y enough, the
locomotive, 'Old Ironsides,' was built by Mr. M. W. Baldwin, whose name
has since become celebrated as the founder of the Baldwin Locomotive
Works. In 1832, however, the Baldwin locomotive was quite a different
product from the present-day magnificently constructed steam engine.
This initial attempt at locomotive building was a queer little engine
with wheels so light that unless there was plenty of ballast aboard it
was impossible to keep it on the track; and besides that, the poor wee
thing could not get up steam enough to start itself and in consequence
Mr. Baldwin and some of his machinists were obliged to give it a violent
push whenever it set out and then leap aboard when it was under way in
order to weigh it down and keep it on the track."

"Imagine having to hold an engine down!" ejaculated Steve, with
amusement.

"The story simply goes to prove how much in the making locomotives
really were," Mr. Tolman said. "And not only did this toy engine have to
be started by a friendly push, but it was too feeble to generate steam
fast enough to keep itself going after it was once on its way. Therefore
every now and then the power would give out and Mr. Baldwin and his men
would be forced to get out and run along beside the train, pushing it as
they went that it might keep up its momentum until a supply of steam
could again be acquired. Can you ask for anything more primitive than
that?"

"It certainly makes one realize the progress locomotive builders have
made," the boy replied, with gravity.

"It certainly does," agreed his father. "Think how Baldwin and his men
must have struggled first with one difficulty and then with another;
think how they must have experimented and worked to perfect the tiny
engine with which they began! It was the conquering of this multitude of
defects that gave to the world the intricate, exquisitely made machine
which at this very minute is pulling you and me into New York."

There was an interval of silence during which Stephen glanced out at the
flying panorama framed by the window.

"Where was New England all this time?" demanded he, with jealous
concern. "Didn't Massachusetts do anything except build the old granite
road at Quincy?"

"Railroads, for various reasons, were not popular in Massachusetts,"
returned his father. "As usual New England was conservative and was
therefore slow in waking up to the importance of steam transportation.
Boston was on the coast, you