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A Pioneer Railway of the West

This restoration of a portion of the original track of the Lexington and Ohio Railroad laid at Lexington in 1831, is dedicated to those men of forethought and courage who were pioneers in railroad development in America.

Dedication Exercises 10 A. M. May 30, 1916

College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering University of Kentucky

Although just starting that very day for a summer vacation, I hurried down town a little before train time, and went to the Main Street offices of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad where the interesting relics were on display.

As I stood gazing at that worn and rusty bar of iron with its single bent and rusty spike, I was whisked back across the years by some strange trick of memory and I saw, instead, a dimly lighted sick room, on a hot summer night--myself a little sufferer, and sitting beside me, fanning my fevered brow, my beloved father, who, notwithstanding the fatigue of a heavy and exacting practice sat thus night after night, soothing me to sleep by telling me entertaining stories of his youth, and as he was born one hundred and one years ago, the strange experiences of his boyhood were thrilling indeed to his youthful adorer.

And so, I saw in my mind's eye that familiar room of my childhood--the open window, the breezes blowing the curtains to and fro, the moonlight casting strange shadows on the terrace outside, 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 departure," he and a group of fellow students from Transylvania University, mounted on fast horses, galloped ahead "to see if the Wonderful Thing could round the curve without running off the track"; and how "it came in sight, thundering along, puffing out clouds of black smoke, the engineer adding to the confusion by incessantly blowing his shrill whistle," all of which so terrified his horse, he had great difficulty in keeping his seat, but yet, 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 lightning."

He said the locomotive had been invented by his old friend Tom Barlow, in whose honor he had named our Tom Barlow, his favorite race horse.

He also said the old locomotive looked like a "thresher engine mounted on a flat car," and that the coach was for all the world like an "omnibus with seats on top as well as inside," and furthermore, he added, when it had been proved safe he rode upon it himself, and then "rode home on horseback" to tell his mother all about it.

And this was all that was left of that Wonderful Thing, this bit of scrap iron and a few stone sills!

Finding myself gazing vacantly at that relic of the Past, and that people were noting my abstraction, I hastily gathered myself together and crossing the street to our beautiful Union Station, I started on my journey. In a magnificent chair car, luxuriously furnished and upholstered, a liveried porter raised the windows and adjusted screens, turned on an electric fan, offered me the latest magazines and papers fresh from the press, placed a footstool at my feet and a cushion at my back. My safety was provided for by double tracking and unseen but perfectly trained employees, but neither the reading matter in my lap, the comfort of my surroundings, nor the always charming scenery from the car window, could drive from my thoughts the quaint old railroad; and when I came back to Lexington in the fall, in my eager desire to know more about it, I immediately began my research which has grown into this history of

"A Pioneer Railway of the West."

MAUDE WARD LAFFERTY.

The first locomotive engine in the world was built just one hundred years ago by George Stephenson and used at Newcastle, England, at the Killingworth Colliery.

The Stockton and Darlington Railway, about thirty-eight miles in length, was operating a locomotive driven by Stephenson, with a signalman on horseback, in advance, in 1825. The passenger coach in this instance was named the "Experiment," and carried six persons inside and from fifteen to twenty persons outside. But it was the year 1829, which became famous in the annals of railways, not only for the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester line, but for the invention and construction of the first high speed locomotive of the standard modern type. Robert Stephenson's engine, "The Rocket," was made under competition for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway and it gained the prize of five hundred pounds for lightness, power and speed, awarded by the directors.

FIRST RAILROADS AND LOCOMOTIVES IN THE UNITED STATES.

The newspapers of that period were filled with the wonderful "performance" of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway and the people of the United States, as well as those of Great Britain, became interested in the question of railroad transportation. As early as 1828 charters were obtained in several Eastern States and railroad companies organized.

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 Honesdale, Pennsylvania. This locomotive was built at Stourbridge, England, and made its trial trip in August, 1829.

KENTUCKY'S FIRST RAILROAD.

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 Kentucky."

Digressing a moment here, it must be remembered that Brennan's Tavern, which plays so conspicuous a part in this history of the railroad, was none other than the famous old Postlethwaite's Tavern, known to us as the Phoenix Hotel, which has been making history for Lexington since 1800. At this particular time it was leased and conducted by Mr. Brennan, and so took his name for the time being.

In the next issue of the Reporter, February 10th, 1830, we find: "Agreeable to the notice published in our last, the subscription books for stock in this company were opened on Monday last, and before two o'clock p.m., the amount of stock subscribed was for 4,000. We have procured the following list of the names of the subscribers with the sums subscribed by each respectively, which we publish by way of showing to those who are yet in doubt as to the practicability and policy of this work, how the subject is viewed by men of practical experience."

Then follows a list of twenty-two subscribers.

P. S.--At the closing of the books at two p.m. on Tuesday, the following additional subscriptions had been taken."

"Which makes a total amount of 0,800; 0,000 being all that is necessary to vest corporate rights.

CONSTRUCTION.

The succeeding newspapers published a great deal on construction, and when it is remembered that all of it was experimental at that time, it will be interesting to note that the Lexington and Ohio Railroad Company, patterned most closely after the English models, undertaking, however, to improve upon them by the use of our native limestone sills which they believed to be indestructible and found, to their sorrow, to be most perishable.

In the issue of March 30th, 1831, the Reporter makes an interesting calculation, proving in dollars and cents the value of the prospective railroad. It says: "It appears by a statement of the performance on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway that an engine has transported 142 tons of freight 180 miles in one day, making six trips between the two towns, and that on the next day, the steam engine travelled 120 miles with similar loads. The transportation of 142 tons in 180 miles is equivalent to the conveyance of one ton 4620 miles. Now, if as it is stated, the cost of fuel, oil, attendance and all other charges requisite to the operations of a Locomotive Engine be only a day, it follows that when once a Rail Road is completed and all its machinery prepared for operations 4620 tons may be transported one mile for .00, or 100 tons one mile for 12-3/4 cents. When these results are applied to our own road it will be seen that estimating ten barrels of flour for a ton, the transportation of 100 barrels 100 miles would cost 106-1/4 cents. 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 transportation. 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 Road."

"Our Stockholders" pushed the work on "our Rail Road" with all speed; the engineer submitted his report, and from the Kentucky Reporter, September 1st, 1830, we find: "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 results:

That part of the road from Lexington to Villa Grove, six miles west of Lex. was known as the "first division"; from Villa Grove to Frankfort was designated "second division."

Mr. Kneass, the chief engineer, submitted "a grade table and a table exhibiting the length of straight line, length of curve and radius of curvature" to the Directors on October 14th, 1831.

John Holburn and Company were employed to furnish stone rail sills at 37-1/2 cents per perch.

On April 20th, 1831, The Reporter, which by the way, was known as "Mr. Clay's organ," gives a most entertaining description of a Directors meeting. It says:

After much discussion it was

The Trustees of the town of Lexington later took ,000 worth of stock.

At last the great day arrived for the laying of the first rail stone, and the Lexington Observer of October 28th, 1831, gives a brilliant description of this most momentous occurrence. 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 Lexington. The Observer says:

LAYING FIRST RAIL STONE.

"Agreeable to the arrangements published in our last paper the ceremony of Laying the First Rail Stone of the Lexington and Ohio Rail Road, was performed in the presence of a large concourse of citizens and strangers on Saturday last.

At 11 o'clock the three Military Companies which formed the escort marched from their place of rendezvous to the College lawn, where they were met by the various societies and individuals named in the order of the Marshal. The procession was then formed in the following order--

Col. Leslie Combs, Marshall, with J. B. Coleman, Esq., on horseback.

Maj. Gen. Pendleton and Staff, on horseback.

Field Officers and Staff, on horseback.

Officers of the Line--on foot.

Capt. Hunt's Artillery, in Platoons.

Gov. Metcalfe, supported by Prof. Caldwell, Orator of the Day, and Rev. N. H. Hall--Officiating Clergyman.

Judges Underwood and Buckner--Court of Appeals.

Judge Hickey, Fayette Circuit Court.

Hon. R. M. Johnson, R. P. Letcher, T. A. Marshall, Members of Congress.

Several Members of the Kentucky Legislature.

Capt. T. A. Russell--Ass't. Marshal.

President and Directors Lexington and Ohio R. R. Co.

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