Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 237, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 October 1916 — WAS FIRST AMERICAN LINE [ARTICLE]

WAS FIRST AMERICAN LINE

Ground Broken for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Some Eightyeight Years Ago. The first railroad, system in North America, the Baltimore and Ohio, had its beginning 88 years ago, when ground was broken at Baltimore. The fourth of July of that year was a memorable one in the Maryland metropolis, and all business was suspended, while men from all over the state took part in the parade. The ground-breaking ceremony was conducted by Charles CarrolT of Carrollton, the last survivor of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, who was then ninety-two years old. As he drove the spade into the earth the venerable statesman exclaimed: “I consider this among the most important acts of my life, second only to that of signing the Declaration of Independence, If second even to that.” The city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland each contributed half a million dollars toward the construction of the railroad. Horses were used at first to draw the cars, and the first American-built locomotive was constructed by Peter Cooper for this line. The railroad was a development of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal company. which in turn had its origin In the Potomac company, of which Washington was the first president.