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

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FIRST ENGLISH LOCOMOTIVE. 77<br />

" Schenectady, September 24, 1835.<br />

" By a resolution <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Directors <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Utica and<br />

Schenectady Kailroad Company, passed September 23, 1835,<br />

David Mat<strong>the</strong>w is employed as chief locomotive eng<strong>in</strong>eer, at a<br />

salary <strong>of</strong> one thousand one hundred dollars per year.<br />

«Wm. C. Yoitng,<br />

" Chief Eng<strong>in</strong>eer."<br />

"Office <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Utica and Schenectady Railroad Company.<br />

" Albany, August 29, 1842.<br />

" To whom it may concern :<br />

" <strong>The</strong> bearer, Mr. David Mat<strong>the</strong>w, has been employed by <strong>the</strong><br />

company dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> past six and a half years, as chief locomotive<br />

eng<strong>in</strong>eer and mach<strong>in</strong>ist, and <strong>in</strong> all respects has shown himself<br />

honest, <strong>in</strong>dustrious, and <strong>in</strong>teUigent,andis worthy <strong>of</strong> patronage and<br />

confidence.<br />

:<br />

"Eeastus Coen<strong>in</strong>g."<br />

<strong>The</strong>se and many otlier evidences <strong>of</strong> Mr. Mat<strong>the</strong>w's<br />

cliaracter and relialaility conld be produced, but <strong>the</strong><br />

forego<strong>in</strong>g will no doubt be sufficient.<br />

<strong>From</strong> a mass <strong>of</strong> useful <strong>in</strong>formation received by <strong>the</strong><br />

author <strong>in</strong> several letters from John B. Jervis, Esq., who<br />

was <strong>in</strong> 1829 chief eng<strong>in</strong>eer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Delaware and Hud-<br />

son Canal Company, we make <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g extracts<br />

<strong>in</strong> reference to <strong>the</strong> arrival <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>first</strong> locomotive <strong>in</strong><br />

<strong>America</strong><br />

" Rome, New Tore, July 11, 1S10.<br />

" Deab Sie : Yours <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1st <strong>in</strong>st. was duly received ; absence<br />

from home and special duties have delayed my answer. As it re-<br />

quired <strong>the</strong> overhaul<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> papers forty years old, it could not be<br />

done promptly. <strong>The</strong> name <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>first</strong> locomotive ordered from Eng-<br />

land, and <strong>the</strong> <strong>first</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>America</strong>, was <strong>the</strong> Stourbridge Lion, and td<br />

your questions when and where it was landed, I will refer you to<br />

<strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g letters addressed to me at <strong>the</strong> time, by Horatio<br />

Allen, Esq., who was <strong>in</strong> New-York City wait<strong>in</strong>g its arrival, and<br />

had contracted for it when <strong>in</strong> England. On referr<strong>in</strong>g to my papers,<br />

I f<strong>in</strong>d that <strong>the</strong> eng<strong>in</strong>e arrived at Rondout on <strong>the</strong> way to<br />

Honesdale from New York, on <strong>the</strong> 4th <strong>of</strong> July, 1829. My recol-<br />

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