24 HISTORY OF THE GRANGE MOVEMENT; OR, 



In 1829 work was begun on the South Carolina Rail- 

 road, designed to connect Charleston with Hamburg, on 

 the Savannah River, opposite the City of Augusta, Ga. 

 Six miles of this road were completed from Charleston 

 before the close of the year. It is an interesting fact 

 that some time previous to the commencement of work 

 upon this road, the directors determined, under the 

 advice of their engineer, Mr. Horatio Allen, who was 

 convinced that horses could not draw cars over this 

 road with profit to the Company, to make a species of 

 horse locomotive "the motive power, and the road 

 was constructed in such a manner as to be wholly de- 

 pendent upon them, being built upon piles often at a 

 great height above the ground. The company offered 

 a premium of $500 for the best plan of horse locomotive, 

 and this was awarded to Mr. C. E. Detmold, afterward 

 of New York, who constructed one with the horse 

 working on an endless chain platform. It carried 

 twelve passengers at the rate of twelve miles per hour. 

 The same gentleman, in the winter of 1829-30, made 

 drawings of the first American steam locomotive, called 

 the ' Best Friend,' which was planned by Mr. E. L. 

 Miller, then residing in Charleston, made by the 

 Kernbles at their shop in West street, and placed on 

 the road late in the summer of 1830. It was a small 

 four-wheeled engine, with upright boiler and water flues 

 close at bottom, and the flame circulating around them. 

 It worked successfully for about two years, when it ex- 

 ploded, and was rebuilt with a flue boiler. Upon this 

 road, in 1831, was first introduced on any road, either 

 abroad or in the United States, the important arrange- 

 ment of two four-wheeled trucks for locomotives and 

 long passenger cars. These were built from plans de- 



