Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-04-20
[For the Shenandoah Herald.l
-arlv locomotives and Steamships.

Early Locomotives anu steamships.
Goiug into the County Clerks Office OF
Nelson county, KY, the other day myeye
fell upon an old Anticipated picture on the
wall 1t comprised four scenes The first
was picture of the first locomotive ever
made. the second of the first railroad train
ever run in America, the third OF the first
steamboat built, and the fourth OF Fuiton's
first steamboat.
The first locomotive appears rs very
rough article. compared with those OF the
present day, smaller with much less ma
chinery. 1t was run by-Watt, from
Bennington to Manchester IN the year
1929. If I am correctly Informed, there
was in the first locomotives no valve rods
to open and shut the valves; but the en-
gineer or his assistant had to, turn on (or
Off the steam at every revolution of the
driving wheel.
The second picture represents the first
railroad train in America. 1t ran from
Baltimore to Washington in the year IS
The train consisted of four vehicles. The
locomotive is an improvement on the first
one, and the tender is a good one. Then
follow two coaches-stage coaches on rail-
road wheels Six passengers occupied the
Inside Of each coach; the names of most OF
them and the location of the seats that
they occupied are Still preserved. Only
one Of them is now living, Thurlow Weed,
On the outside of each coach was a seat in
front and behind On the rear seat out
side Oft front coach sat the conductor ;
on the front outside seat Of the other coach,
the brakeman, and on the last seat OF the
train The mail carrier. What change
from that time to the present Now the
postfnan has a car or a large part OF car
to himself Oil every train, and on the great
through line from New York westward,
the postman has whole train run for his
special accommodation, every day,
The third picture represents the first
steamboat built in the United States. 1t
was constructed by John Fitch i'll Bards-
Neutrality-suspicious. was the name then
about 1870. Its experimental trials were
made on wet weather pond, fifty yards
northw est of the court house III Bards-
town. Having satisfied himself of its feas-
Utility Fitch went to Philadelphia, con-
structed boat and sailed it on the Dela-
ware river. His plan was to place on each
side of the boat three oars held not as in
the hands of an ordinary oarsman) hori-
zontally, but vertically, the handles of the
oars pointing to the sky. His machinery
elevated the oars out of the water and
moved them forward. then depressed
them into the water and drew them back
ward, just as ordinary oars are managed
This was not later than about 1895 $50 that
Fitch anticipated Fulton about twelve
years in the invention Of the steamboat.
But Fulton improved on Fitch by substi-
tuting paddlewheeis for oars.
Alas for human greatness ! Fitch died
in 17ss In his will, which I saw the 9TH
er day. he left his silk hat. gold-hesded
cane and knee buckles to william Rowan.
the sei ling father Of that man of sturdy
probity, Judge John Rowan then divided
the rest of his property among others
Butthey all forgot to make any effort to
mark his grave 1t is in the town grave.
yard. with little rough stone, such as WAS
put in on the day of HIS burial at the head
and at the foot. Not line, not single
letter marks the spot, and could identify
it only by the affidavit of an old citizen de-
scribing the location in relation to other
graves. Neglected. almost forgotten Is his
resting place. Such is the gratitude of
in life than the app oval OF men of this
world. T. E. C.