The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-14
THE FIRST RAILROAD IN The
WORLD.
Cincinnati Man Who Was Present
at It's Beginning.
From the Cincinnati Tfmes-Sfar.

From the Cincinnati TTmes-Sfdr.
James p. Kilbreth saw the first spadeful
of earth dug for the first railroad pro
jected in the United States, and, in fact, in
the world.
THAT first spadeful was cast up by
Charles Carol OF Carroilton, Nd. ~ said Mr.
Kilbreth. 81 remember the dsy very we'll
1t was the Fourth of July, 1928, in Balti-
more, aud it was for the Baltimore and
OHIO railroad. can say that l saw the
first spadeful thrown up for the first rail-
road ever projected not only in the United
States but in tie world l remember that
Charles Carroll Of Carrollton made the
address that day. A he was very old
man. He spoke from an improvised plat
form. There were perhaps 3, 900 present.
Such man would have drawn a great
crowd anyway, and perhaps as many, or
more, came 10 see and hear him than be-
cause of any particular interest in the
event. People were rather incredulous of
the scheme anu sharply criticised both il and
the man concerned IN its projection. ] said
that this was tue first railroad projected,
and speak truly. AS early as 1925 people
10 Baltimore began to talk about railroad
toward the west. OF course, there was a
good deal of talk, as there always is about
such things, and it was 1928 before it was
begun. In the meantime little road
twelve miles long, between Stockton and
Dowlington, in England. had been built,
perhaps about 1926, but history will verify
that. | mention this 10 show that, though
the idea of a road was first projected in this
country, they had one running before we
did. That road, l believe, is now part of
the Liverpool and Manchester line. There
had been tramways in England before this
period, and one or twoin New England.
81 can remember that Carroll made a
great speech, and then he came slowly down
off the platform, and, taking the spade
handed him, threw up the first spadefuL IL
was for the setting of the cornerstone, or q
memorial of the event. Carroll himself, of
course, did not realize the possibilities
opened by that act. | do not remember
what he said on that day in his great speech,
but | fancy that with all his powers and
eloquence he did not picture the splendidly
equipped trains that daily thunder over the
monnlains upon steel rails and rock
ballasted beds. No, there was no parade en-
that day in honor Of the event, as there
would be nov. To-day there is assurance in
those things In that yesterday of long ago
it was an experiment. The whole thing was
ridiculed, as it was, and its projectors were
considered fools for their pains.
"NJ. There were no locomotives thought
Of then The road was hlaly completed
to Ellicott's mills, about twelve miles from
Baltimore, and the coaches or wagons we're
pulled by horses. The rails were fixed on
the edge of granite blocks. This did not do
very well aud change was made to what
they called sleepers. There were no cross
ties. The Wagons were pulled by four
hor sss.
well, somewhere about 1880 Stephenson
had been inventing an engine. ] believe he
called it a propeller. and he finally received
permission to try the propeller on the
Stockton a1d Dow lington railroad. His en-
CINE made the twelve miles in three hours
and half Then Peter Cooper. who had
heard of this engine of Stephenson's,
thought he could improve upon it. And he
bul his engine. II was brought down to
the little Baltimore road to be tested Then
people began TO be more interested, but
were more iucredulous tuan ever. recall
the scenes and much Of the talk. What
does that yankee lunatic expect to put
machine on the road that will propel itself
and pull load as welll Why, it is folly,
ridiculous they declared. But they did see
it do just what the yankee lunatic said it
would. and it did it wonderfully we'll The
model of it is carefully preserved yet.
well, in about five years the road was
completed from Baltimore to Frederick
There were only two routes to the Great
West then-one from Philadelphia, by way
| of Pittsburg, and from Baltimore to Wheel
ing the other, and then by boat down the
Ohio