pleasure yesterday of
witnessing a successful experiment on the Rail Road with the new
Locomotive. Its performance justifies all our hopes. Two burthen cars
and the large passenger car filled with passengers were attached to the
engine. It moved off with great ease clearly indicating its ability to
perform all its requirements. 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 scheme. "We learn that the Locomotive made
the trip to the Villa, a distance of six miles, in a little over 20
minutes although badly provided with fuel."

* * * * *

The "success of the experiment" had an unfortunate set back, however,
for in the Observer and Reporter, January 24, 1835, is an account of
the _Accident_ which caused profound distress.

"We have carefully prepared from authentic information the following
account of the melancholy occurrences of yesterday. 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 others.

"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 (6 miles) and back with perfect safety and entire
success. This morning it performed the trip with one large Passenger
Coach containing some fifty or sixty passengers, and one burden Car
also loaded, attached to it, in 19 minutes going and about 22 minutes
returning without accident. This afternoon, 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 so, till finally while the
Locomotive was going at the rate of only about five or six miles per
hour, a negro boy, 11 or 12 years of age, the property of Mrs. Ross, on
attempting to jump on the fore part of the tender fell under it and was
crushed to death. No possible blame can attach to the Engineer as he
stopped the moment he saw the boy fall, but was too late.

He then came up slowly to the depot, both sides of the road being lined
by hundreds of anxious spectators, and at