The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-04-19

Two OF the Cars of Long Ago Make Up
the Train--One was Rescued from a New
Jersey Farm Yard Where it Had Done
Duty as a Chicken Coop-The History gof
the Old Engine.
PHILADELPHIA, April 1e.-Plunging
along on its way to Chicago and the Fair
is the first locomotive that ever pulled
a train of cars across American soil. II
is relic, curiosity, thing of the past.
to be looked at and wondered about, but
1t has lots of get-up-and-go in it yet. 1t
does not snort as defantly as Chicago
motor, nor whistle vaingloriously, nor
clang its bell like a fire-alarm, nor turn
ones heart to beating backward when it
lets off steam. In the old days, maybe
1t was considered naughty and bod, but
age has lent in dignity. Without any
frills or fancy work, it is able to make
from 20 to 30 miles an hour as calmly
and easily as it did in the days of it's
solitary eminence, and at that rate of
speed, which is rapid enough anyhow
for people who don't want to rush
through life like ball in bowling al
ley, it is going to Chicago.
John Bull is the name of this engine.
1t was named after the genius that
broughtit into being. 1t was almost the
first locomotive of his handicraft. He
had been at work on the idea for some
years, ever since, in fact, Robert Fulton
padded his way by steam up the Huson
River. But it was not until 1880 that
the idea came to much. In that wear
the locomotive Planet issued from the
shops OF George Stephenson, the first
example OF an engine which could really
pull cars in commercial way. Just at
Ter the Planets completion, Robert L.
Stevens, who owned the Camden and
Amboy Railroad, then operated by hors-
es. was i'll England and witnessed trial
trip OF the Planet. He gave Stephenson
an order for duplicate machine. and in
august, 1881, it was in Philadelphia.
This was the John Bull.
AS seen today it looks crude and queer.
and yet there is very little about the most
magnificent monster that tears it's way
across the continent which does not find
at least the suggestion of an origin in the
John Bull. The big driving wheels, the
smoke-stack, the cylinders, and even the
long levers to start and stop it are all
there In much the same places as in the
L
est to The eye about the old John Bull is
its misshapen pilot, continuance that
was added after it reached this country.
to enable it to take curves without tumh-
ling OIL the track. The pilot is something
IN the nature of heavy cow-catcher.
mounted on two wheels and seryiceable
as a steering apparatus. 1t is doing its
work as faithfully today as when it was
in regular service on the old Camden Ss
Amboy road. The engine and its coaches
go to Chicago in form as they went on
their daily errand nearly sixty years ago.
Inc coaches are not as old as the
locomotive, but the difference is slight.
One OF them had fallen into the lowly
estate of chicken coop. until lately dis,
covered by Pennsylvania railroad Off
cial. A Jersey farmer had got hold of it
at sale of old railroad relics. He took
1t from its trucks and mounted it on
high posts driven into the ground. Hero
for years his fowl lived in comfort and
security. When approached to sell it.
with Jersey farmers sense of the APP
probation of real estate, he demanded
something like the price of modern
Pullman coach. He guessed what it
was wanted for, and could not be driven
Tar from his original valuation. The
sagacity which led him to choose an old
oAi0 daiH Otu Cdr lOr his chicken nOnSe,
now fills his declining years with peace
and plenty. The other coach has always
remained in possession of the railroad
company.
The John Bull did active service until
1850, and on this run to Chicago the en-
glne is manned by old railroad men who
served on it when the veteran did daily
work. Large crowds of railroad men
and others cheered the quaint train
when it left here yesterday.