, 1872-10-21
What the Locomotive Has Accom-
plished for Civilization and
Chicago.
A Short and Compact Pedigree
Of the &c Iron Horse.v
How the Genius of an Inventor Was En-
ployed by a Museum Manager.
Remarkable Career of the Loco
motive in this City.

Nearly 1000 Engines Operated on
Roads Leading Into Chicago.
Burke once said, that the civilization Of
Europe depended upon two principles, viz:
the spirit Of gentleman, and the spirit Of re-
hgion- In America, religion has had much to do
with civilization, and from its influences We
have received some Of our grandest principles.
But it may with reason be declared that much
Of the civilization Of America has depended for
the past twenty-five years upon the locomotive
engine. It has been the motive power in al the
wonderful progression re have made Tor many
years past. If it had never been invented, the
civilization OF this age would have come only
after the lapse Of centuries OF ages in the future.
Perhaps the greatest work of this wonderful
animal has been doing is the building of this
City Of Chicago. No one will gainsay the asser-
ton that the City Of Chicago owes her existence
to the !" Iron Horse"-that it gave to her 3
power which fire could not otdestroy, and vitality
more vigorous than any city in the world. Take
from Chicago the Iron Horse" and O human
body without blood would possess about as much
animation. Since, then, this +" Iron Horse " has
done go much for US, it may not be uninteresting
to giye here somewhat Of his pedigree, his grand
career in this city, and 8 few hastily gathered
facts concerning his labor, food, and average
life. In SO doing, We shall consider only the
American ss Iron Horse" aince he is the animal
which has done the great work for us.
The American " Iron Horse" :" WAS sired by
Matthias ". Baldwin, in the city Of Philadelphia,
On the 25th day Of April, 1881. He was created,
not to supply the necessities Of commerce, but
the necessities OF the museum Of Mr. Franklin
Peale, of that city. OF courRe he was but the
Iron Horse in miniature, but was, neverthe-
less, most wonderful invention He Was Wis
tied by many thousands, and his swift manipu-
lations upon track laid within ths museum
walls astonished and confounded all who wit
messed them. The enterprise OF museum man
ayers has produced many stupendous frauds, and
for this reason it has been severely denounced.
But when one remembers thnt, employing the
genius Of wonderful inventor, it was the enter
prise OF 3 museum manager, which lnaugurated
the manufacture OF the locomotive engine in the
United States, hewill not so severely denounceit.
The construction of this miniature machine
suggested the idea Of the construction
Of an Iron Horse. Of larger dimen-
sions, one useful for commerce.
With the exception OF q few English engines, the
1ocomoIlonS Oh "I4Gu nau uesA sSl5 1AaH7AA0ct,
the motive power Of the few railroads then in
the United States, VAS furnished by horses.
But the need for steam power had been felt.
The locomotive in the nuseum had not run many
months before Nj. Baldwin was solicited e by the
to make for them locomotive. Mr. Baldwin
at first refused to do 80, fearing that 1a.lule
would be the result OF his labors He Was hnal-
L, howeveE prevailed np9n to COMMENCE nssSa
the work Guided only by opsefvam9ns ,;sf maze ae
upon an old and very Imperfect Enghsh engine
stored in shed at BoardentoWn, n. -, ana the
experience acquired in the construction OF the
miniature engine, ne began TO VOTE. A1ter en-
countering untold difficulties, he had the honor
Of completing the first American locomotlve EN-
gine. It made it's tElal trip on the 23d day Of
November, 1882. This engine Eas named, "Old
lronsades, name Tn1cn mas become 1anauar ~ 1s.r
e1nce the late "ar. LIS "neels, OF Mnlea tneIe
we're four, we're all drivers, its cylinders we're
9]7 inches in diameter, and lts stroke IL 1nches
The trial trip Of this engine excited greater Won
der and surprise than the e4hpltlon OF any H.
ventive genius has ever produced. The manipu..
lations Of the engine we're not quite perfect, and
she failed to do all that was promised Of her.
This produced dissatisfaction, and the Directors
OF the road refused to pay the pr1ce at which
ehe was contracted, VIZ, 81, 900. a compro-
mise WAS finally effected at S3,5oV, pr1ce Tar
below the average cost even OF locomotives nov"
a-days. The difficulty in the settlement, and
the many difficulties Mr. Baldwin encountered
In the construction OF the "Honsides made
him resolve to quit the business at once, and he
was heard to remark, !" that is our last locono-
tive" But this was only the language Of re1a-
ton, for it Was not only after this that he took
orders for other engines, and. he
afterwards established the Baldwin Locomotive
Works Of Philadelphia Mr.: Baldwin lived to
see the productions Of his most remarkable gen
ius become the greatest in power in the world,
the lead-horses of American civilization t may
be here remarked that before Mr. Baldwin had
built his fifth engine, he had succeeded in over
coming almost ali Of the defects Of bis first en-
gine, and 80 perfect an engine did he succeed in
proved Upon. Indeed, so far as principles go,
there are few Important and complicated pieces
OF machinery in which there have been less al
terations. m The improvements Of the most i'm
portant character we're made, in the main, during
fhe infancy Of their manufacture, and the latter
improvements are rather conveniences than
necessities. But these latter improvements al,
much to the working power Of the locomotive
engine. .....
But while there have been but few improve
ments Of great moment since the infancy Of
the mannfactnre Of locomotives, and, indeed, as