The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-11-04
Opening OF tho First Passenger Railway.

Fifty years ago-that Is, September,
la30-thc first passenger railway in
England, the Liverpool and Manchester
Railway, was opened with great ceremony.
a year before prize OF $500 had been
tifHred for the best locomotive cn1inc,
which had been won by Robert Stephen
sons Rocket, upon which were subsequently
modelled the old grasshoppcr engines of the
Baltimore " Ohio Railroad, appearance
being suggestive Of their name. Eight To-
comotive engines had been completed and
placed upon the limo. and all had been
tested with entire success. 70 every cngiuc
was attached four passenger carriages, each
containing twenty persons. The first cn-
gine, the Northumbrian, drew the most dis
tingmshcd gucsts-thc Duke of Wellington,
Sir Robert Peel, and other members of the
Ministry. 1t had one limo OF tho double
track to itself. Tho other seven locomO-
hvcs with their carriages, followed each
other on tho other line. Tho procession
started from Liverpool Mt II O'Clock, with
flags, music, flno weather, and great cnthu-
slasm. Seventeen miles from Liverpool
they stopped to take in water, and in order
to afford the Duke Of Wellington nj oppor
tunily of seeing tho procession, the sovcn
locomotives, with their carriages, were or
dcred to pass slowly by the Northumbran
standing on Its track. Several gentlemen
had alightcd while the locomotives were
taking in water, and one of them, Mr..
Huskisson, member of Parliament for Liy
srpool, and an 'arncst supporter of Il o rail
road cause, catching sight Of the Duke of
wellington, between whom and himself
there had been some political coolncss, ran
eagerly across tho track to shake him by
tho hand. At that moment tho order was
given for the seven engines to move for
ward, MIR. lluskisson was bcwildcrcd. The
Rocket, which was tho leading engine,
struck him whilo he was still in doubt
where to flee. The wheels went over his
Leg and thigh, and no expired that evening.
The accident cast deep gloom over the
days fcstivity. The trip was concluded,
that people waiting along tho line might
not bo disappointed, but all rejoicing and
Eaycty were ut an end. The next duy tho
railway was opened for passenger traffic,
and carried lao persons from Liverpool to
Manchester In two hours The original
calculations OF the construction had been
basod on probable returns from heavy mcr-
chandiso tratllc-coal, cotton and iron.
They had formed no high expectation Of
any great cmolumcnt from transporting
passengers. Bat the railway was hardly
opened before an average of 1900 persons
daily wcro willing to trust it with their
lives. In few years it was found that
the enormous traffic was too heavy for the
original rails, and 1t became necessary to
relay the road at considerable expense.
But though September Is, $780, is tho
greatest day In railroad annals, being that
On which tho worlds first railroad was
opened complete, tho Maryland Rail
road preceded tho Liverpool and AIanchcs
ter in utility. The first sod of the Balti-
moro and Ohio Railroad was broken for its
construction July 4, 1928, and by tho next
year, horse cars assisted by one locomo-
tive engine, were carrying passengers and
traffic between Baltimore, tho Relay House,
aud Ellicott's Mills.