Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-03-10
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RAILROADS.
Their Early History.

Their Early History.
The following interesting extract in
regard to the early history of railroads
we take from paper read before the
Chicago Historical Society, by W. X.
Alderman of that city, published in full
by the InterO Ocean:
1t is generally conceded that the first
railroad constructed for passenger traf-
tic in England was the Stockton and
Darlington Line projected by Edward
Pease and executed by George Stephen
son. 1t was that Mr.. Psase who said:
'"Let the country but make the railroads
and the railroads will make the cOun-
try" Royal assent was given to build
the line April -. 1921. Its first rail was
laid with considerable ceremony at a
point near st. Johns Well, Stockton, on
May. %, 1922, and it was opened for traf-
fic on Sept. ~, 1925. Its length was
about fifteen miles.
The first railroad constructed for
freight ltraffic in England, on which
steam was used as the means of prOpul-
sion, was the "HettOn Railway" a short
track of eight miles, built from the Het-
ton COlliery to the docks at Sunderland
on the banks of the River Wear. 1t was
opened on Nov. Is, 1922. Stephenson was
the engineer of the line, and he used
five locomotives upon it of his own de-
sign, which were called by the people of
the neighbOrhOOd "the iron horses"
Here possibly we have the origin of the
phrase now become so common.
ENGLAND's FIRST ROADS.
The Liverpool and Manchester Road.
about forty miles long, was commenced
in 1926, and opened for traffic Sept Is,
1880. Its gauge was feet So inches.
The surveys for this line were made ia
the flee Of strong opposition. The sur
veyOrs were sometimes driven from their
work by mob, armed with sticks and
stones, urged on by the landed prOprie-
tors and those interested in the lines of
coaches of the highway.
Frances A. Kemble i'm her Records of
Life" under date of September, 1880,
tells Of ride taken by her on this road,
seated alongside of Stephenson, the pro-
jector. In 1926 the Hon. Stephen Van
Rensselaer, and some others procured
from the Legislature of the state of
New York a charter for the construction
of railroad 10 run from Albany to
Schenectady, and which was known as
~
was opened for business in September,
1881, Thurlow Weed was a passenger
on the first train that run over the road
on Aug. 8, 1881; it was drawn by the
American locomotive the de Witt Gin
ton" This was undoubtedly the first
railroad built in the state of New York.
The road built at Quincy, Mass, in 1926,
and which has often been referred to as
the first railroad constructed in the
United States, was simply employed to
bring out granite from the quarry near
that place to the NepOnset River, a dis
lance of about three miles, and was
worked by horse power. 1t was built
with granite sleepers, seven aud a half
feet long, laid eight feet apart; the rails.
five feet apart were Of pine, foot deep,
covered with an oak pl te,qnd these with
flat bars of iron.
IN PENNSYLVANIA.
The Mauch Chunk Road (nine miles in
length) was short spur employed to
transport coal from the mines at that
place to the River Lehigh, and was built
in 1921. This liue was operated by gray
ity, though mules had to be used for
returning empty cars to the mines. In
1923 the Delaware and Hudson Canal
OOIlpduy DuIlb SuOIt llu6 llOul Olo
coal mines at Honesdale to the terminus
of their canal.
The first locomotive engine perma-
nently used In this country was employ
ed on this line; 1t was built by Foster,
Rastrick & Co., of Stourbridge, England,
aud first put in use on the 9Th Of August
1922 by Mr.. HoratiO Allen,who had him
self purchased it in England. 1t was
called the "StOurbridge Lion" its front
being Ornamented with large, fierce
looking face of lion.
The charter of the South Carolina
Railroad was granted the 10Th of Deem
Der, '27;it was the first road built express
ly for use of locomotive power. A small
portion of the road, connecting Charles
tOa with Columbia. the capital of the
state, and having branch to Augusta.
Ca, or rather to Hamburg on the other
side of the Savannah River,was partial
ly constructed and in operation as early
as February, 1929. 1t was short piece
of experimental track over which 1t is
stated mule drew without difficulty a
car containing fOrty-seven bales of cot
ton. After making very reasonable
allowance for the average physical