The life of George Stephenson, railway engineer - Lighthouse ...

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404 LIFE OF GEORGE STEPHENSON. [chap. xxxn.
talists, who, dazzled by premiums, had invested their all in railway
shares, and now saw themselves stripped of everything,
the Average Directors, who " never knew what was going on
and thought all was right," but now found that all was wrong,
the tradesmen who had sold their business to become share-
brokers, and had now reached the Gazette,—were all grievously
enraged, and looked about them for a victim. In this temper
were shareholders, when, at a railway meeting in York, some
pertinent questions were put to the Railway King. His replies
were not satisfactory ; and the questions were pushed home.
Mr. Hudson became confused. Angry voices rose in the meet-
ing. The monarch was even denounced. A committee of
investigation was appointed, and the gilt idol of the railway
world was straightway dethroned. A howl of execration rose
from his deluded worshippers ; and those who had bowed the
lowest before him during his brief reign, hissed the loudest when
he fell. The gold which he had put in their pockets might still
be heard chinking there ; but no one had yet found them out,
and they joined in the chorus of popular indignation. Then
committees of investigation were appointed on nearly all the
railways ;
able reports by patriotic candidates for seats at boards
were successively published; and, railways having been exor-
cised, and one of their evil spirits cast out, i-ailway virtue was
again supposed to be in the ascendant.