,kentuckiana ,digital ,library7 ,a ,pioneer ,railway of the ,west ,by ,maude ,ward ,lafferty ,illustration ,this restoration of a portion of the original track of the ,lexington and ,ohio 7now ,louisville and ,nashville7 ,railroad laid at ,lexington in #ahca1 is dedicated to those men of forethought and courage who were pioneers in railroad development in ,america4 ,erected ,anno ,domini ,,mcmxvi4 ,dedication ,exercises #aj ,a4 ,m4 ,may #cj1 #aiaf ,college of ,mechanical and ,electrical ,engineering ,university of ,kentucky ,during the month of ,july1 #aiae1 there appeared in a local newspaper an account of the finding of ,old ,rail ,stones and ,old ,strap ,iron ,rails which had been used in the construction of the railroad generally known as the old ,lexington and ,frankfort ,road1 though it was incorporated under the name of the ,lexington and ,ohio ,rail ,road4 ,it is believed by many to have been the first railroad west of the ,alleghany ,mountains4 ,be that as it may1 the quaint and interesting relics had just been dug up that week by the workmen who were reconstructing the freight yards of the ,louisville and ,nashville ,railroad4 ,the workmen were moving more recently laid tracks back to the old original road bed of the pioneer railroad1 and in doing so they unearthed those curious relics of #ahca4 ,although just starting that very day for a summer vacation1 ,i hurried down town a little before train time1 and went to the ,main ,street offices of the ,louisville and ,nashville ,railroad where the interesting relics were on display4 ,as ,i stood gazing at that worn and rusty bar of iron with its single bent and rusty spike1 ,i was whisked back across the years by some strange trick of memory and ,i saw1 instead1 a dimly lighted sick room1 on a hot summer night--myself a little sufferer1 and sitting beside me1 fanning my fevered brow1 my beloved father1 who1 notwithstanding the fatigue of a heavy and exacting practice sat thus night after night1 soothing me to sleep by telling me entertaining stories of his youth1 and as he was born one hundred and one years ago1 the strange experiences of his boyhood were thrilling indeed to his youthful adorer4 ,and so1 ,i saw in my mind's eye that familiar room of my childhood--the open window1 the breezes blowing the curtains to and fro1 the moonlight casting strange shadows on the terrace outside1 and ,i heard again that voice which has meant so much to me telling how when the first railroad started and all the people had gathered from far and near to witness its departure1 he and a group of fellow students from ,transylvania ,university1 mounted on fast horses1 galloped ahead to see if the ,wonderful ,thing could round the curve without running off the track2 and how it came in sight1 thundering along1 puffing out clouds of black smoke1 the engineer adding to the confusion by incessantly blowing his shrill whistle1 all of which so terrified his horse1 he had great difficulty in keeping his seat1 but yet1 how tremendously impressed he was by the gallant way in which the gentlemen seated in the coach raised their stovepipe hats in greeting as they passed by like a streak of lightning4 ,he said the locomotive had been invented by his old friend ,tom ,barlow1 in whose honor he had named our ,tom ,barlow1 his favorite race horse4 ,he also said the old locomotive looked like a thresher engine mounted on a flat car1 and that the coach was for all the world like an omnibus with seats on top as well as inside1 and furthermore1 he added1 when it had been proved safe he rode upon it himself1 and then rode home on horseback 7a distance of thirty miles7 to tell his mother all about it4 ,and this was all that was left of that ,wonderful ,thing1 this bit of scrap iron and a few stone sills6 ,finding myself gazing vacantly at that relic of the ,past1 and that people were noting my abstraction1 ,i hastily gathered myself together and crossing the street to our beautiful ,union ,station1 ,i started on my journey4 ,in a magnificent chair car1 luxuriously furnished and upholstered1 a liveried porter raised the windows and adjusted screens1 turned on an electric fan1 offered me the latest magazines and papers fresh from the press1 placed a footstool at my feet and a cushion at my back4 ,my safety was provided for by double tracking and unseen but perfectly trained employees1 but neither the reading matter in my lap1 the comfort of my surroundings1 nor the always charming scenery from the car window1 could drive from my thoughts the quaint old railroad2 and when ,i came back to ,lexington in the fall1 in my eager desire to know more about it1 ,i immediately began my research which has grown into this history of ,a ,pioneer ,railway of the ,west4 ,,maude ,,ward ,,lafferty4 ,the first locomotive engine in the world was built just one hundred years ago by ,george ,stephenson and used at ,newcastle1 ,england1 at the ,killingworth ,colliery4 ,according to the ,encyclopedia ,britannica railways had their origin in tramways which were used more than two hundred years ago in the mining districts of ,england to carry their output of coal to the sea4 ,the ,stockton and ,darlington ,railway1 about thirty-eight miles in length1 was operating a locomotive driven by ,stephenson1 with a signalman on horseback1 in advance1 in #ahbe4 ,the passenger coach in this instance was named the ,experiment1 and carried six persons inside and from fifteen to twenty persons outside4 ,but it was the year #ahbi1 which became famous in the annals of railways1 not only for the opening of the ,liverpool and ,manchester line1 but for the invention and construction of the first high speed locomotive of the standard modern type4 ,robert ,stephenson's engine1 ,the ,rocket1 was made under competition for the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway and it gained the prize of five hundred pounds for lightness1 power and speed1 awarded by the directors4 ,,first ,,railroads ,,and ,,locomotives ,,in ,,the ,,united ,,states4 ,the newspapers of that period were filled with the wonderful performance of the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway and the people of the ,united ,states1 as well as those of ,great ,britain1 became interested in the question of railroad transportation4 ,as early as #ahbh charters were obtained in several ,eastern ,states and railroad companies organized4 ,the first locomotive engine used in this country was operated on the ,delaware and ,hudson ,canal ,company's railroad between the mines at ,carbondale and the town of ,honesdale1 ,pennsylvania4 ,this locomotive was built at ,stourbridge1 ,england1 and made its trial trip in ,august1 #ahbi4 ,,kentucky',s ,,first ,,railroad4 ,kentucky1 which was one of the leading ,states in the ,union in those days in all progressive movements1 was wide awake to the great advantages to be gained by railroad transportation4 ,and ,lexington1 which seems to have been the self-starter of ,kentucky1 was aroused to the highest pitch of excitement4 ,the various performances of the ,english railroads were published at length in the ,kentucky ,gazette1 and the ,observer and ,reporter4 ,lexington was the very heart of the great ,blue ,grass region of ,kentucky4 ,the amazing richness of the soil had lured the first settlers from the safety of their transmontane homes to the hardships of ,indian fighting and primitive living4 ,here they had built an ideal city adorned with beautiful ,colonial homes2 established the first great seat of learning west of the ,alleghanies2 built the first insane asylum2 started the first newspaper2 established the first public library1 and surrounded by culture1 wealth and refinement1 with every want seemingly supplied and every wish apparently gratified1 their business men declared there was yet one thing lacking--they needed an outlet to some great water course4 ,the town branch was beautiful to look upon and a never-failing delight to those first inhabitants but useless for navigation4 ,their bountiful crops demanded transportation to the markets of the world4 ,and now1 like a miracle to solve their difficulties came this railroad proposition4 ,they read the local papers with interest1 discussed the question at public meetings1 sent a man to ,england to obtain all available information concerning it1 and with a push and energy which would startle the town today1 they set to work to obtain a charter from the ,kentucky ,legislature1 then in its session of #ahbi-cj1 asking for a railroad from ,lexington1 ,kentucky1 to some point on the ,ohio ,river4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,reporter for ,february #crd1 #ahcj1 just one week after the ,charter was obtained1 had the following article3 ,as considerable interest has been excited in this community on the subject of ,railroads by the ,act of the ,legislature authorizing the formation of a ,company to make one from this town to the ,ohio ,river1 we have copied into this paper several articles going to show their immense utility and importance4 ,however great the advantages of ,railroads may be to any country we are convinced that there is none where this beneficial influence could be more intensely experienced than in this section of ,kentucky4 99 99 99 99 99 ,then follows a notice calling attention to ,section ,i of the ,charter and asking that subscription books be opened4 ,on ,monday1 ,february #hth1 #ahcj1 just eleven days after the ,charter was obtained1 the books were opened at ,brennan's ,tavern from ten a4m4 until two p4m4 on five successive days4 ,and in this incredibly short space of time the money was raised by those public spirited1 enterprising men4 ,what a magnificent achievement6 ,digressing a moment here1 it must be remembered that ,brennan's ,tavern1 which plays so conspicuous a part in this history of the railroad1 was none other than the famous old ,postlethwaite's ,tavern1 known to us as the ,phoenix ,hotel1 which has been making history for ,lexington since #ahjj4 ,at this particular time it was leased and conducted by ,mr4 ,brennan1 and so took his name for the time being4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the next issue of the ,reporter1 ,february #ajth1 #ahcj1 we find3 ,agreeable to the notice published in our last1 the subscription books for stock in this company were opened on ,monday last1 and before two o'clock p4m41 the amount of stock subscribed was for #bjd1jjj4 ,we have procured the following list of the names of the subscribers with the sums subscribed by each respectively1 which we publish by way of showing to those who are yet in doubt as to the practicability and policy of this work1 how the subject is viewed by men of practical experience4 ,then follows a list of twenty-two subscribers4 ,these liberal subscriptions by persons who have carefully investigated the subject afford conclusive proof that they consider the project not only a feasible one but one that offers to the ,capitalist an opportunity for a profitable investment of funds4 ,they have doubtless taken into consideration the peculiar advantages of the country in which the road will be located4 99 99 99 ,it is impossible to imagine the full extent of the varied mutual influences which the prosperity of this section of the country and the ,rail ,road will exert1 all tending to the convenience1 wealth and happiness of the community4 99 99 99 ,p4 ,s4--,at the closing of the books at two p4m4 on ,tuesday1 the following additional subscriptions had been taken4 7,follows a list of forty-two subscribers47 ,which makes a total amount of #caj1hjj2 #cjj1jjj being all that is necessary to vest corporate rights4 ,at a meeting assembled for the purpose1 ,mr4 ,elisha ,i4 ,winter was elected ,president and ,john ,brand1 ,benjamin ,gratz1 ,george ,boswell1 ,walter ,dunn1 ,richard ,higgins1 ,henry ,clay1 ,joseph ,bruen1 ,henry ,c4 ,payne1 ,elisha ,warfield1 ,benjamin ,dudley and ,charlton ,hunt1 ,directors of the ,lexington and ,ohio ,rail ,road ,co4 ,,construction4 ,the succeeding newspapers published a great deal on construction1 and when it is remembered that all of it was experimental at that time1 it will be interesting to note that the ,lexington and ,ohio ,railroad ,company1 patterned most closely after the ,english models1 undertaking1 however1 to improve upon them by the use of our native limestone sills which they believed to be indestructible and found1 to their sorrow1 to be most perishable4 ,the ,reporter of ,november #bdth1 #ahcj1 says3 ,a great deal of information on the subject of ,rail ,roads has been disseminated by public spirited individuals in the course of the past two or three years4 ,a number of such works have been projected in the ,united ,states and some of them completed within that period4 ,the ,baltimore and ,ohio is first and most important in every point of view4 ,to the efforts of the enterprising ,directors and ,stockholders of that ,company1 we shall be indebted for the creation in a short period of time of a greater extent of ,railway communication between the several parts of the ,union than ,centuries have produced of artificial or canal navigation4 ,we firmly believe that the digging of canals in all parts of the country will cease and that many now in use will be abandoned and railroads substituted in place of them4 99 99 99 99 99 ,as to the mode of construction--the route is selected upon a minute survey1 with as little elevation as possible1 with a view to economy--the line is then graded by excavating the earth to near a level1 say #ej feet slope to the mile4 ,the excavation for a single line of rails need not be more than one-third the width of a turnpike and1 of course1 this part of the work is proportionately cheaper than grading for a turnpike4 ,large pieces of limestone1 two feet or more in length and from #c to #ab inches thick1 made straight on the upper edge1 are then firmly imbedded along the graduated road in two lines1 #d feet #c inches apart4 ,on these lines of stone sills are laid iron bars or rails1 #b inches wide1 #a-a_/b inches thick1 fastened with iron bolts4 ,bridges to pass water courses and drains to carry off the water are to be made in the common way4 99 99 99 ,the work is now done4 ,as to its cost--,unless the route be through hills and vallies and1 of course1 a very unfavorable one1 the necessary grading of a narrow line for a railway will not cost more than the like work for a wide turnpike4 99 99 99 ,the next item of expense is stone work4 ,the stone sills will cost #bj cents per foot1 or #b1aab per mile for two rows4 ,the iron rails and bolts will cost #eg per ton1 or #ifi per mile1 allowing #ag tons which will do1 fastening the same from #a to #bjj a mile4 99 99 99 ,no greater difficulty exists in fixing the precise cost of a railway than of a house of given dimensions or of a brick wall4 ,in reference to the ,lexington and ,ohio ,railroad the requisite data to form true estimates of the cost of each separate mile will soon be in possession of the ,company4 ,the ,engineers are of the opinion that it is throughout an eligible cheap line4 ,the whole cost then is less than #h1jjj a mile4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,reporter of ,december #ast1 #ahcj1 makes an interesting correction3 ,in speaking in our last of the iron rails1 we should have described them as half an inch thick instead of an inch and a half4 ,the engineers have run the experimental line on a grade thirty feet to the mile instead of fifty feet as we supposed4 ,a locomotive engine will act advantageously upon a grade of forty feet or more1 but the country between ,lexington and ,louisville will admit of as low a grade as thirty feet without expensive excavations or embankments1 there being no natural obstacle on the whole line except at ,frankfort where an inclined plane and stationary power will be required to reach the ,kentucky ,river4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the issue of ,march #cjth1 #ahca1 the ,reporter makes an interesting calculation1 proving in dollars and cents the value of the prospective railroad4 ,it says3 ,it appears by a statement of the performance on the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway that an engine has transported #adb tons of freight #ahj miles in one day1 making six trips between the two towns1 and that on the next day1 the steam engine travelled #abj miles with similar loads4 ,the transportation of #adb tons in #ahj miles is equivalent to the conveyance of one ton #dfbj miles4 ,now1 if as it is stated1 the cost of fuel1 oil1 attendance and all other charges requisite to the operations of a ,locomotive ,engine be only #e a day1 it follows that when once a ,rail ,road is completed and all its machinery prepared for operations #dfbj tons may be transported one mile for #e4jj1 or #ajj tons one mile for #ab-c_/d cents4 ,when these results are applied to our own road it will be seen that estimating ten barrels of flour for a ton1 the transportation of #ajj barrels #ajj miles would cost #ajf-a_/d cents4 ,it is true that no one can suppose that this full result can ever be reduced to continued practice but the simple fact of its having once been accomplished will be sufficient to place ,rail ,roads far above all other artificial means of transportation4 ,at the same time it should not be forgotten that the wagons on the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,rail ,road are of the old construction and are known to require double the power to draw them that the wagons do on our ,rail ,road4 99 99 99 99 99 ,our ,stockholders pushed the work on our ,rail ,road with all speed2 the engineer submitted his report1 and from the ,kentucky ,reporter1 ,september #ast1 #ahcj1 we find3 ,the examinations of the route for the ,rail ,road from ,lexington to the ,ohio ,river has been made as far as ,frankfort which exhibit the following results3 #a4 ,there will be one ,inclined ,plane at ,frankfort about #bbjj feet long1 descending one foot in fourteen4 ,all the residue of the road can be graded to #cj feet or less in a mile which is a fraction over one-fifteenth of an inch rise in a foot4 #b4 ,on that grade there will be no cut deeper than #ai feet at the apex and but one of that depth4 #c4 ,there will be no embankment over #bj feet high1 no bridge over #cj feet high4 #d4 ,the distance to ,frankfort will not be increased two miles in length over the present travelled road4 #e4 ,there will not be as much rock excavation in the grading as will be required to construct the road4 #f4 ,on the thirty feet grade which has been tentatively adopted1 a single horse is capable of travelling with seven tons weight with as much ease as five horses can draw two tons on our present roads in their best condition4 ,hence it follows that one man and two horses can transport on the ,railway as much weight in the same time as #ce horses and seven men on our present roads4 99 99 99 99 99 ,that part of the road from ,lexington to ,villa ,grove1 six miles west of ,lex4 was known as the first division2 from ,villa ,grove to ,frankfort was designated second division4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,kneass1 the chief engineer1 submitted a grade table and a table exhibiting the length of straight line1 length of curve and radius of curvature to the ,directors on ,october #adth1 #ahca4 99 99 99 99 99 ,john ,holburn and ,company were employed to furnish stone rail sills at #cg-a_/b cents per perch4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on ,april #bjth1 #ahca1 ,the ,reporter1 which by the way1 was known as ,mr4 ,clay's organ1 gives a most entertaining description of a ,directors meeting4 ,it says3 ,the ,stockholders of the ,lexington and ,ohio ,rail ,road ,company met at the ,court ,house in ,lexington on ,saturday last4 ,h4 ,clay was called to the ,chair and ,h4 ,i4 ,bodley acted as ,secretary4 ,the meeting was large1 most of the ,stockholders1 representing upwards of six hundred thousand dollars1 were present4 ,the ,stockholders at ,louisville were represented by ,messrs4 ,j4 ,s4 ,snead1 ,b4 ,lawrence1 ,s4 ,s4 ,nicholas1 ,j4 ,i4 ,jacob and ,george ,keats4 ,mr4 ,e4 ,i4 ,winter 7,president of the ,company7 addressed the meeting an hour and a half4 ,he described the route as surveyed by ,mr4 ,kneass1 the ,engineer1 entered into explanations respecting the estimates and made various calculations as to the probable cost of the work4 ,he presented a very satisfactory and clear view of the means of the ,company--its flattering prospects--the great resources of this section of the country c4 ,after much discussion it was ,resolved--,that the ,directors of the ,lexington and ,ohio ,rail ,road ,company be requested to take measures to put a proportion of the road under contract1 not exceeding eight miles at ,louisville and seven at ,lexington1 provided the same can be done at a cost not exceeding by #aj per cent the estimate made by ,mr4 ,kneass1 ,engineer4 ,resolved--,that the ,directors be authorized to call from the ,stockholders a sum not exceeding #aej1jjj pro rata4 for the completion of the #ae miles of ,road named in the foregoing resolution1 in such proportion and at such times as the exigencies of the ,company may require1 and that they are not authorized to extend their expenditures beyond the said #aej1jjj until after the ,stockholders shall have been legally convened and a report laid before them of the progress made in the work4 ,the meeting then adjourned1 but before the ,company dispersed a number of persons came forward and entered their names for stock4 ,the ,stockholders dined together with the ,louisville delegation at ,postlethwaite's ,inn4 ,we congratulate the friends of this noble enterprise on the results of the meeting4 ,we especially congratulate the citizens of ,lexington on the bright prospects ahead--the ',winter of their discontent being made glorious summer'--by the proceedings of this glorious day4 ,the ,trustees of the town of ,lexington later took #be1jjj worth of stock4 99 99 99 99 99 ,at last the great day arrived for the laying of the first rail stone1 and the ,lexington ,observer of ,october #bhth1 #ahca1 gives a brilliant description of this most momentous occurrence4 ,gives it with a vividness which brings the picture so clearly before the reader that in spite of himself he joins the merry throng and takes his place in the spectacular parade which marks a new epoch in the history of ,lexington4 ,the ,observer says3 ,,laying ,,first ,,rail ,,stone4 ,agreeable to the arrangements published in our last paper the ceremony of ,laying the ,first ,rail ,stone of the ,lexington and ,ohio ,rail ,road1 was performed in the presence of a large concourse of citizens and strangers on ,saturday last4 ,at #aa o'clock the three ,military ,companies which formed the escort marched from their place of rendezvous to the ,college lawn1 where they were met by the various societies and individuals named in the order of the ,marshal4 ,the procession was then formed in the following order-- ,col4 ,leslie ,combs1 ,marshall1 with ,j4 ,b4 ,coleman1 ,esq41 7his aid7 on horseback4 ,maj4 ,gen4 ,pendleton and ,staff1 on horseback4 ,field ,officers and ,staff1 on horseback4 ,officers of the ,line--on foot4 ,capt4 ,hunt's ,artillery1 in ,platoons4 ,gov4 ,metcalfe1 supported by ,prof4 ,caldwell1 ,orator of the ,day1 and ,rev4 ,n4 ,h4 ,hall--,officiating ,clergyman4 ,judges ,underwood and ,buckner--,court of ,appeals4 ,judge ,hickey1 ,fayette ,circuit ,court4 ,hon4 ,r4 ,m4 ,johnson1 ,r4 ,p4 ,letcher1 ,t4 ,a4 ,marshall1 ,members of ,congress4 ,several ,members of the ,kentucky ,legislature4 ,capt4 ,t4 ,a4 ,russell--,ass't4 ,marshal4 ,president and ,directors ,lexington and ,ohio ,r4 ,r4 ,co4 ,samuel ,h4 ,kneass1 ,chief ,engineer--,his ,assistants and ,treasurer of the ,co4 ,contractors and ,pioneers with their implements of ,labor4 ,state ,board of ,internal ,improvement4 ,president1 ,engineers and ,directors of ,lexington and ,maysville ,turnpike ,road4 ,mayor and ,aldermen of ,louisville 7who did not come74 ,capt4 ,neet's ,rifle ,guards--in ,platoons4 ,military ,band of ,music4 ,trustees of the ,town of ,lexington and ,clerk4 ,justices of ,fayette ,county ,court and ,clerk4 ,trustees and ,professors of ,transylvania ,university4 ,reverend ,clergy4 ,surgeons and ,physicians4 ,members of the ,bar and ,officers of ,fayette ,county ,court4 ,union ,philosophical ,society of ,transylvania ,university4 ,medical and ,law ,students4 ,tutors and ,students of ,transylvania ,university4 ,principal of ,preparatory ,department and ,pupils4 ,principal and ,pupils of ,wentworth ,seminary4 ,principal and ,tutors of ,shelby ,female ,academy and ,pupils4 ,principal and ,professors of ,eclectic ,institute and ,pupils4 ,,strangers4 ,stockholders of ,lexington and ,ohio ,r4 ,r4 ,co4 ,capt4 ,postlethwaite's ,light ,infantry ,company--in ,platoons4 ,lieut4-,col4 ,a4 ,stevens--,ass't4 ,marshal4 ,,citizens ,,on ,,foot4 99 99 99 99 99 ,for many years we have not witnessed so imposing a pageant and never one more interesting4 ,a ,federal ,salute was fired by ,capt4 ,hunt's ,artillery at sunrise and seven guns when the first stone sill was laid1 indicating the seven sections of the road under contract4 ,the procession first moved in a circle around the lawn where it was formed at which time the bells in the various churches in town commenced a merry peal which continued until the procession reached the place where the ceremony was performed4 ,the ,military ,escort then formed a hollow square within which the whole civic procession was enclosed4 ,thousands of delighted and anxious spectators were on the outside1 among whom we were gratified to see a large concourse of ladies for whose accommodation the ,marshal had directed the adjacent ,market ,house to be appropriated4 ,a blessing on the stupendous undertaking was then invoked by the officiating clergyman1 after which ,e4 ,i4 ,winter1 ,esq41 ,president of the ,company1 handed a hammer to the ,governor of the ,state1 who drove the nail attaching the first iron rail to the beginning stone sill4 ,the music struck up ,hail ,columbia and afterwards ,yankee ,doodle1 which was played until the ,artillery ceased firing4 ,prof4 ,caldwell then delivered a highly interesting and appropriate address4 ,the procession then returned to the ,university lawn after which the ,military marched to the ,arsenal and were dismissed1 having received the thanks of the ,directors and ,president of the ,rail ,road and the compliments of the ,marshal for their excellent marching and exemplary good order on the occasion4 ,the arrangements for this interesting ceremony were hurried perhaps by the zeal of those immediately concerned and a desire to proceed without further delay with the work4 ,a little more time and a little more preparation would have been better but the whole proceeding was conducted very handsomely4 ,the procession was very numerous4 ,the streets through which the long line marched were crowded with spectators and every window and every balcony were filled with ladies4 ,the ,military looked uncommonly well4 ,the pupils of the various institutions wore appropriate badges4 ,the ceremonies at the place of laying the corner stone were not tedious4 ,the omission to prepare a rostrum for the ,orator was a grievous oversight--thousands were unable to hear the speech1 but those who were more fortunate pronounced it appropriate and eloquent and considering the very short notice upon which it was prepared1 the effort was worthy of the distinguished orator1 which alone1 is saying enough in praise4 ,the prayer of the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,hall1 by which the occasion was preceded1 awakened the best feelings of the human heart4 ,the ,governor and the ,president of the ,company quickly dispatched the duty assigned them and the procession moved from the ground in good order1 nothing having occurred in the slightest degree unpleasant4 ,all were happy that the good work was now in progress and delighted at the bright prospects now dawning upon the towns and country through which the road is to pass4 ,owing to the short notice the expected guests from ,maysville and ,louisville did not attend but the ,company was honored with the presence of the ,governor and several distinguished members of ,congress and two of the ,judges of the ,court of ,appeals4 ,these with other notable guests dined with the ,president1 ,directors and ,stockholders at ,postlewaite's ,inn and during the even the ,governor visited the ,theater where he was received with many rounds of applause4 99 99 99 99 99 ,down in our hearts we are truly thankful for the present century and all its benefits and we would rather be plain ,kentucky people living today than any royalty in history4 ,and yet when we read a great thrilling tale like this we cannot overcome a strange sense of loss1 a feeling of regret that we too1 could not have been there to see that wonderful pageant pass by4 ,the ,military with its pomp and music2 the professors and their students2 the officials and the rank and file2 the lawyers1 and the doctors and the ministers2 the contractors and ,pioneers and their implements of ,labor2 the old1 the young1 the great1 the small--all banded together in one great masterly pull for ,lexington6 ,what a picture6 ,what a privilege6 ,what an inspiration6 ,what would we not give to have seen it with our own eyes1 to have applauded it with our own hands4 ,and yet1 perhaps that is what we are doing now1 applauding and giving praise and credit to those splendid citizens whose generosity1 foresight1 energy and progressive public spirit made ,lexington a leading city of its day6 ,but to return to our subject1 the newspapers kept the people advised as to the progress of the work and the ,observer of ,february #crd1 #ahcb1 says3 ,those who feel an interest in this great work will be pleased to learn that the grading of the first six miles put under contract last fall is already in a state of much forwardness4 ,the stones for the ,rail ,sills are excavated from a quarry a short distance below the city4 ,the ease with which they are split out and fashioned into sills is truly surprising4 ,they are about twelve inches wide and many of them are twenty or twenty-five feet in length4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and again on ,may #bdth1 #ahcb-- ,the grading of the first division of six miles is nearly completed4 ,part of the ,iron ,rails for the first division have arrived at ,louisville from ,liverpool by way of ,new ,orleans1 and the laying of the stone sills will be forthwith commenced4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the work progressed steadily in spite of many obstacles--chief of which seems to have been the indifference of ,louisville and lack of ready money1 and so in the ,observer for ,march #afth1 #ahcb1 there is an interesting and eloquent appeal3 ,to the ,citizens of ,lexington and ,fayette ,county-- ,now is the time for every man1 who is a man and will act like one1 to come forward and put his shoulder to the wheel4 ,the ,lexington and ,ohio ,rail ,road can be finished to ,frankfort before the #ast of ,november1 #ahcb1 if those who are able will do their duty and take stock1 or increase their present subscriptions4 ,not one should hang back and let his neighbors do for him what he ought to do for himself4 ,if he loves money1 this is the way to improve his fortune2 if he loves his country1 this is the sure way to advance her power and glory4 ,the work can be done and will be done in the time ,i have named if you are true to your best interests and will act promptly on this occasion4 ,no time is to be lost--,come all--,come quickly4 ,let us have no more theorizing but in its stead1 efficient action4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and again in the same month the ,directors authorized the ,president1 ,mr4 ,elisha ,i4 ,winter1 to let the grading of the twenty-three sections of the ,second ,division4 ,the ,observer and ,reporter1 ,june #bhth1 #ahcb1 says3 ,laying the stone sills is rather a tedious operation4 ,messrs4 ,holburn and ,benson1 who are the contractors for this branch of the work deserve great praise for executing their contract not only faithfully but in a style of beauty and elegance of workmanship which has excited the admiration of all who have examined it4 ,they are now putting in the ,iron ,rails and we hope it will not be long before the ,directors will have it in their power to gratify the universal anxiety which daily increases in intensity to behold the novel spectacle of a ,rail ,road ,carriage in rapid motion4 ,this desire was soon gratified according to an article in the ,lexington ,observer dated ,august #ith1 #ahcb1 and entitled ,our ,rail ,road4 ,it says3 ,a splendid car 7the ,lexington and ,ohio7 was placed on the ,rail ,road on ,thursday last4 ,it made two trips1 the distance the road is finished1 having inside and outside about sixty passengers each trip4 ,the crowd to witness the experiment was very great and we never saw spectators more delighted4 ,the opening of the ,rail ,road from ,lexington to the ,ohio ,river will be the commencement of a new era in the history of ,kentucky4 ,let unbelievers in the utility of ,rail ,roads witness but one experiment and their scepticism will soon vanish4 ,on ,tuesday the #adth the road we understand will be formally opened and the car afterwards kept constantly running for the accommodation of passengers4 ,the ,governor of the ,state and the ,mayor and ,council of the ,city of ,louisville have been invited to be present on this occasion4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,observer and ,reporter of ,august #afth1 #ahcb1 tells how ,the ,lexington and ,ohio ,rail ,road was formally opened on yesterday4 ,among the persons present was ,gov4 ,metcalf4 ,at twelve o'clock precisely the ,car left its moorings at the upper end of the lower ,market in fine style1 having on board about #dj passengers4 ,the ,road is completed entirely only about one mile and a half from its termination in this city4 ,other portions are in a state of great forwardness and will be ready for the ,car in a few days which will make the whole distance completed about #c miles4 ,the ,car travels at the rate of about #aj miles an hour4 99 99 99 99 99 ,how eagerly they longed for its completion1 using it for pleasure trips when only a mile and a half was finished6 ,and how quaintly they spoke of it leaving its moorings as though they were still thinking in terms of rivers and flat boats and steam boats1 and could only describe it in river terms6 ,and how they dignified it with capitals1 it was always the ,rail ,road and the ,car--as if the very immensity of the undertaking demanded capital letters4 ,to them the ,rail ,road started or returned1 or was kept running1 as in the article in the ,observer of ,august #beth1 #ahcb1 which says3 ,two miles of the ,lexington and ,ohio ,rail ,road are now completed1 and the splendid car1 ,lexington and ,ohio1 is kept constantly running this distance to gratify those who feel an interest in ,rail ,roads1 and are desirous of testing their utility4 ,the ,car is sufficiently large to accommodate #fj passengers and this number is drawn by one horse1 with apparently as much ease and rapidity as the same animal would draw a light gig4 ,the delight experienced at the sight of a car loaded by sixty passengers and drawn by one horse at the rate of ten miles an hour through a country where heretofore five miles per hour with one passenger to a horse has been thought good speed1 is sufficient of itself to repay the beholder for the trouble of a journey of fifty miles4 ,we understand a locomotive steam engine is now being constructed to be placed upon the road as soon as the distance is opened on the whole of the ,first ,division4 99 99 99 99 99 ,having always heard the ,old ,lexington and ,ohio ,road referred to as the first rail road built ,west of the ,alleghany ,mountains1 ,i was greatly surprised at this juncture to see how close the question of priority between it and the old ,pontchartrain ,railway really was and being unable to decide the question myself1 ,i beg leave to lay the evidence before my readers and let them decide the matter according to their own judgment4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,h4 ,ellis1 ,secretary of the ,louisville and ,nashville ,railroad1 at a banquet in ,louisville in #aiad1 when speaking of the oldest railroads built ,west of the ,alleghanies and ,south of the ,ohio ,river1 said3 ,it is commonly believed that the oldest road is the ,lexington and ,ohio1 so it may surprise you to know that in point of antiquity it is beaten by that little old ,pontchartrain ,railroad1 ,charles ,marshall's darling1 but by a remarkable coincidence1 by only a week4 ,for while the ,pontchartrain ,railroad ,company received its charter on ,january #bjth1 #ahcj1 that of the ,lexington and ,ohio ,railroad ,company is dated ,january #bgth1 #ahcj4 ,and in point of construction the latter likewise followed the ,pontchartrain4 ,an article published in the ,lexington ,observer of ,october #dth1 #ahcb1 taken from the ,new ,orleans ,emporium of ,september #aeth1 #ahcb1 says3 ,the beautiful locomotive ,pontchartrain recently received from ,england came up to the city this morning from the lake in a manner highly gratifying to the directors of the company1 who were present and a large concourse of our citizens4 ,it commences running ,monday next at #ab o'clock4 ,the ,mayor and ,city ,council are to be present and no doubt hundreds of our citizens will fill the train which will accommodate between three and four hundred people4 ,this locomotive is said to be the most perfect and elegant in the ,union and that there are only two in ,england equal to it4 ,the display will be at once beautiful and imposing and will no doubt attract thousands4 ,at this time our first locomotive was in course of construction1 as the ,observer and ,reporter of ,december #fth1 #ahcb1 says in an editorial3 ,we yesterday had the pleasure of examining--at the machine shop of ,mr4 ,bruen--a new ,locomotive ,engine constructed for the ,lexington and ,ohio ,rail ,road ,company4 ,we understand the ,engine will be in readiness for an experiment on the ,rail ,road sometime next week4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is evident therefore that the ,charter for the ,pontchartrain ,railroad was one week older than the ,charter of the ,lexington and ,ohio ,railroad4 ,it is also evident that the ,lexington and ,ohio ,railroad was formally opened ,august #aeth1 #ahcb1 while the formal opening of the ,pontchartrain ,road did not occur until ,september #aeth1 #ahcb1 one month later than ours4 ,it is true the ,pontchartrain opened with a real locomotive while the ,lexington and ,ohio road first used horse power4 ,but it must also be remembered that the locomotive of the ,pontchartrain ,railroad was built in ,stourbridge1 ,england1 while the first locomotive for the ,lexington and ,ohio road was invented and built in ,lexington by two ,lexington men1 ,thomas ,barlow and ,joseph ,bruen2 that it was in course of construction at the time of the opening1 and that it made its trial run ,march #bnd1 #ahcc1 from ,lexington towards ,frankfort4-- ,so far as ,i have been able to learn our locomotive was the first one built in the ,united ,states unless we except that of ,peter ,cooper1 which is said never to have given satisfaction4 99 99 99 99 99 ,by the first of ,january1 #ahcc1 the first railroad advertisement appeared headed3 ,,traveling ,on ,the ,lexington and ,ohio ,rail ,road ,the ,first ,six ,miles of the ,road ,being ,completed a ,passenger ,car will ,daily ,leave the ,lower ,market ,house for the end of the ,first ,division at #i-a_/b ,o'clock ,a4 ,m4 and #b-a_/b ,o'clock ,p4,m4 ,returning will leave the end of the ,division for ,lexington at #aj ,o'clock ,a4 ,m4 and #c-a_/b ,o'clock ,p4,m4 ,companies of #ab or more can be accommodated with a ,private ,car by giving one hour's notice4 ,office ,l4 ,o4 ,rail ,road ,company ,january #ast1 #ahcc ,and so the ,rail ,road became a popular diversion1 and the work was rapidly progressing all along the road toward ,frankfort4 ,judging from an advertisement in the ,observer and ,reporter of ,february #bast1 #ahcc1 some change in construction must have been contemplated for it states ,sealed ,proposals will be received at the ,company's ,office until the #aeth of ,april next for laying #ac miles of the ,second ,division of the ,lexington and ,ohio ,rail ,road with ,stone ,sills1 and #i miles with ,sleepers and ,strong-pieces of wood4 7,signed by7 ,h4 ,j4 ,,ranney1 ,chief ,engineer4 99 99 99 99 99 ,professor ,muncey says3 ,in the ',second ,division' of the ,road wood sills--red cedar in most cases--were used in some places4 ,it is interesting to note here that the ,baltimore and ,ohio ,railroad advised our promoters in the first place to use the wooden sills4 ,quoting from the ,observer and ,reporter of ,march #bnd1 #ahcc1 ,the first six miles of the ,rail ,road is now in successful operation4 ,the ,car for some time past has run regularly three times a day and is usually filled with passengers4 ,it expedites the progress of mail about one hour each trip4 ,time was become a matter to be reckoned with you see4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and in the same paper appeared the following modest announcement for which ,i had searched for days3 ,we are happy to learn that the steam locomotive constructed by our ingenious townsmen1 ,mr4 ,bruen1 is hereafter to make regular trips on this road4 ,the car driver was allowed a salary of #bb4ej a month4 ,he and his assistant were to handle the car and the horses1 take up fares1 handle baggage and carry the ,united ,states mail4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there is a quaint epitaph in an old ,scotch graveyard which says ,good times and bad times and all times1 get over2 and so it was with our great little railroad4 ,its ,charter had boldly set the ,ohio ,river as its destination4 ,on ,october #bast1 #ahca1 it timidly started towards ,frankfort1 and on ,january #cast1 #ahcd1 it reached that fair city with a sigh of relief after many hardships had been endured and many obstacles overcome4 ,the cholera scourge of #ahcc had halted its progress1 difficulties had arisen through bad calculations of its engineers1 and money was often sorely needed4 ,louisville seemed indifferent to its construction1 being comfortably seated on the much coveted water course4 ,so the railroad stopped to rest at ,frankfort and stopped so long it became known as the ,lexington and ,frankfort ,rail ,road4 ,its arrival in ,frankfort was celebrated by a grand ball at ,brennan's 7or ,postlethwaite's7 which is glitteringly described in the ,gazette on ,january #cast1 #ahcd1 as follows3 ,the fete given last night at ,brennan's ,hotel to the members of the ,legislature and to celebrate the opening of the ,rail ,road from here to ,frankfort was truly a most brilliant affair4 ,the company bestowed just praises on the taste and munificence of ,mr4 ,brennan1 for the splendor and profusion of the supper and refreshments1 which appeared as if earth and sky and sea had been plundered of their sweets4 ,the company must have numbered from four to five hundred persons who were distributed in the various rooms of the basement story where dancing parties were kept up till two o'clock4 ,like the ,brussells ,ball1 we too had gathered from the ,capital-- ',her beauty and her chivalry1 and bright ,the lamps shone over fair women and brave men1 ,a thousand hearts beat happily2 and when ,music arose with its voluptuous swell ,soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again ,and all went merry as a marriage bell4' ,a majority of the members of both branches of the ,legislature were present on the occasion it is said1 together with the ,mayor and ,council of ,lexington4 ,for ourselves we did not play a part in the mazy dance but was content to look on others-- ',steer with care through all that glittering sea ,of gems and plumes and pearls and silks to where ,he deems it is his proper place to be ,dissolving in the waltz to some soft air ,or proudlier prancing with ,mercurial skill ,where science marshalls forth her own quadrille4' ,the same paper contains an account of an elegant new locomotive1 which says3 ,,rail ,,road4 ,an elegant new locomotive of improved model has been running on the ,lexington and ,ohio ,rail ,road for several days to ,frankfort4 ,the success which has attended the experiment thus far equals the most sanguine hopes of the projectors4 ,since the application of steam all doubts have been vanished1 and we confess a very great change has been wrought in our own minds as to the utility and value of the undertaking4 ,its advantages to the town are manifest now and if it should be completed to ,louisville it will be an immense advantage to the whole commonwealth and reflect the highest credit on those who have planned and executed it4 ,its superiority over every other kind of locomotion will carry conviction to the minds of any who may doubt and convince the country of the absolute necessity of completing it1 to which purpose the ,legislature will no doubt contribute largely4 ,the trip from here to ,frankfort will occupy about two hours when the arrangements are complete4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this new locomotive may have been the ,nottaway or ,the ,logan or the ,daniel ,boone4 ,the latter1 which was inclined to run behind time1 was the butt of many jokes4 ,one traveller is said to have asked ,what is the matter1 will we never arrive8 and another replied ,let us ask the engineer to feed ',boone' another stick of cord wood1 or we will never get there4 ,capt4 ,alfred ,pirtle1 ,secretary of the ,filson ,club1 says ,the ,baldwin ,locomotive ,works have a record that they built an engine named ',daniel ,boone' for the ,lexington and ,ohio ,rail ,road in #ahdb4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,observer and ,reporter ,january #bdth1 #ahce1 says3 ,several hundred of our citizens had the pleasure yesterday of witnessing a successful experiment on the ,rail ,road with the new ,locomotive4 ,its performance justifies all our hopes4 ,two burthen cars and the large passenger car filled with passengers were attached to the engine4 ,it moved off with great ease clearly indicating its ability to perform all its requirements4 ,every one who witnessed the experiment seemed to feel a high degree of patriotic enthusiasm that he lived in a city which had originated and thus far successfully prosecuted this magnificent and invaluable scheme4 ,we learn that the ,locomotive made the trip to the ,villa1 a distance of six miles1 in a little over #bj minutes although badly provided with fuel4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the success of the experiment had an unfortunate set back1 however1 for in the ,observer and ,reporter1 ,january #bd1 #ahce1 is an account of the ,accident which caused profound distress4 ,we have carefully prepared from authentic information the following account of the melancholy occurrences of yesterday4 ,to allay public excitement and prevent misrepresentation or misapprehension of facts we consider it our duty to give as brief and accurate account as possible of those unfortunate accidents today which caused the death of two individuals and severe injuries to four others4 ,the splendid ,locomotive ,engine recently imported was placed on the road two or three days since and has made one or more pleasure trips each day to the ,villa 7#f miles7 and back with perfect safety and entire success4 ,this morning it performed the trip with one large ,passenger ,coach containing some fifty or sixty passengers1 and one burden ,car also loaded1 attached to it1 in #ai minutes going and about #bb minutes returning without accident4 ,this afternoon1 as the ,engineer was proceeding from the car house a quarter of a mile below the depot in the city a number of boys were continually trying to jump upon the tender although repeatedly forbidden to do so1 till finally while the ,locomotive was going at the rate of only about five or six miles per hour1 a negro boy1 #aa or #ab years of age1 the property of ,mrs4 ,ross1 on attempting to jump on the fore part of the tender fell under it and was crushed to death4 ,no possible blame can attach to the ,engineer as he stopped the moment he saw the boy fall1 but was too late4 ,he then came up slowly to the depot1 both sides of the road being lined by hundreds of anxious spectators1 and attached the ,locomotive to two burden ,cars and the large ,passenger ,coach1 before mentioned1 altogether containing1 we suppose1 over #aej persons1 in the following order3 #ast--,the ,engine and tender4 #bnd--,a common ,burden ,car with temporary benches to sit on but no side on front or rear railing to protect the passengers from falling or being pushed off2 fastened with common trace chains by means of the centre beams to which the shafts are used fixed to the ,locomotive4 #crd--,another common ,burthen ,car attached to the second as it was to the first giving #aj to #ab inches loose play forward and back but with only a single bench running through the centre from front to rear4 ,no railing or other protection to the passengers1 who were obliged to stand up1 except a few standards along the sides for the purpose of hauling wood4 #dth--,the large ,passenger ,coach attached to the third as it was to the second4 ,before starting1 more than one gentleman who noticed the manner of attaching the cars1 and the consequent jars which they would inevitably receive1 made remarks as to the dangerous situation of the individuals crowded on the burden cars1 but we made the trip down safely in #bd minutes4 ,after remaining to ,wood and ,water we started back with position reversed1 the large ,passenger ,coach in front1 then the two burthen cars following each other1 and lastly the ,locomotive1 each pushing forward the one in front of it1 by pressing the end of the centre beams1 some six inches square against each other1 loosely attached as before described1 by common trace chains4 ,we had proceeded in this manner about a mile at a moderate pace when in passing a curve1 the beam of the front burthen ,car was seen to pass to the right of the rear beam of the ,passenger ,car1 which jerked the wheels off the track and caused a considerable shock and great alarm4 ,some of the passengers on the two burthen ,cars attempted to jump off1 the ground being nearly on a level with the road at that place2 others1 especially those standing in the forward burthen ,car were thrown backwards and knocked off1 those near the edge of it under the wheels of the other2 some attempted to leap on the bank1 fell and rolled down1 and thus all the mischief was done4 ,lewis ,lankard and ,leonard ,taylor1 of ,lexington1 ,ky42 ,william ,a4 ,cocke and ,joseph ,holt1 of ,louisville2 ,f4 ,w4 ,trapnall1 of ,springfield1 and ,daniel ,green1 of ,fayette ,county1 were in this way thrown off the forward burthen ,car and under the wheels of the other4 ,lankard was instantly killed2 ,taylor and ,green had each a leg broken2 ,messrs4 ,trapnall and ,holt had severe bruises and were probably saved by ,lankard's falling before them and in some measure stopping the car4 ,mr4 ,cocke had his right foot firmly fastened in the forward wheel of the hindmost car and was much injured and but for the presence of mind and promptness of the ,engineer in stopping at the moment must have lost his leg and most probably his life2 another quarter turn of the wheel would have been fatal4 ,he could only be released by taking that part of the ,car to pieces4 ,several other gentlemen were bruised and slightly injured4 ,none of the ,cars turned over and if the burthen ,cars had been substantially railed round or if only passenger cars had been used or all had been drawn and not pushed1 nothing serious would have been the consequence4 ,too much praise cannot be bestowed upon the ,engineer4 ,although under considerable headway he stopped almost instantly and much sooner than a stage with horses could have been halted4 ,may we now be permitted to make a single suggestion or two to the ,manager of the ,rail ,road8 #ast--,the number of passengers to go in each ,car should be limited4 ,huddling numbers on the top is extremely hazardous4 #bnd--,unless a wire sieve is fastened over the top of the chimney of the engine we shall soon have some dwelling house1 barn or other building near the road burnt down or the ,cars themselves set on fire4 ,in conclusion we hope that the feeling of our citizens will not be again excited by the occurrence of such a painful and heart-rending accident as the one over which a number have been called to mourn1 as we are confident that by proper management and strict attention it may be easily avoided4 99 99 99 99 99 ,now let us consider this first locomotive engine ever used on the ,lexington and ,ohio ,railroad4 ,this locomotive was invented by ,thomas ,harris ,barlow 7who afterward became world-famous as the inventor of the ,planetarium7 and was constructed by ,joseph ,bruen at his machine shops which stood near the corner of ,water and ,spring ,streets4 ,that wonderful little locomotive is described by one who saw it with his own eyes1 who rode behind it often1 and who knew the men who invented and constructed it quite intimately4 ,the old gentleman ,i refer to was ,samuel ,d4 ,mc,cullough1 who was born in #ahjc and who wrote his diary1 which is now in the ,lexington ,public ,library1 in #ahga4 ,mr4 ,thomas ,harris ,barlow was born in ,nicholas ,county1 ,kentucky1 7says his son1 ,milton1 in a letter to me7 ,august #eth1 #aghi1 and resided in the ,state of his birth till the last year or two of his life and died in ,cincinnati ,june1 #ahfe4 ,i shall condense ,mr4 ,milton ,barlow's short biography of his father1 which states that he had but a common school education4 ,he was an industrious and even a hard working student of mechanism for which he had a wonderful natural gift1 and which induced ,col4 ,r4 ,m4 ,johnson to appoint him principal ,military ,artificer in his ,regiment4 ,he was under fire in the ,battle of the ,thames 7#ahab7 where he distinguished himself for coolness and bravery4 ,after his intermarriage with ,miss ,lizzie ,west he turned his attention to erecting flour1 saw and other mills and building and overseeing their steam motive power4 ,in #ahbe he removed to ,lexington and opened a machine shop4 ,i remember myself all which followed and give my own recollections4 ,believing that ,locomotives could be propelled at a greater velocity ,mr4 ,barlow and ,mr4 ,joseph ,bruen1 another mechanical genius1 built an engine to run on the new ,rail ,road1 just started from this place towards ,frankfort1 the finished portion of the road extending then but five miles from this ,city1 and on which ,sunday pleasure ,cars were running drawn by two horses4 ,the ,steam ,engine was an odd concern2 not more than three or four feet high wheels1 boiler and all2 the pistons working perpendicularly2 two cylinders and a tongue in front to guide the steam wagon with the necessary pilot wheel with its tiller ropes4 ,i never knew what became of the engine but ,i have placed all that is left of the model in the ,museum of the ,eastern ,kentucky ,lunatic ,asylum along with the remnant of ,edward ,west's model steam engine for boats4 ,mr4 ,barlow and ,mr4 ,bruen also built another small steam engine which ran on a miniature oval ,rail ,road1 in the large room1 third story of the factory1 corner of ,water and ,rose ,streets1 drawing after it a miniature car large enough to hold one grown person or two children4 ,i paid my #be cents for a ride on it4 ,the novelty of the occasion brought multitudes of citizens1 male and female1 to see it and as ,mr4 ,barlow quaintly and truthfully observes1 'each of the visitors had to pay a small sum for the pleasure of riding on land by steam4' ,i give the following remark of ,mr4 ,barlow1 ,jr41 just as he used it without stopping to inquire whether it be genuine or apocryphal4 ,he says1 ',this was the first steam locomotive engine ever made in ,america4' ,mr4 ,barlow sold the miniature engine1 ,car and wooden rails to ,mr4 ,samuel ,robb1 of this county1 who exhibited the workings of them in #ahbg in the cities of ,louisville1 ,nashville1 ,memphis1 ,vicksburg1 ,new ,orleans1 in which city it was consumed by fire during the year #ahbh4 ,mr4 ,barlow built another miniature engine for ,mr4 ,rockhill who used it for exhibition4 ,i wish it distinctly remembered so as not to confuse dates1 that the first mattock struck and the first stone laid on the ,lexington and ,louisville ,rail ,road were done in ,lexington ,june #crd1 #ahca1 the citizens1 the ,free ,masons and the ,military assisting in the ceremonies which took place at the corner of ,water and ,upper ,streets1 not ten feet from the present storage house of ,hayman and ,wooley4 ,prof4 ,charles ,caldwell1 of ,transylvania ,medical ,school1 made the address on the occasion4 ,i remember again1 that the model engine of ,mr4 ,barlow and ,mr4 ,bruen was run on the miniature ,rail ,road three or four years before the first rail was laid on the track which was a flat iron rail on a stone sill4 ,the great danger occurring continually from the ends of the flat rails turning upwards causing what was then called 'snake heads1' and the disintegration of the stone sills induced the directors to change both sills and rails to their present form4 ,i recollect the old horse car running from here to ,frankfort and back to ,lexington4 ,it was in #ahce1 in company with my deceased friend1 ,john ,j4 ,crittenden1 who with myself was watching a splendid comet in the ,north ,west during our ride1 the horse cars were four hours in running the distance of twenty-four miles1 or six miles an hour4 ,upon arriving upon the hill near ,frankfort the passenger trains were sent down an inclined plane drawn by horses4 ,several accidents occurred which afterwards induced the ,directors to change the route to a more circuitous and safer place1 the road now in constant use4 ,at ,frankfort the passengers for ,louisville took seats in five and six four-horse coaches1 eighteen to twenty-four passengers each4 ,the necessities of travel and commerce finally culminated in finishing the ,rail ,road to ,louisville4 ,lexington and ,frankfort with the counties of ,fayette1 ,woodford and ,franklin did their parts nobly1 and ,louisville with that symptom of haggling so usual with her1 finally was induced to help finish the road to that city4 ,whilst upon the subject of inventors1 inventions and ,rail ,roads1 ,i may tell you that the two-horse-car ran from this ,city to ,frankfort over the 'flat iron' rail until #ah-- when a little steam locomotive called the ,nottaway made one trip to ,frankfort and back the same day4 ,it drew one passenger coach built by ,mr4 ,ashton1 the venerable coach builder of this city4 ,the inside would accommodate about as many as a modern omnibus and seats on the top with an iron railing all around would seat as many more4 ,i have an indistinct recollection where the baggage and mail matter were stored but ,i think they were given in charge of the engineer1 who also in that capacity was baggage master and mail agent4 ,i recollect distinctly the little locomotives1 ,nottaway and ,logan4 ,more than two-score times have ,i and other able bodied men gotten out of the passenger car when the locomotive was not able to pull the load over some slight elevation in the road and pushed passenger car and engine up the inclined plane of less than one degree inclination4 ,when we arrived at the summit of the inclination1 which was about nine miles from ,lexington in what was called the 'deep cut1' the engineer in the meantime having raised steam enough to carry passengers to the next slight ascension in the road1 cried 'all aboard' and away we went4 ',all out' was the engineer's next cry when he came to some slight ascension in the road4 ,out we came and our shoulders were again applied to help the little locomotive out of its terrible difficulty4 ,arriving at the top of the hill at ,frankfort from a four to six hours ride of twenty-four miles we met with two serious questions either to go down the inclined plane at nearly #dj degrees inclination free of charge or take the hacks and carriages in waiting by paying #be cents extra4 ,my old friend1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,r4 ,j4 ,breckinridge and myself not wishing to risk our lives on the incline plane took seats in a hack4 ,i recollect ,dr4 ,breckinridge's remark1 when he paid his extra quarter for hack hire3 ',i agree to pay #a4jj to be carried safely to ,frankfort4 ,i pay this additional #be cents under protest as a swindle4' ,the driver 'took our monies and went his ways' and proceeded to collect #be cents from each passenger going into ,frankfort until some 'change' was made by the ,directors of the ,rail ,road4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,andy ,shepherd in an interview said he remembered the old locomotives ,daniel ,boone1 ,logan and ,joe ,davis4 ,he said the passenger coach was painted yellow4 ,he described the first locomotive as having a tall smoke stack1 a single wheel1 and a crank axle1 with no cab1 the engineer standing unprotected through wind and weather4 ,he said it required a cord of two-foot wood to make the trip from ,lexington to ,frankfort and return1 that the engineer stopped at ,villa ,grove and at ,duckers to wood and water4 ,he said at first there was one passenger and one freight train a day1 that freight came from ,cincinnati to ,frankfort by river1 and from ,frankfort to ,lexington by rail4 ,when asked where the headlight for the locomotive was1 he replied3 ,they did not need a headlight because they only travelled by daylight4 7,and yet one of the ,english commentaries which had made deepest impression on the railroad promoters was that ,locomotives can travel safely in the dark47 ,mr4 ,shepherd said the old engines were finally sold for scrap iron1 loaded on a flat car1 and taken away4 ,but the ,logan was sold to a coal mine4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,gazette1 ,november #bhth1 #ahce1 says3 ,there seems to be a perfect mania pervading the country on the subject of railroads4 ,hardly a paper comes to hand but contains accounts of meetings held for the purpose of projecting one through some part or another4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and on ,january #ith1 #ahcf3 ,the ,mayor has called a meeting of the citizens of ,lex4 and ,fayette ,co4 on ,monday next at #ab o'clock to take into consideration measures relative to the contemplated ,railroad from ,charleston1 ,s4 ,c41 to the ,ohio ,river4 ,the meeting will take place in a ,court ,house4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on ,january #bcrd1 #ahcf3 ,we learn that the ,directors of the ,r4 ,r4 ,co4 have declined bringing more fire wood to this city but have offered to the agents for procuring fuel the use of their road and wood cars free of expense for the transport of that article4 ,the great quantity of freight at the depots rendering this course necessary on the part of the ,company4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on ,december #abth1 #ahce1 was an interesting article headed3 ,,rail ,,road ,,stock4 ,four shares of ,lex4 and ,ohio ,r4 ,r4 ,stock were sold at public auction on ,monday last at #aja4jj per share1 next dividend off being one per cent advance4 ,this is some evidence of the estimation in which this stock is held4 ,the next dividend to be struck #ast ,january and to which the purchaser will not be entitled would probably have added about #e4jj per share4 ,we repeat that the citizens of ,louisville do not duly appreciate the importance to their city of the completion of the road from thence to ,frankfort with as little delay as possible4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and in the same paper is an account of the sad fate of the attractive little ,villa3 ,,fire4 ,the neat little ',villa1' so tastefully erected by ,smith and ,rainey and kept for some time past by ,mr4 ,clatterbuck1 on the ,r4 ,r41 six miles from ,lex41 was destroyed by fire on the night of ,monday last together with most of the furniture1 liquors and a considerable sum of money4 ,this misfortune will be seriously felt not only by ,mr4 ,c----1 but by the travellers on the ,r4 ,r41 who were always sure of a kind reception and the solace of a cup of hot sparkling coffee at daylight after making the first stop from ,lex4 ,the benevolent we are sure will not be appealed to in vain to contribute something towards enabling ,mr4 ,clatterbuck again to commence business4 ,his loss in cash was about #gjj4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and now ,i have told you all that ,i have been able to find concerning this old ,lexington and ,ohio ,railroad4 ,i have traced its conception and birth1 its construction and success4 ,i have not the heart to tell you of its slow and lingering death1 how it became antiquated1 ridiculed1 supplanted and re-constructed1 how it was mortgaged and sold1 and finally became merged into the great ,louisville and ,nashville system and how its very history became clouded in tradition4