Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. I, Part 103

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 103

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

For the detailed table, showing the location, size, and estimated" cost of the 21 locks and dams, see under Kenton county, in Volume II of this work.

The Licking river was only 250 feet wide at the Blue Licks, but thence up to Slate creek ranged in width from 250 to 400 feet. Above Slate creek, to West Liberty, the width varies from 180 to 250 feet. For a large portion of the latter distance, the river is very crooked.

The first five locks and dams were put under contract, Oct. 24, 1837-to be completed so as to open navigation to Falmouth, 51} miles, during the year 1840. Many changes in the contractors were made, owing to their ineffi- ciency, or to the difficulty of getting face stone. On May 20, 1839, locks Nos. 7 and 8 were let. Much less energy was shown in pushing the work on Licking than on either of the other rivers, and it was the first to be suspend- ed-partially and for a time, in 1840, owing to the want of funds to pay the contractors. " The state being cramped in her pecuniary affairs by reason of the Levis [Schuylkill Bank] fraud and other causes, suspended the sale of her bonds, lest she should not have the means to discharge the interest upon them as it might become due-which suspension operated greatly to the preju- dice of the contractors."* The state ordered their suspension in 1842; and in 1843 the Board of Internal Improvements made a final settlement with the contractors, allowing as follows for the work done :

At Lock No. 1 .$70,515.45 At Lock No. 7 $ 1,250.00

At Lock No. 2 69,306.02 At Lock No. 8. 5,650.00

At Lock No. 3. 65,858.60 For hydraulic lime, etc. 26,776.77 At Lock No. 4. 61,600.02 For construction, other items 22,214.69

At . Lock No. 5 49,349.15

Total payments on Licking river, to 1867 $372,520.70

According to the original estimate of cost (see under Kenton county, in Vol. Il of this work), less than $40,000 additional would have completed the first five locks and dams, and opened a permanent navigation as high as Falmouth. But not one of them was finished, and the work has never been resumed, but is a total loss.

Inter-State Canal between Kentucky and Georgia .- Maj. R. P. Baker, the first chief engineer of the state of Kentucky, appointed in July, 1835, in his first report, dated Jan. 19, 1836, to the Board of Internal Improvements (Gov. James T. Morehead, John L. Hickman, and Orlando Brown), proposed the following route for a canal to connect the Ohio river with the Atlantic ocean :

* Report of the Board of Internal Improvements, 1841-42, in Leg. Doc., p. 233.

549

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

. " From the Ohio up the Kentucky river, by locks and dams, to the Three forks of the Kentucky ; thence up the South fork and Goose creek to the Salt works ; thence by a canal, 36 miles long, with 160 feet of lockage, into Cum- berland river at Cumberland Ford (see ante, page 546); thence 4 miles in Cumberland river to the mouth of Yellow creek ; thence, by canal, in the bed of Yellow creek, to Cumberland Gap; through Cumberland Gap, by a tunnel probably 700 to 800 yards long, and by canal from thence into Powell's river, five miles below; down that river successively into the Clinch and Tennessee, and up the Hiwassee river, by locks and dams ; from the Hiwas- see, continue the improvement by a canal to the navigable waters of the Savannah, at the head of steamboat navigation on that river.

" Such a canal would outflank the whole chain of the Apalachian mount- ains, on the southwest; and in the course of its extent, would cross the various noble rivers-Coosa, Chattahoocheeonee, etc .- which, taking their rise in the chain of the Apalachians, flow into the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic ocean, between the cities of Charleston and New Orleans. This would throw open to the commerce of the counties bordering on the Ohio river a choice among the numerous markets presented by the vast extent of cotton country ; independently of the facilities it would offer for reaching the northeastern cities or European ports, through the ports of Savannah and Charleston.

" The average cost per mile of a lock and dam navigation, upon the most perfect plan, will but little, if any, exceed one-half that of a turnpike road. More than three-fifths of the distance on the route proposed, would be in the beds of rivers improved for this kind of navigation. The most perfect kind of canal can be constructed for one-half the cost of the most perfect railroad. The experience of the northeastern states has fully settled the question, that the cost of transportation on railroads exceeds that upon canals by 200 to 300 per cent. . . . The day would not be distant from the completion of such a work, until the demands of commerce would be equal to all the capac- ities of the Kentucky river improved upon the largest plan proposed. 'I'his remark applies with peculiar force to the projected railroad from Charleston to the Ohio river, now undergoing discussion in the legislature of Kentucky."*

Kentucky River Navigation and its Forks .- The North Fork of the Kentucky river-the longest and most considerable of the three forks-rises within two miles of the Sounding Gap, in the southeastern extremity of Perry county, on the western slope of the Cumberland mountain, from which it descends with great velocity; but before it has attained the magnitude of an ordinary mill stream, flows with a gentle and decreasing velocity. Its length, to its junction with the main river, is about 163 miles, and thence to the mouth at Carrollton 2572 miles-making the greatest length of the Kentucky river 420 miles.

From the junction, up the North fork to the mouth of War creek (now either in Lee or Wolfe county), was 24.3 miles, and the fall at the rate of 1.77 feet per mile. From War creek to the mouth of Troublesome creek, in Perry county, was 30.6 miles, and the average descent 1.57 feet per mile. From the junction to Troublesome creek, 54.9 miles, the total descent was 92.96 feet. : :

On the Middle fork, from its junction with the North fork to the point where it is crossed by the Manchester and Hazard road, was 67.96 miles, and the total descent 169.2 feet-an average of nearly 2} feet per mile. From the junction to Hazard, the county seat of Perry county, was about 110 miles.

Several gauges of the volume of water in the Kentucky river, during the low water of 1835, enabled the engineer to state the probable medium volume, during low water seasons, at about 20,000 cubic feet per minute. His esti- mate of the income to the state from the rent of the water power at each lock, $3,000, or $12,000 between Frankfort and the mouth of the river, has not been realized to probably one-fortieth of that sum annually.

* Senate Journal, 1835, Appendix, pp. 17, 18.

550

SKETCH OF

The following table gives the estimated cost in 1836-7, the distances of locks and dams apart, length of pools, and actual cost of the finished navi- gation, of the Kentucky river.

Lock and Dam.

Miles from Month.

Length of Pool.

Locality.

Estimated cost in 1836.

Total Cost, as Finished.

No. 1

4.0

27.0

Horse Shoe Bend.

$138,793

$220,300

31.0

11.0

Six Mile Ripple.

114,582

151,983

42.0

23.0

Cedar Ripple.

110,999

135,857

65.0

17.2

Lee's Ripple

109,109

131,608

82.2

13.0

Steele's Ripple

118,476

137,437

95.2

22.4

Clear Creek.

119,340

117.6

15.0

Shaker Ferry

118,510

132.6

16.0

Fugate's Ripple

112,050

148.6

16.0

Goggin's Ferry.

102,525

164.6

19.0

Hinds' Creek Ripple.

122,689

183.6

11.5

Muddy Creek Ripple

114,407

195.1

15.2

Cow Run Ripple ..

100,255

210.3

9.2

King's Mill Ripple

107,497

219.5

15.6

Doe Run Ripple ...

104,605

235.1

8.3

Ross' Creek Ripple.

122,184

243.4

5.3

Salt Rock Ripple

127,365

248.7

8.8

Crooked Shoal.

107,482

257.5

Middle Fork Ky. River ..

Thus, in 1836, the total estimated cost of Locks and Dams was $1,950,868; to which was to be added for lock-houses $17,000, hydraulic lime $102,000, clearing river banks at $300 per mile $77,250, and seven per cent. for con- tingencies, superintendence, etc., $150,298 ; total-$2,297,416, or an average cost per mile of $8,922. The increased cost of the five completed locks over the estimate was, for construction alone, $185,226. The actual cost of the 95 miles was $901,932.70, or an average of $9,494 per mile; at the same ratio, the entire navigation to the Middle Fork would have cost $2,444,705. The outlay for engineering and instruments, land, removing snags, and other incidental expenses, on the 95 miles, was $72,231, and for hydraulic lime $52,416.

The gross receipts of the Kentucky river navigation, from 1843 to 1865, inclusive, were ..

$461,781.28

And the gross expenditures, for same time. 303,707.09

Net revenue in 23 years. $158,074.19 Or, an annual average of $6,872.79 on an investment of $901,932.70-or a small fraction over 2 of one per cent. per annum (0.762), and just 17.47 per cent. for the entire 23 years.

For the five completed locks the principal stone was obtained as follows : No. 1, from quarries near Madison, Indiana ; No. 2, about one mile below the lock, and a mile from the river; No. 3, about two miles below the lock, in a cliff close to the margin of the river ; No. 4 (at Leestown, one mile below Frankfort), the stone was hauled on wagons, 12 miles, from the valley of Benson creek ; No. 5, from the banks of Stoney creek, half a mile above the lock (the stone in the columns of the capitol at Frankfort were from this quarry). At locks Nos. 1 and 5, the stone is a fine-grained, compact lime- stone; that at Nos. 2, 3, and 4, is a coarse-grained, granulated limestone, bearing, in texture and appearance, a strong resemblance to some varieties of granite.

DESCENDING NAVIGATION.

The following outlays by the state were made, between 1837 and 1845, to remove fish-dams, overhanging trees, and other obstructions, in the streams named.

Kentucky river-North Fork $3,497

South Fork and Goose creek. 3,022

Main river ... 1,514-$8,033

Cumberland river-obstructions at Smith's shoals .. 3,200

551

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

Tradewater river, in 1839, for reconnoissance ..

100

Pond river, 1841-44

1,989

Rough creek, 1840-43.

1,677

To mills injured by slackwater.

1,650

OHIO CANAL COMPANY, FROM LOUISVILLE TO PORTLAND.

The constant and growing desire for some improvement to navigation at the Falls of the Ohio-from the time they were first practically known to white Americans in 1751, on down to their increased and increasing use, and the consequent importunate demand for a canal, early in the 19th cen- tury-first took substantial form on Dec. 19, 1804, when an act of the Ken- tucky legislature provided for the incorporation of the Ohio Canal company. Commissioners were appointed to open books, in seventeen of the most im- portant towns of the state, for the subscription of $50,000 in $50 shares; to be increased thereafter, to any sum found necessary to complete the canal. The company was authorized to " cut such canals, and erect such locks, and perform such other works as they shall judge necessary for opening, improv- ing, and extending the navigation of the river;" and to charge as tolls for the passage of boats not over 14 feet wide, if less than 30 feet long, $3; up to 45 feet long, $4; up to 60 feet long, $5, and for each additional foot 9 cents ; for each keel-boat, periogue, or canoe, not over 35 feet long, $2; up to 45 feet long, $3; up to 60 feet long, $4, and 9 cents for each additional foot; for staves on a raft, 4 cents per 100; for plank or scantling, carried on a raft, 4 cents per 100 feet; for other timber, on a raft, 9 cents per 100 cubic feet. Boats carrying coal, lime, iron, or other ore, or household furni- ture, to pay not over 2ths of said prices. Carefully-guarded privilege was given of raising $15,000 by lottery, if not raised by subscription.

But this law being regarded as defective in many of its important provis- ions, only a portion of the required capital was subscribed, and further legislation demanded. On Dec. 20, 1805, an amended act made a quorum of stockholders for business consist of the holders of at least 2,000 shares ; increased the capital stock to $500,000; directed the governor to subscribe for 1,000 shares ($50,000) provided the amount payable by the state should not exceed $10,000 annually ; reserved 1,000 other shares " for the future disposition " of the legislature-which shares the governor should have a right to vote, in person or by proxy, and to receive the proportion of tolls and other profits to become due to the state thereupon; required the canal to be cut . upon the Kentucky side of the Ohio river; made it lawful for the United States to subscribe not over $60,000, the states of Pennsylvania and Virginia $30,000 each, and those of Maryland, New York, and Ohio $20,000 each ; made the work and canal "real estate, and forever exempt from the payment of any tax, imposition, or assessment whatever;" fixed the toll on ships or other sea vessels of 100 tons or under, down to 20 tons, at from $6 to $112, and on those exceeding 100 tons at 12 cents per ton ; legalized a lottery to raise not over $30,000; declared that the canal should be sufficient for the passage of boats drawing, in low water, not more than three feet, and at least 24 feet wide at bottom; and forfeited this charter unless the canal should be begun before Dec. 20, 1808, and be completed before Jan. 1, 1815.

On Jan. 30, 1818, the legislature passed an act to incorporate " The Ken- tucky Ohio Canal Company," for opening a canal on the Kentucky side of the falls; capital stock $600,000, and the right reserved to the United States and to the states of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, to take, each $50,000, " whenever they should think proper to do so;" the canal width to be at least 30 feet at bottom, and depth at low water 4} feet; the rates of toll upon descending flat boats, $6 if empty, $10 if loaded, and upon steamboats, barges, keel-boats, and sea vessels, 75 cents " per tonnage" if empty, and $1.50 if loaded; upon those ascending, double these rates; the tolls to be raised, if the dividends on stock be less than 12} per cent, but may be reduced by the legislature so as not to exceed 18 per cent. ; to or- ganize, when $300,000 is subscribed.

Two years more elapsed; nothing was accomplished. An amended act, of Feb. 10, 1820, authorized organization with only $100,000 subscribed ; increased, to $100,000 each, the amounts reserved for the state of Kentucky

552

SKETCH OF

and the United States; and authorized the directors to reduce the tolls, pro- vided dividends be not less than 123 per cent.

But public spirit was still at too low an ebb, or capital too insufficient or too sensitive. Dec. 1, 1824, Gov. Desha laid before the legislature the action of. the state of Ohio, including the report of her engineer, Judge David S. Bates, and his detailed estimates of the cost of a canal on the Kentucky side, $306,014, and of one on the Indiana side, $533,048, to overcome the fall of between 27 and 28 feet. He proposed an earth cutting 44 feet wide at bot- tom and 56 at top, and 4 feet deep at lowest water. He thought that for less than $200,000, a channel in the river might be cut through the rock, with a regular declivity ; but the force of the current through it would preclude boats from ascending or dash in pieces those descending it; and from its velocity it would become a thin volume of water before it reached the foot of the falls.

The increasing commerce of the west, and the clamors for some improve- ment at the falls, would not brook longer delay. The legislature, on Jan. 12, 1825, incorporated the "Louisville and Portland Canal Company," a private corporation unhampered by state or United States stock partnership or joint control. Before November of that year, the capital stock ($600,000) was subscribed. On Dec. 12, 1829, the legislature increased the capital stock to $700,000; and, on Dec. 12, 1831, authorized a further extension to an amount sufficient to pay all costs of construction, and interest on all sums expended, up to the time the canal is opened.

. In his annual message, Dec. 4, 1826, Gov. Desha says : "It must be a subject of perpetual regret to every patriotic mind, that the state did not, with her own resources, undertake the construction of the canal at Louis- ville. It would have been an imperishable fund-a source of revenue as lasting as the Ohio river itself-which would have enabled the government to accomplish the most extensive and useful plans without increasing the burdens of the people." It will be seen that the governor's anticipations of the value of that improvement have been abundantly realized.

During the year 1826, Congress directed the purchase of $100,000 of the stock, which was issued out of forfeited stock. From 610 to 1,062 men, who enjoyed good health all the time, were engaged in excavating during the summer. and fall of 1826, much interruption being caused by freshets in the river. Superior freestone for the locks was found on the bank of the Ohio, a short distance below the canal; and in the lower lockpit, water lime for cement, formed one of the strata necessary to be excavated. During 1827, the work progressed slowly, owing to the scarcity of hands (many having gone off' to the public works in Ohio and Pennsylvania), and to the frequent heavy rains and other unseasonable weather. The work, too, was greatly enlarged, by making important changes in the plans. Not until late in the fall of 1830, or in the spring of 1831, was the canal opened to navigation. But owing to the nature and newness of the work, and to the freshets in the river, and especially to the great flood in March, 1832-which swept over the banks of the canal (although raised two feet above any flood of which there was any definite tradition), and carried into it immense quantities of mud, drift-wood, and other obstructions, besides a number of houses-heavy repairs and alterations were required.

The entire cost of construction of the canal, as reported under oath on Jan. 2, 1832, was $742,869.94.

ABSTRACT OF THE BOATS THAT HAVE PASSED, AND TOLLS RECEIVED ON THE LOUISVILLE AND PORTLAND CANAL.

Year. Steam Boats.

Flat and Keel Boats.

Tons.

Amounts received.

1831

406

421

79,323

$12,750

1832

453

179.

70,109.

25,756

1833

875

710.

169,885.

60,736

1834

938

623

162,000

61,848

1835

1,256

355

200,413.

80,165

1836

1,182

260

182,220

88.343

1837

1,501.

165

242,374.

145,424

1838

1,058

438

201,750.

121,107

1839

1,666

578

300,406

180,365

553

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

The income above detailed enabled the company to pay dividends as fol- lows : The first, on June 3, 1832, of 30 per cent. on part and 20 per cent. on the rest, averaging 262 per cent. on the original stock of $600,000; this was paid in stock. The next was 6%, on Jan. 6, 1834; then 3%, Jan., 1835 ; July, 1835, 4% ; Jan., 1836, 4% ; July, 1836, -% ; Jan., 1837, -% ; July, 1837, 6%; Jan., 1838, 7%; July, 1838, 6%; Jan., 1839, 5%; July, 1839, 9%; Jan., 1840, 8%. Not having access to the company's reports (which ceased to be made to the legislature after Jan., 1840), the receipts and dividends after that date can not be given here.

In 1833-4, the toll on steamboats was 40 cents per ton. Some time after, this was raised to 80 cents; but subsequently reduced to 50 cents, at which it continued until the canal was delivered over to the U. S. government .in 1874, when the rate was reduced, by act of congress, to 10 cents-simply to cover the cost of keeping the gates and repairing the canal.

The company's reports show the profitableness of the stock; 50 shares of forfeited stock were sold, in 1837, at $121 per share (par $100), and in 1838, 200 shares at $130 per share. No wonder it rose rapidly, when the dividends in 1837 were thirteen, in 1838 eleven, and in 1839 seventeen per cent.

It has already been stated that, under act of congress of May 13, 1826, the U. S. government purchased 1,000 shares, or $100,000 worth, of stock. Subsequently, another purchase was made-of 1,335 shares at par, $133,500 -the whole costing $233,500. In 1831, the government received 567 shares more, in lieu of dividend. In eleven years, from 1831 to 1842, it was paid in semi annual cash dividends, $257,778; making its total income from this canal, $24,278 in cash and 567 shares of stock more than it invested. Thus it was, in 1842, still the owner of of 2,902 shares of stock, of the par value of $290,200-making a total value of $547,978, for its original investment in the canal.

After 1842, no dividends were declared. The net income up to the year 1859 was devoted to the purchasing up of the stock owned by private individ- uals, and which was thenceforth held in trust by the board of directors. After 1859, the income was expended in the enlargement and extension of the canal, or held to create a sinking fund for paying the bonds issued to defray the cost of enlarging. In 1860, this enlargement was begun. and stopped in 1866 for want of funds-after $1,825.403 had been expended ; thus making the canal cost, as it stood, Feb., 1868, $2,823,403. If there had been no war, says Maj. G. Weitzel, U. S. engineer in charge, this sum would have paid the entire cost of the enlargement.

In Dec., 1867, the company owed $1,567,000 in bonds, due in 3, 8, 13 and 18 years, and five shares of stock; and had in the sinking fund for the pay- ment of those bonds $217,453. Maj. Weitzel then estimated the cost of completing the enlargement at $1,178,000.

It was because the tolls were found to be too great a tax upon commerce, that the act of 1842 was passed-for the purpose of making the canal free of tolls. Thereby the board of directors were authorized to sell the stock of the company to the United States, the state of Kentucky, and the city of Louisville. The state and the city each refused the offer; but the state, in 1857, granted authority to build a branch canal; and in 1860 congress author- ized the revenues of the company to be used in enlarging the canal and building the proposed branch. The bonds mentioned were issued for this purpose ; and those due in 1870, $400,000, were paid at maturity. In 1868 congress appropriated $300,000, in 1869 $300,000, in 1870 $300,000, in 1871 $300,000, in 1872 $100,000, and in 1874 took final action towards assuming the payment of the $1, 172,000 of bonds outstanding, and the purchase of the five shares of stock-and took possession of this great public work, making it henceforthi a free canal, except such small charge as may be found neces- sary to keep it in repair and provide proper attention.

The old locks only passed boats of 180 feet in length by 50 feet beam ; whereas the new locks are 80 by 350 feet and will pass boats of nearly that size.

[For additional information, see pp. 246p of this volume, and 362 and 364 of volume II; and also the General Index of each volume.]

THE POETS AND POETRY OF KENTUCKY.

MORE than half a century ago, Kentucky was famous in all the land for her heroes, her statesmen, and her orators. Her poets have not made her famous. And yet it would be difficult, if not impossible, to find any half- dozen pieces of poetry, written by any half-dozen poets of any one of the American States, which have attained such world-wide and permanent celeb- rity as Dr. John M. Harney's " Echo," George D. Prentice's "Close of the Year," Amelia B. Welby's " Rainbow," Geo. W. Cutter's "Song of Steam," Theodore O'Hara's " Bivouac of the Dead," and Henry T. Stanton's " Money- less Man."

The late Wm. T. Coggeshall, in his rich and elegant volume on "The Poets and Poetry of the West," published in 1860, included poetical selec- tions from fifteen native Kentuckians out of sixty-nine (more than one-fifth) who were natives of the West, besides other reputable selections from citizens who were residents of Kentucky but not " to the manor born." This list, although exceedingly entertaining and quite creditable, was by no means complete-not only omitting Prentice's piece above, but making no mention of O'Hara and his great piece above (although both were published over thirteen years before), and of a number of other poets unknown to fame, but deserving some measure of it. Indeed, no inconsiderable proportion of the fugi- tive poetry of Kentucky, some of which would sparkle as gems, has beeri lost to the world for want of a medium of preservation. These pieces were written in the soberer moments of busy life, in intervals of leisure that should have been devoted to bodily recreation and health. The intensity of his search for other historical remains has not left the author the discretion and oppor- tunity that might now rescue many such pieces, nor the time to search out the history of the poetical literature of Kentucky.

The following selections may illustrate somewhat the taste and strength of the poetic element in the state, and preserve some pieces not accessible to the general public :

DR. JOHN MILTON HARNEY'

Was a native of Delaware, born March 9, 1789, and died at his home in Bardstown, Ky., Jan. 15, 1825, in his 26th year. He was the son of Maj. Thomas Harney, and an elder brother of the famous Gen. Wm. S. Harney, of the U. S. army. After settling in Bardstown, he married, in 1814, a daughter of Judge John Rowan, who died four years after. "Chrystalina, a Fairy Tale," in six cantos, was written by Dr. H. when only twenty-three years old, but not published until 1816. To his sensitive mind, the unfavor- able criticisms far outweighed the kindly words and interest manifested in it, and he suppressed the volume. But few of his pieces have been preserved.

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. I, Part 103

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