Proceedings of the American Society of Civil Engineers Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1876 edition. Excerpt: ...well done except it was first done in England. They considered it preposterous for an American to talk of an eight-wheeler, but I kept on and finally succeeded in building the first one, Considerations of economy aided me, in that I tried to save by making the body of the locomotive carry the whole structure. I built the boiler with a central fire and fiues on both sides, which was a nice, but you will not say, a very judicious arrangement. I was obliged to use pitch pine wood as fuel, which speedily choked my fiues, and caused me many an anxious hour. If my fiues had been of proper diameter--or I had known of Th0cko's blast-pipe, the boiler could have been a successful steammaking machine. I asserted that eight and tenwheel locomotives would be the life of the road, and I was right--since then we have them and how many more wheels will be attached I am unable to say. In conclusion, permit me to say to young engineers, carefully record and keep all your ideas and plans; in forty years you will be glad to review the recollections of your early failures and successes. Mr. THOMAS F. Rowmmn--We have on several occasions been entertained with historical reminiscences by our venerable member, Mr. Allen. It is proper for the Society, and I make this motion, that he be requested to prepare a paper embodying his recollections of the early history of railroads, and 'the adoption of the locomotive in this country, for publication in the " Transactions." The motion was carried by acclamation. Mr. ALLE1: --'l'here is much in the history of the introduction of railroads in this country, and the use of steam-power on them--which was first done here--that is interesting. Not only did America not import its railroads, but it...