The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Marsh, Sylvester

MARSH, Sylvester, American engineer: b. Campton, N. H., 30 Sept. 1803; d. Concord, N. H., 30 Dec 1884. In 1826 he established a provision business in Boston, in 1833 in Chicago and from 1837 was in the grain trade at Chicago. He originated the meat-packing industry and is regarded as one of the founders of Chicago. From 1864 he resided in New Hampshire. On 25 June 1858, he obtained a charter for a railway to the summit of Mount Washington, a project deemed so impossible that he was called &ldquo;crazy Marsh.&rdquo; The railway, 2.81 miles long, with an ascent of 3,625 feet, was completed in July 1869. The chief feature in the operation of the road is a central cog-rail. The principle proved so practicable that literally hundreds of similar railways have been constructed on the sides of famous mountains all over the world.