Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1890-10-30
EARLY RAILROADS.


The fir-t Passenger Trains Run In Eneianu
and the United states
Slxty-fve years ago the first steam
railway in the world for the carriage Of
passengers was formally opened in En-
gland There are many men still living
who remember that day Tho road was
called the Stockton & Darlington rail-
road The speed was not a thing .
brag about A stand ne reward of $50
was offered for an engine that would
travel ten miles an hour drawing three
times its own weight The first road
for carrying freight in the United States
was opened at Quincy, Mass. in the fol-
lowing year, but ia was not until two
years after that (ls2s) that the Balti-
more & Ohio ran the first passenger
train in the United States. and Peter
Cooper designed the locomotive The
first steam railway in New York State
began running from Albany to Shenect-
ady in 1S30
The Rensselaer, e. Saratoga railroad
was originally incorporated April Il.
IsS2 The construction Of the road was
commenced the next year The purpose
of constructing this road was to prevent
the diversion Of the trade OF North
ern New York 10 Albany via
the roads from Saratoga to
Schenectady and from the latter place
to Albany. The Troy terminus OF the
Rensselaer, & Saratoga was on First
street. the depot occupying part OF
the present site Of the Young Mems As
sOciation building. The road was opened
from Troy 10 BallstOn October G. ISSa
TIE Schenectady Il Saratoga Railroad
Company, which was controlled by Al
bauy people, refused TO carry the Rens-
selaer & Saratoga railroads freight from
Ballston TO Saratoga A number Of
Troy capitalists then purchased the
majority Of the stock Of the Schenectady
& Saratoga I.ailrOsd Company and for
time Albanys freight was under an en-
bargO on the railroad
The utilization Of the railroad idea
may be traced much further back than
September -. 1s25. when the Stockton
& Darlington railroad was opened for
passenger traffic. In the coal districts
Of the north of England. early in the
last century. rails OF wood were laid for
the purpose of reducing the friction
caused by pulling coal carts from the
workings 70 pit mouths About I767
cast-iron rails were introduced Be
tween I7s4 and $50 MurdOck. Treve-
thick and Gray, all Englishmen. made
experiments with steam engines The
success of the modern railway. BY gen.
eral consent. is due 70 George Stephen
son. who constructed the first lccomo-
tive for the Stockton & Darlington rail-
way and who was its engineer for sew
eral months
Stephenson's eng mes were adopted
BY other railways but they we're not in
trOduced without opposition TIE stage
coach owners and the canal projectors
were opposed TO railway competition
Landowners were frightened at the
prospect Of going iron monsters, belch-
ing forth fire and smoke. flying over
their property The English spirit Of
conservatism. too. was aroused, and il
was voiced by the British Quarterly Re
view in these words
We should a. Don expect the people Of
woliwich 70 srffer themselves 20 be fired on
upon one OF Conzreve's rockrts as 20 trust
themselves 10 the mercy Of such a machine
going a such 4 rate
The machines that excited such fear
were very Insignificant in comparison
with the smallest locomotive now in
use.-Troy (N. Y Press