The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-07-06
The Locomotive 70 Years Ago.

22C,000 pounds, and, with its tender,
$50, 600 pounds, or 1S0 tons. The
locomotive that was advertised Cor in
1881 by the Baltimore aud Ohio Rail
road Company when the frst section
OF that road wac completed was not to
exceed three and g half tons, the en-
CINE TO carry both water and coal. To
chow the progress that has beun made
IN tho construction Of railroads, as
well as in their motive power, I take
che liberty Of sending you an extract
from letter addressed by me, Feb
ruary 8, 1901, to Mr.. Stuyvesaut
Fish, president Of the Illinois Cen
tral Railroad, the occasion being the
iftieth anniversary of the incorpo-
ration of that company:
The railroad first undertaken in the
United States was short line, work
ed by horse power, Of about three
miles, for the transportation of gran
ite to the Neponset River, near, Bos-
ton. This road was simply copy of
the tramroads already in use in Eng
land. It is important only as the
pioneer in the great movement that
was then taking place. A similar
work was constructed at about the
same time for the transportation of
coal from the pits mouth to the
Lehigh Valley Canal, near Mauch
Chunk. It was not until much later
day, however, that the construction of
railroads was undertaken for the trans.
portation Of both freight and passen-
gers on anything like g comprehen-
sive scale. The Erie Canal had al-
ready cut off trade which the oities Of
Philadelphia and Baltimore had hith-
erto received from the West; and IS
the project Of o canal from the city Of
Baltimore to the Ohio was regarded by
many as imprscticable, the msr-
chants Of that city, in 1927, procured
the charter Of the present Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad.
On the 4th Of July, 1923, It's con-
struction was begun, the frst act boing
performed by the venerable Charles
Carroll, Of Carrellton, the only sur
viviog signer Of the Declaration Of
Independence. At the close Of the
ceremony Of breaking ground Mr.. Car.
roll osid II consider this among the
most important acts Of my life, Sec
ond TO signing the Declaration Of In
dependence, IL even second to that"
In the fall Of 1929 the laying of the
rails within the city Of Baltimore was
begun. On the 22nd Of May, 1880,
the frst section Of fifteen miles, to
Ellicott's Mills, was opened. Like
all others constructed ct the time, it
was On unsubstantial structure with
longitudinal stills, on which was placed
thin bar, or strap of iron. <
Although the locomotive engine
had obtained some use in England,
this road continued for some time after
its opening to be operated BY horse
power. An ingenious but uusucoess-
ful attempt was made to propel the
trains by the use Of sails. As some
moro effective power than that cf hor-
ses seemed indispensable, the com.
pany, on the 4th Of January, 1881, in.
vited proposals for the construction Of
steam engine for its use, (which,
ghsn IL operation. must NJ. exsssa:
three ed Assl.fs Ass.f tou5 in weight, and
must, on level road, be capable Of
drawing, day by day, fifteen tons, in
elusive Of the weight OF che wagons,
fifteen miles per hour" In response
three engines were offered to the COM
pany. One only, constructed by Phin-
sas Davis. Of York, Pa., was accepted
asscoming up TO the required speoi-
fcssiohs: 'AltholglE shias engine vas
incapable Of sufla ao1nt;pg any con.
eisssAbl esFada6s, .zis ssryea Is assure
tho officers oss che company. OF the
pssetie ashiSg tleir railroad,
by yssteam pnS;f # 9
In;the anAsat report Of enc oompsny
for 1881 its prsaidens, Philip H.,
Themsa, 4 stated shas, !. .z many ,ina.i in
DyeyemestB made Ia che application
" working power, an imaense feduo-
Gon in the cost OF decentralization and