The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-04-16
The First Locomotive.

The first locomotive engine introduced
and worked in America was run on the
Delaware and Hudson Canal company's
railroad in Luzerne county, Pa, in 1928,
to convey the company's coal from their
mines to Honcsdalc, a distance Of twenty
four miles. This locomotive was called
the Stourbridge Lion" and was built
by George Stephenson at his works in
the north Of England, of the best work
manship and material and most ap-
proved pattern of that date. and was on
view for time in New York.
The following description of it's trial
is taken from d. HOLSTERS history OF
the Lackawanna valley:
1.-The road passed out of Honesdale by
sharp northwesterly curve, with mod
crate grade, and was carried over the
Lackawanna'by long hemlock trestling.
considered too frail by many to support
the great wei ght of the mysterious look
ing engine all ready for the hazardous
journey. AS the crowd gathered from
fur and near, expecting that bridge, To-
comotive and all would plunge into the
stream the moment the passage was at
tempted, no one dared to run the loco
motive across the chasm but Major IIo-
ratio Allen, who amid cxaltation and
praise passed over the bridge and a por-
ton Of the road in safety. The engine,
however, was abandoned. as the slender
trcstling forming much ofthc body of the
road, sufficiently strong for ordinary
c;lrs, was found too feeble for the weight
and wear "
Major Allen. of this first trip Of a To-
comotive on this continent, says:
LAS placed my hand on tke throttle,
was undecided whether | would move
slowly or with a fair degree of speed :;
but believing that the road would be
safe, and prelerring, if we did 60 down,
to 90 down handsomely and without any
evidence Of timidity, started with con-
siderable velocity, passed the curve ovcl
the creek safely, and was soon out OF
hearing Of the vast assemblage. At the
end of two or three miles I reversed the
valve and returned without accident,
having thus made the first railroad trip
by locomotive ever made on the western
hemisphere"
The first American steam locomotive,
called the "Best Friend," was planned
by f. L. Miller, then residing at Charles
ton. and was built by Mcssrs. Kemble,
in West street, New York, for the South
Carolina railroad in 1880. 1t was a
small four wheeled engine, with upright
boiler and water tlues close to the bottom,
with the flame circulating around them.
1t worked well for about two years, when
it exploded, and was rebuilt with fine
boiler, It ran on railroad (the first
ever built in any country exclusively and
specifically for the use Of locomotives as
motive power) which was to connect
Charleston with the Savannah river.
This road was built on piles-often very
high above the ground. The engineer
was Major Hor;ltip Allen, who is men
toned in this article, and who was sent
to Europe by that company to purchase
the railroad iron and three locomotives
1t was upon the Charleston and Savan-
nah railroad Major Allen planned and
constructed the great improvement of
two feur-wheel trucks for locomotives
and passenger cars. This system of
double-truck running-gear, including the
application to the springs, have, with no
essential change, ever since been adopted
throughout the United States. The first
stcam-propellcd cars in America, run
ming regularly with passengers and
freight, were on the Charleston and Ham
burg railroad-how the South Carolina
railroad.-IrOv Times.