The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-08-31
LOCOMOTIVES 18TH ANNIVERSARY
Monday Commemora,ed First Movement Of
Passenger Train in This Country-En-
glne Ran on B, 8 0. r. r.

Seventy. five years ago last Mon
day the first movement of pass
enger train was made in this country
by the first locomotive built here.
While this was not the initial loco
motive, it was the first that was
able to bring about results. The
year previous an English-built
locomotive was brought to this
country for the Delaware & Hudson
Canal Company to be used in trans.
porting coal.
The locomotive used by the Balti-
more & Ohio Railroad Company
was built to overcome the CONNER
cial advantages New York and
Philadelphia had gained through
the operation of the Erie Canal,
the Baltimore idea being to offset
this with a rail line connecting the
Ohio with the navigable waters OF
the Chesapeake Bay. incidentally,
OF course, Baltimore was to profit
by becoming the terminus of the
railway. This is where Peter Coop
er CANE in.
Mr.. Cooper wasn't a man of
mechanical attainment; had no
especial aptitude in such direction
and certainly no experience. Never
theless, not :nly was he the inspirer
Of the first locomotive built to and
actually accomplish the first prac,i.
cal movement by steam on rails in
America, but the indomitable push
er against obstacles until he down
ed every one of them and became
the father of steam operated roads
on the Continent. The least per-
sistent of his oppon nts were by no
means the Baltimoreans themselves.
The original engine, Peter Coop
er, was sent around from New York
to Baltimore by sailing vessel
There were no wheels when it ar
rived, but little things like these
could rot stay Cooper, who speed
lily arranged with Ross Winans,
then assistant to Chief Engineer
Knight, of the Baltimore & Ohio,
for the missing means of locoTo-
ton. A platform had also to be
fixed upon with which to support
the engine, and, in turn, to be sup
ported by the four Hanged car
wheels from the company stock.
There was good deal to Ie done
to get this first of locomotives to-
gether and in shape to run. The
railroad people had no faith in it or
had any one else to speak Of, save
Cooper. When finally the trial
trip was essayed and the old thing
baked there were many to say 81
told you so;" but Cooper laughed,
declared it was not his intention to |
build stationary engine and would |
keep on until he got one to move,
and he did.
Its memorable first trip was made |
from Baltimore to El.icotts Mills, |
among the distinguished guests
being Charles Carroll of Carrollton, |
the last surviving signer of lhe
Declaration OF Independence. This
much heralded innovation of old
time methods was followed |
the succeeding NOR ng
by the first railroad advertisement
ever appearing in an American
newspaper, the Baltimore and Ohio
annou ci ng i'll the B Balt imo re
journals to the effect that brigade
of cars" would run three times a
day each way from Baltimore to
EIlicott's Mills, passage IS cents.
In those days passengers were not
ticketed, but carried on way bills
about as freight is to-day.
Cooper's tiny Tom Thumb"
with car attached, on that 2Sth of
August, seventy-6ve years ago, |
made the run without break in an |
hour and a quarter, and the return
trip i'll ffty-se minutes. One
horse was its computed power, and |
the weight in entirety it drew was |
four and half tons, the average |
sDee d twelve miles an hOur