Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-10-14
The First Train.

se;eth anniversary of the opening
The narlington & Stockton lEngland)
Of ine The pioneer steam passenger
Rsilroaac sc The world--has just been cele-
-s..iiass England, and brief account OF
1rsl'nr;ng Of the first train over mat
ne f ~ Interesting to many readers:
will q hing was in readiness, and Sept:
Eves ,rss announced as the day of the
q, lo1', anening. A printed schedule of
fcFnai ~ - which the train would pass
me nnls Limits was circulated along the line,
gwen a,e reonle might be on hand to see It,
thai lns Vas general holiday, and peo-
The - oa from Newcastle and all the
PIE "a. 90. round about to see the wonder.
eoqnu, sng;ne with which the trial-trip was
iheasde weighed eight tons, and was
pwar,ed sLocomotion." Early on the
hu! I Of the suspicious day the mem
n the company assembled at the
ee , steep grade and tried the experiment
issssing train of loaded cars over it
he stationary engine. Everything
VIA al to perfection, and the train was
FoA ~ as follows: At the head was the
Hs4. with George Stephenson in charge;
allowed six cars loaded with coal
pr1 sonr: special covered coach contain
Ss Directors; twenty-one coal cars,
no for temporary use, and carrying
1 Us, 10 people; and, lastly, six more
sled with coal. The merchandise
g no twelve coal cars weighed about
.s,v tous--no inconsiderable weight,
a.a.sidering the circumstances.
/ singular feature of the procession was
nan on horseback, preceding the train
"a carving banner inscribed with the
a-.nany's motto: " Periculua priuatum,
't1itas publica." A Autograph of the
asr;od represents the train crossing a
ssrine over which rather formidable
tone culyert has been thrown. The
| borseman with the flag is brought prom,
irently into view; the long train of little
eoaltlbs, packed with human freight
stretches away into obscurity; a sugges-
tjop Of broad-brimmed hats is caught be-
meath the covering Of the Directors coach;
: WAGNER has stopped his team in won
der by Ne roadside TO see the cavalcadc
% nv. while the eminences on every side
are crowded with people, swinging their
hats and giving vent to their feelings in
the freest manner possible.
Az the train started Il was followed by
'he multitude on foot, cheering their fell
lows on board, and a number of horse
men rode alongside. When one of the
most favorable portions of the road was
reached Stephenson intimated to the ban
pcr.bearing horseman in front that it
would be pcrsculum prt0dtalm i'm truth, as
far as he was concerned, unless he got off
the track, for he proposed to put on steam,
lust TO see what Locomotion" could do.
The horseman retired accordingly, and
vart of the way was run at the rate of
Twelve to fifteen miles an hour, leaving
The pedestrians "hull-down" in the dis
lance, and the horsenan well to the rear
Darlington was reached in due time,
and the train was recognized for the run
10 Stockton by the removal of the final STA
e0al.ears and the substitution of enough
empty ones 10 accommodate $50 more
passengers. With this train the run of
twelve miles TO Stockton was made with
out accident in three hours, and the first
railroad was declared open and ready for
business.
The road at once entered Oh prosper
Gus career. On the 10th of October the
first passenger-coach was put upon the
track and was drawn by horse, the fare
being one shilling Others followed quite
rapidly, most Of them being ordinary
|stage.coach bodies mounted on fiange
wheels. BY the terms of the charter any
one could use the track by paying stipu-
lated toll, and the result was lively com
petition, for the carrying of passengers
Finally the company took charge of the
I entire business and attached passenger
coaches TO its regular trains. In this way
itcontinued TO run, doing an immense
! coaltarTying business, until about dozen
I years ago when it was swallowed up by
the great Northwestern Railroad and the
engine Locomotion" placed on ped
eslal IN front Of the station at Darlington.