The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-11-29

old engines which played their
part in the evolution Of the
modern immense and powerful To-
comotives are still in existence. A
few of them are even In actual use.
And the Railroad Mems Magazine is
performing a service to the history of
science and industry by collecting
records and pictures Of these interest
Ing and significant factors in the de-
velopmcnt of the country
The one now used on the Cuban
railroad has nothing Of the freakish
about it. That is. it was not freak
when it was built, though naturally
it looks rather curious now But it Is
especially interesting because it is the
oldest Baldwin locomotive still in
running order Constructed in 1847
by NJ w. Baldwin and placed at once
on the rails for service, II Is still be-
ing used Few, If any, .! .he original
parts have been replaced.
1t has no air brake and no trucks.
Tho slanting cylinders are Is by 2c
inches and the left engine is the lead
ing engine. There are two scales for
safety valves. The smokestack is
seven feet four inches high and four
feet six inches In diameter at the
larger s11
rihen the st. Louis exposition was
held in 1904 the Baldwin company,
anxious 20 Include the old engine in
its exhibit offered the Cuban road a
LOCOMOTIVES Of the type then most mod"
ern. but the Cubans refused the offer.
1t was only an accident that caused
the construction of the Judah, the
first engine to cross the summit or the
Sierra Nevada mountains. A lumber
company in Nevada purchased from
the Southern Pacific company an en-
CINE which had formerly been used on
the run from Sacramento and Folsom.
The Judah proved to be inefficient as
a switchrr in the lumber yards and
was abandoned
While on tho Southern Pacific it
was used to pull Senator Leland Stan
fords pay car over the division. The
locomotive was built by the Vulcan
iron WORKS Ill lHO'' lle' pllIc Oil thc
head end reads, "Vulcan Iron Works,
o. 6, 1863" The forward wheels are
stamped &C. P. r. r.. 1884" and were
evidently cast in Sacramento, CAL
The Judah will probably be sold
back to the railroad and placed on ex-
hibitiOn at the Panama-PaCific eXposl-
ton In 1915 1t is now the property
of the Sierra Nevada Wood and I'um-
Der company Of Hobart Mills. Cal.
One of the most thrilling incidents
IF the civil war vas that in which
the old engine, the Texas, played so
important Il part William J. Knight.
an engineer who served as a private
in company f. OF the Twenty first
Ohio infantry, vas selected by his
captain, l.. u, ErcA ser, to attempt to
steal n Confederate train which was
being hauled by the famous locomo-
tive, the General. James J. Andrews,
the famous Kentucky scout and raid
err, was chosen as fireman. Their com
pany was rncamptd at Shelhyville.
Tenn.
After rrcunnoil orinC. they clam
hered ON the engine while the crew
was absent at breakfast. uncouplcd Il
few Of the cars in order that they
might make the best time possible,
opened up the throttle and steamed
away The Confcderates soon learned
Of the disappearance Of the train and.
suspecting a Union plot. started in
pursuit. At Adairsville. where Knight
was Obliged to sid, track to permit a
freight train to PASS. the pursrrrs
came into sight. Captain Fuller was
in charge Of the Confederate party.
At Adairsville he abandoned his To-
connective, and the Texas was used in
Its place With sparks dying from it's
drivers the Texas gradually drew up
and Knight and Andrews, having used
all the fuel in the tender. were obliged
to abandon the General They were
captured, and later escaped from the
Atlanta prison. The Texas is now
resting peacefully In San Antonio
Tex