Publisher's Synopsis
""Steam Steel and Electricity"" by James W. Steele is a comprehensive historical account of the development of the railroad industry in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The book explores the technological advancements that made it possible for trains to travel faster and more efficiently, as well as the social and economic impact of railroads on American society. Steele examines the role of key figures such as Cornelius Vanderbilt and Jay Gould in shaping the industry, and discusses the political and legal battles that accompanied the growth of railroads. The book also delves into the impact of railroads on the environment and the challenges faced by workers in the industry. Overall, ""Steam Steel and Electricity"" provides a fascinating look at the history of one of the most transformative industries in American history.We are accustomed to things that are subject to the law of gravity. Water will run through a pipe that slants downward. It will pass through a pipe that slants upward only by being pushed. But electricity, in its far journeys over wires, is not subject to gravity. It goes indifferently in any direction, asking only a conductor to carry it. There is also a trait called inertia; that property of all matter by which it tends when at rest to remain so, and when in motion to continue in motion, which we meet at every step we take in the material world. Electricity is again an exception. It knows neither gravity, nor inertia, nor material volume, nor space. It cannot be contained or weighed. Nothing holds it in any ordinary sense.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
