Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-05-11
FIRST PASSENGER TRAIN.
PersOns Came for Miles to See =
start.

Ninety years ago. March "a, 1915 the
man was born who is said TO have the
distinction of being the engineer on the
first passenger train ever operated in
England. says n Marion (Mo) corrcspon-
dent of the st. Louis Republic. This gen
tleman, Edward Entwiste is now living
in Dcs Moincs. Iowa. 1t is something OF
Il coincidence that one OF his passengers,
then a checked girl, should now be
living not far from him.
Mrs. Salina Farrar, mother Of Charles
Farrar. city clerk of this town. rode in
one of the little four wheeled coaches
hauled by Mr.. Entwstlc's locomotive on
its first passenger run in September 1881.
Mrs Farrar says that the contemplated
excursion from Huddersfield Yorkshire
county, to Liverpool. EXCEED almost as
much anxious discussion as would he crc-
atcd nowadays by Il journey to New York
in an airship. Persons came for miles to
see the start of the train. 1t was conf
IDENTIFY predicted that IL would never get
back. Steam was leaking from several
places in the boiler. and the terrific
sizzling seemed indicative of an early
catastrophe.
Mrs. Farrar says she rocollects the rev.
| erence accorded the engineer as he moved
about the little machine. The noncha-
liant manner with which he rushed into
the Jaws of death stamped him as a
man above the common run" Tho SOL
dier-hcro of IA dozen wars could not have
divided admiration with Mr. Entwistle
that day. Mrs. Farrar's recollection of
the occasion is much kecner than her
memory as to many things which have
TRANSFERRED long since. In describing the
trip recently she said:
"Three small fiat cars were attached to
the engine. There were no seats, so we
all had TO stand up and hold on to each
other My mother and were together.
There were ratings around the cars so
| the people would not fall off. "A very sa-
gacous prccaution, as the cars rocked
terribly when in motion. We were tight
| ly packed. / remember that distinctly.
| The train left Huddersfield at 10 in the
morning. the crew and passengers rcccv.
ing a tremendous ovation as it pulled out
| 1t was happy crowd. and by and by as
the journey continued without a blow-up,
e~pegan to feel more comfortable. At
Manchester we laid over a short while.
| 1t seemed to me like the whole town must
have turned out to see the train come in.
II was a great day for Mr.. Entwistle.
imagine the interest he created was a
good deal like that which attached to
Admiral Dewey when he returned from
Manila. Everybody wanted to talk to
him and to get near him.
Leaving Manchester. we proceeded to
| Liverpool, running at Il little faster rate
than on the first stretch. The journey
home was made after night. l don't re-
call that there was light anywhere on
the train l guess they hadn't thought OF
headlights then. 1t was Il pleasant night
however and we knew there were no
other train ahead OF US.
| 1T must have been n strange expert
encc TO the country people living near the
road on hearing the train roar by in the
darkness. the first event of the sort that
had come into their lives
at was getting along toward two
O'clock in the morning when We APP
lproached Huddersheld. Late as it was.
there were many people waiting out on
the roadside to see the train go by. and
when we pulled into town we were greet
ed by almost AS large crowd as had
asscmblcd to see us of. Our friends
hadn't any idea in the world as to when
we would he back, and as the night wore
on they became uneasy. The balance OF
the night was devoted to talking about
the trip"
Mrs. Farrar said the fare was three
Ishillings six pence for the round journey.
Not long aftcrward the railroad pro-
Imoters began building passenger coaches
latter the manner of the stage coaches
then in use. and ran regular passenger
TRAINS for the accommodation OF the pub
lie. Mrs. Farrar was born near Man
chester in June. 1918, which makes her
lab hat hn
pioneer engineer.