Locomotive Builder Mount Vernon Ohio

[NW Mailing List]

The name of the foundry at that time was C. & J. Cooper (brothers Charles and John).  They built the first wood burning locomotive west of the Allegheny mountains in 1853.  The panic of 1857 almost bankrupted them but they held on until the war and supplied engines to the northern army.  They gave up on locomotive engines soon after the war. 

George Corliss had developed a greatly improved stationary power steam engine.  In 1869, Cooper was the first to build this type engine in the West by hiring Corliss' chief engineer.  One of their engines generated electricity and steam heat at National Cash Register Co. in Dayton, OH continuously for 50 years without one failure.  They also built the first self-propelled farm tractor in 1875.  They stayed with steam engines for all sorts of applications until natural gas fired engines became practical.

This information was supplied by George Thacher, Centerburg, Oh.
Gene A.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: NW Mailing List 
  To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
  Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 7:21 PM
  Subject: Locomotive Builder Mount Vernon Ohio


  There was an iron foundry company in Mount Vernon, Ohio that 
  made wood fired locomotives starting around 1855.  There's a story that 
  one of the railroads that served Mount Vernon had not paid their bill for an 
  engine so the company president sent a crew to the depot to chain and 
  padlock the engine to the tracks the next time it stopped.  They bill was 
  promptly paid.  

  I was ask to see if anyone had any information or knowledge of this iron foundry in Mount Vernon, Ohio.
  Gene A.
  Gloucester, Va.



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