Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-11-26

ments of the Federal Constitution which the
people of the country saw fit to make "the
great results of the wal" whether they were
necessary or unnecessary results
The First Railroad in the Country.
"A writer in the Statesville IN. CO.
American contributes the following, which
goes to prove that the first railroad in the
United States was built in South Carolina:
About two years ago, an old gentleman OF
Iredell county, Mr.. David Waddell, now
dead, was heard to say that he saw the first
railroad built in this country, with the cars
running, about 1892 He was considered as
doated and not worthy of credit.
But in the work on ''The Great Industries
of the United States" article Railroads, page
917, we find this: "The credit of first intro
ducing the use of steam locomotives has been
claimed for several different railroads in this
country, but there is no doubt, though it is
not generally known, that it belongs to the
South Carolina Railroad from Charleston to
Hamburg, in that State. This fact appears
in letter, from which the following quota
ton is taken, written by Mr.. j. B. Rowland,
who was formerly resident Of Charleston, S.
c., and who was one of the early directors of
the road, and which was printed in the Bos.
ton Daily Advertiser, tor September II, 1881.
The letter is dated at New York, Sept. 10Th,
and, after alluding to some facts in the history
of the South Carolina Railroad, continues as
follows: "The facts wish to state, are four !:
First, that the South Carolina Railroad from
Charleston to Hamburg, was the first road
that was commenced in this country, with a
view to using steam instead of animal power.
Second, That the first locomotive engine ever
built in this country was built for and used
on this road. Third, That it was the first
road that carried the United States mail.
Fourth, That when completed ready for use,
which was the I'd of October, 1888, it was the
longest railroad in the world.
"The second is the only point upon which
I desire to make any comment now, and DO
this because this fact is not generally known ;
and when l had occasion, two years since to
state it in conversation with Mr.. Disturwell,
the great railroad compiler, he said it could
not be 50 but I satisfied him, when l got
home, by giving him the same extract am
about to give you. This extract is from re-
port made by Alexander Black, Commission
er, to Elias Hovey, President of the road, da'
ted May 1st, 1888, in which he says: 1T is
known to the Board, but not to the public
generally, that the engine now called the Phe'
nix was formerly the "Best Friend" 1t was
built according to the plan and under the per-
sonal direction of our talented and enterpris-
ing citizen, E. L. Miller, Esq. Its perfor-
nance was tested on the 9th Of November,
1880, on which occasion it exhibited power
much beyond that stipulated for in the con-
tract. At the time this engine was engaged,
Mr.. Miller led the van among the advocates
ofsteam over horses as the power for rail-
roads. Public opinion was at that time much
divided on the subject. The Baltimore and
Ohio Company leaned in favor of horse power.
Nothing daunted by the weight of their au-
thority, Mr.. Miller persevered, and with an
unyielding 6xedness of purpose, proposed to
construct an engine on his own personal re-
sponsibility, equal to the best then in use in
England. He succeeded and to him belongs
the honor of planning and constructing the
first locomotive ever worked in the United
States"