The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-02-20
OHORUs.
AMt8lo6o rnoo looOao0ye,


Unique Distinction Of iiOrntlo Alien, tie-
Gently Deceased NJ south Orange.
Horatlo Allon, who died a. his homo In
bouth Orange, N, j., recently, was tho first
man who over ran a locomotive on this con-
tinent In the year 1891 Allen VAS appointed
NJ an assistant 10 John H. JoryIa chief en-
gnoCr Of the Delaware aud Hudson canal,
aud showed such tact for railroad aud GU
gincoring enterprise that he was during the
latter part Of 1877 commissioned by Chot
Engineer Jcryia 10 go 10 England for tho
purpose Of purchasing the necessary irop aud
chains for the construction Of railroad bo'
tween lonNdnlo and Carbondale, Pa, q
distance of aomn fifteen or twenty nhlos lie
was also instructed 10 arrange tot the build.
Ing OF throo locomotives,
On hia arrival In England ho sought out
Stephenson, before whom ho laid hla plana
for the construction Of che three locomotives,
but as Stephenson was very busy ut tho time
ho refused die order Allon, not discouraged
at the refusal next called ON Foslor, lioF
wick a. Co., VI Stourbridge, England, who
finally agroed 10 construct tho locomotives
Allen remained with this firm, studying tho
construction aud workings Of the different
parts Of the engines, uutil tho fall Of 1878
when ho returned 10 America The llrst VI
the three locomotives was shipped from
England In April lS2D, and arrived In Now
York the following May TWAS ono " what
was called the "GrUshopporN mako, aud was
ohristcncd tho "Stourbridgo Lion, " from tho
fact Of its having had painted In rcd on the
front OF Ia boilor Iiorco Hons head,
Soon after Ia arrival IL was sct up 40 tho
West Point foundry, foot Of Beach street.
Now York, its body resting on blocks, No aa
10 enable the directors Of tho company 10
witnON Its worRiugA Tho locomotive and
tender were both four wheeled, with upokos
and fellocs Of wood aud iron tires and wheel
conton Tho locomotive was without n cab
cylinders upright, and a walking beam on
each Edo applied tho motive power 10 tho
wheolA II waH not until tho following sum
mer that the "Stourbridgo LION was re
moved FROM Now York Tho delay In Tor.
warding n 10 Honosdole, Pa, where II was
destined, was occNIoned by the canal not
being open, On Ia arrival al Ioncsdalo u
WIS placed on tho nowly constructed track
alongside tho canal, and preparations for w
initial trip woro made und0r tho direction OF
Mr. Allen.
On tho Sth day OF August 1880, at Homes.
dale, tho trial trip was made, commanded by
HQyatio Allen himsolf Tho oyont very nat
urally caused the a@omblage Of n large and
curious crowd, which camo from within a
radius Of forty or nlty miles 10 witness tho
interesting spectacle II 10 eaId that an old
Queen Auno cannon was brought all the way
f,,,,,, Na,V Vnrg "a Hapaaaala 10 honN, faVth
its applause In honor Of the great occurrence,
Tho pooplo predicted that Allonb effort 10
successfully operate this engine would provo
futile, most likoly by the breaking down OF
tho track tho rail upon which was laid on
continuous trcBtle Of homlock timbor, In fact,
few Of these present had an inclination 10
trust their llvoaon tho Lion Mr., Allon, non.
npprehonsive Of danger, jumped up and took
his position on the locomotive, Nc tho same
time declaring that II there wts any danger
ho was rendy 10 meet H. Pulling thc throt-
tie valve opon aud running n fow times slow.
ly backward and forward, and sending q
cheering good.by 10 The crowd, ho dashed
swiftly away over the swuyng Tostle and
around the dangerous curvo, thus sottng In
motion tho first locomotive engine that ever
turned wheel in che western hemisphere,
Tho track over which the engine ran was
Of scrap iron, spikod nort tho inner edge 10
largo homlock eloopers. Az tho time Of tho
trial trip OF tho. locomotive che timbors and
ties, although having been securely connect
cd, had become warped, aud II was marvel.
Gus that tho engine remained on tho track,
The railroad crossed tho Lackawanna river
over a trcstlc. As the locomotive passed
over tho road its weight hrmly pressed ovcry.
thing underneath down 10 lts place ON tho
roadbcd MIR. Allou, after running tho
"Llonn sufficient distance TO euablo him 10
recognize Us merits, reversed tho engine and
returned 70 his starting pluco at llonesdalo,
amid the applause Of hundreds OF sightsoors,
without encountering au accident Of any
kind Allon was engineer, lronan. con.
gray eagle which they trapped Tho bird
was held IA the trap by its too, and whom ono
OF tho brothers approached tho oaglo dow
short distance, carrying with 10 tho trap aud
ten foot polo TO which the trap was tod
Fearing that they would loso both trap and
eagle, Che boys attacked tho bird, which
thcreupon made vicious llght II grabbed
ono OF the boys with lts hooked boak, throw
him down and pounded him with its wings
Tho other boy graspod club and shortly slic.
oeoded In dealing tho eagle q doadly blow on
ite head. The bird measured foot . inches
from Tip TO tip Of winga = Philadelphia
Lcdgor.