The history of the first locomotives in America. From original ...

143 HISTOET OP THE FIEST LOCOMOTIVES IN AMERICA.
meeting was called in the (Jhwrleston Courier^ January
7, 1828, as follows
:
" A meeting of the citizens is requested at the City Hall, this
day, at 1 o'clock, to take into consideration the report of the committee
on the subject of the railroad from this city to Hamburg.
At a previous meeting on January 4th, the sub-committee had
reported unfavorably. This committee pointed out many parts
of the General Act of the Legislature for incorporating companies
for constructing turnpike-roads, bridges, and ferries, that were
inapplicable to a railroad company, as the bill now befdre the
Legislature."
On the reassembling of the Legislature, January 21,
1828, after the usual Christmas recess, Mr. Black pre-
sented a memorial praying amendments to the act of
the last session, and a new bill was reported on the 22d.
January 29, 1828, the present charter of the South
Carolina Eailroad was granted. A motion had been
made to strike out the provision exempting the property
of the road from taxation. The yeas and nays were
taken— ^yeas 13, nays 22—and the bill passed.
The stockholders organized as a company on the
12th of May, 1828, being the second railroad company
formed in the United States for commercial purposes
and the transportation of passengers and freight.
At one of the earliest meetings of the projectors,
Horatio Allen, Esq. (before mentioned), well knovra. as
an experienced engineer, had been invited by them
to fill the position of chief engineer of the contemplated
work. In compliance with their request, Mr. Allen made
a report at the first meeting, five days after their organ-
ization, recommending the kind of road to be con-
structed and the kind of power best calculated to be
used upon the road. Having visited England to ex-
amine the progress so far made in railroads and locomo-
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