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

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HISTORY OP THE FIKST LOCOMOTIVES IN AMEKICA.
Ohio Railroad met with a great loss. He was an able and ingeni-
ous mechanic, and one of the most indefatigable assistants to the
company, in its experimental and mechanical department."
But to resume our history. We have shovm that, as
early as 1831, the first eight-wheeled locomotive ever
built, either in England or America, was construct-
ed from plans by Horatio Allen, Esq., and put upon the
South Carolina Railroad. This machine was made at
the West Point Foundery Works, and forwarded to
Charleston in charge of Mr. John Degnon, who ran it
for a short time until accepted by the road, and then it
was placed in charge of Mr. Darrell.
We have, in the course of our narrative, shown that
the South Carolina Railroad was the first railroad in
the world built expressly for locomotive-power ; that
when Mr. Bennett's famous resolution to that effect was
unanimously adopted by its board of directors, the
directors of the road from Liverpool to Manchester in
England, just completed, had not yet determined what
kind of power should be used upon the road. A
majority of the committee of engineers, appointed to
examine and report upon that important mattei", were
in favor of stationary engines with long chains or ropes
to draw the trains over the road. George Stephenson,
being one of their number, was alone in favor of the
locomotive. Again we show that the first one hundred
consecutive miles of iron rails upon a road was laid
upon the South Carolina Railroad. These statements,
though startling to the minds of many, are nevertheless
true, and can be sustained by the best authority, and
without a shadow of doubt.
Mr. William Kimball, who was in charge of the
West Point Works during the year 1829, and afterward
while these machines were built, in his letter to
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