The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-05-01

1t stood, occupying the centre of all previous
conceptions, rat-traps, churns, appe-pnrers,
pill-rollers, cooking stoves, and shingle split
ters, which hung or stood around it,; or as my
Lord Byron says, with reference TO u more
ancient but not more important invention
"Where each conception was heavenly guest,
ray Of immortality, and stood
Siaf-like AROUND uatil they gathered TO a God
And there il stood, "ihe concentrated focus"
ofail previous rays Of inventive genius, "THE
FIRST LOCOMOTIVE
An Imprinted unposhed, unadorned, oven
shaped mass, OF double riycted sheet iron.
with cranks, and pipes, and trunnel heads, and
screws, and valves, all firmly braced on four
firmly made travelling wheels.
It's curious creature to look at" says
Jahez, "but you'll like it better, when you
SEE il in notion"
lie was by this time ignitng quantity of
charcoal, which he had stuffed under the
boiler. II filed the bier says he, {" arterI
stopped working yesterday and it ha' MT
leaked drop since. Ii will soon bile up; the
coal is first rate"
Sure enough, the boiler soon gave evidence
of "troubled waters" when by pushing one
slide, and pulling another, the whole machine,
cranks and piston, was in motion.
= 1t works Slick don't it 70 said JabeZ.
but replied, sit don't move"
"fou mean," said he, 'the travelling wheels
don't move, well, don't mean they shall, till
get my patent. You see" he added, crouch
ing down, shat trunnel head there-that
small cog-wheel! Well, that's out Of gear
just yet; when turn that into gear, by this
crank, It fits, yon see, on the main travelling
Wheel and then the hull scrape will move, as
nigh as | can calculate, little slower than
chain lightin', and darnd eetIe, too But
1t wont do to give it ii try. afore Get the pa
tent There is only one thing yet" he con-
tinued, 'that ha' mt contrved-buttla is
simple matler--and that is, the shortest mode
of stoppin' on her. My first notion Is, to see
how fast can make her work, without smash
Ing all to bits, and that's done by screwing
down this upper valve; and III show you -
And with that, he clambered up on the top,
with turning screw in one hand, and horn
Of soap-fat in the other, and commenced
screwing down the valves, and oiing the
piston rod with crank joints and the motion
of the mysterious mass increased, until all
seemed BUz.
ut is nigh about perfection, amt it I" said
he. ...'...
Istood amazed in contemplating the object
before me, which confess | could not fully
llueTstdnus anu hence, Win the pTeateT Ted-
diness, permitted my mind to bear off to other
matters more comprehensive; to the future,
which is always more clear than the present,
under similar circumstances. | heed not, for
the very best reason in the world, because |
understood not, the complicated description
that Jabcz was giving Of his still more compli-
Gated Invention. All knew was that here
was machine on four good sturdy well braced
wheels, and it only required recorded patent,
to authorize that small connecting cog-wheel
or trunnel head to be thrown :" into gear"
when il would of, without oats, hay, or horse
shoes, and distance the mail coaches. Ash
was surrounded with notions, il was not ex-
traordnary that one should take full posses
sion of me. 1t dawned upon me, when saw
the machine first put into notion and was
now full orbed above the horizon OF my de.
sire; it was to see the first locomotive move
off. The temptation was irresistible. "And
who knows, thought /, "but some pryihs
scamp may have been .peeping through the
key-hoe, while Ja5ez was at work, and
catching the idea, may be now at work at
some clumsy imitation and if he does not
succeed in turning the first trick, may at least
divide the honors with my friend?"
''Jabez" said |, elevating my voice above
the buzzing of the machine, "lhere is only
one thing wanting"
What is that p said he, eagerly
Immortality" said |, d" and you shall have
it, patent or no patent" And with that |
pulled the crank that twisted the connecting
trunnel head into the travelling wheels, and
in an instant away went the machine with
Jabcz on top of it, with the whiz and rapidly
of flushed partridge. The side of the old
building presented the resistance Of wet pa
per. One crush, and the {. first locomotive"
was usheTcd into this breathing world. hur-
ried to the opening and had just time TO
Chamber to the top Of fence TO catch the
last glimpse Of my fast departing friend.
True TO his purpose, saw him alternately
screwing down the valves, and rolling the
piston rod and crank joints; evidently deter
mined that, although lie had started off a little
unexpectedly, he would redeem the pledge he
had given, which was, that when it did go, it
would go eetle slower than streak of
chain-lightnin', and darnd leetle too"
Like cloud in the dim distance feoting,
Like srrow,' he few away
But moment, and he was here in mo-
ment he was there and now wherc is he ?---
or rather where is he not But that, Tor the
present, is /" neither here Tor there"
Ny task is done All now ask, Is, that
although some doubt and mystery hangs over
the first invention Of a steamboat. in which
doubt. however. for one do not participated
none whatever may exist IN regard to the orr
DIN NJ rho locomotive branch Of the great
Steam family and that, in all future time, this
fragment Of authentic history may enable The
latest posterily 10 retrace, by "back.track' and
..turn'o out" through the long railroad line Of
illnstrious ancestors, the first protector and
contriver Of 1.-The First Locomotive" their