Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-16

4 ennSybU0btU OOeIUe HOTSntOeSts
before the coming Of the railroad was not easy
and few Baltimore folk had ever had the time
or the opportunity to go TO washington, even
though it was but 40 miles away.
ION the return journey Mr.. Davis was riding
upon the loc0m0tdye-it was one Of the new
engines which he had just constructed foe the
opening Of the branch. The train ives running
rather better than rs miles an hour and he
was just commenting upon the success Of ths
mechanism when the engine struck q loose ran
which had worked out Of its fastenings and was
derailed. The fIange Of wheel hit the project
ing end and the locomotive went into the ditch.
Everyone was shaken up q good bit but no
one was seriously injured save Davis, who was
killed almost instantly. The wheels OF the
tender passed over his body. terribly man
Cling it.
This accident produced profound effect nat
only upon the excursion party, but upon every
one who had been connected with the laco-
motive builder. All Baltimore was aaddeneA
Dy It, but the blow hit hardest up0n the rail-
road For almost the first time its management
realized that this was no plaything that DC had
created. It was serious business busfaeus
that easily required all that man had to give
In patience, in thought and then, not iufre.
quently, in life itself"
INDEED as we turn back the pages Of history
we ind other things which seem astonishing
to rs beside speed and accidents. for We are
told that the road into washington would have
been opened on Jaly 4, 1855, as had been
planned, had IL not been for the delay In re-
ceivng the iron rails from England. What .
difference we find today, when our Pittsburgh
and Bethlehem plants are now probably supply
ing the larger part of the world with the same
material and when one of our manufacturers
of automobiles rs employing in his factories
more help than Is employed by the wileA0
United states Government.
One Of the interesting problems OF the early
passenger coaches ON the Balttmore-W Washington
and other lines and which caused much con-
sideration was what to do with the tobacco
chewers However, regardless OF the "estab-
lished American institution of that day." as one
author puts it, ut was argued that this aisle
would soon become an elongated spittoon. But
the aisle came. And Difference to an eStab-
1shed American institution for many years took
the form Of frequent cuspidors ranged down it.
There was some attempt also in tl0se
early days to decorate the interior Of the caxs-
somewhat In keeping with their gay exteriors.
Even though the gay and aamboyant ear aeco-
rations of the sixties and seventies sim we're
far In the future"
In the latter connection tine writer a ne
minded Of what James r. Duhamel, the CORE
spending secretary OF the Association Of oldest
Inhabitants, recently told him Ct what his
mother remembered Of the coming TO Washing
ton Of the first railroad trafn--or trnans fk
might be more correct 10 say, for there were
really four, rs before Indicated
Mrs. Duhamel, who was born In 1877 ana
died In 1921, at the age Of 50 years. and
who was the wife Of DR.. W. J. Q. Duhames.
lived rs q child with her father william KEN
nedy, on the east side Of John Marshall place
between Pennsylvania avenue and G street Her
rec0llections On this subject when she was but
years Of age, 81 conveyed 10 her son, were DO
the effect that everybody turned out to see the
train come In, and that she was taken to see
the wonderful Iron Horse BY the family nurse.
Mrs. Duhamel's faculties we are told were
perfect until almost the day Of her death, and
she said what impressed her most was the shiny
black and brilliant red trimmings Of the loco
motive. She said that upon that occasion the
trains did not come across the Tfber to t1ia
west bank, where was the depot end ticket
once building, as arrangements had not been
quite completed then for crossing over, but
stopped just to the east OF the creek
She said that the more superstitiOus Of TIM
white ana cOlored people seemed much fright
ened at what 20 many was then . curiosity, or
rather looked upon the locomotive IN particular
as coming right from the Internal regiOm,
A lev evenings Ego TIE writer had ne plsas-
ure &C nice tax with Aars Vstwinsa Gui1A.
widgw a AlekArder uuiid, Who has RESIDED 9
C0aSisaad e. TwomEN-nsat Rzae sss. esti