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

EECAPITULATIOK 209
to sustain itself upon the. track in running curves—
much and almost universally disputed point among
engineers and scientific men of that early period in rail-
road experience.
From the evidences we have given, our readers must
now be convinced that the very first locomotive huilt
in America for actual service was ordered "by and made
for the South Carolina Railroad then just commenced,
and but a few miles completed. This first locomotive
was contracted for by E. L. Miller, Esq., an enterprising
gentleman of Charleston, who had visited England and
witnessed the contest for the £500 prize. Mr. Miller
had his locomotive constructed at the West Point
Foundery Works in the city of New York. Mr. David
Matthew, then a foreman in the machine-shops, had
charge of the hands fitting up this machine or locomo-
tive. It was called by, Mr. Miller the " Best Friend, of
Charleston," and was forwarded by ship Niagara, and
arrived in Charleston on the 23d of October, 1830. No
person accompanied this locomotive from the works in
New York to put it up and try its abilities upon a road.
That duty was performed by Mr. Julius D. Petsch,
foreman of Mr. Thomas Dotterer's machine-shops in
Charleston, assisted by Nicholas W. Darrell, a young
man just out of his time. The first experiments with a
train, we have shown, took place on the 2d of Novem-
ber, and again on the 14th and 15th of December, 1830,
on which last trial-trip before the public, as from the
first, the machine was in charge of Mr. Darrell as engi-
neer, who continued to act in that capacity until the
June following, when, through the ignorance of the
negro fireman, the "Best Friend" exploded, severely
scalding Mr. Darrell, and resulting finally in the death
of the negro from his injuries.
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