George Westinghouse.
George Westinghouse was born at Central Bridge, New York, October 6, 1846. Ten years later his parents removed to Schenectady, where he was educated in the public and high schools, spending much of his time in his father’s machine-shop. During the Civil war he served in the Union army. At its close he attended Union college, Schenectady, for two years. In 1865 he invented the device for replacing railroad cars on the track. In 1868 he invented and successfully introduced the Westinghouse air-brake. From time to time he has modified and improved this, one of the most notable of his inventions. He is also the inventor of many other devices connected with railroads, such as signals, automatic and otherwise, electric devices of several sorts and other things which make for the efficiency of transportation in general. He is the president of twelve corporations, a member of many scientific societies, and is also the recipient of medals and decorations from the king of Italy, the king of Belgium and other European notables. It is not too much to say that without the Westinghouse inventions railroading as we know of it to-day would hardly be possible. Apart from adding much to the safety of railroad travel, the Westinghouse brake permits paradoxically enough of speeds being attained which would not be possible under old-time conditions. Mr. Westinghouse’s inventive genius has been largely rewarded in a financial manner.