conditions 
 and the problems he had set himself. 
 He went through an experience like this 
 with the alternating current patents of 
 Gaulard and Gibbs, and with the gas en" 
 gine, with the air spring. If it be asked 
 why he bought patents only to do the 
 work all over again, the answer is that 
 although he found his way the better 
 way, he always encouraged men who had 
 useful ideas. Himself an inventor he 
 sympathized with inventors, and he knew 
 what it meant to bring forth and develop 
 ideas. He was always fair and often gen' 
 erous, and it was his habit to give to 
 others credit for what they had done. 
 
 16 
 
Two further instances of his "looking 
 ahead" may be cited here. In the early 
 days of the commercial use of the tele' 
 phone he designed and built a complete 
 automatic central exchange system. But 
 nobody appreciated it, and his patents 
 expired before the telephone people and 
 the public could be persuaded that an 
 automatic system could be useful, or would 
 be needed. By this time he was too 
 much engrossed in other departments of 
 electrical work to give the matter further 
 attention. Again: When the Inter' 
 borough Rapid Transit Co. was compelled 
 by the enormous increase of traffic to 
 lengthen its trains in the New York Sub' 
 way, and to operate them at closer intervals 
 and at higher speeds, it found that it must 
 save time, not by minutes but by seconds 
 and fractions of seconds in making up, 
 coupling and uncoupling cars, and the air 
 
 17 
 
and electric connections. It was learned 
 that Mr. Westinghouse had, fully a dozen 
 years before, invented and perfected an 
 automatic coupler which not only held 
 cars rigidly together as a "solid" train, 
 but also with a single motion coupled or 
 uncoupled the cars and the electric and 
 air connections. His original invention 
 also coupled the steam pipes at the same 
 time, but steam, of course, was not needed 
 on the electric trains. Mr. Westinghouse 
 had been half a generation ahead of the 
 times in this invention, and the subway 
 trains were the first to adopt it. He had 
 foreseen that such conditions must arise, 
 and he was prepared for them before any 
 railroad realized that it would ever have 
 to deal with them. 
 
 This little book cannot dwell upon all 
 that George Westinghouse did; it can 
 only glance at the nature of his life work, 
 
 18 
 
and can no more than suggest the charac- 
 ter of the man. His achievements were 
 great, but greater than all was his charac' 
 ter. From association with him men 
 caught inspiration. He radiated enthu' 
 siasm and energy. He demanded honest 
 work and honest dealing. All that he 
 was, he gave forth to whatever work he 
 had in hand. He imposed no limitations 
 upon his own hours, nor upon his own out" 
 put of energy. He believed sincerely that 
 his mission was to be useful ; and he was 
 useful to the extent that few men ever 
 dreamed of being. His personality was 
 both compelling and persuasive. You 
 believed in that clear-eyed, enthusiastic 
 man whose face was lighted with eager- 
 ness and sincerity. And they that were 
 associated with him gave him their loyal 
 affection. He was tireless and knew no 
 fear. He was considerate of other men, 
 
 19 
 
especially of labor, and his men knew 
 that. They knew he was the most con' 
 stant worker in all the Westinghouse 
 forces; that he could do whatever any of 
 them could do. Their faith was never 
 shaken. His integrity was as firm as a 
 mountain range. His tastes were simple; 
 his honor never tarnished; his life was 
 open for all to read; he was free from any 
 desire for parade. It was true of him 
 that he never cared for wealth as a pos' 
 session; he valued it only as a tool, an 
 instrument which enabled him to carry 
 out his ideas. He was as unostentatious 
 at the height of his power and fortune, 
 as when he was obscure in youth. He 
 was a great man: 
 
 " * * * take him for all in all, 
 We shall not look upon his like again." 
 
 20 
 
IMPORTANT EVENTS 
 
 1846 
 
 Born in Central Bridge, Schoharie County, 
 New York. 
 
 1856 
 
 Moved to Schenectady, N. Y. with his father 
 who there established the Schenectady 
 Agricultural Works. 
 
 1857-1860 
 
 Attended school and worked in father's 
 factory. 
 
 1861 
 Invented a Rotary Engine. 
 
1863-1865 
 
 In army and navy during the Civil War, 
 being honorably discharged at own request 
 from position of Assistant Engineer, United 
 States Navy. 
 
 1865-1866 
 
 Resumed studies, entering Union College at 
 Schenectady, N. Y. 
 
 1866 
 
 First railway invention device made of 
 cast steel for replacing derailed cars, also 
 reversible steel railroad frog. 
 
 1867 
 
 Conceived the idea of the air brake. Mar- 
 ried Margaret Erskine Walker. Removed 
 to Pittsburgh. 
 
 1868 
 First successful test of the air brake was made. 
 
 24 
 
1869 
 
 Organized, at 23 years of age, the Westing- 
 house Air Brake Company, of which he be- 
 came President and so remained until 
 removed by death. 
 
 1870 
 
 Made his first trip to Europe to introduce 
 the air brake. Designed and built a jet 
 steam turbine. 
 
 1871 
 
 Inaugurated Saturday half holiday at Air 
 Brake Company, an innovation since almost 
 universally adopted. 
 
 1872-1874 
 
 Made extensive air brake tests in England 
 and Belgium. 
 
 1876 
 
 Designed and built a complete automatic 
 central telephone exchange system. 
 
 1879 
 
 Invented a pneumatic system of interlock- 
 ing signals, operated by compressed air. 
 
 25 
 
1880 
 
 The Westinghouse Machine Company was 
 organized for the purpose of building high 
 speed engines designed by his brother, H. H. 
 Westinghouse. 
 
 1881 
 
 The Union Switch 6z Signal Company organ- 
 ized to manufacture the Pneumatic Inter- 
 locking Switch and Signal apparatus. 
 
 1884 
 
 Invented a complete system for transmitting 
 natural gas through pipes, and a meter for 
 measuring same. 
 
 1885 
 
 Realized the possibilities of alternating cur- 
 rent and purchased the transformer patents 
 of Gaulard and Gibbs in England. 
 
 1886 
 
 Organized the Westinghouse Electric Com- 
 pany for the manufacture of electric lighting 
 apparatus. 
 
 26 
 
1887 
 
 Engaged Nikola Tesla who developed the 
 alternating current induction motor. The 
 famous Burlington air brake trials took 
 place, resulting in the successful develop- 
 ment of the instantaneous application of the 
 air brake to all cars of a long train. 
 
 1889 
 
 Air Brake Company works removed from 
 Pittsburgh to Wilmerding. Beginning of 
 controversy over alternating current, the 
 successful outcome of which has fully justi- 
 fied belief and confidence of Mr. Westing- 
 house in this form of energy. 
 
 1891 
 
 Reorganized the Westinghouse Electric Com- 
 pany, taking in the United States Electric 
 Company and Consolidated Electric Light 
 Company, forming the Westinghouse Elec- 
 tric & Manufacturing Company. 
 
 1892 
 
 Secured through personal efforts the con- 
 tract from the World's Fair at Chicago for 
 the electrical equipment. 
 
 27 
 
1894 
 
 Secured the contract for the large generators 
 at Niagara Falls, which marked an important 
 epoch in the progress of the electrical industry. 
 
 Works of the Westinghouse Electric & Manu- 
 facturing Company moved to East Pittsburgh. 
 
 1896 
 
 Manufactured an 800 horsepower gas engine 
 at works of the Machine Company. 
 
 1897 
 
 Secured patent rights from Charles A. Par- 
 sons of England for steam turbine. 
 
 1898 
 
 First Westinghouse steam turbines were 
 installed in power plant of Westinghouse 
 Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa. 
 
 1902 
 
 British Company built plant at Manchester, 
 England. 
 
 1904 
 
 Received idea fromMellville-Mc Alpine report 
 of the mechanical reduction gear for turbines. 
 
 28 
 
1905 
 
 Served with Grover Cleveland, and Justice 
 Morgan J. O'Brien, as a trustee of the 
 Equitable Life Assurance Society. 
 
 1908 
 
 Successfully reorganized the Westinghouse 
 Electric & Manufacturing Company. 
 
 1910 
 
 Began development of Westinghouse Air 
 Spring for automobiles. 
 
 1912 
 
 Installed Mechanical Reduction Gear on 
 United States Collier, Neptune, proving it 
 a complete success. 
 
 1913 
 
 Reorganized the financial affairs of the 
 Westinghouse Machine Company. 
 
1914 
 
 Reduction gear ordered by United States 
 Navy Department for installation on two 
 new Battleships and a repair ship in prefer- 
 ence to any other similar device offered. 
 
 1914 
 March 12, died in New York City. 
 
HONORS CONFERRED 
 
 1874 
 
 Awarded Benjamin Franklin medal for the 
 invention of the Air Brake by the Franklin 
 Institute, Philadelphia. 
 
 1884 
 
 Received the order of Leopold of Belgium from 
 the King of Belgium. 
 
 1889 
 
 Received the order of the Royal Crown of Italy 
 from the King of Italy. 
 
 1891 
 
 Received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 
 from Union College. 
 
 1895 
 
 Made a member of the Legion of Honor of 
 France. 
 
 31 
 
1905 
 
 Awarded the John Fritz medal by the four 
 American Engineering Societies. 
 
 1906 
 
 Received the degree of Doctor of Laws from 
 Konigliche Technische Hochschule, Berlin. 
 
 1910 
 
 President of American Society of Mechanical 
 Engineers. 
 
 1912 
 
 Awarded the Edison medal for meritorious 
 achievements in the development of the alter- 
 nating current system by the American Institute 
 of Electrical Engineers. 
 
 1913 
 
 Awarded Grashoff medal by the Verein 
 Deutsche Ingenieure for distinguished services 
 rendered to technology the first American to 
 receive this honor. 
 
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 FEB 18 1934 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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