The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-25
He WAS THE FIREMAN
ON FIRST LOCOMOTIVE.
Man who Ran the Famous "Rocket''
73 Years Ago Is stiII Alive.

73 Years Ago IL stiu Alive.
Des Moines Cor. New York Herald.
A model of the famous Rocket, the
first engine to draw a passenger train.
stands in the Transportation building
of the st. Louis Exposition, and Ed
win Entwistle. the man who acted as
fireman on the epoch-malxing day, sew
enty-three years ago, when the first
passenger train in the world left Man.
chester for Liverpool, lives in an hum
BILE cottage in East Des Moines, and
when he thinks Of his inability to visit
the exposition and see the Rocket mod
ell tears come into his eyes and course
down his cheeks.
'Pd give anything / possess just to
see and handle Il again." the aged man
said recently, as he told the story OF
that memorable trip. But I'm old
now and feeble. I'm not the lad /
was when George Stephenson gave me
a word of cheer and / climbed into
the Rocket and we started on our
trip"
Edwin Entwistle was a lad of 16
when the trip was made He was rec
commended to Stephenson by the Duke
of Bridgewater, whose steward declar-
ed that Entwistle was the best me-
chanic In his shops.
1t was in September, 1881, that the
Rocket made it's trip Stephenson had
triumphed over many difficulties, and
the test was to be made. He had COM
pleted his plans, obtained a charter for
the railroad between Liverpool and
Manchester, and laid his track.
Stephenson had one strong friend,
the Duke of Newcastle. When he heard
that Stephenson was to appear before
the committee the Duke babe him be
careful of his answers lest the commit
tee refuse the charter.
George needed wen the instructions
of the Duke" said Mr.. Entwistle. 1.-The
committee asked him all sorts of ques-
lions. but the answers were always eau
tious and hardheaded. In particular
they tried to find out what the ca
pacity Of the train was to be in the
way of speed and the handling Of
freight.
1T win lravel fast enough and pull
freight enough" answered Stephenson,
Ito pay the interest on the money in
vested"
THAT was all they got out of him,
but the charter was granted. Work
was begun on the road at once, but
there were ten miles that were a bog,
and gravel and dirt had to be hauled
in. 50 that It was four years before
the rails could be laid"
When the track was GaaRpleted, and
Stephenson was read ~ enter the
competition he was without a fireman.
He applied TO the Duke OF Bridgewater
and was sent by the latter to his ma
chine shops. Here Stephenson repeat
ed his request TO the foreman Of the
shop. The latter replied:
Il haven't a man to send, but that
lad will serve your purpose II you care
TO take him and get an order from the
steward"
The order from the steward was not
long in coming, and Edward Entwistle.
then machinist's apprentice, went on
the Rocket
Stephenson took Entwistle out the
following Sunday TO let him try his
hand at the throttle. They ran the
engine down TO the bog. a distance of
fifteen miles. and return. Stephenson
was more than pleased. The next day
was the day for the competition. Emit
wistle, speaking OF the trip, said:
II don't remember much about the
weather All the days IN England are
pretty much the same. and along the