The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-26
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2e, 1910.
First Street Car In the United States.

To John Stephenson Is due much credl!
for his untirins energy in the way OF
street transportation facilities and he
not only constructed the first omnibus
ever made in this country, but he de-
signed and constructed the first street
railway car IN tho world. He was an
lrishman by birth. but was brought to
this country by his parents when ne was
two years old. His father desired that
he should become g. merchant. but he
preferred mechanics.
Stephenson's first street railway car
was exhibited at the opening of the New
York & Harlem road. on November 28.
1882. on which occasion 1t was used by
the mayor and city council. As q con-
sequence of adding railway cars to his
business. hc Was obliged 10 suspend pay
ments during the financial crisis Of 1887.
and was forced 10 settle with his credi-
tors 30 cents on tho dollar. This caused
business again. IN lSi3. for street cars
were not in great demand. Coaches and
omnibuses were his staple product I'm
seven years he had paid every cent OF
his Indebtedness feat which won for
him the name OF Honest John stephen
sop. first among business men and aft
erward with the public, owing partly 10
the psradIng ur and down Broadway OF
a four-horso truck placarded as follows;
rms is nc way one bankrupt pays
M his debts: his name Is Honest John
livcred by MIR. Stephenson, to Jordan L..
Mott. a creditor who had persistently re-
fused TO accept cash payment. Mr..
Stephenson presented him with this
truck, which Mott accepted and paraded
through the streets TO signify his opinion
OF Stephenson.
BY 1853 street cars came into general
favor and Stephenson so quickly adjusted
his business 10 the changed conditions
that he became for a time street car
builder for the world. Stephenson died
at New Rochelle n T.. on July II, 1898.
The rails OF Stcphenson's first street
road consisted OF flat iron bars spiked
10 timbers resting on stone blocks. The
car was Of omnibus pattern built In
side and each holding ten persons. and
with seats on tho roof for thirty more
passengers. 1t was drawn by horses.
Boston was tho second city TO begin
1855, Philadelphia In 1857 and New Or
leans in 1861, using for the first time
the c-horse small usually known as
the bob ia i'll.
Paris in 1858. In Great Britain. George
Francis Train. after three years OF earn
est ende2Vor succeeded In 1850 in build
ing road at Birkenhead and one in Lon
don. which vas removed In few
months. and not until 1870 were horse
cars permitted In that city. In 1855
number Of horse car lines were built In
South America. The first street rail
way in Paris was called the American
Railway"
The first rails that were used on Stcph-
ensons New York road Ind wide and
deep grooves. and this rail gave trouble
by catching tho wheel tires OF ordinary
vehicles and wrcnchine hem. To remedy
this fault the step rail was adopted The
next development was a return TO the
grooved rail. but with the groove wedge
shaped and narrow, Finally IL was found
that the timber on which tho rails were
laid was not very satisfs ctorv and Il was
replaced by metal longitudInas chairs
and supports Of various sorts as expert
cncc suggested Improvements. until
finally the attempt Of trying to maintain
the tread or wearing surface of the rail
separate from the supporting body was
abandoned and the modern Girder rail
was originated,
Today is the birthday of Peter Force
the carly American historian GT9o): VII
liam 5. Mount. the American artist
1S0D: George Cary Eeeleston author
and editor (lS3a). and Thomas G.. Jones
The Alabama lawyer and statesman
$3.50. II is the desthday Of Isabella Of
Spain. who supplied the funds to Colum
bus for his first voyage Of discovery
$500; John Spotiswood. Scotch historian
GSS2); Joseph Black who is known as
the Father of Modern Chemistry
lIgg). and Marshal Soult DuISe of DIAL