Only thirteen miles of the road had been finished.
The directors were about to give up the work.
There were many sharp turns in the track.
The directors were discouraged because they thought no engine could
be made to make those turns.
Mr. Cooper knew that this road would help his rolling mill.
Nothing could discourage him.
[Illustration: FIRST TRAIN IN AMERICA.]
He went to work and made the first locomotive made in America.
He attached a box-car to it.
Then he invited the directors to take a ride.
He took the place of engineer himself.
Away they flew over the thirteen miles in an hour.
The directors took courage, and the road was soon finished.
Years after, when Mr. Cooper had become a great man, he was invited
to visit Baltimore.
The old engine was brought out, much to the delight of the people,
who cheered again and again at sight of it.
Mr. Cooper soon built at Trenton, N.J., the largest rolling mill in
the United States.
He also built a large blast furnace, and steel and wire works in
different parts of Pennsylvania.
[Illustration: NEW YORK CENTRAL EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS. FASTEST
LOCOMOTIVE IN THE WORLD. "ENGINE 999."
Copyrighted by A.P. Yates, by permission of New York Central R.R.]
He bought the Andover iron mines.
He built eight miles of railroad in this rough country.
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