This picture from the 1940's shows the Leiper Covered Bridge in what is now Black Rock Park. This bridge stood right underneath the current Sproul Bridge on Rt. 320 aka Sproul Rd. The Leiper railway ran right next to this bridge.
The Leiper Railroad, Pennsylvania's first
In the year 1790 Thomas Leiper and John Wall, wealthy and
respected citizens of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, supported by a petition
from the stone cutters and masons of Philadelphia, brought before a meeting of
the Assembly, a project for the construction of a canal, along Crum Creek in
Ridley Township for the purpose of completing a navigable communication between
Leiper’s quarries on Crum Creek and the Delaware River, a distance of little
over a mile. Mr. Leiper also desired the
privilege of cutting a canal from the flowing of tide in Crum Creek to
McIlvain’s mill dam, in order to cheapen the cost of transportation of his stone
from the quarries to tide water.
The
mechanics were all of the opinion that Mr. Leiper’s stone was the best ever
produced in the neighborhood of the city and that the building of a canal would
be of the greatest advantage to the general public. At the next meeting of the Delaware County
Assembly, when it was supposed by Mr. Leiper and his friends that the measure
would be passed and permission granted for the immediate construction of his
proposed canal, it was unfortunately met with the greatest opposition by John
and Isaac McIlvain.
Upon examination the topography
of the proposed canal, we very naturally see the reason for the remonstrance on
the part of the McIlvains. Mr. Leiper
wished to enlarge into a canal, the old mill race, which led from McIlvain’s to
Leiper’s mills, the latter standing just below the big road, passing through the
town of Ridley, now Leiperville. IN
justice to Mr. Leiper, however, it must be said that the McIlvains were not
entirely dependent upon the race for their motive power.
Others
thought Mr. Leiper’s enlarged views were in advance of the age in which he
lived, and his scheme was considered visionary and ruinous, and the law which
he solicited was refused. Mr. Leiper
thus foiled in his favorite plan, afterwards universally acknowledged to have
been expedient and wise, began to look around for some other means by which he
could transport his material, but it was not until 180-9 that his scheme for
constructing a tramway was first proposed, as a means of connection between his
quarries and tide water in Ridley Creek, and this railway will ever be
distinguished as the first ever built in America.
HIS
FIRST ESTIMATE – In May 1809, Leiper made an estimate for a railway
three-quarters of a mile long. He
figured accurately the cost of that distance of railroad to be built of wood
and found it to amount to, including the survey, about $1,592. While cherishing this project, he wished to
see, however, before carrying his plan into execution, whether the idea was a
feasible one or not. He therefore
employed a millwright from Scotland, named Somerville, to lay a temporary track
in the yard of the Old Bull’s Head Tavern.
Second Street north of Poplar Lane, Philadelphia, and the experiment as
described in “The Aurora” September 27, 1809, gives us the following
interesting account:
“We
have the pleasure to inform the lovers of domestic improvements that a satisfactory
experiment at which we were present was lately made in this city, by Mr. Thomas
Leiper of the great utility of railways for the conveyance of heavy burdens - an improvement which a few years ago was introduced into
England – as in many cases a cheap and valuable substitute for canals. In the above experiment a railway was laid of
two parallel courses of oak scantling, about four feet apart, supported on
blocks or sleepers about eight feet from each other. On this railway which had an ascent of 1 ½
inches in a yard or 2.22 a single horse, under the disadvantage of a pat of
loose earth to walk on hauled up a four wheeled carriage, loaded with the
enormous weight of 95 ½ hundred weight, or 10,696 pounds.
Mr.
Leiper was entirely satisfied with the results of this his first experiment,
and began at once to push forth the plans he had inaugurated and had the
following advertisements printed:
RAILWAY
“I wish to contract for the
digging part of a railway from my quarries on Crum Creek to my landing on
Ridley, the distance and level has been accurately ascertained by Mr. Reading
Howell, engineer; the distance is exactly three-fourths of a mile and an
accurate statement of the quantity of digging required, may be seen from the
plot in my possession, calculated by Mr. Howell. I also wish to contract for
the making and laying the rail part of the same, consisting of wood, a specimen
of which as furnished by Messrs. Large and Winpenny, may be seen by applying to
them at their manufactory adjoining the Bull’s Head on Second Street in the
Northern Liberties. The scantling for
the above will be furnished on the ground.
I wish to progress in this work immediately.
For more
particular information apply to:
GEORGE G. LEIPER on the
premises of THOMAS LEIPER, Tobacconist, No. 274 Market Street, September 27,
1809.
LABORERS WANTED
Leipers’s
Snuff Mills
On
Crum Creek, Oct 28th 1809
I have
contracted with Thomas Leiper for the digging part of his railway, from his
stone quarries on Crum Creek to his landing on Ridley Creek. The work is now progressing, which I find to
be a very easy process, for three yoke of oxen, which I am to have the use of
for the whole of the contract from that circumstance nothing but shovels will
be required for three-fourths of the way.
Laborers who wish to engage will please to apply to
JOHN
BRYCE on the premises
November
1st, 1809
THE
ROUTE
The
draft of the road was made by John Thompson and the work of building and
grading was finished early in the spring of 1810. It began on the south bank of Crum Creek,
opposite the old saw mill at Avondale and terminated near the hand of Ridley
Creek near. Irwin’s factory, at that
time the property of the late Pierce Crosby.
The ascents were graded inclined planes, and the superstructure was made
of white oak with cross ties and string pieces.
The road
was built upon an ascending grade of 167.2 perch at a rise of a little of ¾ of
an inch to the yard to a dividing summit, thence it descended 87.4 perch at
about 1/34 inch to the yard, thence to the terminus 79.65 perch, at about 1 ½
inches to the yard. The entire length 33
¼ perches, ore one mile 14 ¼ perches.
The total rise was about 63 feet.
The total descent from 5 or 6 feet more.
The wheels of the cars and trucks were made of cast iron and flanges.
The road
after it was finished in 1810 continued in use until 1823, when it was
superseded by a canal, after the plan first made by Mr. Leiper but not carried
into effect until three years after his death, when his son the Hon. George
Gray Leiper, concluded the work which had always been nearest and dearest to
his father’s heart. The cornerstone of
the first lock of the canal was laid by William Strickland, a celebrated
architect and engineer on August 16, 1828.
A UNIQUE
CEREMONY – The sight at the corner stone laying was a very unique one, about
11:30 on the morning of the occurrence, a procession moved toward the canal
lock, to see the grand ceremony performed.
The scene was novel as well as interesting to the citizens of Delaware
County, as well as visitors from Philadelphia, and the event was one to be
hailed by future generations and the beginning of a glorious and enterprising
epoch, especially to that section of the country.
The
large concourse of ladies and gentlemen present who had assembled from the city
and neighboring villages to witness the beautiful sight gave an interest to the
ceremony truly grand and imposing. Among
the group of ladies was to be seen Mrs. Elizabeth C. Leiper, the aged and amiable
consort of him, who had first projected this great work, who had lived to see
what was first suggested by her husband commenced by her eldest son, George
Gray Leiper.
ORIGINAL
RAILROAD MAN – Thomas Leiper may truly be demonstrated as the first inventor of
railways. With him originated the plan
for the construction of the first railway in America, and which was completed
in 1897. After the cornerstone was
properly adjusted by the engineer a short address was read by Prof. Patterson
of Philadelphia, a copy of which was put in a small bottle and deposited in the
cornerstone by one of the granddaughters of the venerable projector.
After
the close of the ceremony, the entire company was invited to the hospital
mansion of the Leipers, and partook of an excellent dinner, after which a
variety of toasts, applicable to the great work which had on that day been
christened, was drunk.
Immediately
at the close of this part of the ceremony amid the good wishes of a numerous
assemblage of friends and neighbors three hearty cheers were given by the spectators. The jovial bowl was then passed around and
several excellent toasts were drank upon the ground. The following sentiment was given by our
worthy fellow citizen Joseph Gibbons.
George Gray Leiper, one of the Keystones of Delaware County. He has just laid the first stone of the first
lock of the first canal in Delaware County.
May he live to reap the fruits of his great work which has this day been
commenced.
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