OCR Text |
Show The Very First American Railway. The first railroad built iu the United States was three miles in length, extend- iug from the granite quarries at Quincy, Mass., to the Nepontwtt river. It waa commenced in 18:20 aud finished in 1827. The gauge was five feet The rails were pine, a foot thick, covered with hard oak, which was in turn strapped with iron. In January, 1827, a short coal , road was completed from the mines to Mauch Chunk, Pa, The rails on this road were also of timber, with flat iron bars. The first locomotive for use on a railroad was invented by Richard Previ-teck Previ-teck in 180-1, and first tried in Wales. George Stephenson built the first really successful locomotive in 1814, and tested it upon tbe Killmgwood road in tbe north of England. The first locomotive loco-motive for actual service constructed in America was E. L Miller's "Best Friend," built for the South Carolina 1 Railroad company in 1830. Peter Cooper built a littlo experimental locomotive early in 1830, before the "Best Friend" was completed. St. Louis Republic. |