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

INTEODUCTIOK 13
These difficulties are now removed, arid, tlie oppor-
tunity being presented, tis long-cherislied determina-
tion will no furtlier be delayed. In compiling this
history, all the authorities upon which his information
is based will be set forth in such a manner that it
must put at rest forever the oft-disputed question,
" When and where was the first locomotive built and
run in America, in the actual service of a company 2
These are questions oftentimes heard, when groups
of engineers and other railroad-men are congregated
together and discoursing upon their universal topic,
the merits and achievements of their favorite machines
and how often is there one in the group who will
pretend to answer the questions, and, if answered at
all, how often are they answered correctly ? There is
scarcely a State in the Union (especially where railroads
existed at an early day) which has not enjoyed the
credit on these occasions of being the pioneer in the
introduction of this most wonderful auxiliary to successful
railroad transportation. Sometimes we have
heard the credit awarded to the State of New York,
sometimes to Pennsylvania, and as a matter of course
oftentimes to the States of Massachusetts and Connecti-
cut. Some, who profess to be well posted upon this
point, claim the honor for the old Portage Railroad of
Pennsylvania ; while others, equally certain and conver-
sant upon the subject, in their opinion, give the credit
to the Germantown and Norristown Railroad ; and so
on, through the catalogue of railroads (not very voluminous
at that early day) : but none of these are correct.
True it is, that several companies, even at an early day,
had locomotives constructed for their use, and put them
in practical service upon their several roads, those very
roads just alluded to, but not, however, until the experi-
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