New-York tribune., 1909-05-22

G Mcpherson, illustrated. svo, pp. xiv. S24.
Henry Holt & Co.
There is not a dull page in Mr.. Carter's vol
urne He has not set himself the task OF tracing
the origin Of American railroads in accordance
with the doctrine Of evolution. much less has he
concerned himself with the economic location Of
routes or the scientific consideration of rates.
But he has unearthed and rescued from oblivion
a mass of material about the who built our
pioneer roads personal anecdotes illustrating
their character, their energy. their genius and
the peculiar qualifications that led them TO
achieve success, together with incidents often
slight in themselves that have in the outcome
controlled great events, and in the grouping c1
these facts he has drawn lively and striking
picture OF a period and Of conditions now rapid
" recedng in the dimness Of the past The
euthor does not pretend TO be an historian. but
he tells good story in the easy. colloquial style
Of current journalism and he retains his readers
interest even when he appeals least TO their
critical Judgment Nothing is more surprising
in the history Of American railroads than the
rapidity of their growth. and it is not easy to
realize that there are people still living who IN
youth saw the earliest efforts to develop trans
portation which have resulted in the present
highly organized system.
The early days of the Baltimore & Ohio the
first American railroad. naturally receive the
attention due TO important innovation.
The inception of this great enterprise due
TO the fear that all the commerce Of Baltimore
would be diverted to New York by the Erie
Canal and il was carried 70 completion by an
energy and apprehension not supplied by the
ordinary anticipations of profit. The rails were
at first mere straps of iron nailed 10 wooden
sleepers. and il was believed at time that
cars wEich masts with square sails were
Tigged could be Proftably propelled by the wind.
Horses long continued TO furnish the motive
power. until Peter Cooper and other daring in
ventors finally demonstrated the induhitable ad-
vantage of steam. Ehe author stops TO record
that the first drunken in history to go TO
sleep railroad track run over and
killed near Ellicott's Mills in November. 1882.
Repeated visits We're made TO England by
gineers and officials to learn how the various
problems Of railroad building had been solved
in the mother country, but the conditions here
were so different and the problem presented so
many diverse phases that the American en-
Eineers had to rely on their own devices to
work out their results.
We have had many a gloomy chapter of Erie
but usually these have dealt with the financial
side. Mr. Carter introduces a romantic element
IN the picture OF young bride who returned
from South Carolina fred with enthusiasm over
3 ride Of six miles from Charleston behind the
Best Friend Of Charleston. the first locomotive
sn America. The enthusiasm of the young
woman was communicated to a band of ener-
getic capitalists. who. overcoming inseparable
obstacles and interested opposition organized
and carried TO completion the first trunk line of
the North. Not so much in the bold outlines as
II the smaller details and lighter touches do we
find the SAVIOR Of this work. Here we have the
name of Conductor Henry Ayers, of the Erie,
handed down TO fame the inventor of the
bell cord for signalling the engineer from the
train. In those days there were no cabs on the
engine, telegraphic train orders, no block
signals, no printed time cards: only few vague
rules and an engineer, autocrat who ran the
train TO suit himself. Ayers was conductor of a
train whose engineer was a grave and stolid
l German. suspicious and jealous of his own dig
4 nifty. The conductor a cord from the rear
Of the train TO the engine tied a stick on the
end, and told the engineer TO stop when he saw
the stick move up and down. The engineer
threw the stick away several times, and eventu-
ally received a thrashing from Ayers who set
tled for all time the weighty question Of who
should run a train The same conductor was
responsible for the custom Of allowing ministers
10 travel at half rates. and the custom arose
from amusing incident .
Early in the spring 1913 the Rev DR. Robert
Goshen. was a passenger on Conductor Ayers's
was in such bad condition that the train was de
Isyeo Tor hours. The passengers following Gus
early DAYS. heaped nlaIedctions upon the manage
of resolutions denouncing the company for the
high handed invasion Of their rights as manifested
IN the delay, in scathing terms These resolutions
were passed along 10 ne signed by ali the passen-
gers. When Or. McCsrtee asked for his sig
nature he said he would he happy give it if the
phraseology changed slightly. Upon being re
9uestec 70 name ths change he wished. he wrote
Whereas. The recent rain has fallen at a time
I'll suited &c our pleasure and convenience, and
without consultation with US: and
Whereas. Jack Frost. who has been imprisoned
IN the ground some months having becomt tired of
his bondage, is trying 10 break loose; therefore
Resolved. That would be glad to have it
best parliamentary voice read his proposed amend
Inent, there was hearty laugh. and nothing more
@ conenetor l o. ATes was so deishted Rh this turn
9s sna5s rom Dr. mcIfe Not be,ne es6 tb a
6ocor suggested fey e9s lster s that the
psny thought The idea good one and for a few
months minister paid for riding over the Erie
Then an order was issued that ministers were TO
be charged half fare. That order established a
precedent which was universally followed until the
To the Erie belongs. also. the credit of in
PRODUCING telegraphic train orders. in 1851 Until
that time II an eastbound train did not reach
its meeting point on time the westbound train
had 10 wait an hour and proceed under a flag
until the opposing train met. A fagman
was sent ahead on foot and the train would
follow. moving as fast as the man could walk.
BY this arrangement slight delay was mag
nifed indefinitely. The same company expert
rnented in the use Of iron for bridges, and made
great economies in time and cost thereby It's
first American rails were made in Scranton in
1sz7. and cost s4s ton, about half the price
Of English rails.
we have been so long accustomed to look
upon Pennsylvania the leader in all matters