Omaha daily bee., 1906-06-25
LOCOMOTIVE BUILDER HoNoREO
statue of Matthias Baldwin Fronts
the shops He Founded In
PhuadeIphIa.

The career of Matthias Baldwin from
it's inception teaches lesson in thrift,
persistency and industry by which every
ambitious American boy can proht in
building a future for himself. The statue
which commentaries the great mechanic
was unveiled in Philadelphia on June 2,
1t lie a unique piece OF work. II shows
Matthias Baldwin standing as IL in medi-
tation upon the great growth Of the in
dustry which his genius founded, evil
| denced in the clash OF the mechanics
hammer and in the whirr OF the ponderous
machinery in the shops across the way.
In his left hand are plans OF locomotive
and in his right a compass.
The founder was born in Eli8abethtown,
N. j., December 10. 1875, the son of Will
liam Baldwin, a prosperous carriage
| builder, from whom the son inherited
much of his genius. The father left con-
| siderable real estate, which was subse-
quently dissipated by careless executors,
so that the widow was dependent upon
her own resources for the care of her
| ycunE son.
At the age OF 1s, possessed only OF a
common school education he was ap-
prenticed to a jewelry manufacturing
house in frankfort. From his earliest
! youth he was distinguished by his marked
fidelity TO duty. which readily won him
the unqualified esteem OF those associated
with him whether they were fellow work
ers, or employers.
! When the first locomotive imported TO
| this country was run on the Camden a
Amboy railroad, Matthias Baldwin ex-
amined It with the eye OF the trained me
chanic, taking in it's merits quickly and
giving every attention 10 the parts that he
|
long afterward Franklin Peale, proprietor
| Of Peale's Philadelphia museum, suggested
to Baldwin that a miniature locomotive
would prove an interesting exhibit. at the
same time inviting him TO build one. The
| invitation was accepted and the FIRST To-
connective ever built by BALDWIN was soon
on exhibition, with It's train Of tiny cars.
The American Daily Advertiser Of the
| date OF November %. 1892. in a note on
| the train service between this city and
| Germantown, says
| "Notice-Th, locomotive engine built by
NJ. w. Baldwin OF this city will depart
daily. when the weather IL fair, with a
| train Of passenger cars On rainy days
horses will be attached"
More than two years elapsed before an.
| other engine followed known az "Old
! Ironsides," the main dficulty being that
| mechanics were hard to secure and even
these had 20 be trained He received an
order for engines in 1894 from the South
| Carolina railroad and from the Pennsylva.
MIA State Line railroad. then under the
| supervision Of the state snd running from
] Philsdelpha to Columbia, Lancaster
| county. The Pennsylvania legislature then
passed a law ordering several. the former
| having given satisfaction in pulling and
speedy qualities, and the success OF the
! plant established by Matthias Baldwin be-
came assured. BY 1885 the capacity OF the
| shops had been increased 70 such an sK.
tent that fourteen locomotives were turned
out and the following year the output
I amounted 10 forty, which were sold on or.
! de-s
Matthias Baldwin should be fairly
classed among the great men ~ the nine
tenth century. He died in 1876, after hsv
| ing enjoyed the fruits ~ his genius in
dustry. integrity and hdshty. In othe
respects also he was a good man-in hi
manifold public services his liberal con
tributions 70 civic institutions, the weigh