The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-26
ANTIQUE DESK IS
 RELIC OF TIE PAST
Recalls First Railroad Ever
 Built in Alabama
TUSCUMBlA TO SOUTHLAND
Line Was First Operated With Mules and Horses as Motive Power, But Was Afterward Extend
 ed-Fanous Engines.
BY c. M sHERRop.

BY c. M. sHERRoD.
 Courtland June 25.-(SpeciaD-In the office of N K. White law agent for the Southern railway for the Memphis divis- ion, at Huntsville, is perhaps the oldest piece of office furniture in the state of Alabama. It is directors table md was made for the old Tuscumbia and Court land railway The table is of massive walnut and the ravages of time seems to have had no effect on it. It Is offa semi circular shape. with place which seemed to have been cut out for the seat of the presiding officer
 This old table is a relic of antiquity It is known to a few Alabamians that the old Tuscumbia and Courtland railway was the third railway constructed in the Un- ited States. In 1883 the road was first be- from what was then known as Tnscum- bia landing to the village of Tuso umbia. distance of about four miles. It was built for the purpose of bringing to Tus- cun1bia the freight which was discharged by the boats at the landing mentioned and intended for Tuscumbia The roadbed was very crude affair and consisted of heavy wooden pieces, laid on cross ties ct long distances apart. On top of these wooden pieces were nailed two by four strips on which the cars run. The power was furnished by mules and horses.
 After the construction of this piece of roadway the idea presented itself to the owners that if 9 road could be construct ed further up the Tennessee valley it could be made a paying investment and the track was forthwith extended to Courtland. a distance of twenty-two miles from Tuscumbia. The road was still operated with horse and mule power but the wooden strangers gave place to iron straps bolted down to the runners Very often in operating the trains, which were mixed, bolt would pull out and the iron strap would stand up and derail the train. When this happened all of the passengers, if there were any, were call ed out by the conductor and loaned their aid in putting the car back on the track. The trip of twenty-two miles was made in 4 day and back the next.
 Road Is Extended.
 In 1885 1t was decided to extend the road to Decatur and a new charter was procured from the legislature The name was changed to the Tuscumbia, Court land and Decatur railway company. This extension was made for the purpose of carrying all freight and passengers around the Mussell shoals which was a serious interruption to navigation. From Padu- cah, Ky. to Tuscumhia landing the river could be navigaied at almost all times of the year, but just above Tuscumbia the Mussell shoals began and rendered the river unnavgable from that point to De- oatur. From Decatur to Chattanooga, there was nothing to interfere with steamboat traffic and 1t was thought that the construction of this road around the shoals would be a great thing.
 After the completion of the road to Decatur it was found that mule and horse power was too slow for the progressive age and messenger was dispatched to Englard to purchase a steam engine. The engine was bought by the agent and brought by a sailing vessels from Liver pool to New Orleans. From that point 1t was shipped to Tuscumhia landing by steamboat, traN ersing the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers. The day of it's arrival as 1uscunbia landing WAS a gala day for that community and ap- propriately celebrated. This engine. call ed the Fulton. was made by howard Bury of Liverpool, and cost the road the magnificent sum of s4915.04 delivered at ,ruscumbia landing It was small but a useful engine for its class. It weighed about five tons and had S-inch cylinders and 16-inch stroke, with driving wheels 44-inches in diameter.
 The success of this first engine was so great that three others were purchased, Ire Pennsylvania, The Comet and The Triumph, the highest price being paid for the Comet, $7,852 So. The Comet, however. proved of little use to the company on ac- count of bursting of one of her cylinders When she was first put on the road she lad four wheels of equal diameter, 52
 
 tween the rear and front wheels, the large wheels forward proving to be a disad- vantage. At the suggestion of the mas ter mechanic the large wheels forward were dispensed with and the pilot put upon a truck with four small wheels, which caused her to take the curves much better.
 About the Triumph.
 The board of directors in describing the Triumph made the following report to the stockholders;
 .The Triumph. made by Baldwin of Philadelphia, cost $7091.56, and performs well. This engine Is on six wheels and weighs about six and a half tons. She has been in active service every since her arrival and has cost the company for repairs only sl116."
 A complaint Is made of the want of ad- hesion in all of the engines and sugges- ton is made 10 ODVlate that difficulty in this manner: Let sort of hopper, to hold a gallon or so of sand, to be ar ranged just forward of the driving wheels and above the frame of the engine. from which a tube will project downward to within a small distance of the face of the rails. This hopper being filled with ory sand will feed through the tube upon the rail. A cock or regulator will be con structed in the tube to allow the sand to 1,<,d daS{ ad or shut 1t off entirely. For want of sand water may be used.'
 This was ir 1885 and seems to have been the practical adoption of the sand boxes on engines of today.
 Thus in the evolution of railroads in the south, the old Courtland and Tuscumbia railway was the forerunner, to he sue ceeded by the Tuscumbia. Courtland and Decatur railway. then the Memphis and Charleston and lastly the magnificent Southern railway, In whose office Is now used the table of the board of directors of the first railroad of the south and the third of the United States.
 Of the old officers, directors and stock holders of the road not one, within the knowledge of the writer, is now alive. but they have left a gracious gift to posterty, and their work will live for ages to come.
 --ss--
 Can't Bear Us.
 From the New York Sun,
 The visiting Britisher looked bored