USA > Kentucky > Daviess County > History of Daviess County, Kentucky, together with sketches of its cities, villages, and townships, educational religious, civil military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, biographies of representative citizens, and an outline history of Kentucky > Part 18
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The regular meetings of the club were to be at the court-house, on the last Saturday of each month, at 1 P. M. The hour arrived for the first meeting under the permanent organusmon, and the club met. The most important business transacted was unani- mously to adopt a resolution recommending the " Farmers' Home Journal, " published at Lexington, Ky.
At the next meeting, June 26, the attendance was slim, owing to the busy season among farmers. An exciting discussion was had, however, over a resolution for conferring with parties in the North- ern States with reference to the labor system. The resolution was laid on the table. The cultivation of Indian corn was chosen for discussion at the next meeting.
Having no further accounts of the meetings of this club, we presume that its death took place soon after the above date, and that there were not many friends present when it died!
DAVIESS COUNTY SORGHO SUGAR COMPANY.
In the winter of 1868-'9 a company was formed with the above name, for the purpose of manufacturing sugar from sorgho; and on Jan. 20, 1869, a committee, consisting of Dr. J. Q. A. Stewart, J. Balee and E. Guthrie, reported that they had seen very good sugar made from the juice of the sorgho cane, and that its manu- facture was practicable; but from some cause the enterprise was never pushed on to success. Since the modern process for whiten- ing cane sugar and for the manufacture of glucose have been brought to such perfection, sorgho (or sorghum) manufacture can not compete with them.
IMPORTATION OF FOREIGN LABOR.
Jan. 1, 1863, on the emancipation of the slaves of the seceding States, wages for manual labor went up to an intolerable height.
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Negro farm hands demanded $200 to $250 a year, and cooks $25 to $125. At the close of the war, when greenbacks were more plentiful than specie, and the negroes about all free, the prices of labor rose to an alarming extent. An effort was therefore made by several philanthropic citizens, foremost of whom was C. R. Milne, to induce immigrants from Scotland. Subscriptions were raised, and the assistance of Henderson County promised, with a view of sending over an agent to Scotland to encourage immigra- tion to Kentucky. Mr. Milne promised to give his time if the citizens would bear his expenses for a trip to the old country for this purpose; bat the whole project was finally dropped, through sheer neglect, before any immigration was effected.
GREEN RIVER NAVIGATION.
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 annually, in July, August and September, to " work it " with hands from the neighborhood, namely, to remove all fish-pots, all dams not erected under authority of the Legislature, and all logs; to cut and clear away all project- ing timber; to shrub all points of islands, and to remove any other obstructions in the channel. Hands were "exonerated by the pay- ment of seventy-five 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.
The navigation of Green and Barren rivers was the first to seriously engage the attention of the State. In 1833, $526 was expended upon it in surveys; in 1834, $15,272 was expended for engineering and works upon the locks; and in 1835, $40,033-all this before any expenditures were incurred upon other rivers. The total estimated cost, in 1834, of four locks and dams in Green River and one in Barren River, was $290,988, or within a fraction of $862 per mile. This system of improvement embraced 180 miles in Green and Barren rivers connectedly, thirty miles in Green River above the mouth of Barren, thirty in Mnddy River, nine in Pond River, and nineteen in Rough Creek-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 twenty-eight
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miles from its month; and a lock in Pond River, to cost $15,340 would extend its navigation to thirty miles. The total amount paid by the State for these works up to Nov. 20, 1837. was $243,194, while less than one third this amount was paid on all the other rivers together. 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 thirteen ont of twenty-three years, 1843-'65, small dividends were realized by the State from this line of navigation-from $32 in 1859 to $5,610 in 1855; but more than these snms were paid back for repairs in other years, namely, $4,811.07-the gross ex- penditures being $269,813.66, and the gross receipts, $265,002.59. The cost of the improvements turned out to be nearly five times the estimate.
Lock and dam No. 2 was let in January, 1834, and its gates opened December. 1837. The rest were completed by 1842.
The present
GREEN AND BARREN RIVER NAVIGATION COMPANY
was organized about 1868, consisting of John Robinson, Wm. H. Payne, O. P. Johnson, D. R. Haggard, F. M. Allison, A. C. Turner, H. C. Murray, John V. Sproule, E. B. Seeley, W. S. Vanmeter. C. J. Vanmeter, Wm. Brown, and M. D. Hay. A thirty-year charter was granted this company by the Legislature, on condition that they at the expiration of their charter would turn over the river to the State in as good condition as they found it. The company represented to the Legislature that the river was an expense to the State, and thus secured the grant of adroitly worded franchises. The river actually had always yielded a net revenue to the State, but there was an apparent loss during the war, owing to an nnawarded claim; and this fact was " made the most of" by the raiders, who obtained their deceptive charter and proceeded to carry out a perfect monopoly of Green River navigation.
When this chicanery was discovered about ten years afterward, an attempt was made in the Legislature to revoke the charter, but failed. A renewed attempt was made at the next session, 1879-'80 which was sustained by both branches of the Legislature. The company, however, refused to give possession of the rivers, and the State brought suit in the Franklin Circuit Court for recovery, and obtained a decision in its favor; but the case was referred to
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the Court of Appeals, which reversed this decision, holding that the Legislature could not revoke the charter. In order to manipulate the court, the company succeeded in getting a man placed upon the judicial bench who had been an attorney for them in all their lawsuits. The corporators were men of wealth and influence.
In the Legislature of 1881-'2, another effort was made to remedy the evil, in a manner quite different from the preceding, but before the bill reached the House the Legislature adjourned; and thus the matter stands at the present writing (February, 1883).
The present corporators are: C. G. Smallhouse, E. B. Seeley, John A. Robinson, Wm. H. Payne, John V. Sproule and W. S. and C. J. Vanmeter. Dr. S. W. Combs, a member of the com- pany, died last fall.
THE DAVIESS COUNTY GRAVEL ROAD COMPANIES. .
About 1855 a stock company was organized to build a plank road toward Livermore; but after planking five miles, they com- pleted their work as a gravel road company, placing about nine inches of gravel on the track to a distance of twelve miles from Owensboro. This has proved to be a great improvement, well repaying the cost.
The present company was organized in the spring of 1882, in- corporated as a stock company, to gravel all the eastern roads in the vicinity of Owensboro for a distance of five miles ont. They fixed the shares at $50, of which 350 were taken. They have supplied three miles of road with gravel, and their enterprise promises to pay liberal dividends, from receipts at the toll gate. J. W. M. Field is the President and Hngh A. Williams, Secretary. Board of Directors-M. V. Monarch, J. W. M. Field, Allan Reid, J. H. Bell and G. W. Williams.
TELEGRAPH.
Louisville and Owensboro Telegraph Company .- May 4, 1866, at a meeting held in this city, $50 was ordered to constitute a share, and each share one vote. B. Bransford was elected Presi- dent. C. B. Hicks, Secretary, and W. B. Tyler, Treasurer. A board of directors was also elected. N. M. Booth was chosen Snperin- tendent of the line. The president and directors were given full power to contract for the construction of the line, call a meeting of the stockholders in certain cases, etc., complete control of the line being placed in their hands.
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This company commenced building their line in April, 1866, and completed it the next year-the first telegraph line ever built in Daviess County. This telegraph was operated until the winter of 1873-'4, when it was abandoned.
Owensboro & Evansville Telegraph Company was organized in September, 1875, as a stock association, with a capital of $2,500, shares at $50. James Weir was elected President and John W. Porter, Secretary, Treasurer and Superintendent. The stock was immediately taken, and the line at once put up, and business com - menced. In the summer of 1876 they entered into a contract with the Western Union Telegraph Company, since which time they have co-operated. Present officers: S. D. Kennady, President; John W. Porter, same offices as at the first. It will be inferred from the foregoing facts that Mr. Porter is the prime mover and sup- porter of the present telegraph facilities which Owensboro enjoys.
RAILROADS.
In the present age railroads are the main factors of cities and towns, and a general prosperity itself. Woe unto that town or community that is left ont in the cold by the contests of money kings and railroad giants! In this respect Daviess County has been rather unfortunate, not having a railroad until 1870, and but a small piece of one at that. It seems, however, to be not the fault of the people here, but the natural result of stock manipulations among lovers of money, blind often to their own pecuniary interests.
In 1826 a railway was built by Robert Triplett, three quarters of a mile in length, from the Bor: Harbor Hills to the Ohio River, - the first built in Kentucky and probably the first in the West. It was probably operated by inule-power.
A railroad was proposed from Owensboro to Calhoon as early as 1848, and stock was taken in it by a number of individuals; but a proposition for aid or right of way being submitted to the people, it was voted down by a heavy majority; and thus ended railroad scheming in this county for many years.
OWENSBORO & NASHVILLE RAILROAD.
Jan. 10, 1866, the Owensboro Monitor formally opened ont in favor of a railroad south to Callioon, as a means not only of build- ing up Owensboro, but of even keeping it up to the level it had attained among sister towns. Two weeks afterward it still further
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urged the advantages of a railroad, both to the company building it and to Owensboro and the country around generally. In subse- quent issues correspondents supported the editor in his earnest appeals.
Nov. 9 following a meeting of the citizens of Owensboro was held, when Dr. W. D. Stirman was chosen Chairman and G. W. Ray, Secretary. A committee was appointed to secure a revision, by the Legislature, of the old charter of the Russellville & Owens- boro Company, approved March 2, 1560, and another committee was appointed to ask aid from the city of Owensboro, through the Council. Dec. 3, at a meeting of the citizens of Muhlenburg County at Greenville, a request was published for a general meeting of parties all along the line to take place at Greenville; and ac- cordingly about seventy-five representative citizens were appointed by Daviess County mass-meeting at Owensboro Dec. 15, to attend in a body the general convention at Greenville, to devise means and awaken a common interest for an early completion of the rail- road. The delegation attended, and reported favorable progress. The people of McLean and Muhlenburg counties wanted to trade with Owensboro, and therefore were largely interested in the road. Not only farm produce, stock and lumber, but also coal in rast quantities were to be shipped.
During the spring of 1867 addresses were delivered to the people of the county by Messrs. McHenry, Hardin, Arch and Isaac Sutherland. Triplett, Sweeney, Weissinger, Taylor, Jones, Cray- croft, Sims and Elliott, urging the people to vote for the county taking $250,000 stock in the railroad, which they did April 15, giving 437 majority in the county, and 921 in Owensboro, for the stoek. A few days afterward the commissioners appointed a board of eanvassers for every precinct to secure subscription of stock, which was taken in $25 shares. The commissioners for Daviess County were Dr. W. A. Hickman, T. B. Hardin, H. W. Scott, Geo. W. Swoope and Dr. W D. Stirman. In September Dr. Ilick- man was elected President, A. L. Ashby, Secretary, and T. S. An- derson, Treasurer, and every department of the business sct in operation.
Meanwhile Hon. T. C. McCreery and Camden Riley opposed the enterprise as proposed, and in October, 1867, the County Crout declined also to lend its aid. But the friends of the road went on with the work.
Dec. 30 a mass meeting of the citizens of Owensboro adopted
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resolutions favoring the bill pending before the Legislature pro- viding for State aid to railroads.
Jan. 18, 1868, S. D. Kennady and John T. Brooks reported the results of a reconnoissance along the proposed route of the road, which were very encouraging to the enterprise. In February the directory employed N. M. Lloyd as their chief engineer. May 6, James Weir was elected President; A. L. Ashby, Secretary and Col- lector; W. B. Tyler; Treasurer. The other directors were S. M. Wing, C. Riley, Benj. Bransford, S. D. Kennady, F. L. Hall, W. A. Hickman and Clinton Griffith. S. Gordon was employed as surveyor. Stockholders were at this time slow in paying their assessments (which were generally five per cent.), and mueh ex- hortation was resorted to by the officers and friends of the enter- prise.
June 17, 1868, Chief Engineer Lloyd reported in detail the estimated cost of the two proposed rontes to Russellville, making that via Calhoon $1.059,554, and that via Livermore $979,872; distance via Callioon, 47.36 miles, and via Livermore, 41.81 miles; the cost through Daviess County, by the first named route, $188,196; by the other, $232,956. Sept. 8, the directors accepted the Livermore route, as the people on that line, especially of Livermore Precinct, paid more on the stoek. By November a suf- ficient amount of stoek had been paid in to insure the completion of the road to Greenville. Feb. 27, Logan County voted $500,000 for the road, and other friends proposed to add $100,000 more. At this time all the people along the route were considerably in- terested, expecting the road to be built as far at least as Bowling Green. By the last of April $1,425,485 had been subseribed, but some of this was conditional; and the reason that grading had not commenced long before was, the directory felt in honor bound to wait a reasonable length of time for the people to say how much they would give for the different rontes, so that the line could be precisely located, the highest bidders to win. On the third of May, 1869, however, grading commeneed on the Livermore route.
In the Monitor of June 23, 1869, appeared a very careful, de- tailed statement of the resources of this county, and of the matur- ity of the bonds of $250,000 voted, interest, etc., by which any one could foresee to the end all the pecuniary responsibilities of the enterprise.
During the summer and fall of 1869 and the winter and spring following, the work of construction went steadily on; and in April,
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1870, President Weir went East and purchased iron, engines and rolling stock. Track-laying commenced in July following.
In the Monitor of June 8, 1870, Mr. Weir published a full state. ment of the condition of the road and of the history of the various contracts.
At this time the line had not been located south of Green River, owing to the unsettled condition of some of the subscriptions along the route.
July 14, 1870, the fine locomotive "Jo Daveiss, " was landed at the Owensboro wharf. It was built at the Baldwin works, Phila- delphia, at a cost of $11,325, and weighed 49,000 pounds. On its being landed here a large assembly of the citizens gathered at the wharf to welcome the friendly stranger. On this day other equip- inents for the road arrived.
During this season, the summer of 1870, the railroad from Rockport to Cincinnati was under good headway in construction.
Oct. 5, 1870, the directors located the line of the road south of Green River, by way of South Carrollton.
Feb. 15, 1871, a fine passenger coach, bnilt at Jeffersonville, reached Owensboro, to be placed at once on the road. March 2, the first excursion was given, which carried the passengers over fourteen miles of road, Mr. Ashburn being the engineer. At this time track-laying was progressing at the rate of half a mile a day. April 14, an excursion of about 600 ladies and gentlemen was made to Livermore-this constituting the formal opening of the road for business to that point. The excursion was a grand and joyful pic- nic, unmarred by accident.
In October, 1871, President Weir contracted for the graduation of the entire route through Logan County, from the Muhlenburg County line to the Tennessee State line-a distance of thirty miles.
In the Monitor of Feb. 7, 1872, an anonymous correspondent an- nounced as news that the Owensboro & Russellville Railroad was but alink in one of the most important north and south lines of railroad in the United States-a line from Chicago to the Gulf of Mexico, through the best part of the country.
The road was completed and put in operation under the super vision of the following efficient Board of Directors: James Weir, President; R. S. Revier, Vice-President; Robert Browder, George R. Bibb, S. D. Kennady, J. W. Belt, D. M. Griffith and Caniden Riley.
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July 31, 1872, President Weir published to the stockholders the condition and prospects of the road. He had employed a steamer to run in the pool on Green River, between the town of Calhoon and the month of Mud River, a distance of forty-seven miles; but the boat could not be retained. The business of the road np to this date had been very good, even exceeding the anticipations of the board. The road was now running to Strond City, making connection with the Elizabethtown & Paducah Railroad. Up to Oet. 1, 1872, there had been expended in the construction of the O. & R. Road, $1,406,118. The money market being somewhat stringent in this country, the bonds were sent to Europe.
In the Monitor of Jan. 29, 1873, President Weir published again the condition of the railroad, showing that all went on economi- eally, and satisfactorily to all who knew the facts, notwithstand- ing the carping criticisms of sundry anonymous correspondents of the press. From Owensboro to Livermore the road and its equip- ments, including machine-shops, depots and station-houses, had cost $355,422.75; iron bridge over Green River, $106,827.62; from Livermore to the junction with the E. & P. Road, fifteen miles, $399,084.87; from the last point to the northern line of Logan Connty, eighteen miles, $238,185.87; from there to the Tennessee State line, thirty-two miles, $344,982.54. From the junction to the State line the road was not completed; and it was estimated that $90,000 more would prepare it for track-laying.
About these times (1873) the well-remembered stringency of business set in, and all railroad construction throughout the United States ceased. Scarcely anything. therefore, was done on this road, much less on any other route, until 1878, when another movement was inaugurated for completing this road to Russell- ville. The road had already, during the seven years of its exist- ence, reduced freights from Louisville to about two thirds or less, and during that time Owensboro had about doubled in population and wealth. These facts served as a foundation for the propriety of voting an additional tax to finish the road, but of course this movement met with some opposition. The proposition, however, to vote an additional tax of $50.000 upon the city of Owensboro, was carried on June 1, 1878, by 756 votes, this number being ninety-three more than the requisite majority of the qualified voters.
During the summer the directory concluded to issue $350,000 twenty-year six per cent. bonds, with a mortgage on the entire
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railroad, and guarantee the completion of the road to Adairville. in Logan County, in twelve months, if the city, or if Logan and Daviess, would take $150,000 of the bonds bearing six per cent., payable semi-annually after the first twelve months. Thus they would release Owensboro of the subscription voted June 1 pre- wiously. But corrupt management seemed to set in about this time, and the people lost confidence in the directory. The way was fut being paved for selling out the road to Louisville parties. The trains were stopped during the winter of 1875-19.
May 13, 1-79, this road was sold to the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway Company. by T. S. Anderson, and new life was infused into the enterprise, as the new company signified their intention to run a line to Vincennes, and thus complete a trunk line to Chicago. About the middle of July trains were again started under the management of Vice-President Anderson; E. Calverhonse, Superintendent. The track was put in good condi- tion during August and September. But in a few short weeks, namely, in Jaimary following, the N., C. &. St. L. road fell into the hands of the Lonisville & Nashville Railway Company, who were interested in building up Louisville at the expense of both Owensboro and Chicago. This coup d'etat was accomplished by the intricate manipulations of stock in New York. A full account is given in the Owensboro Messenger and Examiner of Jan. 23, 1580. Colonel E. W. Cole, of Nashville, and President of the N .. C. & St. L. R. R. Co., fought bravely against the transfer, but was finally defeated.
In the spring of 1880 the " Evansville, Owensboro & Nashville Railroad Company" went into bankruptcy: J. Z. Moore, of Owensboro. Register. Governor Porter succeeded Colonel Cole as President of the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railroad, and hopes still lingered in the hearts of the people along the line of the O. & N. Road that the track would soon be completed, at least to Nashville, or Russellville; but these hopes were " deferred," until the public "heart was made sick," and tired out with thoughts of suspense concerning the matter. Suspense has now grown into a dead negation, with the Owensboro & Nashville Railroad ending at Ricedale, forty-four miles from the former city.
During the year 1881 it was decided by the courts that Owens- boro's over issue of bonds was illegal. This municipality had issued bonds to the amount of $320,000 to secure the $250,000 cash au- thorized.
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The late Railroad Commission recently levied a tax upon this road, and the company refused to pay it, on the ground that the road was unfinished, while the franchise was it should remain un- taxed until "finished." The State, therefore, sued the company in the Franklin Circuit Court, and obtained a verdiet in its favor; but the company has taken the case to the Court of Appeals.
The Legislature of 1881-'2 passed a bill requiring the L. & N. Co. to complete the O. & N. Road to Nashville within two years or forfeit their charter. The company refused to give guaranties that they would complete the track in that time; and the prospect now is that the road will have to be sold again, and a new com- mencement made.
Colonel R. S. Bevier, formerly of Russellville, but now of Owens- boro, has been a zealous and hard-working friend of this road from the comineneement, and is now the efficient and popular President of the Company.
PROPOSED RAILROADS.
As yet there is but one railroad in Daviess County, but of course several others have been proposed, notably the route from Louis- ville direet to Owensboro along the south side of the Ohio River, which has been called by various names; as, the Louisville, Clover- port & Western Railway; Louisville, St. Louis & Texas, etc. In 1881 a narrow-gange track was projected on this route, and sub- seription books opened for its construction. In Owensboro Messrs. Griffith, Bransford and Powers had charge of such books, for raising $25,000; but the people along the line did not rally to its support as zealously as was hoped. At the present time-the win ter of 1882-'3-a renewed effort is being made to interest the people in a standard gange road on this ronte.
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