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

HOEATIO ALLEN'S LETTER. 169
character of that contained in the quotation sent me. The quotation
is from remarks made by me at the opening of the New York
and Erie Railroad in 1852.
" It is often and, perhaps, generally thought that the railroad
system was imported full grown. Such is not the fact, and it
would greatly interest many Americans to have presented the
part that was taken in this country in the development of this
great instrumentality of modern times. I have not the time to
present it, but I will refer to one or two events. One was the run-
ning of the first locomotive on a railroad on this continent. Herewith
I send the remarks made by me at the opening of the New
York and Erie Railroad, to which I will only add, that the locomotive
was built under my directions in England, set up and run
as described in ,1829.
" The first decision in the world to build a railroad^ expressly
for locomotive-power, for general freight and passenger business,
was in this country, and at a period of time which gives especial
interest to that decision. In the year 1829, it was my duty, as
chief engineer of the South Carolina Railroad, to report to the di-
rectors as to the plan of construction of that work, in length one
hundred and thirty-five miles.
" At that time, the question of motive power was in the following
position : In England, the Liverpool and Manchester company
had referred the question of motive-power to a commission of two
engineers of great eminence, Jam^s Walker, of London, and John
W. Rastrick, of Stone Bridge. These gentlemen, after a thorough
examination of the whole subject, united in an elaborate report,
accompanied by maps, etc., showing how the system recommended
was to be carried out, and that system was a series of stationary
engines, placed one to three miles apart, which, through long
ropes, were to draw the trains from one engine to the other.
" On this side the water, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company had sixteen miles in operation by horse-power. By cor-
respondence with the gentlemen who had the beginning of that
great enterprise in hand, I was informed that they were advised
by English engineers, consulted on the subject, to build their road
for horse-power.
" At this time, and with this intimation before me, I made my
report to the directors of the South Carolina Railroad Company.
In that report I made such comparison between horse-power and
locomotive-power as the information at the time enabled me to
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