Middletown transcript., 1868-01-04

us an experiment, and 1t worked well some
two or three years after his pamphlet was
published, about 1914.
The first use of locomotive in Ameri-
ca was on the Delaware and Hudson Ca
nal Company's railroad, in Luzcrne county
Pa. to which we have alluded. One of
the engines purchased in England by Ho-
ratio Allen arrived in New York in 1929,
and Of this machine Appleton's Encyclo-
pedia, to which, and to ''MitchelPs Uni
ted States" published in 1885, we are
mainly indebted for these facts, thus says:
"One of the engines built by George Ste
phenson at his works at Newcastle-upon-
Tyne arrived in New York in the spring
of 1929, and was to be seen for some time
in the yard of Il. Dunscomb, in Water st.
its wheels raised above the ground, and
kept running for the qualification of those
interested. Another engine built by Eos
ter, Rastwick 4 Co. arrived soon after, and
was put on the road in the latter part of
the summer of 1929"
+ The Encyclopedia does not inform us
when nor where the first mentioned engine
was put to use, but says that the other
one was a four-wheeled machine, with
multitubular boiler and exhaust blast.
The first American steam locomotive was
put into use on the road of which we have
spoken, running from Charleston, South
Carolina, to Hamburg, on the Savannah |
river, late In the summer of 1880. The |
engine was built by the Kembles, at their
shop in West street, New York, from
plan made BY e. B. Miller, then resident
tihurInctnn
ed engine, with upright boiler, and water
tiues close at the bottom, with the fame
circulating around them. 1t was called
Best Friend" and worked successfully
about two years, says the authority already
mentioned, when it exploded, and was re-
built with fine boiler. Upon this road,
in 1881, the great American improvement
of two four-wheeled trucks for locomotives
and long passenger cars was first intro
duced. They were planned by Horatio
Allen, who had become the engineer of
this road. This system of double track
running gear, including tbs. application of
the pedestals to the springs, have, with
no essential change, ever since been uni
yersally adopted in this country The
Charleston and Hamburg Company offered
a premium of 9500 for the best plan of
horse locomotive, and the award was given
to c. h. Detmold, afterwards of New York,
who constructed machine to carry twelve
passengers at the rate of twelve miles an
hour, the horse working on an endless
chain. D. z. ~ ...,..t.-
There has been recently some controversy
as to the Oldest locomotive in America.
Upon this question the Philadelphia Ledger
says:
Maine claimed recently to possess the oldest
locomotive in America 1t was broken up the
other day at Bangor machine shop. This loco
motive was the Pioneer" ten-ton engine and
was one Of the early machines built in England I
BY Stephenson, the inventor of the locomotive. | ,
IL was built at NewcaStle-upon-Tyne, in 1885,
and ran its first trip November 6, 1885. Its last
was done August 10, 1886.
The Trenton Gazette in allusion to this
item from the Ledger, adds:
In this paragraph there is either a mistake of
iates or fncts. The locomotive known as "John ]
Bull" was running the Camden and Amboy +;
Railroad rs carly as 1882. 1t was built by Steph- 6
,nson, at Newcastle, and is we believe, still in
use. Some time ago it was running regularly on
he Rocky Hill Road, and is probably still run {
hing. In 1884 a lococomotiye was running on t
he Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad, making
trip each way daily Only two trains were ! !
hen run over the road daily, one drawn by
lorses, aud the other by the only locomotive {
'ngne owned by the company. 'I
The Gasehe furthersays that the ''John $
Bull" is still in existence. In relation to
he Camden and Amboy railroad, Z" Mitch g
,lPs United States" statistical work, v
compiled with extraordinary care, and pub ]
ished in 1885, says: This railroad being e
designed for steam locomotive engines, is r
% be eventually constructed in the most
manner but at present wooden a
'ails are used for the most part of the line, Il
n order that the embankment may be con- r
olidated before laying the permanent track, Q
o be completed the present year. Upon p
his road, SO far as finished, passengers and t
have been carried since Feb 4
uary, 1888" This would seem to be in Fl
conflict with the statement of the Gazette,
hat the John Bull was running SO early
IS 1892. $3.50. d
The first steam propelled cars, running e
egularly with passengers and freight, ap- t
,ear, so far as our researches inform us, il
o have been on the Charleston and Ham o
,urg road, or, as it is now known, The +
south Carolina Rail Road" connecting d
charleston and Augusta, Ga. the latter d
own being on the opposite side of the Sa- b
-annah river from Hamburg @
The Baltimore and Ohio road, of which Il
he first stone was laid July 4, 1928 in the
rescnce of an immence multitude, by the
enerable Charles Carroll, of Carrolton, Q
Lough active operations were not COM I
lenced till the autumn Of that year. In u
$50 the road was finished as far as Eli m
otis Mills, distance of thirteen miles, fl
nd was originally designed as horse rail- re
Dad. The successful Introduction of Fl
team motive power in this country, as tt
ell as in England, however, encouraged p'
le attempt to use steam locomotives here
nd in 1880 small locomotive, built by
'eter Cooper, in Baltimore, was put upon b,
he road Horse-ears were also used, and hi