Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-03-01
AMERICAS FIRST RAILWAY.
The Mechanical Curiosity Out of Which G.

The Mechanical Curiosity Out of Which Grew
the Modern Locomotive.
Charles II. Roberts, in the February
number of the American Magazine writes
of the beginning of railroads in this
country:
Penrose and Bennett, at this date 1881,
had been pioneers of that manual train
ing school in America which was estab-
lished a few years previoully by Robert
Dale Owen, at New Harmony, Indiana.
Bennett, absent from the school on some
trading Or peddling excursion into Ken
lucky, had discovered the plant at Louis
vile, and, returning TO New Harmony,
told Penrose Of it. This plant was a
steam locomotive, passenger car and
track-an aggeration of machinery of
most striking and captivating features.
They had information of two tram roads
existing in the United States, one in New
England en- the other in the south bat no
knowledge of any steam railway.
The two students, Penrose about 26 and
Bennett % years of age, determined to
purchase the steam novelty and exhibit it
about the country as a speculation the
latter accordingly returned to Louisville
TO secure it. This he did, paying its
owner, who was probably its constructor,
5000; and thereupon these predessators
of Vanderbilt and Gould, entered upon
the ownership of if MOI the first, at least
one of the earliest of the steam railways
of their country.
Their property included shares, rolling
stock, right of way and franchises. It
seems unnecessary to suggest that the
latter appendages of the railway were
then nonexistant, even in dreams. The
pride and pomp Of the modern system
the pass, the porter, and the Pullman
coach; the circumstance of long and shor
haul, mortgage and receiver were then
unknown.
Bennett without embarrassment, trans
ported his acquisition to New Harmony.
The locomotive, car and track com plete,
weighed somewhere from one thousand
to fifteen hundred pounds. The engine
is described as having highly polished
copper boiler.
A description of Stephepson's English
engine OF the previous year, in q letter
from the bright pen of Mrs, Frances
Kemble Butler, may be taken as aptly ill
ustrating the state of the art respecting
steam land locomotion at this time i;
though the letter perhaps describes a
ruder machine than that of Penrose and
Bennett. Ueder date of August g. 1880,
she writes:
1--WE were introduced to the little en-
gipe that was TO drag Us along the rails.
She, (for they make these curious little
fire horses all mares) consisted of a boil
er, stove, platform. bench, and be-
hind the bench a barrel containing
water enough to prevent her being thirs
| ty for fifteen miles-the whole machine
not bigger than common fire engine
| she goes upon two wheels, which are her
! feet, and are moved by bright steel legs
called pistons' These are propelled by
steam, and IN proportion as more steam
is applied TO the upper extremities, (the
| hip joints, Isuppose) of these pistoas,
| the faster they move the wheels. The
coal which are its oats, were under the
| bench, and there was small glass tube
| affixed to the boiler which indicated by
Its fullness or emptiness when the crea-
| ture wanted water"
! The American effort was less preten
tious. The circular or elIipacal track
upon which Penrose and Bennett ran
their machine was movable and adjustable,
or was subsequently made so, in order TO
allow of It's being set up IL a large hall or
upon open grounds. A hall as long as
possible and at least twenty feet in width
was required for that method of adjust
ment; but when set up out of doors the
space of exhibition was usually still more
ample.
| This was certainly the quaintest train
run since Stephenson attached his first
locomotive to the old stage coach, 1.-The
| Queen Charlotte" and dragged it as a
passenger coach. The coach of eur ex-
perimenters, holding two persons, was
| evidently an adoption of the old fashion
ed sleigh; with high straight back, bat
with its dashboard much exaggerated