USA > Ohio > Morgan County > History of Morgan County, Ohio, with portraits and biographical sketches of some of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 18
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But this arrangement was thwarted by the decision of the Supreme Court. May, 1873, that the law was unconsti- tutional.
May 21, 1873, the stockholders met and elected directors, and held occa- sional meetings until the fall of 1877. Colonel Yeoman, of Washington C. II., Fayette County, was induced to con- sider the project of a narrow-gauge railroad to the mineral regions of Perry County, and on investigation, ascertain- ing that the Mineral Company had maintained their organization, proposed to construct a road on what was termed the Oil Spring route, by a transfer of their organization and right of way in Morgan County, aud a sub- seription of $60,000. But although about
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, OHIO.
$55,000 was raised and two-thirds of the right of way secured, after two or three agreements and disagreements on his part the proposition failed.
In June, 1878. the firm of Gifford, Donaldson & Wolf proposed to build this road, and the company agreed to transfer to A. L. Miller as trustee all rights of way in the possession of the company, and all subscriptions, the proceed to be by him paid over to them on the completion of the road in ac- cordance with the stipulations in the subscription notes. This stipulation was to pay to the contractors a certain per centage on each five miles of the road when finished and furnished with cars.
The firm commenced work about the 1st of July with carts, scrapers, shovels and from 150 to 200 men, and graded two or three miles. When at the ex- piration of thirty days the workmen expected their wages, the contractors being unable to pay them, they threw down their implements and paraded the streets of Malta and McConnelsville, much to the annoyance and alarm of the citizens, who raised by subscription a sum sufficient to enable them to seek other fields of more successful culture, as did also Gifford, Donaldson & Co.
One other meeting of the directors was held on the 5th of November, 1878, with an adjournment sine die.
And here ends a trip more lengthy than is interesting over two of the rail- roals of our county, but with compen- sating memory of the eloquence, the music, instrumental and vocal, which during these years echoed through the hills and dales of the townships. Nor should the exertions of the stratageti- cal railroad-builders at either end of our river be forgotten.
NEW ROADS PROJECTED.
In 1882-83 no less than four rail- roads were built (on paper) having either McConnelsville or Malta as important stations upon their routes.
In the fall of 1882 survey was made for a narrow-gauge road along the Muskingum from Marietta to Duncan's Falls, and to connect with the Zanesville & Caldwell. General R. R. Dawes and Hon. W. P. Cutler, of Marietta, were the projectors.
In the summer of 1883, when the C., W. & N. Y. was considered a "sure thing," the Columbus & Eastern ex- tension from Roseville to Malta was built-on paper.
The latest railroad project for Mor- gan County's benefit had its inception in May 1883, when Colonel E. A. Boone, of Washington City, represent- ing a syndicate of eastern capitalists, proposed to build a road from Zanes- ville to Marietta on the western side of the river. In June following the " Black Diamond " Railroad Company was organized, viz .: Directors-W. A. Graham, Thomas Griffith, James Buck- ingham. George M. Jewett, John W. Pinkerton, A. W. Train, Perry Wiles, W. S. Harlan and A. E. Boone. A. E. Boone, president and general manager; George M. Jewett, vice-president and treasurer; W. S. Harlan, secretary. In December, 1885, the requisite amount having been subscribed in Morgan and Muskingum Counties, the railroad was put under contract, to be completed as far as Malta before October, 1886.
BRIDGES.
For years the building of a bridge across the river from MeConnelsville to Malta had been a topic of conversation and newspaper paragraphs, especially
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INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS AND RIVER NAVIGATION.
when the river was high, or a break-up of heavy ice occurred, and it is said that the first step toward supplying this "long-felt want" was produced by the anticipated results of the river improve- ment.
In 1837 a company was chartered by the legislature to build a bridge, but as is not uncommon the act was permitted to remain on the statute books as a dead-letter, and in 1850 another com- pany for a similar purpose was incor- porated, with a similar result. Not- withstanding both failures, the agitation of the subject continued, and various opinions were advanced as to how or by whom the bridge should be built, and who should furnish the funds. On the latter subject the pocket argument was apparent, as some suggested that it should, like the bridges over the small streams in their vicinity, be built by the county; others were disposed to be more generous, and proposed that the county should furnish one-third while two-thirds should be raised by subscip- tion. Still others favored a joint-stock company.
February 3, 1866, "in pursuance of public notice a meeting was held, where it was resolved that a bridge would be a great convenience, and that it should be built and owned by a joint- stock company, with a capital of not less than $75,000, in shares of $50." A committee was appointed to confer with the commissioners to ascertain what "assistance, if any, could be ob- tained from the county," and after resolving the width for teams and foot passengers, and the number of piers and abutments for a "substantial structure" and locating it "so as to touch the east bank of the river at a point not north of Center street or
south of Center street, in said town of Malta," the meeting adjourned to the 3d of March.
Meantime a certificate of incorpora- tion under the general bridge law of the State was obtained, and permission of the board of public works, and the councils of the two villages.
At the meeting on the 3d of March, $18,000 was subscribed by ten individ- uals, and the " Morgan County Bridge Company " was organized. Officers were elected and the capital stock fixed at $100,000.
Afterward some of the points desig- nated at the February meeting were ex- amined. The river was found to be four hundred and eighty feet wide at one point; at the other five hundred and twelve, and the depth seventeen and eighteen feet, with a solid rock four feet below the debris or deposit.
At the March meeting Mr. Alfred Wilkin submitted a plan and estimate for the work, at a cost of $40,000. cov- ering all contingencies. At the same time William King, of Cleveland, sug- gested that an iron bridge could be built for $27,000.
In May the contract for laying the foundations and building four piers, two abutments and the column for the turn- table of the draw was let to Messrs. Whitsel and Evans, and about the same time the iron structure was awarded to a Cleveland firm, the entire work to be completed by the 15th of December, 1866.
Under ordinary circumstances this might have been accomplished, but "Old Probabilities" had not been con- sulted. The unusual quantity of rain in Angust and a continuation with an increase in September produced a rise twelve feet from the 19th to the 21st.
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, OHIO.
This rise, at the time, was supposed to have had a damaging effect on the bridge, and one of the newspapers said that the pier next to the Malta abut- ment, on which was six courses only, of huge bloeks of stone, was swept off, and that others had received such dam- age as would require their removal and rebuilding; but in a short time it was ascertained that the Malta pier was in situ, and that two others from the pressure and wash of the current had inclined somewhat east of a perpendic- ular, without any movement at the base: and under the supervision of the treasurer (Mr. H. M. Cochran) were restored to their original position with- out the removal of a block of stone.
On the completion of the piers the iron contractors were on hand, ready to place in position the different sec- tions of the bridge. In this they were much aided by the early and hard freezing of the river, and there was a probability of the completion of the bridge before the breaking up of the ice, which occurs usually about the 1st of March. This breaking up, from the large body of ice already formed, would require a continuance of moderate weather with slight rains, or else a rise of twelve to fifteen feet to take it out. In the latter event the result was ex- pected to be sufficient to test the per- manence of the bridge. But the "break- up" came sooner than usual. For two months previous the snows on the hills and valleys and the ice in the streams throughout the wide range which con- stitutes the headwaters of the Mus- kingum had been accumulating. All began to yield to the heavy rains and warmth of the last six or eight days of January, 1867. When the half melted snow and ice was crowded into the
river the result was the formation of gorges at the short bends or narrow places, throwing back the water, ice and drift on the adjacent low grounds. These appearances set the bridge- builders at work with redoubled dili- gence, and bars and bolts were put in position and screws applied to make all secure.
During the day, although the gorge two miles above was almost moment- arily expected to break, and although we had been patronizingly advised from the head of navigation to look out for the Licking ice, eight feet thick, and half an acre wide, that was coming, as the gorges were giving way, pedes- trians were continuously on the tramp from either side over the loose boards on the bridge center a few minutes preceding the crash. At 5.30 p. m., February 3, 1867, the Salt Run gorge broke, and with accumulated force dashed against the apparently frail structure. The rather sudden increase of the shock was withstood until the surging mass arose above the level of the piers-then a short vibratory mo- tion like a slight rebound-then a loud, long clang and crash above that of the crashing, grinding ice accompanied by constant, vivid electric flashes, and the two spans connected with the Malta abutment sank beneath the flood, or were carried by the heavy ice miles be- low, where parts of them were found. The loss was estimated at $12,000 to $14.000. but who sustained it is not generally known.
The subject appeared to have a rest until a meeting of the stockholders May 25. During this time the iron contractors had proposed to finish it for $10,000 in addition to the original con- tract price.
Jahu Back
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INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS AND RIVER NAVIGATION.
This meeting of stockholders was rep- resented by $30,000, and it instructed the directors to reject the proposition and to immediately contract for the building of a wooden bridge.
The instructions were promptly com- plied with, and J. W. Fouts and C. M. Grubb were in a brief period on hand with men and material. To meet con- tingencies the stockholders were notified that 10 per cent of stock from the 1st of August must be paid every thirty days until all was paid. This indicated promptitude, but at what price the community were not told, nor as to the time when the advantages might be practically appreciated, but about the 1st the papers announced that it would be finished by the 10th of September, and that S. C. Beckwith was collector.
In looking over the map of the county and ascertaining the number of streams, large and small, that have their course in and through the rich valleys, and then observing the number of roads that cross them at convenient localities, one cannot but be satisfied that the advantages of bridges for the last fifteen or twenty years have been fully appreciated. A reference to the township maps will show the number of bridges in each, viz .:
Bloom. 8
Penn. 7
Deerfield . 10
York. 6
Manchester 11
Centre. 10
Morgan. 6
Marion 10
Windsor. 10
Meigsville 10
Bristol 10
Union 14
Homer 10
Malta .
Total. .125
at an average cost of about $500. In addition, about twenty-five culverts or small bridges, costing an average of $200.
This comparative expenditure of the bridge fund had occasionally produced some dissatisfaction with those not in
the immediate vicinity of its advantages, and the annual increase bad attracted the notice of local boards of equaliza- tion, who suggested its practical appli- cation to the river bridge. "Free Bridge" was a subject which at once addressed itself to the pocket of every taxpayer who had assisted in building a large bridge over a small stream in a distant part of the county. The inter- est on the subject continued to increase in conjunction with other propositions until 1878, when the matter was di- rectly brought to the attention of the commissioners by 845 tax-paying peti- tioners for a free bridge and 172 re- monstrants. (A large majority of the latter were credited to Centre Town- ship.)
Propositions were made by the con- missioners, and the bridge directors after a given time for consideration offered to " take 75 cents on the dollar of all the stock of the company." making the price $37,500.
On January 6, 1879, the commission- ers appointed Davis Scott, Arthur Pond and George Whitsel, to " examine the condition of the bridge in all par- ticulars, and to ascertain the probable cost of erecting a bridge between the two towns, and give an approximate worth of the present bridge."
This examination was made when the river was frozen over, and on the 3d of March they " reported the worth of the present bridge, $19,500."
In 1882 the commissioners purchased it for $33,000.
EARLY MILLS.
In the early settlements, after the hand-mill, the horse-mill furnished the prepared material for the staff of life. Dr. Hildreth says the first mill with wa-
10
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, OHIO.
ter for a motive-power within the limits of Ohio was built at Waterford, Wash- ington County, in 1789; but so far as can be ascertained from the " early set- tler" the first mill in this county was built by Samuel Smith and Jacob Hummel. on Wolf Creek, one mile below the west fork. John Harris says that his father. Isaac Harris, wagoned the stones from Flint Ridge, in Licking County. In 1823 Joel Reese moved it a mile down the creek, and, with the same millstones, it was used until 1830. It is now owned by a Mr. Green, and has three runs of stones.
In 1823 John and H. K. White built a mill with two runs of stones at Big Ludlow six miles below McConnelsville. By a wing-dam the current was concen- trated on a reaction wheel for each run, and on one for a carding machine, which was kept in operation for a year or two. The mill was occupied until the in- provement of the river, or until about 1838 or 1840.
About the same time or prior to 1826, on Island Run, were Moore's and Camp- bell's mills. As competitors their rela- tions were not of the most amicable character. On Oil Spring Run, one half mile from the river, was James' mill and distillery, and on Wolf Creek, in Deerfield Township, Crawford's grist and saw mill. Those on Island and Oil Spring Runs were called " thundergust mills," as they were dependent on the rains sufficient to turn their " overshot" wheels. They were, however, of great convenience, making a fair article of flour and meal, particularly James Campbell's, which at regular intervals furnished flour and meal to the citizens in town from a canal at the river.
In 1828, Isaac Baker, a resident of Malta, projected a mill on two boats, the
motive-power being a wheel between then somewhat like the stern-wheel of a steamboat. The boats were anchored in the river at the foot of the ripple below where the dam is, and the force and quantity of water diverted to the wheel by a slight brush wing-dam. A platform or pathway of boards at either end connected the boats, and on the larger boat were the millstones (one pair ) but from a deficiency of bolting apparatus the mill could only grind corn or other grain not requiring it. This mill, at the time was supposed to be an original idea with Mr. Baker; but Dr. Hildreth's "Pioneer History," p. 375-6. published in 1848, describes one on the Ohio, at Belpre, then called Farmer's Castle, built by Captain Jonathan Devol and Griffin Green prior to 1795-the latter having a few years previous seen in France and Holland mills of a similar kind.
After the failure of Mr. Baker's mill, "Father" Lippit, a whilom Meth- odist preacher, projected another ar- rangement for the use of the ripple. The building for his mill machinery was directly at the edge of the water. The motive-power was a perpendicular re- volving shaft, through or to which were annexed horizontal arms, and to them, boards or planks, by means of hinges, so arranged that when traverse to the current on one side of the shaft they presented their broad or perpendicular surface to the force of the diverted cur- rent, and when this was passed floated up horizontally to the original position. This motive shaft had the necessary iron gudgeon and socket in a timber well se- cured to the rock bottom, and posts or perpendicular timbers on either side con- nected by a plate parallel with the base, through which the upper gudgeon of
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INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS AND RIVER NAVIGATION.
the shaft passed, on the terminus of which was the cogwheel or trundle- head connected with the machinery in the building.
The movement of the wheel was reg- ular and slow, and the power deceptive. This was illustrated by an incident at the mill. A young man from " down the river," somewhat erratie, though verdant, with the consequent self-con- ceit, was one day engaged in an exam- ination of a part of the machinery. He came to the conclusion that the power was feeble, and that his strong arm was competent to check the motion. The result was the employment of a tailor for his coatsleeve, and the services of a surgeon for his arm.
" Father" Lippit's was an improve- ment on the Baker Mill, and was used until 1830, when, by authority of the legislature, Robert McConnel built a brush dam across the river immediately above it, which, of course, obstructed the current, and as the grant to Mc- Connel recognized no right or privilege which Lippit may have had or could claim his mill was nseless. As the Baker and Lippit mills were faihires, they were the precursors of the Malta Mill.
When the locks and dams were being built by the State at the abutment of the dam on that side an aperture was made for the outlet of the water, which by a short canal was nearly connected to the place which had been occupied by the Lippit Mill. There Captain Jackson and William MeAvoy erected a flour-mill and saw-mill, under lease of water power from the State. The saw-mill was subsequently removed, and the flour-mill, after having several owners, is now the property of the former lessees of the public works,
through a failure to pay rent for the water power furnished.
When Robert McConnel was granted permission to make the brush dam he was required to build a stone lock, of sufficient capacity to pass steamboats at ordinary stages of water, which he was to keep in good order and furnish competent assistance for that purpose. For this the State guaranteed him for all time a sufficient amount of water to keep in operation ten runs of millstones and the requisite machinery. With the improvement by the State was a larger lock and permanent dam, and the retention by McConnel of the privileges previously granted, with the exemption of assistance to boats in passing the lock. On this acceleration of water power his mill was enlarged and improved, and after his death. under the control of his son James other additions and improvements were made. After his death it was sold by the heirs to Carlos Shepard, who in a short time resold to two of them, who have since sold to E. M. Stanbery, and under the supervision of G. A. Vogle. aided by increased facilities and modern improvements, the products of the mill are unsurpassed by any elsewhere.
After the completion of the locks and dams, James Doster, when doing business as a merchant on a part of the Morris Block lot. built a large frame mill below the lock, at MeConelsville. and for years, while under his control, and afterward that of Eli Shepard and Edward Martin, it manufactured as mch flonr for the Eastern market as any mill on the river. For a time Austin Dickey and C. Shepard sue- cessfully managed it, but now only the millstones on the bank of the river mark the place where it stood,
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, OHIO.
An early mill in Meigsville Township was built at Unionville by a Mr. Tay- lor. Only corn was ground prior to 1827. when Absalom Craig improved it so flour could be made. Other mills will be mentioned in connection with the townships in which they are lo- cated.
MORGAN COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
This society had its inception in 1852. In that vear, under the date of Feb- ruary 2, there was published a notice requesting all those "having sufficient interest in promoting the cause of agriculture in Morgan County" to meet at the courthouse in McConnels- ville on the 14th of February, 1852, for the purpose of considering the propriety of forming a county agricultural society. The meeting was held at the appointed time, and organized by making Hiel Dunsmoor president and Joshua Davis secretary. James A. Adair then stated the object of the meeting, and moved that a committee be appointed to draft a constitution for the proposed society. Messrs. Adair, McCarthy and Hanna were appointed as the committee, and reported the following constitution, which was adopted :
"PREAMBLE. The object of this soci- ety shall be to promote the best inter- ests of agriculture by disseminating use- ful information on that subject, secur- ing funds and distributing premiums in accordance with the provisions of an act entitled 'an act for the encourage- ment of agriculture,' passed February 27, 1846.
"ARTICLE 1. This society shall be known as the Morgan County Agricult- ural Society.
"ART. 2. The officers shall consist of a president, vice-president, treasurer, sec-
retary and five managers [afterward modified], who together shall constitute a board of directors for the general management of the affairs of the soci- ety. They shall be elected annually by the members of the society and shall hold their offices until their successors are appointed.
"ART. 3. Any resident of Morgan County may become a member of this association by subscribing to the con- stitution and paying annually the sum of one dollar to the treasurer.
"ART. 4. Competitors for premiums must be members of the society."
After the constitution had been adopted the following were chosen offi- cers of the society: William Sher- wood, of Malta, president; W. C. Shu- gert, of Morgan, vice-president; F. W. Wood, of Morgan, secretary; Joshua Davis, of Malta, treasurer; John Pier- point, of Marion, George Parsons, of Union, Allen Daniels, of Malta, Joseph Sigler, of Meigsville, and Andrew Kah- ler, of Morgan, managers. Committees of three members in each township were then appointed to canvass their respective townships to secure members. The following were the township com- mittees :
Bloom-Richard McElhiney, S. Mc- Cune and John Reed.
Bristol-Ezekiel Devol, Samuel At- wood and John E. Langley.
Centre-Samuel Morgan, William Kirkland and Stephen Hill.
Manchester-Isaac Robinson, Samuel Reiner and William Bell.
Meigsville-James Neely, Joseph Sig- ler and Lewis Bevan.
Windsor-H. P. Dearborn, D. Smeth- urst and D. C. Walker.
Penn-William H. Manly, William Foulke and Robert Simpson.
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INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS AND RIVER NAVIGATION.
Marion-E. Fawcett, T. E. Vanlaw and Samuel S. Moore.
Homer-Elijah Elliott, William Mun- roe and Eli Alderman.
Union-Israel Parsons, J. W. Will- iams and George Davis.
Deerfield-J. K. Jones, Thos. Byers and William Berry.
Malta-A. Daniels, John Patton and William Massey.
York-John D. Stinchcomb, John Morgan and Samuel Pletcher.
Morgan-Andrew Kahler, R. W. P. Muse and George Johnson.
With the exception of one year the society has held each year since its or- ganization an exhibition in which much interest has been manifested by mem- bers of the association and citizens of the county generally. Most of these fairs have been successful, well attended and with creditable exhibits. The soci- ety owns the buildings and grounds, and the property is worth at least $5,000. The grounds consist of twenty- seven acres, situated a short distance below McConnelsville. The society has
but a small indebtedness, which will doubtless soon be paid.
The presidents of the society have been William Sherwood, 1852; B. W. Conklin, 1853-57; William Sherwood, 1857; B. W. Conklin, 1858-59; J. B. Stone, 1860-66; F. W. Wood, 1866; H. Dunsmoor, 1867; A. S. Dickey, 1868- 69; James A. McConnel, 1870; Edwin Sherwood, 1878; James C. Loughridge, 1872-73; Edwin Sherwood, 1874; A. J. Lawrence, 1875; E. S. Fawcett, 1876- 77: C. B. Bozman, 1878; J. A. C. Leland, 1879-80; John G. Walker, 1881-85; Eugene R. Swayne, 1885.
UNION FAIR.
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