Mr. Stevens ordered the first joint fixtures also from an English
mill, at the same time. The ends of the rails were designed to rest
upon wrought iron plates or flat cast plates. The rails were connected
at the stems by an iron "tongue" five inches long, two inches wide,
and five-eighths of an inch thick. A rivet, put on hot, passing
through the stem of each rail near the ends of the bar, fastened it to
the tongue and completed the joint. A hole oblong in shape, to allow
for expunctral contraction, was punched in the stem at each end of the
rail.