A Short History of the Fitchburg Steam Engine Company.

This is a typical engine from that period developed around the 1870's, these engines paved the
way in engine technology for the next 25 years plus - built and bred on Water Street, Fitchburg.

Much longer stroke engines were built " other than the one above " with many different models being
built on Water Street, to cover the needs of the ever growing Industrial Age - Many of these types
found their way into the Textile and Paper Mill industries - the waterwheel was fast becoming a
power source of the past and allowed the industry to be set up where one wanted. These types of
engines as time went by found many other applications, as did so many other companies building
a comparable type of engine - Except - none quite as efficient as the Fitchburg Steam Engine Co.

The Company made good choices in design especially with the type of Governor they used - ( nothing
like you see at the top of this page ) instead it was fastened to the crank shaft - making it impossible
for the engine to run away or for the governor to become detached - giving a much needed reform
to the ideas of this period. ( The actuation of the steam valves is explained on another page )

The engineering designs not only from this company, but nearly all the other engine
manufactures were superb - and in most cases they well exceeded the Buyers Requirements.

~ Trouble was looming just around the corner ~

~ B O I L E R S ~

On the Boiler side of the market - labour costs increased by the year, the story was bleak by any
stretch of the imagination ( No boiler tickets for operators were required for many years ) light
gauge materials were being built into vertical boilers, no regular maintenance checks and worst of
all no dosing of return water had been put in place ( Ph levels sky high ) as well as faulty relief valves
- not tested - were in place throughout the industry.
The result of years of neglect - For September, 1871. - 873 visits of inspection were made and
1701 boilers were inspected, number of defects in all discovered, 886, of which 103 were regarded as
dangerous - there were 6 explosions during the month, by which 21 persons were killed and 6 wounded.
~ These figures pertain to the Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Co. September, 1871 ~
The article in full was printed in the Manufacturer and Builder, page 280. Year 1871.

However, there were good boilermakers around at this stage in time, one's who were not cutting
corners when it came to the overall costs involved is supplying good workable units - but due to
( as stated above ) the lack of chemical dosing not only of inlet water, but return water - it was a
matter of time before troubles started to appear - and if not dealt with quickly - more stories like above.

It is with little wonder that people embraced the efforts of " George Westinghouse "
for the introduction of A.C. current ( loss free - nearly ) onto the grids - years later.

Planning to install a New Boiler ? Click here - to learn more!!

For a local Fitchburg Boiler Company - Click here - for one in your area.

If you have read the above
you will have noticed some of the Corliss Engine Manufacturers.
Below
is a tribute to this Celebrated Individual who was
~ One of the Worlds most Eminent Steam and Mechanical Engineers ~

Taken from the Book -
" New Catechism of The Steam Engine " by N. Hawkins, M. E. [ Last Published 1904 ]
Publisher : THEO. AUDEL & Co - New York - NY.
- First Copyrighted in 1897, 1904 by Theo. Audel & Co -