WESTINGHOUSE, George, American inventor: b. Central Bridge, N. Y., 6 Oct. 1846; d. New York, 12 March 1914. He entered the machine shop of his father, a manufacturer of agricultural implements, when very young and early evinced an inventive genius,. designing at 15 a rotary engine. He served in the Union army in 186l64, and in 1864-65 was assistant engineer in the United States navy, after which he studied at Union College for two years. He continued his interest in mechanics, his first in vention of importance being a railway frog. In 1868 he introduced the famous Westing house brake (see Aut-Basra), which has since been developed to a remarkable degree of effi ciency, and has come into international use. At first his invention was scouted as im practicable. The story is told that he inter viewed L, erbilt, and explained his designs. The Comm dare is said to have replied. "1 i I und• you, young man, you propose to stop a raiiroad tram with wind; 1 have no time to listen to such nonsense.* A
few years later the 'impossible* device was operating on all the Commodore's Mr. Westinghouse was one .of the pioneers in introducing alternating-current machinery, and he succeeded in securing the use of this method at the Chicago Exposition in 1893. He has also made numerous improvements in railroad signaling, and through his devices the safety of high-speed railway traveling has been greatly increased. He erected extensive works in this country and abroad for the manufacture of his various inventions, was president of over 30 cor porations and proved to be as good a business man as he was a skilled mechanician. He re ceived the Order of Leopold from the Belgian king in 1884, and in 1889 the Royal Order of the Crown from the king of Italy. He was also decorated with the French Legion of Honor. Consult Leupp, F. E., 'George West inghouse: His Life and Achievements' (Bos ton 1918).