HEREDITARY TALENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8362, 24 February 1913, Page 8

HEREDITARY TALENT

ROMANCE OF DESCENDANT OF A FAMOUS INVENTOR. Mr George Granville Stephenson, a Leeds engineer, who is a descendant of the famous George Stephenson, has offered an improved joint for tramway rails to the Leeds Corporation. A man past middle age, slimly built, and with keen, intellectual features, Mr Stephenson bears a remarkable facial resemblance to his distinguished ancestor, whose portrait is emblazoned on bia trade union diploma. He is not asking payment for the invention. “If the corporation care to make mo some financial consideration 1 do not mind accepting it,” he said to a “Daily News and Leader” representative. “But I am not trying to' trade with them. If they like to use it without paying for it they can have it for nothing.” This, however, is not Mr Stephenson’s only invention. Some years ago, when he was employed as an enginedriver, he brought out a fog-signalling apparatus which is now being used with great success on one of the principal nes. Another of his inventions, a sand-riddling apparatus, is being used by the same company, but from neither of these ideas has the inventor received any financial benefit. “You see,” said he, “I have not looked after the money part of it. I have been too easily pleased with my inventions. If I had been more keen on making money out of them I should probably have been a rich man to-day.” The story of Air Stephenson’s invention of the sand-riddling machine is, in its own way, almost as romantic as that of his ancestor’s discovery of the power of steam. He was devising an apparatus for catching and sifting the cinders which fell from his kitchen grate when the idea occurred to him that the same principle might be applied on a larger scale in railway work.. The invention, by the way, was awarded a first prize at the Leeds Exhibition. Air Stephenson has also constructed an improved lifeguard for tramcars, but this has never been tested. Some years ago he offered tbe idea to the Leeds Corporation, who suggested that he should have one of their cars equipped with one of his contrivances at his own expense in order to test its value. He did not accept the offer.