The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-07-01
Peter Coopcr's First American Locomo-
tive.

son Il recent trip down to the bay of New
York. says the editor of the Brooklyn
JnioH, 1--WE turned with the venerable Peter
Cooper page of the opening railway era
of America. Mr.. Cooper, he claims, de-
serves the honor, among the other honors
of his useful life of being the first to in
troduce into actual service the railway en-
CINE III America. We condensc from the
very animated and interesting sketch of Mr..
Cooper's "reminiscences:
Think of the excitement that pervaded
the civilized world when it was settled that
the Darlington hallway, which was opened
To supply London with coal, had actually
begun to carry passengers 10y steam ut seven
miles per hour. But we are able To correct
the "reminiscences of that occasion which
shared the common mistake that the sue
cess of the Liverpool and Manchester Rail
way stimulated the introduction of rail-
roads into this country, for some of the now
most important roads Ill this country were
projected and commenced before the Liver
pool and Manchester was built. Itreceived
with them the stimulus of the first road
above named. In 1928 Mr.. Cooper was in
business in New York, his native place.
His mother and grandmother were both
born on the present site of st. Paul's
Church, Vesey street and Broadway, and
his mother remembered seeing the stockade
still standing which had been erected to
keep the Indians out of infant New Amster-
dam. Mr.. Cooper had bought as u specula-
ton the entire magnificent tract IN Balti-
more now owned by the Canton Company.
Baltimore was then city of 95, 900 people,
rich and prosperous, and had entered upon
the railroad era. On July 4, 1898, the cor
ner-stone of the Baltimore and Ohio Road
was laid with imposing ceremonies by
Charles Carroll, of Carrollton. 1t was
pushed theoretically, little too much so,
for when thirteen miles had been finished it
was found that in turning the rock to save
cutting, such short curves had been intro
duced that the experts declared the line
utterly useless. IL could not be used by
steam. Five per cent. had been paid in,
and shares had been sold at II, such was
the zeal and confidence of the people. But
the chill was immense, aud everything
stopped. Mr.. Cooper then thIrty-eight
years OF age, saw new disaster to himself in
the depreciation of his tract should the road
fail. He proposed TO the directors TO con-
struct an engine that should be available on
their line. They We're willing, but incred-
ulous. lie brought down from his glue
factory In New York an engine with three
and a half inches cylinder aud fourteen
inches stroke, procured wheels and other
appliances from the railway company. and
presently rolled out upon the track the first
American railway engiEe. The trial trip
was TO take place the next day. That night
thief stole all the copper and brass from
the infant machine and caused some further
delay. The trial trip was run, Ar. Cooper
himself acting as engineer; and when his
wheezy little baby locomotive Threatened 10
lose too much steam he held down the safety
valve with his own hands. The run was
made with thirty passengers, thirteen miles
in one hour, and Baltimore was happy.
Compare the little engine of forty-seyen
years ago with the pondcrous machines OF
To-day, and yet they folicS ON the pathway
the little engine opened.