The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-07-26
THE ERAILROADS SCARE
ODD EFFECTS OF THE FIRST SIGHT
OF A LOCOMOTIVE.

some Of the People of the south Hfo
Behind Trees In 1893, when tho
Iron Horse Went Blythe Country's
Earliest Railroad.
America cannot lay claim to the first
locomotive or the first railroad. That
great honor Hes 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 Manchcs-
ter road in 1920. the first spike had been
driven on the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road, July 4, 1923, 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 I'm 1890 II had reach
cd Elllcott Mills, 13 miles from Balt-
more.
But the south can claim the honor Of
completing the longest railroad In the
world Mt that date, being the old
Charleston and Hamburg road, now n
part OF the South Carolina and Georgia
system, which was begun I'm 1880, ana
by October. 1888. IL had 131 miles Of
track i'm operation. In letter from
Mr.. Samuel G.. Clarke of Georgia. n
klnsman 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-
pcrcnce upon first sight of locomo-
tive:
zone day while going down to
Charleston with n party of gentlemen
To attend the races MS we approached
the city we saw I'm the distance the
new railroad, finished some 10 or IL
miles out OF Charleston. IL was built
upon piles, longer or short, according
to the nature of the ground. Sometimes
I'm crossing ravinc the rails were 20
feet from the surface. Our track ran
near this elevated road. and soon n
horrid shrek ms from 20 panthcrs 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
IL came In sight, flying aloft through
the air aud breathing fire and smoke,
and our frightened stccds became un-
manageable. and In fact | think that
some OF our party were as badly fright
cned as their horses. If any of my
readers are old enough TO remember
the introduction of locomotives and
how they felt ut first sight of them,
they will perhaps understand our SEN
sations that day in the pine woods.
"A mile or two farther on we came
TO broken wagon by the side of the
road. and near IL sat Georgia cracker
smoking his pipe. On being asked
what was his trouble he replied, We'll.
stranger. I've often hearn tell of NULL
fication, and now l reckon I've saw II
for true"
IL is somewhat amusing now TO read
OF the superstltious 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 pcstilence
or destroy all the crops along the road.
Others were afraid TO ride ON the cars
TOT rear Ol HuNllS lntlT uItdln lthcu
away. and the people I'm the cities OBJ
jected TO the railroad being built be-
cause they feared the smoke from the
engines would soil the clothes which
were hung out TO dry.
Many are yet living who looked upon
the terrible. screechlng iron monster
with awe and trepldation. Mr.. Nat Nc
Gee OF Ivy. Albemarlc. tells a Joke upon
himself that when he heard the train
coming he Jumped from his horse and
got behind tree. where he viewed II
for fear OF being run over. Mr.. w. II.
Prout. who was taking n wagon load OF
| produce 10 Richmond. when he reached
Gordonville heard the whistle and ter
rible 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 10 q safe
distance. leaving the wagon and team
TO its fate. but when the train appeared
" was only an engine and one coach.
The first roadbeds were formed. as
has been stated. by driving piles In the
ground. upon the ton Of which were