Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-03-10
The First RaIlrnnd.

Inc fifNl Hallr0dd.
At New Castlc-upon-Tyu man
named Beaumont, heavy coal dealer
sometime before 1850, constructed a
wooden roadway at his mines; at least,
twenty-five years later roadway IA.
described which is supposed to be like
that built by Mr.. Beaumont. It con
sisted simply Of wooden raj Is about
seven inches wide fastened 10 slecpers.
five or six feet apart, by wooden pegs.
On these the heavy carts with clumsy
wheels were pushed or drawn along. A
horse would draw load Of about two
tons on one Of these railroads, under
favorable circumstances. As rule the
collIcrics were situated at q Ligagr
level than the depots, 80 that the grade
was generally favorable to the loaded
cart. As the rails were found 10 bend
and TO offer corresponding resistance
to the wheels, the plan was adopted, in
some cases, Of mailing plates Of iron to
the surface Of the wooded rails. Canals
a, this time were receiving the most at
tention from those interested in improy-
ing the means Of internal communica-
tion, and but little interest was expended
on the railroads through a period OF
many years, the attention Of scientific
men being turned in other directions
An idea OF the little attention that
was given to the railroad in those carly
days Of It's history is seen from the fact
that about a century passed after the
time OF mailing strips of iron 10 the
rails before the neat important improve
ment was made, that Of substituting
cast-iron for wooden rails. Mr.. Stephen
son puts the first manufacture Of iron
rails as occurring in 1867, at the exten-
sivc iron works Of Colebrook dale in
Shropshire Iron wheels were used to
some extent ten or fifteen years before
The first railroad with iron rails is said
20 have been constructed at the Duke Of
Norfolk's collicry, Sheffield About tho
year 1910 mallcable iron rails were first
introduced az the coal works OF Lord
Carlisle, on Tindale Fell, Cumberland.
The cars, OF wagons as they were
called, Of those early days Of the rail-
road, were as crude and clumsy in their
form as the rough play carts of children
portrayed in pictures of ancient rural
life. Being intended for the carrying
of coal, the cars of that time were
adapted in form for that purpose, and
were made of roughly-ioined wood in
the shape Of hoppers. Previous 10
about 1850 only wooden wheels were
used. The front wheels were made of
larger diameter than the rear wheels 10
keep the body of the car horizontal on
the down grade, the roads being in
tended chiefly TO bring loads down from
the mines TO the coal yards and depots.
These wheels were sometimes made Of
one piece, but oftener of several pieces
fastened together by wooden pins. The
surface was hewn ont to ft to the
rail. About the middle OF the eigh-
teenth century cast-iron wheels began
W AHItais anu tbE u AlNAt u WIS fNN-
tomary 20 have two of the wheels on
n car Of iron and the other two OF wood.
There was a strong prejudice against
the use Of iron wheels on account %
their injury 20 the rails, the danger Of
their cracking and the rude brakes
not working on them satisfactorily: and
j; was for the latter reason, probably,
that during the introduction OF the
cast-iron wheels, wooden wheels were
used with them on the same car The
adoption of iron rails did away with
the use Of wooden wheels.
The first railroad constructed in Eng
land for. carrying passengers was the
Stockton and Darlington. which was
opened in the fall Of 1895. though for
the transportation OF general merchan-
disc there were several wooden railroads
of short length in use. which had grown
up from the proven utility of the rail.
road for carrying coal. The coaches
were drawn by horses (ono horse to each
coach, the coach accommodating half a
dozen passengers inside and twenty ont
sidel At speed Of about ten miles an
hour. Amoicam Railroad Joarsai
The Spanish are said 10 have in enc
a