CHAPTER XXVII
FIRST AMERICAN LOCOMOTIVE
While these events were transpiring in Maryland, through the
progress of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, a similar enterprise,
nearly equal in its magnitude, and fully so in importance, had
been started in another section of the country. The practicability
of establishing a railroad communication between the city of Charleston,
South Carolina, and Williamsburg, on the western border of the
State, a distance of one hundred and thirty-six miles, must have
been talked of, and even some primary steps taken for its consummation,
as early as 1827. We have seen, in an old file of the Charleston
Courier, dated December, 1827, the following copy of a letter
from Columbia, the capital of the State, where the Legislature
was in session at the time. It says:
"The committee to whom the Charleston memorial was referred
is divided in opinion on the propriety of an appropriation for
the survey of the country between Charleston and Hamburg. Some
of the committee think that if the railroad is to be the tools
of a company, who is to receive all the profits, the whole expense
should be borne by the company. And again, that if a survey be
effected by the State, it would not be done so satisfactorily
to the community as it probably would be if managed by individuals
immediately interested."
However, a bill, granting a charter for the South Carolina
Railroad, was passed December 19, 1827. Fifteen days after, on
January 4,1828, a meeting of the citizens was called, and a committee
appointed to report on that charter at the next meeting. The second
"A meeting of the citizens is requested at the City Hall,
this day, at 1 o'clock, to take into consideration the report
of the committee on the subject of the railroad from this city
to Hamburg. At a previous meeting on January 4th, the subcommittee
had reported unfavorably. This committee pointed out many parts
of the General Act of the Legislature for incorporating companies
for constructing turnpike-roads, bridges, and ferries, that were
inapplicable to a railroad company, as the bill now before the
Legislature."
On the reassembling of the Legislature, January 21, 1828, after
the usual Christmas recess, Mr. Black presented a memorial praying
amendments to the act of the last session, and a new bill was
reported on the 22nd.
January 29, 1828, the present charter of the South Carolina
Railroad was granted. A motion had been made to strike out the
provision en emptying the property of the road from taxation.
The yeas and nays were taken yeas 13, nays 22and the bill
passed.
The stockholders organized as a company on the 12th of May,
1828, being the second railroad company formed in the United States
for commercial purposes and the transportation of passengers and
freight.
At one of the earliest meetings of the projectors, Horatio
Allen, Esq. (before mentioned), well known as an experienced engineer,
had been invited by them to fill the position of chief engineer
of the contemplated work. In compliance with their request, Mr.
Allen made a report at the first meeting, five days after their
organization recommending the kind of road to be constructed and
the kind of power best suited to be used upon the road. Having
visited England to survey the progress so far made in railroads
and locomotive power, and having been requested, while in England,
by John B. Jervis, Esq., chief engineer of the Delaware and Hudson
Railroad, to contract for the iron for that roads and procure
for it three first-class locomotives, the Charleston Railroad
directors had confidence in his skill and judgment. In his report
at this first meeting, Mr. Allen used all the arguments at his
command to recommend the construction of the road for locomotive
power, and with such success that at the meeting on January 14,
1830, when the report was acted upon, the Hon. Thomas Bennett
offered a resolution to the effect that the locomotive alone should
be used upon the road, and in selecting that power for its application
to railroads, the maturity of which avid be reached within the
time of constructing the road, would render the application of
animal power a great abuse of the gifts of genius and science.
The resolution was unanimously carried. At the celebration in
Dunkirk, New York, in 1852, in commemoration of the completion
of the New York and Erie Railway, Mr. Allen, alluding to this
subject in his address, makes use of the following language:
"At the same period, that is, prior to the great locomotive
trial in England, and when the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
were so strongly impressed in favor of horse-power, it became
necessary for me, as engineer of the South Carolina Railroad Company,
to decide for what power that road should be built. The road was
one hundred and thirty-six miles long. From the character of the
country, the plan of the road would be naturally influenced by
the kind of power adopted. Stationary power was out of the question,
but the opinion was held, by many of great intelligence, that
horse-power should at least be commenced with. In the report I
made on this important question, I submitted such comparative
estimate of the results of horse-power and locomotive-power as
the information then to be had appeared to me to sustain. That
estimate was in favor of locomotive-power, but I rested the decision
of the question on the position that, what the performance of
a horse was and would be, every one knew; but the man was not
living who would undertake to say what the locomotive was yet
to do; and I may add that, after more than thirty years have elapsed,
during every one of which the soundness of this position has gained
new grounds to sustain it, he would be a bold man who would say
that we had attained the limit in the performance, and especially
in the economy of performance, of this great mechanical blessing
to mankind. In the recommendation of this report in favor of locomotive-power
the source of the South Carolina Railroad Company unanimously
concurred, and, as this decision was the first of any railway
built for general freight and passenger business in this country
or in England, it has been referred to as one of the interesting
facts in the early history of railroads."
The preparations for the work were at once commenced, and the
road was begun in 1829. Six miles were completed in that year.
Like the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, a number
of experiments were tried with different powers.
The company offered a premium of $500 for the best locomotive
by horsepower. This premium was awarded to Mr. C. E. Detmole,
who invented one worked on an endless chain platform. When this
horse-power locomotive was completed and tested upon the road,
it carried twelve passengers at the rate of twelve miles an hour.
A sailing car, or a car propelled by the wind, was also tested
upon the road in 1829-'30. A description of one of the trips upon
this machine we copy from the Charleston Courier, March 20, 1830:
"SAILING ON LAND.A sail Novas set on a car on our
railroad yesterday afternoon, in the presence of a large concourse
of spectators. Fifteen gentlemen got on board and flew oft at
the rate of twelve to fourteen miles an hour. Thirteen persons
and three tons of iron were carried about ten miles an hour. The
preparations for sailing were very hastily got up, and of course
were not of the best kind; but owing to this circumstance the
experiment afforded high sport. The wind blew very fresh from
about northeast which, as a sailor would say, was 'abeam,' and
would drive the car either way with equal speed. When going at
the rate of about twelve miles an hour and loaded with fifteen
passengers, the mast went by the board, with the sail and rigging
attached, carrying with them several of the crew. The wreck was
described by several friendly shipmasters, who kindly rendered
assistance in rigging a jury mast, and the car was again soon
put under way. During the afternoon the wind changed so as to
bring it nearly ahead when going in any direction; but this did
not stop the sport, as it was ascertained that the car would sail
within four points of the winch. We understand it is intended
by some of our seamen to rig a car properly, and shortly to exhibit
their skill in managing a vessel on land."
The president of the road, Mr. Tupper, in one of his reports
to the board, informs them that on March 1, 1830, the committee
to whom the matter was referred had reported that they had accepted
the offer of Mr. E. L. Miller, of Charleston, to construct a locomotive
at the West Point Foundry, in New York, and that it should perform
at the rate of ten miles per hour, instead of eight, as first
proposed, and carry three times her weight, which was required
the year before, on the Liverpool and Manchester Railroad, at
the trial for the premium of £500.
Mr. Miller immediately set about the construction of his locomotive.
His plans and specifications were drawn out by the same Mr. Detmole,
who had invented the horse power locomotive on the Charleston
road, and who was then living in New York.
Meantime the work on the road was pushed forward, and another
mile completed, making seven miles ready for use, and many more
under contract and fast approaching completion.
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