retroelectro
Steel and steam: the most important tool of the 19th Century Written by David Ray, Cyber City Circuits
Dan Stillson
“The Roanoke was a frigate used for diplomatic missions before the Civil War.”
Industrial ingenuity In the second half of the nineteenth century, America was headlong into a technological revolution powered by steel, steam, and a new spirit of industrial ingenuity. Among the many mechanical breakthroughs of the era, few tools would prove as vital – and as enduring – as the Stillson wrench. Born from the challenges of maintaining steamships under fire and forged in the workshops of Boston, the Stillson wrench transformed pipe fitting forever. This story follows the remarkable journey of Daniel Stillson, a Civil War sailor turned inventor, and the creation of a tool so influential that it earned its place alongside the greatest innovations of all time. Daniel Stillson – civil war sailor Daniel Stillson was born in Durham, New Hampshire, in 1826. He
In 1861, at the age of 35, Stillson enlisted in the Union Navy against the Confederates. History shows that he manned several different ships during his enlistment. He started on the steamship R.B. Forbes, but soon after, the ship was ran aground and wrecked after a devastating windstorm on February 25, 1862. Everyone survived and was transferred to other ships.
started his career as a machinist/ mechanic at the Charlestown Navy Yard (Now the Boston Navy Yard). He became very skilled in working on steam engines. The late 1850s to the late 1870s was the golden age for steam-based technology. Steam dominated the industry until the 1890s when Frank J Sprague started mass-producing his electric traction motors.
“The Battle of Hampton Roads, fought in March 1862, marked the first clash between ironclad warships.”
we get technical
28
29
Powered by FlippingBook