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

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HISTORY OP THE FIEST LOCOMOTIVES IN AMERICA.
ment liad been tried and successfully inaugurated and
reduced to a fixed fact in another quarter. Therefore,
the honor of being the pioneer in having the first
American locomotive constructed and put in actual ser-
vice in the United States belongs elsewhere, as we are
prepared to substantiate as we progress in our present
work. If, however, in doing this, we should be com-
pelled to descend too much into minutiae, so as to bring
upon us the charge of egotism from our readers, we will
cilaim their forbearance in our anxiety to leave no stone
unturned, to withhold no facts, and to bring to our aid
every item, however trifling it may appear, to establish
the truth. In recording the facts contained in this
history, therefore, the author will accompany each posi-
tion he may assume with all the evidence upon which
his information is based. These authorities are from
the statements of living witnesses, who are at this day
(though far advanced in years) endowed with all the
vigor of mind which characterized them in the early
period of their lives, and are now enjoying an enviable
share of the confidence and esteem of their fellow-citi-
zens.
The names of John B. Jervis, Esq., Horatio Allen,
Esq., Benjamin H. Latrobe, Esq., Eoss Winans, Esq.,
and Peter Cooper, Esq., are well known and familiar
to our railroad communities, as identified in the early
days with railroad enterprise in America. To those
of our readers, however, who may not be acquainted
with the character and reputation of these accomplished
engineers and gentlemen, we will briefly state that
John B. Jervis, Esq., for many years a resident of Kome,
in the State of New York, is one of the oldest (being
now nearly seventy-five years of age) and most skilful
engineers of the period of which we write. He was
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