Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-13
Locomotive "John Bull"

OF the exhibit issued over JbOUO cOHpHInen-
tary tickets, good for a ride upon the
John Bull train,' which was run every
week thereafter. Throngs of interested peo-
pie besieged the office every day that the
obtaining these tickets, which are now pre-.
served as souvenirs by visitors from an
parts of the world
1t is interesting to note in this connection
that the John Bull may be considered the
progenitor of that type of American loco
motive which has survived through three
score years of experiment in locomotive
construction, the multi-tubular boiler. the
horizontal cylinder and artificial draft
caused by the exhaust steam, being still
found in all good types of modern loco
motives.
Baldwin Patterns After the "John
Bull"
short time after the arrival of the John
Bur' in America 0he facts relating to
which are narrated below Matthias W Bald
win of Philadelphia. then a mathematical
instrument maker, was commissioned by
the Philadelphia and Germantown Railroad
Company to construct a locomotive for that
road Being anxious to become acquainted
with the construction of the John Bull"
which in 1881 was the best locomotive in
the world, he visited Bordentown, Nj, in
company with the late Isaac Dripps, who at
that time had charge of the locomotive. Mr..
DrippS states that he examined the mech
anism most carefully, making minute meas.
urements and carefully sketching the COM
plicated parts. Any one desiring to see how
closely Baldwin followed the lines of prac-
tice laid down by Stephenson & Company
the constructors of the John Bull" should
examine the model of Baldwin's first loco
motive the "Old Ironsides," which Is pre-
served in the United States National Mu-
scum. From this humble beginning the
Baldwin locomotive works have become the
greatest manufacturers of that class of ma
chinery. Their exhibit at the Columbian ex-
position was more extensive than ever be-
fore made by locomotive builders in any
portion of the world.
Early History of the ''JOhn Bull,
This famous locomotive. which is admitted
by all familiar with the history Of trans
portation to be the oldest American loco
motive in existence, was constructed by
Stephenson & Company at New Castle-on-
Tyne England, in the winter Of 1S30-31. In
October, 1880, Robert l.. Stevens famous
as the inventor of the present system of
American railway track, and as the con-
structOr of the best steamboats, of his time
in his capacity as president Of the Camden
and Amboy Railroad Company of New Jer-
sey, now one of the oldest divisions of the
Pennsylvania railroad, visited England to
secure a locomotive for that road.
A year had elapsed since the famous
''Rainhill Trial and the opening of the
of the defects in the Rocket" the victor
in that memorable contest, had been dis
covered by the Stephensons, who in the con-
struction of the Planet" the most success
full locomotive then in existence, had intro
duced many improvements. Soon after Mr..
Stevens arrival he witnessed a trial of the
Planet and, being pleased with its perform
ance and the method of its construction,
ordered Stephenson & Company to build a
similar locomotive for the Camden and Am
boy road. Late in May. 1881, the locomotive
was completed. and early in June it was
shipped from New Castle to Liverpool
where it was loaded into the ship ALE
gheny," bound for Philadelphia, July 4,1S31
The original bill of lading. from which this
Information is derived, was exhibited at the
worlds fair in the Pennsylvania railroad
building together with the original account
with stephenson < Company, which shows
the cost of the locomotive to have been Elsa
about $500. After the arrival of the loco
motive at Chestnut street wharf, Philadel-
phia, about the middle of August Mr.
Stevens detailed Isaac Dripps, then a very
young man, but afterward master mechanic
of the Camden and Amboy road, to attend
to its removal to Bordentown NJ j., to
which point 1t was transported in a sloop
1t arrived at its destination safely at the
expiration of ten months after Mr. Stevens
had contracted for its construction in Eng
land.
At Last on the Track.
AS no working drawings accompanied the
locomotive. many futile attempts were made
to put the locomotive together properly, but
finally what was then the best locomotive
on the continent was placed upon the track
steam being raised for the first time during