Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-19

ION, The SUedll eIlblIc OLI
exhibition at Union Station,
l. is arousing interest in the
history of transportation.
Overhearing many remarks questioning
the claim that The Best Friend was
the first American-built locomotive, the
writer did some research work for her
own satisfaction. The facts aScertained
are interesting.
The first locomotive in the world was
built by Richard Trevithick in Deem
Der, 1903, and was tried on the Merthyr
Tydvil Tramway, South Wales, Feb
ruary "a, 1904, a distance of 8 miles.
The Baltimore g. Ohio has the dis
tinction of being the first railroad oper-
ated in the United States for the public
handling of passengers and freight. In
all the first century of its eventful
career it has changed neither its cor
porate name, its charter nor its funda-
mental organization.
Experiments with horse drawn, tread
mill (worked by Dobbin, the horse),
dog drawn and sail-propelled cars were
halted when Peter Cooper made his
first experiments with his tom Thumb"
locomotive, so called because of its di-
minutive size. 1t was constructed in
1929 and was first tried out in Septem-
Der of that year, but, not working sat-
isfactorily, was taken back to the shop
for improvements.
The tiny engine. weighing less than
a ton, made its first successful trip from
Baltimore to Ellicott's Mills, distance
of IS miles, and returned August rs,
1880, pushing small open car with
ID passengers aboard. 1t made the out
going trip in an hour and quarter
without break and the return trip in
81 minutes.
A few days later TON Thumb" took
part in the impromptu and historic race
with one of the best horses of the stage
coach proprietors, Stockton & Stokes,
as 1t was returning from trip to Eli
colts Mills, with Peter Cooper, its in
ventor. as engineer. The race started
from Relay, Md, about miles from
Baltimore. The horse took the lead but
the little engine soon overlook and
passed 1t. Unfortunately, just at this
juncture, the band driving the pulley
which drove the blower slipped from
the drum. The pigmy engine stopped
Again the horse took the lead and by
the time the band could be adjusted
was too far in front for Tom Thumb"
to gain upon it. The horse won. But
the little engine had proved the prac-
ticability of using steam as a motive
power
The following is an interesting ac-
count of this first trip of the Tom
Thumb" as given in Col. ]. Thomas
Scharf's Chronicles of Baltimore:
Mr.. Cooper's success was such as
to induce him to try a trip to FL
licott's Mills. and an open car, the
first used upon the road already men
toned, having been attached to his
engine, and filled with the directors
and some friends, the first journey in
America by steam was commenced. The
trip was most interesting. The curves
were passed without difficulty at speed
, OF Is miles an hour. The grades were
assembled with comparative ease, the
! day was fine and the company in the
highest spirits. The return from the
mills-a distance of IS miles--Was made
in 81 minutes. This was the 18th of
August, 1880.
But the triumph Of this Tom
Thumb engine was not altogether with
out drawback. The great stage pro-
| prietors Of the day were Stockton &
Stokes, and on this occasion a gallant
gray of great beauty and power was
driven by them from town. attached to
another car on the second track-for
the company had begun by making two