Evening star., 1921-04-24
WHEN TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICA
WAS IN ITS SWADDLING GARMENTS

r RUN MADE ON SOUTH CAROLINA
| very general that the iron monster
| would either break down the road or
! that il would leave the track at the
/ curve and plunge in;o the creek. Ny
| reply 20 such apprehension was that
1t was too late TO consider the proba :
! bility of>such occurrences: that there
! was no other course but to have the
| trial made of the strange anima!
| which had been brought here a such
| great expense, but that it was not
! necessary that more than one should
| be involved in its fate: that I would
F., take the first ride alone. and that the
| time would come w,-en I should look
| back to this incident with great in
| terest. AS placed my hand on the
| throttle-valve handle. I was undecided
whether I would move slowly or with
| a fair degree Of srced: hut. belieyinr
| that tho road would prov" safe. and
rreferrine IL W. did 20 down. to go
down hardsor,e1~ and without anv
evidence Of tirliG''~. st,rted with
considerable velocity nassnd tho curve
over tive r~eek snfn'v. and vas soon
out Of hcarir~ Of tho cheers of the
la-~e aeeen,h1a~n rrn~.-t Al the
e-d of TWO or -h-oo '~i'~S 7 -evo-eef'
tho vo,,-e~ ANA r-."--od wi.h~r+ 80
cident ~ tha r1a"o 70 s-rrtir~ hnrin--
thus r,oda the f-~t .oir-nad trim h..
locomotive on the western hemi-
sphere"
|~HT fl net Ar,eric, -hI;i!+ locor1 1T v
fo- actual service nnon roil
road fo- tho han'',~ % pns-n- -o-"
and fro'~N' wae h"i't at the Wr-t
Point fo:,rd-v. IN Neu York citv rn-
the South Carolina rail-ood. IT,"
reader will bear in mind that. while
the Cooner locomotive was tho first
one bu,lt in this country. it was
only a light model for experimental
purposes) This engine was named
the Rest Friend of Charleston" The
Charleston Courier of January IL.
1881. contains this account of the
first trip:
the romn~rrament ~ th~ raii-nni was rele
hra.ad. Notice h-vir- heen pre~ousi> Gir"n:
in the course Of the morning 1T tn" company q
hu'ldnc in Line street. tczether with mum
her of invited gnrs.s., The weather the dar
aud night previous had heen stormy. and the
morning was cold and ciondy. Anticipating a
pnstponemcnt of the c"ramon'es. the locom"
boon .sksn to pieces for cleaning. but upon
the assembling Of the company she was pnt
n order. the cylinders new packed and at the
first trip was performed with two pleasure
cars attached. and a small carriage. fitted for
The oc"asion upon which wa. 49, d.fach".nt ;s OF
had been politely granted by Mat. Eelton for
the occasion.
At that particular period OF Amer
ican history horse racing was the
big thing in outdoor sports. 1t was.
Therefore. quite natural that Jockey
Of York" the sporting editor of the
nortire showirg-of trip of The
Ros' Friend" made on Christmas day.
it beirg looked nDon as the biggest
sporting event of the year. His re-
port was amusing.
Through the ignorance Of the
negro fireman. the Best Friend" was
blown up some months later.
The second American built locomo-
tive was also ordered by the South
Carolina railroad. This one was
named the West Point.
The frst locomotive in the state OF
New York. and the third built in
America. was called the DE Witt
Clin.o-." and vas operated on the
Mohawk and Hudson railroad. II
wade as first run on August =. 1891.
l.
was written bv William H. Brown.
who was one of the distinguished pas
sergers:
"Cn this a-st excursion. on the 9th
dav of Aueuat. 1881 as no such OFF :
Ger as conductor had been required
connected train Of cars had been run.
but where each driver officiated as
collector Of fares. John T. Clark. as
the first passenger railroad conductor
in the north. stepping from platform
to platform outside the cars. collected
hotels ard other places through the
city When he finished his tour he
mounted upon the tender attached to
the engine. and sitting upon the little
buggy seat. gave the signal with
tin horn. and the train started on it's
way. But how shall We describe that
start There came sudden Jerk
that bounded the sitters from their
places to the great de;riment of their
high-top. fashionable beavers. from
the close proximity to the roofs of
the cars. This first jerk being over.
coneid c-able velocity. when compared
with Stage coaches until it arrived at
water station. when it suddenly
brought up with jerk No. =. to the
further amusement OF some Of the
excursionists. Mr.. Clark retained his
elevated seat. thanking his stars for
it's close proximity TO the tall smoke
pipe of the machine in allowing the
smoke and sparks to pass over. his
head
"In a short time the engine (after
frightening the horses attached TO all
sorts of vehicles filed with the peo-
pie from the surrounding country. or
congregated all along at every avail.
a bio position near the road, to ct q
view Of the singular-lookine maDj. inc
and it's long train o. cars: after US
smash-ups of the vehicles apd the
tumbling of spectators in every direc-
ton to the right and lcfD arrived at
the head Of the inclined plane at
Schenectady. amid the cheers and
welcomes of thousands assembled to
witnesses the arrival OF the iron horse
q nd it's living freight
after some time passed in the an
lent city of Schenectady, and ample
.efreshments had been afforded the
aord was given by Conductor Clark
o prepare for the return. The ex-
;ursionists resumed their seats and
delay. the train arrived at the point
from which it had first started. the
lead of the inclined plane at Albany.
Tho passengers were pleased with the
adventures Of the day. and no rue
full countenances were 70 be seen, ex-
cep,ing occasionally when one en-
countered in his walks in the city a
former driver OF the horse cars who
saw that the grave had that day been
dug and the end Of horsepower war
a hand"