Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-10-17
NO. AZ.
Only For,y.NIne Year. Ago.

Just 80 years ago-that is September 10.
lS30-the first passenger railroad in England,
the Liverpool and Manchester railroad, was
opened with great ceremony. A year before
prize Of $500 had been offered for the best
locomotive engine, which had been won by
Robert Stephenson's Rocket, upon which
were subsequently modelled the old grass
hopper engines Of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, their appearance being suggestive
of their name. Eight locomotive engines had
been completed and placed upon the line,
and all had been tested with entire success.
To every engine were attached four passen-
ger carriages, each containing 20 persons.
The first engine, the Northumbran, drew the
most distinguished guests-the duke of Well
ington, Sir Robert Peel and other members
of the ministry. It had one line of the double
track to itself. The other seven locomotives,
with the carriages, followed each other on the
other line. The procession started from
Liverpool at II o'clock, with flags, music,
fine weather, and enthusiasm. Seventeen
miles from Liverpool they stopped to take in
water and in order to afford the duke of
Wellington an opportunity of seeing the pro-
cession, the seven locomotives, with their
carriages were ordered to pass slowly by the
Northumbrian standing on the track Sever
al gentlemen had alighted while the locomo-
tives were taking in water, and one of them,
Liverpool, and an earnest supporter of the
railroad cause, catching sight of the duke of
Wellington, between whom and himself there
had been some political GOODNESS, ran eagerly
across the track to shake him by the hand
At that moment the order was given for the
seven engines to move forward Mr. Huskis-
son was bewildered. The Rocket which was
the leading engine. struck him while he was
still in doubt where to fee. The wheel went
over his leg and thigh, and he expired that
evening. The accident cast deep gloom
over the days festivity. The trip was con-
cluded, that people waiting along the line
might not be disappointed but all rejoicing
and gaiety were at an end. The next day the
railway was opened to passenger traffic, and
carried l 40 persons from Liverpool to Man
chester in two hours. The original calcula-
tions of the construction had been based on
probable returns from heavy merchandise
traffic-coal, cotton and iron. They had
formed no high expectation of any great emol-
ument from transporting passengers. But
the railway was hardly opened before an av-
erage of POO persons daily were willing to
trust it with their lives. In a few years it
was found that the enormous traffic was too
heavy for the original rails, and it became
necessary to relay the road at considerable
expense. But though September IL, 1880, is
the greatest day in railroad annals, being that
on which the worlds first railroad was open
ed complete our own Maryland railroad pre-
ccded the Liverpool and Manchester in utili-
ty. The first sod of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad was broken for its construction July
(, 1923, and by the next year horse cars. as
sisted by one locomotive engine, were carry
ing passengers and traffic between Baltimore,
the Relay house and Ellicotts mills. Bdlti-
more .fnieTicdn