 Tonight, the DuPont Company brings you the Iron Horse, starring Robert Young and Walter Brennan on The Cavalcade of America. Good evening, everyone. Tonight, the DuPont Cavalcade of America begins its 13th season on the air. We're sure it's going to be one of its best seasons, too. We've been working hard during the summer to arrange for your favorite stars to appear on our programs, and we've uncovered many new and exciting dramatic stories of the people who made our country the great country that it is today. We hope that you will continue to keep in touch with us by mail, this year as you have in so many years in the past. And we hope that you'll be with us every Monday evening when the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry, presents the DuPont Cavalcade of America. The Iron Horse, starring Robert Young as Peter Cooper and Walter Brennan as Harris on The Cavalcade of America. You Peter Cooper? Yes, that's my name. You registered here at my inn, didn't you? If it's your inn, yes. It's mine all right, and I don't want you here, mister, even for a minute. What's the matter with you? What did I do? It ain't what you did, it's where you come from. Now, you can finish this up as soon as you're done. Get out and stay out. It's the year 1826. Puzzled by the innkeepers, apparently causeless enmity, Peter Cooper finds him tending his horses in the stables at the rear of the inn. I've been looking for you. Oh, it's you. Yes, it's me. I want to know what I've done to be thrown out of your inn, mister. The name is Harris, if it's any of your business, but it ain't. Now, I'm busy in it. Not too busy to give me an explanation. I told you to get. I'll stay right here until I know what this is all about. Well, you're from New York, ain't you? Well, what's that got to do with it? Everything. You and your eerie canal. Now it's the eerie canal. That's right. Look ahead, mister Cooper. I told you I don't want you or anybody else from New York staying at my inn, and I meant it. And I meant it when I said I'd stay here till I got an explanation. All right. Look at there. Right over there is the Western Stagecoach Road. It runs straight to the Great National Road and on over the mountains to the Ohio River. What of it? Just this. The traffic on that road was the lifeblood of Baltimore. For years, ships put in at our harbor to bring supplies to go by stagecoach over that road. Travelers, too. All going wet. You see any here tonight? No, but I don't. And you ain't going to see any of this. Stay here for a year because your eerie canal's robbed us of our trade and robbed me of my business. Oh, that's ridiculous. Yeah, you can laugh, but I can't. You see these horses of mine? Every one of them in the stable. Not a one-rended. My coach is rusting and rotten because nobody uses them anymore. No. Everybody's got to go by the eerie canal. Oh, then this is a personal feud between you, New York, and the eerie canal. Everybody in Baltimore feels the same way. Now I got no time to talk to you anymore. And if you ain't gone by the time I get back, I'll throw you out myself. You got just about a half hour. I heard my father in New York. Oh, your father? Yes. Please don't mind him. Well, I don't like being thrown out of places for no reason. Your father thinks everyone from New York is to blame. I see. Alice. Oh, in here, John. John, this is Mr. Peter Cooper. This is my husband, John Stockton. How are you, Mr. Cooper? Fine. Just a little bewildered. What about? Oh, it was father again, John. Mr. Cooper's from New York. Oh, I don't seem to be welcome here, but I've got to stay the night in Baltimore. Here? Oh, I don't think so. Is there another in nearby? Well, there's one about four miles down the road. I'm going that way. I'll give you a ride. Thanks very much. What? Mr. Cooper. Yes? When you register there, it'd be better if you didn't say where you're from. Cooper. Morning. Surprised to see me still in Baltimore? Yeah, a little. You don't like New Yorkers here, do you? Well, it's not New York. It's the canal. It's taken your trade away, too? It sure has. Time was when I had more work than I could handle. Two men working for me. Too bad. I see you're using Cooper's glue. Uh-huh. It's good stuff, and it all... Cooper. You? Yes, I invented it. I used to be a coachmaker myself. Wow. Well, sit down, Cooper. Thanks. You, uh, aren't very busy, are you? Oh, I could walk out of my shop right now and never be missed. John, I've been thinking about you people and your problem. You're doing anything about it? Well, what can we do? It costs ten times more to ship my horses and coaches than by the canal. We can't lower our rates anymore without operating at a dead loss. Look, uh, I've just bought a tract of land nearby. I want to build an ironworks. So I've got a stake here, too? Yeah. Yeah, I guess you have, Mr. Cooper. All right, there must be some solution. What are you people in Baltimore doing about it? Oh, well, we have meetings almost every week. Matter of fact, there's one tonight. Merchants, shippers, stable owners. Take me along. You really want to go? You bet I do, John. You see, Baltimore's problem is mine, too, now. Gentlemen! I want to present to the citizen of Baltimore his just returned from travel to England. He has some observations I think will be important to him. Mr. Revan Thomas. Uh, what impressed me most in England was my visit to the coal mines. As you know, in time past, it was very expensive to move coal from the mines to the nearest docks, sometimes miles away. Then an idea came. They began to lay down two strips of wood called rails, all the way from the mines to the docks. These rails are sometimes covered with a strip of iron, and the coal wagons roll over them. The wagon wheels are so made that they cannot slip off the rails. What's the purpose of all this? My dear sir, this device so reduces friction that one horse, instead of pulling just one wagon, can pull at one time six, seven, or even eight heavy wagon loads of coal. Now in one part of England, they have begun to carry passengers in the same way. So why can't Baltimore's problem be solved by building, straight across the mountains into Ohio, a road of rails to carry people and goods to and from the Great West? Mr. Thomas. Yes, Mr. Thomas. Would relays of horses be stationed all along these rails? Of course, yes, at regular relay points. Mr. Thomas. Yes? My name is Cooper, Peter Cooper. Would such a road of rails be able to compete with the Erie Canal if it has the expense of maintaining relays of horses? Well, as an alternative, I've heard it suggested that sails might be mounted on our cars. We might even move them by wind power. But haven't the English experimented successfully with steam engines for pulling the cars? True, but Mr. George Stevenson, who last year built such an engine, has been quoted as saying that they cannot possibly go uphill or around curbs. Now, as we know, our railways must cut through deep gorges and circle around great mountains. So I'm afraid Mr. Stevenson's bellowing monster is not for us. Besides, Mr. Thomas, many people in Baltimore, such as my father-in-law, have great investments in horses. If horses can be used on this new type of road, so much the better. Yes, I think so. Oh, has the railroad become? Yes, the Baltimore and Ohio, they call it. Seven miles are open with horses pulling the cars. From Baltimore to Vinegar Hill, double track. Oh, wonderful. And only three years since those first discussions, they've worked hard. But every mile is costing more than they expected. Unforeseen obstacles, increased wages. They're out of funds again and levy new assessment. Oh, dear the baby. Did you sick? No, just soiled. She wants the cradle locked. And a music box turned on. Both at once? Of course, both at once. See? Here, dear, you rock. I have some shopping to do. Well, now wait, I was working. I can't sit here. What were you going to say? Look, the cylinder on the box goes around. I'll just attach a lever to it, and it's to the cradle. What are you talking about? A combination music box and cradle rocker. When she cries, turn the lever. Music plays, it's going to turn, and the cradle rocks at the same time. You're the laziest man in the world. You want to get around something, you invent a... Well, it's something that does it for you. Necessity is the motive of it. Hey, wait a minute. Invent something. Sure, why not? No, I... Look, maybe they were false in Stevenson's engine. Now, suppose I sat down and designed one of my own. Then went back to Baltimore and talked to the board of directors. What they won't listen, Peter? I've built one that will go up hills and around curves. They'll have to consider it. Because it's their only chance to make a go of that railroad. But gentlemen, all I ask is the chance to prove I'm right. No, no, Mr. Cooper. It would take time. Too much time. If you keep on the way you're going, you'll be bankrupt in no time. Three years should have convinced you that horses aren't the answer. But suppose your engine proves a failure. Then we've wasted time and money in a useless effort. I've got my own plans. I'm willing to risk some of my own money. I'm willing to go ahead under those conditions. Why aren't you? Well... If you don't try, you'll never know. And sooner or later, someone else will do it. Then you'll realize what you've missed. Mr. Cooper, how long would it take you to build this engine of yours? Maybe a year, perhaps less. We've got no choice, gentlemen. I say let Mr. Cooper build his engine, and we'll give it a try. But if it doesn't work, Stevenson's engine in England has fall. I think I've got them leaked. Gentlemen, you'll get your engine, and it'll work. Well, glad to see you again, Mr. Cooper. Sit down. Thanks, John. Not much doing is there. No, no, for a while the railroad helped. But look, John, I've just come from the board of directors. They've given me permission to build a steam engine. Oh, so that's why you came back? Partly. Most of all, because I don't want to see a city die because a few people stand in the way of progress. Now, you didn't come to my shop to tell me that, Mr. Cooper. Why did you come? Well, I think you can guess. You want to work here? That's it. Build my engine in your shop. It can't be done. Because of Harris? My father-in-law. You've got to look at it this way, John. It mustn't be one man against the city, one man's selfishness against progress. Our country wasn't built that way, and it can't live that way. If the railroad fails, you'll be back where you were three years ago, fighting the Erie Canal with no success. With a steam engine, you'll have a chance. Well, of course. That depends on whether the engine works or not. Well, I'm willing to put up my own money. I don't see how I can agree, Mr. Cooper. Look at your shop. The coach is sitting around. John, if the railroad fails, Harris will fail too. His horses will stand idle anyway, don't you see that? I think you're right, Mr. Cooper. All right, I'll risk it. Good. Now, here are my plans. Look here, my idea for a high-pressure steam cylinder that'll give the power we need. You see, Stevenson's engine didn't have enough power to pull up hill. Father, I had to come over. Anything wrong? No. We haven't seen you in weeks, months. Well, I've been getting along all right. Why do you stay away? You know why. Because John's helping Mr. Cooper. Well, that's enough, ain't it? But John believes him. That's his business. And if I see fit not to talk to him, that's my business. If you'd only listen... Alice, I'm awful glad you come over to see me. But don't want to hear anything about either of them, too. Don't be stubborn, please. Stubborn? Am I being stubborn because I don't hold with what they're doing? If you'd only talk to Mr. Cooper. Shut up! Father. Oh, you made me say that. Mentioning Cooper's name around here, you know what him and John are doing to me? Putting me out of business. What they're doing is for everyone's good. Good? How can it be good when me and men like me will be ruined? But you shouldn't think that way. Well, I do. And while you're here, let me tell you something. Maybe Cooper talked his way around the board of directors. But I ain't had all my say yet. Father, please, there's nothing you can do. Stop by. I ain't started. So he's going to try out that engine next month, is he? Well, let him. And when Mr. Peter Cooper takes that, that mechanical monster out on the rails, the board will think different of him and his iron horse. You are listening to Robert Young and Walter Brennan in the Iron Horse on the Cavalcade of America, sponsored by the DuPont Company. Maker of better things for better living through chemistry. As the second part of our story opens, we're on a hill outside Baltimore. It is the summer's day in 1830. The day Peter Cooper's engine is being tested on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Small, so small, it was called the Tom Thumb. The little engine pussed its trampin' way up the hill around the curve, pulling cars and witcher passengers and the board of directors. The cars are gay with bunting and screamers. The excitement of the crowd along the way mounts as the Tom Thumb goes into the last few yards of its successful trial run. Then, with the last victorious chuck, the engine pulls to a stop. Cooper is surrounded by people who want to shake his hand. Congratulations. Fine work, Mr. Cooper. Thank you. Give John Stockton credit. He kept the fire hot. It was miraculous. Why, Mr. Cooper, do you know we made the last mile in just over four minutes? It's really a miracle. It's wonderful. Wonderful. What's wonderful about it? It don't prove nothing. Mr. Harris, I didn't think you'd be here. Well, Harris, what have you got to say now? You think one of your horses could have pulled that load? Because the Tom Thumb made it this far ain't no reason to believe it'll hold it. We saw what it can do. Sure, sure, once, but can you depend on it? Like you've done horses for so many years. Ah, look here, Harris. You look. You all know me as one of Sir Baltimore for many years. Is that right? Of course. No one's saying anything again. All right. Then I've got a right to be heard. I've got a right to say, ain't I? Is that right? Well, what is it? What I want to say is to Mr. Cooper. Listen, Mr. Cooper. Yes, of course. Well, I challenge you to erase back to Baltimore. The Tom Thumb against my best horse pulling the same load on a joint in track. But wait a minute. Afraid? Certainly not. The Tom Thumb's new. This is its first trip. Ain't you got faith in what you built yourself? It's not a question of faith. There may be faults. Yeah, you're afraid it'll break down. Mr. Thomas. If Mr. Cooper's afraid of the race, I say the engine's no good for the railroad. Well, what do you say, Mr. Cooper? I... all right. Give me time to refuel, Mr. Harris and his horse. I don't think that's as smart, Mr. Cooper. We did have a little trouble with the blower, don't we? I couldn't back down anyway. Just keep your eyes on that belt. Oh, we should have had more time to do a good job on the belt and the shack. I know, but we promised to test today... Gentlemen, both ready now? I guess this is it, yes. I'm ready, sir. Mr. Harris, you ready? Any time, Mr. Cooper is. All right. Line up even now. Ready? Time, Mr. Cooper. I know, it's sort of weak. Hey, he's getting pretty far ahead already. You're the way to hit the hill. You'll slow down, we'll pass it. I'm precious about ready to come through. Keep your eyes on that blower belt, John. Look, he's at the front of the hill already. No horse can take that hill in a gallop. Don't worry, we'll pass it halfway up. That's what we're waiting for. There goes the safety valve. Now, let this go. Stealing on it pays. Slow down to a walk on that hill. We're pulling up to him. Keep the fire hot, John. Keep it hot. He hasn't got a chance now. Say, how about cutting down on the steam, Mr. Cooper? No, don't cut it at all. If he wants a race, we'll make it a good one. Well, we must be doing better in 15 miles an hour. John, the blower belt, it's flipped off. No, don't touch it. We'll carry your hands to ribbons. Let it go. And set the brakes. We'll smash up if we keep going. The brakes, John. Put them on. Maybe we can fix it, Mr. Cooper. No chance, John. The blower shaft's flipped. We'll have to be pulled in. Look. You had it, false gentleman. The horse didn't break down. Mr. Harris, I... The Tom Tom showed what it can do. I'll make that shaft stronger. More time, more work, more money wasted. Mr. Tom Tom... Now, look here. We're going to have just a minute, both of you. Now, you have points. Good one. But we've already made up our minds. You see, we feel that the horse is a splendid animal. It served us long and well. And it'll go right on doing the same thing. Just a minute, Harris. We also feel that the breed of horses isn't likely to improve. While that is a steam engine is, we've decided to put steam engines on the Baltimore and Ohio. Oh. Thank you, sir. You... I... Excuse me. It is to say that, but... Well, Mr. Cooper... Excuse me. I'll be back in a moment. Come with me, John. Sure, Mr. Cooper. Mr. Harris. Mr. Harris, just a moment. Father, wait. Get away from me. Please, Mr. Harris, why must you take this as a personal combat? Get your hand off of my arm. Ah, let's shake hands and... I'm an older man, Mr. Cooper, but you better get your hand off of my arm quickly. Father, would you please lift... You shut up! I don't ever want to see you again. Oh, that's foolish. Why take it out on John? Because I worked in his shop. Mr. Cooper, you beat me today, but there's one thing you can't do, and that's tell me what I should do. I said I don't want to see John no more ever. Both of you, stay away from me. I'm... It's all right, Mr. Cooper. That's the last thing I would have wanted to happen. I won, but I guess we both lost, John. What about? Oh, this takes me back to the Tom Thumb Baltimore. I was thinking about Harris and what his horse has meant to him. Oh, I see. You hated doing that to him, didn't you? I did. But it was one man against progress, and that must never be done. I didn't want to hurt him or anyone else. I was right, wasn't I? Of course you were. Why don't you go back and see him? I will. I'm a couple of years when he's had time to get over this. I'll go back and see him. And we'll see what the engine will have done in that time for him and everyone else. Thank you, John. I see you're here at the inn. All right now? Two years make a big difference, Mr. Cooper. That and a grand. Good. Excuse me, I want to see him. Hello, Mr. Harris. Good evening, sir. Well, Mr. Cooper. How are you? You here. Won't you sit down, please? Thanks. I wasn't sure I'd be welcome. Well, I don't blame you for feeling that way, but, well, would you take an old man's hand and his thanks? Of course. You know, I've been hoping you'd come back to see all this. Things seem pretty busy. Yeah, I've been like this ever since the railroad began, picking them up. In a night when the inn ain't full, travelers heading west. What about your horses? Oh, I sold them. All but one. You remember him, Mr. Cooper? The big gray. Oh, yes, the race. Yeah. I still got him. The rest are out west where they're needed. I'll change, you know, Mr. Cooper. Yes, I do. Mr. Cooper. Yes? You know, I'm glad you came back for another reason. I've been wanting you to explain something. I will if I can. What is it? Why did you from New York work to help Baltimore? You must have had more investments in New York where the Erie Canal was. Oh, it was never New York against Baltimore, Mr. Harris. Because this is one country. What helps one helps all. America's prosperity isn't secure when one part of the country's sick. It's just together. Canals, roads, and railroads, they spread wealth over the nation. Open up the country. It's a new country growing, Mr. Harris, and it's a new life for all of us. Speaking for DuPont, it was nearly a century ago that Peter Cooper sent the Tom Thumb hurtling down the Baltimore and Ohio tracks at the breathtaking speed of 15 miles an hour. Our modern trains attain speeds of 100 miles an hour, or better. New improvements for passenger comfort are appearing every day. Last week, for instance, the D&O announced that its passengers can telephone to almost any place in the world from the comfort of their fast-moving trains. At about the same time that Peter Cooper was making railroad history, a man by the name of Matthew Brady was photographing other important events and public figures of his day. And even before Brady, there were other photographers and good ones too. You'd think that all the improvements in photography that could be possibly made would have been made long before now, but so inventive, so productive is this marvelous age of science in which we live that almost every phase of our daily living is being constantly improved. In the field of photography, every year sees new lenses for cameras, new films, new printing papers, and improvements in the cameras themselves. In fact, that is one of the main reasons why the Photographers Association of America is holding its 56th annual convention in Chicago next week to discuss new things which have come out since last year. Many of the nation's leading professional photographers will be there for just that purpose. One new product with which they will become acquainted is an improved printing paper developed by research chemists of the New France Company. It is trademarked under Veltura warm-tone projection paper. You and I, when we go to a professional photographer to have our portraits made, don't know much about the technical part of the job. When the camera clicks, that's only the first step in a long, complicated procedure necessary for a good portrait. Much depends on the printing paper. The print must show good contrast between light and shadow. It must give clear detail. And last but not least, as a professional portrait, it must somehow convey the warm, friendly feeling of the human personality, your personality. This is what our DuPont laboratories have accomplished in the new Veltura projection paper. If you're an amateur photographer, you will want to try Veltura for your own home darkroom printing. Its perfected warm tone will enhance the quality of your contact print and produce enlargement of striking beauty. The best-improved Defender Veltura photographic paper is a development of the DuPont company of Wilmington, Delaware, makers of better things for better living through chemistry. Cavalcade stars John Hodiak playing the part of Alf Balding, baseball's first celebrity in a great fourth story entitled The Red Stockings. The following Monday, September 1st, you will hear Lee Bowman in Mission to Cuba, an exciting account of an intelligence officer who delivered one of the most famous messages in American military history. The night of September 8th, the DuPont company will present Kitchen Scientist, the true life story of Fanny Farmer. Remember, next week, August 25th, over this same NBC station, John Hodiak in The Red Stockings on The Cavalcade of America. The music for the DuPont Cavalcade is composed and conducted by Robert Armbruster. Tonight's Cavalcade was written by Eric Barno. Robert Young may now be seen in the RKO picture Crossfire. Walter Brennan may soon be seen in the 20th Century Fox picture, Summer Lightning. In the cast with Robert Young and Walter Brennan were Bob Bailey, Barbara Eiler, Peggy Weber, Ken Peters, Frances X Bushman, Joseph Bell, and Gary Hausner. This is Frank Bingman inviting you to listen next week to The Red Stockings, starring John Hodiak on The Cavalcade of America, brought to you by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. The DuPont Cavalcade of America came to you from Hollywood. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.