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

INTRODUCTION. 15
tlie chief engineer of the railroad tl;at imported from
England the first locomotive which turned a drivingi^w^-'"^
^"'^^
i
wheel Tipon the American Continent. He has heen
engaged upon some of the most important works of
improvement in our country, and his reputation as an
accomplished engineer is widely known, not only in
this country, but in Europe. Among the most important
public works upon which Mr. Jervis was employed
as chief engineer, we enmnerate the Delaware and Hudson
Canal and Eailroad ; the Mohawk and Hudson
Railroad ; the Saratoga and Schenectady Railroad ; the
Chenango Canal of New York ; the Eastern Division
of the Erie-Canal enlargement ; the Croton Aqueduct
the Hudson River Railroad; the Michigan Southern
and Northern Indiana Railroad ; and the Pittsburg and
Chicago Railroad. He was president of the Chicago and
Rock Island Railroad, and consulting engineer of the
Boston Water-works, and other important improve-
ments. Mr. Jervis was also the inventor of the plan of
having the truck under the front part of the locomotive ,
to assist in sustaining the weight ofthe boiler, and in giv-
ing direction to the^machine in running upon curves, a
plan now universally adopted, and found to be indispensably
necessary in engines of eight or more wheels, and
especially upon the short-curved railroads of America.
Mr. Jervis is still living at Rome, New York, in the full
possession of his vigor of mind, and we trust he may
live for many years, to enjoy the reputation he has so
richly earned by his valuable services to the railroad
enterprise of America.
Horatio Allen, Esq., is another eminent engineer of
America, and his evidence contributes much valuable
information to our history, which our readers will see
from hjs various communications to the author.
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