Evening journal., 1912-04-10
new NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Story Of the First Loco
motive Built in America
BY Holland

Horatio Allen, who died in the year
1856, at the age OF eighty-four, was for
fifty years engaged as civil engineer
IN some Of the most important OF
American public works He was em-
ployed by William II Aspinwall to un-
dertake the construction Of the Pam
anna Railroad in 1850 He was one Of
the leading engineers engaged by the
City of New York for the construction
of the Croton aqueduct, and in his
later years he often spoke of the ex-
citement and qualification which he
experienced when he was designated
by the city authorities to turn on the
first water from tho reservoir to the
aqueduct main. Mr.. Allen was also a
leading engineer in the construction
OF the Erie Railroad and he was for
time president of that road.
For some years before Mr. Aliens
death there was a good deal Of discus
sion among engineers, some of which
found its way into the public prints,
based upon the assertion that Peter
Cooper was the first man in the United
States to build a locomotive engine
and operate It. Friends of Mr.. Allen
were disposed to take issues with this
statement, for they believed that Mr..
Allen was the first man to build and
operate a locomotive engine In the
United States.
Four or Eve years before Mr. Aliens
death he was conversing with few
friends at the Union League Club in
| New York, of which he was one of
! the founders. He was asked whether
he or Peter Cooper built and ran the
| first locomotive engine in the United
| States. In reply Mr. Allen said;
There never was any occasion for
any discussion over this matter Both
/ Mr. Cooper and | we're extremely in
terested In the reports which came to
the United States from England tell
ing of the building and successful op-
Grafton Of steam locomotive engine
nv George Stephenson. Al that time
was an engineer employed by the
company which had contracted to con
struct a canal from the coal fields of
eastern Pennsylvania to the Hudson
river. II was in the year 1929. re-
member very well that while ! was IN
the field engaged upon this work re-
ceived from England a published ac-
count Of George Stephenson's locomo-
tive
81 decided to go at once to England
for thought that If the locomotive did
as they claimed for il. it might be bet
ter to build a railroad than to con
struct a canal from the coal fields.
went to England and Stephenson re-
ceiyed me with great kindness. He in
/ structed me in all the details OF his
! locomotive and he agreed to send ID
me the parts of the locomotive. | re-
turned TO the United States and in the
early part of 1880 | received these
parts of the locomotive and immedi-
ately set to work to put them together
at little workshop which had built
in Honesdale, Pa.
AZ that time heard that Peter
Cooper was engaged in building a To-
comOtive I'm some shops near Balti'
more, and that Il would be put upon
rails running out of Baltimore But
went ahead and put together my loco
motive and called It the StourbridgC
Lion. / also built some eight or nin'
miles Of track Of light construction
running from the shop around a curve
and then straight away through th'
Pennsylvania woods
"Wheu the proper time came my en-
gine was hauled from the shop TO th'
tracks. 7 started the fires ] watched
the engine as the steam began to b.
developed in the boilers BY and b,
sufficient steam pressure was on t
start the locomotive. There was a goo,
many people around looking on. Som'
wanted TO ride upon the platform o
the locomotive But I said that as
WAS an experiment and the engin
might go off the track. would TAX
all the risks myself. / wouldn't le
anybody ride on the engine Then
got upon the platform just behind tn
boiler aud I opened the valves and tn
engine started of. I was q little ner
vous when I was going around tn
curve. but when the engine got 10 tn
straight track through the Pennsyl
! yania woods 7 realized that the thin
was a success. The canal, however
was built according TO the origina
plans, but II was afterward abandone
and the Delaware and Hudson Rail
road built for some distance along tn
towpath
"Now, the difference between Pete
Cooper and myself was simply this
Cooper built his engine upon his owl
plans and models. He operated
himself. but others we're with him ol
the first trip. for one or two cars wer
attached to il. The success Of his en-
gine led TO the continuation of tn
railroad which afterward became tn
Baltimore and Ohio The little rail
road which built to test my engine
having served its purpose was aban
doned We both built engines. an
demonstrated that they were to
successful. in the year 1880 Tn
fundamental principle Of each en-
gine was the same Cooper's. how
ever differed from mine in some {
its details. Now you have the tru
story Of the first building Of locomC
tive engines and the testing Of thel
in the United States"
p (Capyright, 1912, by Z Edward
All rights reserved)
TOmOrrOW Mr. Edwards will fell