The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-04-19
EARLY RAILROADING
THE ANCIENT ORIGIN OF THE STEEL
TRACKS OF TODAY.
"Tom Thumb the First American
Engine Built For Running on
Rails - An Experiment by Peter
Cooper Which Turned out Well.

kalIWaNS made OF massive stone blocks
laid parallel and smoothed on the surface
for the use of wheels are almost as old as
wheeled vehicles themselves. From that
ancient origin were evolved the steel
tracks of today. \ careful search would
probably reveal the remains of stone
tramways in various lands, beginning
with the Grade ones of ancient Egypt and
continuing in an improving line down to
those of modern enterprise. | have exam
incd ways Of the early kind in Italian
cities and the native engineers said that
they have been used from time immemo-
rial. In various parts of Germany they
were used in connection with coal mines.
and from them the idea and the name
tram were carried to England in the
seventeenth century. The wrctchcd roads
of England. due to the moist climate,
made the tramways a great convenience
TO the owners of the coal mines.
Soon the scientific societies got to dis
cus~in= the details of tramway construc-
ton, and by that means the people of
America learned that the prevailing want
of roads might be remcdicd by the con
struction of cheap tramways Early in
the last century they were introduced in
the coal mines Of Pennsylvania. ana the
parties who built Bunker IIill monument
carried stones from Quincy uuarrics 10
tide water by means of one of these roads.
That was in lS27
Two decades before various canals had
been constructed, but experience had full
~ revealed the shortcomings and incon-
venicncc Of canals Even before the nine
tccnth century began a number of men
had advocated the use of steam engines
to haul freight and passengers. hut those
men were REGARDED as viSiuuHricS
The steam cu-nc in its crudrSt form
WAS invented by Ncwcomgu To meet an
emergency. Valuable mines were falling
into ruins because animal power could
no longer pump ont the water. This sue
cess opened the way for the improved en-
glncS Of Watt and Evans.
rs early rs 1901 Evans engine moved
n scow through the streets of Philadcl-
phia, ana the inventor predicted ut that
time, although canals were then POPULAR
that the next generation would want
tramways operated by horses and the
succeeding generation would favor rail
ways worked by steam locomotives. lie
said the time was not far distant when
passengers in steam carriages would
leave Washington in the morning, break
fast IT Baltimore, dine at Philadelphia
and sup in New York, 25O miles distant.
Evans did not live to see his prediction
fulfilled, but he prepared the way for the
steam locomotive
William llcdlcy made the first practical
use of the steam engine for transporta-
tion purposes in England in 1873 by
hauling coal from a mine to the shipping
point. George Stephenson saw this en-
gine and succeeded in making limitations
of it which attracted public attention. At
that time there were being operated many
successful tramways in England. In lS2J
company built a railroad - miles long
from Stockton to Darlington, in the north
of England, for the purpose of transport
ing coal The scheme was violently OPP
posed. The Duke of Cleveland alleged
that the railroad would disturb one of his
fox courses The work was done under
the supervision of George Stephenson,
who used locomotives.
An impression prevails that railroads
and their operating machinery were cop
led by pioneer American engineers from
British models. These engineers may have
copied the plans of making tramways,
but the rolling stock used was the prod
uct or native ingenuity and always bore
the stamp OF the original American de-
slgner There is good reason for believing
that the American express train would
nave reSounded through our valleys quite
as soon as 1t did had James Watt the re-
puted inventor OF the steam engine, and
George Stephenson, credited with invent
ing the locomotive, never lived or never
pullt an engine.
In 1880 there were about 1000 miles of
railroad projected in America, and con-
structlon mad commenced i'll a great many
places. l he most ambitious project of
the KIND was the Baltimore and Ohio
rahroad' begun IN ISIS, to create trade
between that city and the west and south
Inc foundation stone was laid by the
venerable Charles Carroll of Carrollton,
the last surviving signer Of the Declara-
ton OF independence. Thirteen miles of
the road were open for traffic May 20
1861. At that time there was no senti
ment In the United States in favor of
anything stronger than horsepower for
operating railroads. Although there were
locomotives operating various tramways
IN Great Britain and the Stockton and
harrington railway had locomotives
hauiing long trains, the fame of that
kihd OF motive power spread very slowly.
AlthouSh a locomotive pulling the first
tram run on the Stockton and Darlington
railway had made a speed of ID miles an
hour the general public in England, sew
eral Years later, regarded men as de-