The Railroads of the United States; Their History and Statistics Comprising the Progress and Present Condition of the Various Lines with Their Earnings and Expenses. to Which Are Added a Synopsis of the Railroad Laws of the United States, and an Article on the (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. THE ORIGIN OF RAILROADS IN RUSSIA. During the first few months after the opening of the first division of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, in 1830, the cars were drawn by horses and mules. Locomotive engines were not yet in use in England. It was at this time that a Mr. Thomas, of Baltimore, constructed a car, of which the propelling power consisted of sails. This car was called the Eolus, and it actually ran between Baltimore and Ellicott's Mills, propelled by the wind alone acting upon its sails. The Eolus had the honor, from time to time, of thus wafting on scientific excursions many passengers of distinction, Europeans as well as Americans. Among these, on one occasion, was the Baron Krudener, envoy to the United States from the Emperor of Russia, who made the trip in this novel land yacht, trimming the sails himself. On his return from the animating excursion, he expressed his lively gratification. He had never, he said, travelled so agreeably. Whereupon the President of the road, Philip E. Thomas, Esq., caused another car of this construction to be built, and fitted with the friction-wheels invented by Mr. Winans, of Baltimore. This car was presented to the Russian envoy, together with the several reports that had been published by the company. to be sentto the Emperor of Russia. In acknowledging this happy compliment, the envoy wrote: " The nature and importance of the great undertaking to which you have devoted your exertions, cannot fail of giving a high degree of interest to the documents relating to its origin and progress; and I do not doubt that his majesty will find them, as well as the ingeniously improved principle on which the railroad car is constructed, deserving of serious attention." A few days after this a letter was received from the envoy...