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

164
HISTORY OF THE FIEST LOCOMOTIVES m AMERICA.
CHAPTEK XXXI.
FIEST lOOOMOTIVE-EKGHKEEE.
We have mentioned the name of Mr. Nicholas "W.
Darrell (whose likeness is herewith presented) as the
first engineer of the two first-bnilt locomotives in
America ; and we are also indebted to him for the de-
scriptions and the sketches of these pioneer machines
for railroad usefulness, the " Best Friend, of Charleston,"
and the "West Point."
A few months only after we received from Mr.
Darrell's own hand these letters of description and
sketches, the old veteran in railroad service, from his
age and infirmities, yielded tip his spirit to the God
that gave it, and died in Charleston, the place of his
nativity, and of his long career of usefulness, on the 4th
of December, 1869, beloved and regretted by all who
knew him.
In December, 1830, Mr, Darrell stood upon the platform
of the " Best Friend " as its engineer. What ima-
gination could then have conceived any thing like our
present system of railroads, covering a continent with a
net-work of iron stretching out its arms from the Atlan-
tic to the Pacific ? Yet, at that; very time and place,
1830, at Charleston, existed one of the small beginnings.
The man who helped to give the initial impulse to
the wheels of locomotion has recently departed this
life, beloved and respected by a large circle of friends
and acquaintances, but almost unknown to the public
yet, in Charleston, he was known and appreciated. His
body was attended to its last resting-place by the entire
force of officials and employes of the South Carolina
Digitized by Microsoft®
;