The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-07-17
THERAILROADS SCARE
ODD EFFECTS OF THE FIRST SIGHT
OF A LOCOMOTIVE.

Some OF the People OF the South Hid
Behind Trees In 1888, When the
IRON Horse Went Blythe Country's
Earliest Railroad.
America cannot lay claim to the first
locomotive or the first railroad. That
great honor lies with England. Yet
Yankee genius was not very far behind
her, for, when George Stephenson
launched his first real locomotive, the
Rocket, on the Liverpool and Manches-
fer road in 1929, the first spike had been
driven on the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road, July 4, 1928, by Charles Carroll
of Carrollton, the last surviving signer
OF the Declaration Of independence.
This was the first road started in the
United States, and in.1S30 it had reach
ed Ellicott Mills. Is miles from Balti-
more.
But the south can claim the honor Of
completing the longest railroad in the
world at that date, being the old
Charleston and Hamburg road. now
part Of the South Carolina and Georgia
system, which was begun in 1880, and
6y October, 1888, it had 137 miles OF
track in operation. In letter from
Mr.. Samuel G. Clarke of Georgia,
kinsman Of the writer, who attained
the extreme age Of 81 years and who
had seen the beginning and the compile
tion Of this road, he thus gives his ex-
perienee upon first sight Of a locomo-
aiye:
e4one day while going down to
Charleston with party of gentlemen
80 attend the races as we approached
the city We saw in the distance the
new railroad, finished some 10 or y
miles out of Charleston 1t was built
upon piles, longer or short, according
30 the nature of the ground. Sometimes
IN crossing a ravine the rails were 70
feet from the surface. Our track ran
pear this elevated road. and soon a
norrid shrek as from 20 panthers was
heard in the woods. By this time we
were nervous. Elephants and lions
we had heard of, and some Of US had
seen them, but what monster was this
whose screams we heard: Presently
It came in sight. flying aloft through
the air and breathing fire and smoke,
end our frightened steeds became IN
manageable, and in fact think that
some Of our party were as badly fright
ened as their horses. If any Of my
readers are old enough to remember
the Introduction of locomotives and
how they felt at first sight of them.
they viii perhaps understand our SEN
sations that day in the pine woods.
"A mile or two farther on we came
20 a broken wagon by the side Of the
read, and near it sat a Georgia cracker
smoking his pipe. On being asked
what was his trouble he replied. Well.
stranger, I've often hearn tell Of nulli-
6cation, and now reckon I've saw it
for true"
It is somewhat amusing now to read
OF the supersttious dread with which
the Inhabitants looked upon the build
ing of these first railroads. Some
thought the smoke Of the continual
Passing trains would cause pestilence
or destroy all the crops along the road.
Others were afraid to ride on the cars
Tor fear Of having their breath taken
away. and the people in the cities cb-
jected to the railroad being built be-
cause they feared the smoke from tie
engines would soil the clothes which
were hung out to dry.
Many are get living who looked upon
the terrible. screeehing iron monster
with awe and trepidation. Mr.. Nat Nc
Gee of Try, Aibemarle, tells joke upon
himself that when be heard the train
coming he jumped from his horse and
rot behind 8 tree, where he viewed It
for fear of being run over. Mr.. ". 7.
Prout. who was taking wagon load Of
produce to Richmond. when he reached
GordonYille heard the whistle and ter
r5ble noise Of the approaching train.
and he and his companions were so
scared that they sprang out. leaped the
fence and ran across the field to a safe
distance, leaving the wagon and team
10 its fate, but when the train appeared
IT vas only an engine and one coach.
The first roadbeds were formed. as
mas been stated, by driving piles in the
ground, upon the top of which were
placed wooden stringers, in which were
cut groove for the wheels to run.
These were called wooden railroads"
and at distance appeared like the ele-
vated railroads in the cities Of the pres
ent day. The honor OF this invention
was contested between John Hartman
Df Scotts@ille. Va, and John Williams,
an engineer Of Chic. but it did not
prove a bonanza to either. for the
wheels were constantly bouncing out Of
the groove. and the piles soon after
gaye place to solid dirt emaankments,
and strap iron rails were substituted
Tor the wooden groove. But the grad
ing was very imperfect and uneven,
switch made riding on one of these
Drimitive railroads like going over