Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. I, Part 102

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co.
Number of Pages: 1452

USA > Kentucky > Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. I > Part 102

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By the second act, that of Dec. 19, 1793, commissioners were appointed to raise-by subscriptions of money, labor, or property-a fund for clearing and -opening the navigation of the South fork of Licking, from its mouth (at Fal- mouth) to the junction of Hinkston, and Stoner, and also that of Stoner's fork, as high as the mouth of Strode's creek. On the latter stream, the mills or mill-dams then erected should not be removed or pulled down ; but the owners thereof should, by Dec., 1801, build sufficient locks and slopes for , the passage of all boats that may navigate the said forks. By two subsequent amended acts, the latest being Dec. 18, 1798, the first lottery in aid of river navigation was authorized.

By act of Dec. 12, 1794, the mills and fish-dams and other obstructions in main Licking river and Slate creek were ordered to be effectually removed by May 1, 1795-under £30 penalty. But this policy was reversed, Dec. 21, 1799, by an act permitting mill-dams across Main Licking, provided that below the mouth of Slate creek dams should not exceed two feet in height, and should have such locks and slopes as would secure the free passage of boats and fish. Another act, of same date, permitted dams not over seven feet high, for water grist-mills, on the South fork of Licking, but with like slopes and locks sufficient for the passage of fish and boats. Under the first of these, Maj. Geo. M. Bedinger built a dam, with lock and slope on Main Licking, near (just above) the Lower Blue Licks .. But such were the evasions or violations of the law, as to an efficient slope in the dams on South Lick- ing and Stoner, that an amended act of Dec. 16, 1802, required the slope (having reference to the bed of the stream, both above and below the dam) to be of the following dimensions :

" The level of the upper end of the slope shall be at least two feet lower than the

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INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

rest of the dam, on each side thereof; and the ends of the timbers of the dam, on each side of the slope, shall be beveled or sloped, so as to prevent boats from hanging upon the corners or ends of the dam. The slope shall be at least 40 feet wide ; and the apron or slant of the slope below the dam shall be extended 8 feet in length, for every foot the dam shall or may be raised in perpendicular height (measuring to the level of the upper end of the slope). The apron or slant of the slope shall be made of strong timbers, closely joined together, to prevent the water from running through ; and on each side of said apron or slant, shall be fixed a strong piece of timber, 15 feet, adjoin- ing to the dam-raised 2 feet above the apron of the slope, to prevent the water fromn flying off at the sides. There shall be a sign or index suspended over the center of the slope, for a guide for boatmen. . Each mill owner shall keep his slope constantly in good repair, shall clear away all drift-wood lodged against or about the slope, and also cut down all trees standing in the bed or channel of the river, and such leaning trees as might injure the passage of boats, and also burn or remove all drift-wood for the distance of at least 200 yards below the mill-dam." A penalty was fixed, of $10 for each 24 hours of failure to comply, to the person suing for the same.

But all these acts proving inadequate to remove and prevent the obstruc- tions in the navigation of the South and Stoner's forks of Licking, the act of Dec. 15, 1804, appointed commissioners in both Bourbon and Harrison coun- ties to examine and estimate the cost of removing the natural obstructions, to open subscriptions for a fund to pay same, and to contract for said work to be done; if necessary, $500 additional to the fund subscribed should be raised as part of the county levy.

The First Company Chartered to improve the navigation of any river in the state was "The Kentucky River Company," on Dec. 19, 1801, with $10,000 capital stock, shares $50 each-to be subscribed in the counties and under direction of commissioners as follows :

Franklin-Christopher Greenup, Bennett Pemberton, Thos. Todd. .20 shares.

Woodford-Robert Alexander, Thos. Bullock, Wm. Steele 20

Fayette-Jas. Trotter, John Jordan, Thos. Wallace. .30

Clark-David Bullock, Robert Clark, Jr., Dillard Collins .15

Madison-John Patrick, Jas. Barnett, John Wilkinson 22

Garrard-John Harrison, Thos. Kennedy, Abner Baker 18

Mercer-Gabriel Slaughter, Jas. Birney, Jas. Moore. 22

Jessamine-Wm. Price, Geo. Walker, Benj. Bradshaw 15

Scott-Wm. Henry, David Flournoy, Bartlett Collins 20

Lincoln-Isaac Shelby, Wm. Logan, Wm. Whitley. 18

Said company was to clear out of the Kentucky river, from its mouth to the mouth of its South fork, all obstructions which " they may judge will im- pede or obstruct the passage of boats, or which shall be absolutely necessary to improve the navigation of the river." When so completed, and so long as approved by two commissioners appointed by the governor to examine the navigation annually, in July or August, it was made lawful for the company to collect tolls as follows : For each boat not more than 14 feet wide and 30 feet long, $4; 45 feet, $5; 60 feet, $6; and 9 cents for each foot larger. For each keel-boat, periogue, or canoe, of over 1 ton burden, 123 cents for each foot in length. For each 100 hogshead or pipe staves or headings, or each 100 feet of plank or scantling, if floated on a raft, 4 cents, or of other timber, 12} cents. Boats loaded with coal, lime, iron, or other ore, or household furniture, to pay not over three-fourths of the above rates.

The undertaking seemed too great for even such a substantial body of men ; and after nine years of continued losses from obstructions, another favorite paper-plan was set on foot, by act of Jan. 10, 1811. This authorized the raising of $10,000 by lottery, under the care of eleven other leading men-to be expended in "clearing of all logs, brush, trees, rocks, fish-traps, shrubbing the points of islands, and removing other impediments " from the Kentucky river, and its South fork, and Goose creek, as high up as the salt works of Gov. James Garrard and Sons. "Further time was allowed," several times, but nothing practical done, as late as 1813.

Red River, from its junction with the Kentucky as high up as Clark's and Smith's iron works thereon, was, by the act of Dec. 4, 1805, required to be kept open for the navigation of " boats and other vessels;" dams for mills or other water-works being permitted, if provided with sufficient locks to ac- commodate navigation fully.

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The First Act for improving the Navigation of Green River was passed Feb. 16, 1808. It laid upon the several county courts, through or by which the navigable portion of Green river passed, the responsibility of clearing out that stream and keeping it in navigable condition ; requiring overseers, an- nually, in July, August, and September, to " work it" with hands from the neighborhood-i. e. to remove all fish-pots, all dams not erected under author- ity of the legislature, and all logs, to cut and clear away all projecting tim- ber, to shrub all points of islands, and remove any other obstructions in the channel. Hands were "exonerated by the payment of 75 cents per day." An amendatory act, Jan 10, 1811, declared the navigable part of the river to be that below the mouth of Knob Lick creek, in Casey county ; which, a year later, was changed to that below the Adair county line.

Of the Branches of Green River : By the act of Jan. 18, 1810, Mud River, from its mouth up to its Wolf Lick fork, was required to be opened and kept in repair, by the outlay of $2,000 to be raised by subscription, and by the work of tithables ; Big Barren, from its mouth to its Bay's fork, by a like sub- scription and like work; Pond River should remain unobstructed from its mouth to within half a mile from Brier creek; and Rough Creek, from its mouth to Long's ferry. By act of Jan. 31, 1812, Drake's Creek, in Warren county, as high up as John Harris' mills, was to be cleared by the outlay of $1,500, to be raised by subscription. .

In Feb., 1816, was inaugurated a system (which, as late as 1870, had not embraced all the streams by name) of declaring, by special act, the various small rivers and creeks in the commonwealth to be Navigable Streams-too often giving them a dignity and importance they did not possess or merit.

The Green and Barren River Navigation was the first to seriously engage the attention of the state. Indeed, the sum of $526 was actually expended upon it, in surveys, in 1833, $15,272 in engineering and work upon the locks in 1834, and $40,033 in 1835, before any expenditures upon other rivers. The appropriations by the state, for this work, reached $125,500, and were mostly expended, before the close of 1836-whereas, to the same date, the outlay upon the line of the Kentucky river was only $5,108, and upon the Licking $1,273. The total estimated cost, in 1834, of four locks and dams in Green river and one in Barren river was $230,988, or within a fraction of $862 per mile-the system embracing the permanent improvement of 180 miles in Green and Barren rivers connectedly, 30 miles in Green river, above the mouth of Barren, 30 in Muddy river, 9 in Pond river, and 19 in Rough creek; or 268 miles in all. A lock in Rough creek, to cost $14,891, would extend the navigation up to Hartford, Ohio county, a little over 28 miles from its mouth ; and a lock in Pond river, to cost $15,340, would extend its navigation to 30 miles. The plans were drawn after similar finished works in Pennsylvania, and the contractors were experienced men from that state and from the Muscle Shoal works on Tennessee river. 1

The total amount paid by the state, up to Nov. 20, 1837, was $243,194 for Green and Barren river navigation, but only $69,146 for that on Kentucky, and $2,300 for that on Licking river; besides $4,735 for removing fish-dams on Kentucky river, and the sums spent for lime and engineering.

The total amount expended to complete the permanent navigation up to ' Bowling Green, requiring four locks in Green and one in Barren river, was $859,126.79, which included $34,055 for hydraulic lime.

In 13 out of 23 years, between the years 1843 and 1865, small dividends were realized to the state from this line of navigation-the smallest not quite $32, in 1859, and the largest $5,610, in 1855; but more than these sums were paid back for repairs, in other years.

During the years named, the gross expenditures on Green and Barren

rivers were ..

$269,813.66

And the gross receipts for same time. 265,002.59

Excess of expenditures over receipts, 1843 to 1865. $4,811.07

Lock and dam No. 2 was let in Jan., 1834, and its gates opened in Dec., 1837, not quite four years after its commencement; No. 1 was begun Oct. 7,

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1834, and opened in 1840; No. 3 was let in 1836, and the gates opened in 1838-23 years; No. 4 in 1836, and opened in 1842; No. 1, in Barren river, was let in June, 1836, and opened in 1842. But by reason of imperfect work, and of damages by freshets, constant appropriations from the state were re- quired to " finish " each of the locks and dams.

The State Board of Internal Improvement, in their report of Jan. 13, 1844, say that "the works upon the Green river have cost the state nearly five times the estimated cost in 1833, which formed the basis of our first legisla- tion in favor of this system ; and the works upon the Kentucky river from three to four times the amount of the estimated cost of 1835, by Mr. Baker."

The actual average cost, per mile, of the Green and Barren river naviga- tion, 180 miles, was $5,010.73-against $1,283.27 as estimated and reported to the legislature by the Board of Green River commissioners, Jan. 2, 1835- or a trifle less than four times the original estimate.

The Survey of Rockcastle River, from the point where it is crossed by the road leading from Richmond, Madison county, to London, Laurel county, down to the mouth, 52 miles, was made in 1837. The entire descent was 207 feet-of which 75 feet (2.4 feet in a mile) occurred in the first 31 miles from the Richmond road ; 623 feet (5.7 feet in a mile) in the next 11 miles, to the head of the Big Narrows ; 30 feet in the upper end of the Big Nar- rows, S-10ths of a mile long, and 21 feet in the lower end, 4-10ths of a mile long ; and in the remaining 9 miles to the Cumberland river, the descent was 40 feet (4.5 feet in a mile). The estimated cost of 17 locks and dams, to make a slackwater navigation of 52 miles, was $898,600. There were no corresponding advantages to justify such an outlay, and the work was never begun.

The Survey of the Cumberland River, from the Cumberland Falls in Whitley county to the state line of Tennessee, 173 miles, was made in 1837. From the Falls to the mouth of Laurel river, 10 miles, the descent was 85 feet (8.5 feet in a mile) ; from Laurel river to the head of the Great Shoals, 24 miles, the descent was only 31 feet (1.3 feet in a mile); from the head of the four Great Shoals to the foot, 9 miles, 54 feet (6.0 to the mile, average, but on Long Shoal 13 feet to the mile); and from the foot of the Shoals to the Ten- nessee line, 129 miles, only 943 feet (an average of only 8.8 inches to the mile). The estimated cost of (13 locks and dams) slackwater navigation for steamboats, from the mouth of Laurel river to the Tennessee line, 163 miles, was $1,578,871; but it might be accomplished for $510,548, so as to enable steamboats to run from three to five months in each year, and coal boats to descend when there should be water enough for them to pass over the com- mon ripples.

The Survey of the Great South Fork of Cumberland River, from its mouth to the point where a road then proposed from Louisville to Knoxville, Tenn., was to cross it, 49 miles, was made in 1837. From the mouth to the Little Jumps, 30.8 miles, the descent at low water was 78 feet (23 feet to the inile) ; over Messer's Shoal, a little more than a mile long, the descent was 15 feet ; over Sloan's Shoal, a little over aths of a mile, the descent was 12 feet; and above the Little Jumps, for 16 miles, about 140 feet (nearly 9 feet to the mile). At a low stage of water, the bed of the river, on a distance of 1} miles above the mouth of Alum creek, is entirely dry, and nearly dry for a mile below. The cost of slackwater navigation for small steamboats, as far up as the Little Jumps, was estimated at $347,850.

The Survey of the South Fork of the Kentucky River, and of Goose Creek, its principal branch, was made in 1836-7; commencing near Gen. White's salt works, at the junction of Collins' and East forks, and continuing down Goose creek to its junction with the Red Bird fork; thence down the South fork to its junction with the Kentucky river. The whole distance was about 683 miles, and the descent 206.7 feet. The distance from the month of Collins' fork to the junction of Goose creek and Red Bird fork was 263 miles, and the descent 75 feet (about 2.8 feet to the mile). The channel was crooked, and varied in width from 70 to 100 feet. From the junction last mentioned, the distance along the South fork of the Kentucky to the main river is

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nearly 42 miles ; and the descent 1313 feet (a little more than 3.1 to the mile). The South fork varies in width from 150 to 200 feet. The greatest obstacle to its navigation is The Narrows, 4} miles below the mouth of Goose creek; they are 1.2 miles long, and have a descent of 123 feet. Below the Narrows there were but few obstructions. One lock and dam at the foot of the Narrows, at an estimated cost of $68,520, would make coal rises at a stage two feet lower than without such lock. A. slackwater navigation for small steamboats, from the mouth of the South fork up to the mouth of the Red Bird fork, 42 miles, would require 17 locks, and cost $1,099,746.

A Canal from the Goose Creek Salt Works to Cumberland Ford was sur- veyed in 1837-a distance of 36 miles, requiring a lockage of 160 feet. The Cumberland river at Barboursville was 121 8-10ths feet higher than the Goose creek at the Salt Works. From the Ford the survey was along the

north side of Cumberland river to within about a mile of Barboursville; thence up the valley of Richland creek to the dividing ridge between its headwaters and those of Collins' fork, and through the ridge (by a tunnel of one mile, or a deep cut of about 40 feet at the summit) ; thence down Col- lins' fork to the head of the proposed slackwater navigation at the Goose Creek Salt Works. No estimate of the cost of the canal was made. .

The Survey of the upper part of Big Barren River, and of the country between its.headwaters and the Cumberland river, was made in 1836-7, beginning at the mouth of Peter's creek, on Barren river; thence up the latter stream, 30 miles, to the junction of the Long and East forks-an ascent of 89.6 (about 3 feet to the mile) ; thence up to the mouth of Mill creek, 16 miles-an ascent of 90} feet (53 feet per mile); thence up Mill creek to its source, 8 miles and 4,260 feet-an ascent of 184} feet (nearly 21 feet to the mile) ; thence to Glenn's Gap, the lowest point in the divide or summit ridge between the Big Barren and Cumberland rivers, the distance is only 4,500 feet, but the ascent 98 feet (about 112 feet to the mile). A canal connecting the two rivers was pronounced impracticable. The distance from Glenn's Gap to Cumberland river was a little over 53 miles, and the descent 466 feet.

The Survey of Little River, from Hopkinsville, on the Town fork or branch, to where the Little river empties into the Cumberland-a distance of 73 miles by water, but only 30 miles across by land-was made in 1837. The descent was 176.4 feet (about 2.7 feet to the mile). The navigation was found to be impracticable for steamboats higher up than Jackson's mill, 23 miles ; thence up it might be made navigable for boats of 40 or 50 tons. Estimated cost of locks and dams and towing path to Hopkinsville, $779,900. From the mouth at Cumberland river up to Cadiz, in Trigg county, 17 miles, could be navigated at good stages of water by small steamboats, if the leaning trees were cut from the banks.

The Survey of Salt River and two of its branches, the Beech and Rolling Forks, was made in 1837. From the mouth of Salt river, at West Point, Hardin county, to the mouth of the Rolling Fork, 113 miles, the ascent was 1.2 feet, and the river about 230 feet wide; thence to the foot of Burke's island shoal, 8.7 miles, the ascent was 11.6 feet (a little over 1.4 feet to the mile), and the width of the river about 150 feet; thence to the head of the Falls, at Shepherdsville, Bullitt county, the distance was nearly 3 (2.9) miles, and the ascent 24.8 (of which 14.4 was included in the Falls); on the Falls, the river was about 500 feet wide; on the next 8 miles, above the Falls, the ascent was but trifling (about 2} inches), the width of the river gradually narrowing to about 250 feet ; thence to the crossing of the Louisville and Bardstown turnpike, nearly 53 (5.7) miles, the ascent was nearly 8 feet, and the average width of the river about 170 feet; thence to Taylorsville, Spencer county, 18.2 miles, the ascent was 45.4 feet, and the river from 100 to 160 feet wide-with many small islands during the last 23 miles. Four locks and dams-about 11, 20, 21, and 23 miles from the mouth, respectively- estimated cost, $282,533, would make Salt river navigable for small steam- boats for 37} miles, to the Bardstown turnpike.

At the Falls of Salt River, at Shepherdsville, the river descends 14 4.10this feet in about 1 3-10ths miles, and in the succeeding 1 6-10ths miles, 10 4-10ths feet-making in all nearly 25 (24.8) feet, in less than 3 miles. It affords a

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INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

fine site for permanent water power, at comparatively small expense. In 1837, one forge, manufacturing blooms, was in operation, and a rolling-mill in progress of construction; while an iron furnace, 3 miles distant, turned out annually 700 to 800 tons of pig metal and castings.

On the Rolling Fork, the distance from its mouth at Salt river to the mouth of its Beech fork was 19.9 miles, the ascent 29.6 feet (about 1} feet to the mile), and the average width about 150 feet. Steamboat navigation to this point could be secured by two locks and dams, in addition to the one just below its mouth, in Salt river. From the Beech Fork to Sulphur Lick creek, 513 miles, the ascent was 112.9 feet (nearly 2.2 feet to the mile), the width varied from 60 to 200 feet, and the river too crooked for steamboats, and also having too little water, during the dry part of the season. It was estimated that $4,453 would remove the snags, leaning trees, and drift-wood-so as to make good descending navigation.

Of the Beech Fork, the ascent up to the Bardstown ford, 20.8 miles, was 42.6 feet (nearly 2.1 feet to the mile); and to the Springfield turnpike, 13.1 miles further, 52.4 feet. From the mouth of the Rolling Fork, up that stream and up the Beech Fork to the mouth of Hardin's creek, 55 miles, steamboat navigation by locks and dams was estimated to cost $503,756. The completion of the turnpike roads to Louisville took off most of the trans- portation by these streams.

The Survey of Little Sandy River, made in 1837, extended from its mouth up to Carter's salt works, 41} miles by the course of the stream, but only 19 miles by a direct line ; the ascent was 863 feet (at little over 2 feet to the mile); average width of the river over 120 feet; it was too crooked to be ·navigated by steamboats. There were 4 dams across the river below Carter's salt works, built to create water power to drive the machinery of iron works and mills ; one, 8 feet high, at the Falls, 15 miles from the Ohio river ; one, 9} feet high, at Trimble's iron works, 132 miles from the mouth ; one, 10g feet high, at Ward's iron works, 252 miles from the mouth; one, 53 feet high, at the old Pactolus iron works, 36 miles from the mouth. Three fur- naces on the river, in 1836, made about 2,800 tons of pig metal and castings. The East fork entered the Little Sandy, 123 miles above the mouth, but only 6 miles by land. The cost of slackwater navigation up to the salt works was estimated at $340,000, exclusive of the cost of a towing path.

The Big Sandy River and its West (Levisa or Lonisa) Fork were partially surveyed in the fall of 1835, but the work was not thoroughly done until the summer of 1838-beginning on the latter, at Pikeville, in Pike county, 116 miles from the mouth of the river at Catlettsburg. The descent through that distance was 1463 feet (a little over 15 inches to the mile); from Pikeville to Prestonsburg, in Floyd county, 353 miles, descent 43.41 feet; from Pres- tonsburg to Louisa, in Lawrence county, 543 miles, descent 78.50 feet; from Louisa to Catlettsburg, Boyd county, 26} miles, 24.60 feet fall. The valley through which the West fork flows was generally about a third of a mile wide, in some places nearly a mile wide; but that of the Big Sandy varied · from 500 to 2,000 yards wide. The former stream was 212 feet wide at Pike- ville and Prestonsburg, but at many intermediate points only 180 feet ; below Prestonsburg, its average width was over 200 feet. The Big Sandy was 300 . feet from bank to bank, just below Louisa, and at Catlettsburg nearly 400 feet. Improvement to the descending navigation-by the removal of the rocks, snags, and leaning trees, and the excavating of a channel through each of the principal shoals or ripples-was recommended, to the extent of only $1,100 on the river, but of $15,348 on the West Fork below Prestonsburg, and of $8,774 on the 35} miles thence to Pikeville-total $25,222.

On Feb. 10, 1870, the legislature appropriated $75,000 to remove obstruc- tions out of the Big Sandy river and its two Forks. A chute, 50 feet wide, with slope so as to admit the passage of boats, was cut in a solid rock in the Falls of the Tug Fork; in the low water of 1870, this chute had 18 inches of water. The survey, at that time, showed the distance from Catlettsburg to Louisa to be 273 miles [which, by the survey of 1838, was only 26} miles, 1} miles less ], and the fall 1.02 feet per mile ; from Louisa up the Tug Fork to Wolf creek, 35g miles, with a fall of 1.64 feet to the mile ; and from Louisa

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up the West Fork to the mouth of Paint creek, 1 mile from Paintsville, 392 miles, and a fall of 1.33 feet per mile. On the main stream and West Fork, 7 locks and dams were estimated to cost $354,200; and 5 locks and dams on the Tug Fork, $214,900. Five locks and dams, on the river and West Fork, would make navigation certain for inexhaustible supplies of the celebrated Peach Orchard, block, and cannel coals-among the very finest in the world. The exports from the Big Sandy valley, for the year ending July 1, 1870, were $1,219,000-against less than $25,000 in 1837, a third of a century previous.

Licking River .- The surveys upon this river were made before 1837-but in the latter year extended to West Liberty, Morgan county, 231 miles from the mouth at Covington. From the mouth to Falmouth, Pendleton county, 51¿ miles by the river (but only 39 miles by railroad), the ascent was 80 feet (about 19 inches in a mile) ; from Falmouth to the Lower Blue Licks, Nicho- las county, 47 miles, 64 feet (16} inches in a mile) ; from the latter point to the mouth of Slate creek, in Bath county, 47 miles, the ascent was 56 feet (14} inches in a mile); from Achison's ripple, 6 miles above Slate creek, to Wil- son's ripple, 1 mile below Beaver creek, 393 miles, the ascent was 63 feet (1.58 feet to the mile) ; from Wilson's ripple to West Liberty, 392 miles, the ascent was 603 feet (1.52 feet to the mile); the whole ascent in 231 miles was 310 feet.

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. I, Part 102

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn Publication date: 1874 Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co. Number of Pages: 1452

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co.
Number of Pages: 1452