Daily Republican., 1879-09-06
THIRD EDITION.
xErURNE ED AFTER MANY YEARS.

An OLD Engineer OF the Frencn-
ssvu Koad Tsrns Up-A Little of
View Castle HiStOPy-fhe First
I.Osesnelive in this POrtlOo Ofahe
COuntry.
Forty years ago Albert Mount, an in
dustrious colored man, . carpenter ny
trade, says the Elkton Democrat" J"
lived in Elkton, Md. Mounts fathsi
was a white man and his mother mu
lstto. They came from New Jersey and
lived in small house near the FaI
Geek. Albert Mount must have beer
an industrious and trustworthy mai
for he was made superintendent OF re-
pairs IN the Freucht0wn end Of the
New Castle and Frsnchtown Railroad,
and h ad under him twenty-five or thirty
workmen. :,
During his engagement on the rail-
ROAD the first engine was brought over
frou England to New Castle, Delaware,
and there put together. THE shops In
which was found employment for 40U
men are still standing in New Castle,
being owned by Taskers. Portions ol
the road can also be seen. A man
named Swanson was the machinist aud
sLpineer, and while he could have had
the engine in operation in a few weeks
after It's arrival he spent months a.
work on it. This was done to "b bleed
the company. Finally the announce
ment was made that the engine was
complete and would make it first triK
on a day mentioned. Crowds cam'
from the cities and country, and John
scn's celebrated band of Philadelphia
was in attendance. The train moved
off slowly, and, when it had proceeded
some distance, one Of the officials OF the
road remarked to Swanson that they
were not running rapidly.
This seemed ~ raise the fire OF thu
engineer for he at once "put on more
steam" The train fairly flew through
the air to the CONSERVATION Of the pas
sengers. Not few fell on their knees
in prayer and one man jumped of, sus-
tanning injuries from which he never
recovered. swanson did pretty much
as he choose Gas he was the only rail
road engineer then known to the coui-
pany) until one VIM. H. Dobbs [whore,
Gently died of hydrophobia at his home
10 New Castle, made his acquaintance
and exposed some Of swanson's imposi.
tions. Swanson was discharged and
Dobbs employed in his place. The lat;
ter was q skilful machinist and built
the first engine constructed in this
country. The engine brought from En-
gland was only eight horse power and
when the train was heavier than usual
Mount and his msu would assist it in
ascr uding the grade at the deep cut
near Frenchtown. After Mount severed
his connection with the railroad com
pany, he hired with DR.. Barnard, Of
Delaware, as superintendent CT his
farm.
He afterwards left the New Castle
Company and went to Canada. He did
pretty we'll there, but times getting
hard and wishing to return to the
scenes of his younger days, he left Can
ada on July sth. He had some money
and was enabled to ride part of the way
on the cars. On Saturday last Mount
and his companion arrived in Elkton
ana stopped at the Jail, where Sheriff
Boulden kindly provided them with
nuer. Mount has reached the ripe
old age Of twenty-five years but is
hale and hearty. He says he has not
missed days work on account of sick
ness since he went to Canada.
He even now has vivid recollectious
of events over half a century ago.
Changes many and radical have taken
place since he resided here. Years ago
on election days hs says he has seen
dozen fights in progress at ope time in
the vicinity Of the polls. In those days
there were but four voting places in tue
county and in consequence great crowds
assembled at the towns were the VOt-
ing was done. Elkton was then a great
grain market and many teams were
employed in hauling wheat from Elk
Landing to Cooch's mill, in Delaware,
where it was ground. The flour was
taken to Christiana and shipped thence
to Philadelphia. Much was also ship
ped from the Landing to Baltimore.