Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1912-09-13

development in
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 service to the history of
science and industry by collecting
records and pictures of these interest
ing and significant factors In the de-
velopment Of the country.
The one now used on the Cuban
railroad has nothing of the freakish
about it. That is 1t was not a freak
when it was built, though naturally
1t looks rather curious now. But 1t is
especially interesting because 1t is the
Oldest Baldwin locomotive still in
running order. Constructed in 1847
by M. W. Baldwin and placed at once
on the rails for service, 1t Is still be-
ing used. Few, If any, of the original
parts have been replaced.
1t has no air brake and no trucks.
The slanting cylinders are 16 by rs
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 end
When the st. Louis exposition was
held in 1904 the Baldwin company,
anxious to include the old engine in
its exhibit, offered the Cuban road a
locomotive 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 of 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 switcher in the lumber yards and
was abandoned.
While on the Southern Pacific 1t
was used to pull Senator Leland Stan
lOld pay Sdl ONCl lliC diNicioh' Az
locomotive was built by the Vulcan
Iron works in 1865. The plate on the
head end reads, vulcan Iron Works,
O. 6, 1865" 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 exposi-
ton In 1915. 1t is now the property
of the Sierra Nevada Wood and Lum-
Der company of Hobart Mills, Cal.
One of the most thrilling incidents
of the Civil war was that In which
the old engine, the Texas, played SO
important a part. William ]. Knight,
an engineer who served as a private
in company E of the Twenty-frst
Ohio infantry, was selected by his
captain, L. E. Brewster, to attempt to
steal a Confederate train which was
being hauled by the famous locomo-
tive, the General. James j. Andrews,
the famous Kentucky scout and raid
er, was chosen as fireman. Their COM
pany was encamped at Shelbyville,
Tenn
After accommodating, they clam
bered on the engine while the crew
was absent at breakfast, uncoupled a
few of the cars in order that they
might make the best time possible,
opened up the throttle and steamed
away The Confederates soon learned
of the disappearance of the train and,
suspecting a Union plot, started in
pursuit At Adairsville, where Knight
was obliged to sidetrack to permit a
freight train to pass, the pursuers
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
It's place With sparks flying from its
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