The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-05-19
STORY OF A THRILLING RIDE
INITIAL TRIP OF THE FIRST loco
MOTIVE BR0UGHT no NEW HAVEN.

Interesting "Reminiscences of the Occasion
by Mr.. Henry Chatfield Who Was
Passsnger-Fifteen Miles Per Hour Was
the Startling speed Attained-Nearly
Forgotten Facts About New Haven.
Residents of New Haven now famil-
lar with the superior means of railroad
communication enjoyed by the city can
hardly imagine the conditions which
prevailed when New Haven's only
transportation communications with
the outside world was by water. There
are probably few persons in the city
who remember the days when the
screech of the locomotive whistle was
as little known in New Haven as IS
now the whir of the trolley in Bechua-
naland. One of the few who do remem-
Der those days is Henry Chat1eld OF
No. 40 Lyon street, formerly a MEM
Der of the George NJ. Grant co. MI.
Chatfield was seventy-eight years OF
age on the sixth of this month and mas
stored up in his memory many interest
ing "reminiscences of the New Haven
of sixty years ago, having removed to
this city from oxford when he was
sixteen years of age. Among the es-
pecially interesting accounts of the
happenings of those days which Mr.
Chatfield is fond Of relating is one
about the first trip of the first locomo-
tive brought to New Haven.
1t was in 1889, and the New Haven
and Hartford railroad, which was be-
gun in 1883, was then building and
tracks had been laid from this city to
point about half way between New
Haven and Meriden. Instead OF rails
strap iron two and one half inches
wide by one half inch thick was used
and these straps were spiked to 4X5
scantlings. The first locomotive ar
rived here by boat on Thanksgiving
day. 1889, and was landed at steam
boat wharf 1t was a small one, the
locomotive and tender being only about
twenty-five feet in length. Peter After
son, who lived on Franklin street near
where Mr. Chatfield boarded was then
superintendent of the rolling stock of
the new road and he concluded to try
the new locomotive the next day after
it's arrival here. Mr. Alferson invited
Mr.. Chatfeld and three or four others
to accompany him on the trial trip.
The next day after Thanksgiving in
1889 the tender of the new locomotive
was loaded up with three foot Long
Island pine wood to be used as fuel,
and Mr.. Alferson with his guests took
seats on the top of this pile of wood
preparatory to being taken up the road
by a new tangled machine. Three or
four freight cars loaded with strap iron
for the tracks were coupled behind.
These cars were about the size of an
ordinary horse car Of the present day,
and the load placed on each only weigh
ed about three tons, somewhat below
the thirty or forty tons capacity of the
freight cars now in use.
The start was made most propitious-
ly from New Haven and all along the
road crowds of people We're collected to
watch the passage of the strange con-
trivance.
The inhabitants for miles around had
heard that the initial trip was to be
made on that day, and they turned out
in force to see the wonderful thing.
The cattle and horses in the fields along
the roads, instead of gazing mildly at
the passing engines, as does the mod
ern well-bred and up-to-date stock,
took only one glance at the re-breath-
ing monster and then, with caudal APP
pendages pointing towards the zenith.
they started in terror-stricken stam-
pede to the farthest corners of the pas
~ e.. :,
route were scared to an equal degree,
and after catching sight of the engine
sought cellars and other out of-the-way
places to escape the strange creature
rushing through their familiar haunts.
There was about one-half inch Of
snow on the track, and the engine be-
ing light, it frequently got stuck dur
ing the trip UP the road, and the pas
sengers were several times obliged to
get off and shovel off the tracks before
they could proceed. After arriving at
the terminus Of the then completed
track the load of strip iron, which
amounted in weight to about ten tons,
was loaded and the return trip was be-
gun. The engineer informed the five
passengers that he intended "to let her
hum" on the way back, and accordingly
ali braced themselves in good positions
to hold on, and they felt some concern
as to whether or not they would be able
to catch breath if the engine should be
let out to full speed. The furnace was
crammed with the Long Island pine,
which was used for fuel on the locomo-
tives for several years after the road
was built, and soon the little locomo-
tive was tearing along at the record
breaking speed of fifteen miles an hour,
much to the wonder of the passengers
and the country people along the road.
After the new locomotive began run
ming, work on the new road was push
ed rapidly forward, and in January,
1910, the first train was run from this
city to Hartford. The first trip was
made great occasion, and the city au-
thorities of New Haven, at the invita-
tion of the railroad officials, took the
ride. The passenger cars used then
were about twenty feet in length, and
the seats were arranged crosswise,
much in the same manner as the seats
of the open summer trolley cars are
now constructed. Around the outside
of the car extended a footboard, on
which the conductor walked around the
coach, collecting the tickets from the
passengers within through the win