New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12
AN OLD ENGINEER.
CAPTAIN JACK LAWSON IN THE EARLY
DAYS OF RAILROADING.

TwO-HE FOUGHT IN THE WAR UNDER
THE CONFEDERATE FLAG.
From The St Louis Republic.
Il ran the first steam locomotive that W.
ever invented; ran 1t on its trial trip between
Liverpool and London, and | am as active to-
day as ever was."
The speaker was Captain Jack" Lawson Of
Paducah, Ky. He made the above statement
to a Republic" reporter last night on an Hi
nois Central train, while he was crossing the
Eads Bridge TO this city, where he comes to
visit the only Living tie OF affection that he has
left to cheer him III his old age.
Captain Lawson is decidedly unique and
unusual character on account of the fact that
he is the oldest engineer in the United States
to-day.
Captain Lawson related the history Of his
eventful life before he reached the Union sta
ton.
II was born on August rs 1905 in Lancashire.
England and am now ninety-two years old"
he said 81 was left an orphan when ] was
quite young, and had TO hustle for myself.
did various odd jobs when / n boy and
finally drifted into Liverpool. where served my
apprenticeship under Robert Stephenson. the in
ventOr OF the steam engine. Stephenson was a
good fellow. but he was inclined to be cross, and
many were the thrashings that received from
him.
but stood the punishment, as it was case
or necessity. and finally Stephenson took a liking
to me. When he first announced that he had
invented a locomotive power that woIld sup
plant the old-fashioned stage coach and English
cockney horses, he was ridiculed by nearly
every one. In fact, the name OF Stephenson was
used as a standing joke. but he willing
that increduous people should have their fun
at his expense.
When he finally announced that he would
run trial trip from Liverpool to London the
people quit joking and became seriously in
terested. | well remember that trip. The
CINE was under the supervision OF Mr.. Stephen
son. but really had charge OF 1t. The police
had TO clear the tracks for us to get out
dense was the crowd After we got out OF Liver
IN M ka no htt
nearly as bad all along the route The people
swarmed by thousands Although the time we
made was necessarily slow. still that trip demon
strated to science that Mr.. Stephensons inven-
ton was more than a mere dream.
six months later | came to America and
brought the first steam engine across the ocean
that was seen In this country. / took the
CINE to baltimore and the first trip was made
on the Baltimore and Susquehanna to n medIc-
nal spring twelve miles distant. The American
people were not 80 increduOus their English
cousins. but they were more nquisitve. and a
denser crowd turned out to see the trial trip
than there was in England. | can remember
every detail OF the trip to this day
Two years later ! went to Virginia and took
charge Of an engine on the Virginia and Roam
oke Railroad ! remained there several years,
and then came West.
THE engine that | brought over here only
weighed eight tons. and was practically
pygmy beside the Cotton monsters of the pres
ent day. Now there Is something in The his
tory of this country that | want to disprove
right here. 1t is the statement that the engines
OF those DAYS could not make over twelve miles
an hour This is n mistake. The engine that
was used for the trial trip in this country could
make as fast time as those that are in use at
the present time.
II am proud OF one thing in my life. and that
is that i never had an accident while ] was
Running engine | have made some noted
runs. too. At one time in my career ] made the
run from Mayfeld to Paducah twenty-six miles.
in seventeen minutes 1t is my candid opinion
that the numerous accidents which YOU rea !
about in the daily papers are caused by care
lessncss.
mo. / do not believe that electricity will sup
plant the steam engine At one time did. but
/ do not believe sufficient power can be secured
to do the work that the steam engines Of the
present day doing"
When the Civil War broke out Captain Law
son enlisted in the Confederate cause and he
Is still a red-hot rebel He engaged in a naval
fleet on the Mississippi River and participated
he captaned a steamboat on the Ohio and Ten
nessce rivers. He finally became proprietor Of
one. but had the misfortune Of having IL burn
down. He pluckily went TO work. however and
soon rcgained another fortune.
Captain Lawson married over sixty years
ago. Three children were born Of the union.
but they died in their infancy. His wife died
six years ago. AT the time the Captain was
boarding with G. L. McFadden. "A prominent
citizen OF Paducah. and he took liking to his
son. He Is educating that boy now in this city.
and il is his protege that he is visiting at No.
l,JIJ Semple-ave
Captain Lawson was until a week ago last
Monday Collector Of the Port Of Paducah. hav-
ing been appointed to that place under the Clcve-
land Administration. President Mckinley APP
pointed his successor at that time. The Captain
Is fine specimen Of physical manhood. He is
feet 10 inches in height and weighs over 100
pounds He says that he still feels active. and