Asa Whitney (canal commissioner)
Encyclopedia
Asa Whitney was an American manufacturer, inventor, railroad executive and politician.
like his father. In 1812, he removed to New Hampshire
. After a short time, his employer sent him to Brownsville, New York to supervise the installation of machinery at a cotton factory, and Whitney remained in New York
. About 1830, he was hired by the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad to make machinery and railway carriages, and after a few years became Superintendent of the line.
In February 1840, he was elected by the New York State Legislature as one of the Erie Canal commissioners
, and remained in office until 1842 when the Democratic majority removed the Whig commissioners.
In 1842, he formed a partnership with Matthias W. Baldwin
to manufacture steam locomotive
s in Philadelphia. Two years later he left Baldwin, and worked for the re-organized Morris Canal
Company. In 1846, he opened his own factory to manufacture wheels for railway carriages. In 1847, he took out patent
s for the corrugated-plate car-wheel and the curved corrugated-plate car-wheel, and the following year for the process of annealing
car-wheels. This consisted of placing the wheels, soon after they were cast, in a heated furnace, where they were subjected to a further gradual increase of temperature, and were then slowly cooled for three days. The discovery of this process of annealing, as applied to chilled cast-iron wheels, marked an era in the history of railroads. It enabled trains to safely increase both loads and speed. Previous to this discovery it was impossible to cast wheels with solid hubs, and therefore impossible to secure them rigidly to the axle. Now the whole wheel was easily cast in one piece, and capable of being forced securely upon the axle at a pressure of 40 tons. In 1850, he patented the tapered and ribbed corrugated wheel.
Whitney was for a short time President of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, but retired in 1861 because of ill health.
After Whitney's death, the factory, which hadd been once the largest car-wheel manufacturer in the United States
, was taken over by his three sons: George Whitney (d. 1885), John R. Whitney and James S. Whitney. In 1891, the company was in financial trouble and going bankrupt.
Life
He became a blacksmithBlacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
like his father. In 1812, he removed to New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. After a short time, his employer sent him to Brownsville, New York to supervise the installation of machinery at a cotton factory, and Whitney remained in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. About 1830, he was hired by the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad to make machinery and railway carriages, and after a few years became Superintendent of the line.
In February 1840, he was elected by the New York State Legislature as one of the Erie Canal commissioners
Erie Canal Commission
The New York State Legislature appointed in 1810 a Commission to Explore a Route for a Canal to Lake Erie, and Report which became known as the Erie Canal Commission...
, and remained in office until 1842 when the Democratic majority removed the Whig commissioners.
In 1842, he formed a partnership with Matthias W. Baldwin
Matthias W. Baldwin
Matthias William Baldwin was an American manufacturer of steam locomotives. He opened his machine shop in 1825...
to manufacture steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s in Philadelphia. Two years later he left Baldwin, and worked for the re-organized Morris Canal
Morris Canal
The Morris Canal was an anthracite-carrying canal that incorporated a series of water-driven inclined planes in its course across northern New Jersey in the United States. It was in use for about a century — from the late 1820s to the 1920s....
Company. In 1846, he opened his own factory to manufacture wheels for railway carriages. In 1847, he took out patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
s for the corrugated-plate car-wheel and the curved corrugated-plate car-wheel, and the following year for the process of annealing
Annealing (metallurgy)
Annealing, in metallurgy and materials science, is a heat treatment wherein a material is altered, causing changes in its properties such as strength and hardness. It is a process that produces conditions by heating to above the recrystallization temperature, maintaining a suitable temperature, and...
car-wheels. This consisted of placing the wheels, soon after they were cast, in a heated furnace, where they were subjected to a further gradual increase of temperature, and were then slowly cooled for three days. The discovery of this process of annealing, as applied to chilled cast-iron wheels, marked an era in the history of railroads. It enabled trains to safely increase both loads and speed. Previous to this discovery it was impossible to cast wheels with solid hubs, and therefore impossible to secure them rigidly to the axle. Now the whole wheel was easily cast in one piece, and capable of being forced securely upon the axle at a pressure of 40 tons. In 1850, he patented the tapered and ribbed corrugated wheel.
Whitney was for a short time President of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, but retired in 1861 because of ill health.
After Whitney's death, the factory, which hadd been once the largest car-wheel manufacturer in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, was taken over by his three sons: George Whitney (d. 1885), John R. Whitney and James S. Whitney. In 1891, the company was in financial trouble and going bankrupt.
Sources
- John H. White, Asa Whitney biography in The American Railroad Passenger Car. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1985, p. 65. ISBN 0801827477
- Franklin Benjamin Hough, comp., The New York Civil List Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858, p. 42.
- "A. Whitney & Sons Fail", New York Times, March 26, 1891