USA > Tennessee > Davidson County > Nashville > History of Nashville, Tenn. > Part 36
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In 1879 the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company purchased the property of the Edgefield and Kentucky and the Evansville, Henderson, and Nashville Railroad Company, the road extending from Henderson, Ky., to Nashville, Tenn., a distance of one hundred and forty-five miles.
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In 1881 this company acquired control of the St. Louis and South- eastern railway and branches by lease, the road extending from Evans- ville, Ind., to East St. Louis, Ill., a distance of one hundred and sixty- one and a half miles, with a branch from McLeansboro to Shawneetown, Ill., on the Ohio River, a distance of forty miles. In the same year this company purchased the property of the Louisville, Cincinnati, and Lex- ington Railway Company, the road extending from Louisville to Lexing- ton, Ky., a distance of ninety-four miles, and from La Grange, Ky., to Cincinnati, O., a distance of eighty-three miles, and secured by lease the control of three minor corporations.
The Pensacola and the Pensacola and Selma (formerly the Selma and Gulf) were purchased in 1880.
The Cumberland and Ohio, 30.5 miles, was leased by the Louisville and Nashville Company in 1879, and completed from Lebanon to Greens- burg. The Elkton and Guthrie, extending from Guthrie to Elkton, a dis- tance of twelve miles, was leased in 1886. The Mammoth Cave railroad, extending from Glasgow Junction to Mammoth Cave, a distance of nine miles, was leased by the Louisville and Nashville in 1887. The Nash- ville, Florence, and Sheffield railroad, extending from Columbia, Tenn., to Sheffield, Ala., a distance of eighty-five miles, was finished in 1888; and the Clarksville and Princeton railroad, fifty-two miles, was complet- ed the same year. From Corbin, Ky., a road has been extended to Cumberland Gap and is now complete and in operation 46.7 miles, and is part of what is called the Virginia extension; and a road extending from Cumberland Gap, on the Knoxville branch, through Eastern Ken- tucky and East Tennessee to connect at Norton with the Norfolk and Western railroad on the Virginia line is being built and will be completed by October 1, 1890. It will be seventy miles long, and is the remainder of the Virginia extension.
Following is a list of the railroads operated by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company: Main stem, Louisville to Nashville, 185.23 miles; Bardstown branch, 17.3 miles; Knoxville branch, 170.8 miles; Memphis branch, 258.5 miles; Richmond branch, 33.8 miles; Cincinnati branch, IIO.I miles; Lexington branch, 67 miles; Henderson branch, 151.45 miles; Pensacola branch, 44.54 miles; Pensacola and Selma branch, 77.63 miles ; Narrow-gauge railroad, II miles ; St. Louis Division, 208 miles; New Orleans and Mobile railroad, 141 miles ; Pontchartrain railroad, 5 miles; Mobile and Montgomery railroad, 178.8 miles ; Nash- ville and Decatur railroad, 119.09 miles; Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, Southern Division, 30.5 miles; Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, Northern Division, 26.72 miles; Shelby railroad, 19.1 miles; Railway transfer,
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4.13 miles; Glasgow railway, 10.5 miles; South and North Alabama railroad, 188.88 miles; Pensacola and Atlantic railroad, 162 miles; Bir- mingham Mineral railroad, 146 miles; Virginia Extension railroad, 116.7 miles; Nashville, Florence, and Sheffield railroad, 85 miles; Clarksville and Princeton railroad, 52 miles; Owensboro and Nashville railroad, 84 miles; total length, 2,704-77 miles.
Following is a list of the officers of the Louisville and Nashville Rail- road Company since its organization : President: James Guthrie, to 1864 ; H. D. Newcomb, to 1873; Thomas J. Martin, from 1873 to 1876; E. D. Standiford, from 1876 to 1880; H. V. Newcomb and E. H. Green, in 1880; C. C. Baldwin, from 1881 to 1884; M. H. Smith, 1884 and 1885; E. Norton, from 1886 to the present time. First Vice-president : Thomas J. Martin, to 1873; Albert Fink, from 1873 to 1877; H. V. Newcomb, 1878 and 1879; E. P. Alexander, 1880 and 1881; M. H. Smith, 1882 and 1883; E. Norton, 1884 and 1885; M. H. Smith, 1886 to the present time. Second Vice-president: G. A. Washington, 1880 and 1884; A. M. Quarier, 1884 to the present time. Third Vice-presi- dent: M. H. Smith, 1881; F. D. Carley, 1881 to 1883; E. B. Stahl- man, 1884 to the present time. Secretary: Willis Ranney, 1875 to 1884; R. K. Warren, 1884 to 1886; J. H. Ellis, 1887 to the present time. Treasurer: C. B. Simmons, 1875 to 1884; W. W. Thompson, 1884 to the present time. General Manager: Albert Fink, 1865 to 1877; F. de Funiak, 1878 to 1883; Bradford Dunham, 1883; Reuben Wills, 1884; J. T. Harahan, 1885 to 1889; J. G. Metcalfe, 1889 to the present time. Traffic Manager: E. B. Stahlman, 1879 and 1880; S. R. Knott, 1888 to the present time. General Freight Agent: F. S. Van Alstyne, 1865 to 1870; M. H. Smith, 1870 to 1878; E. B. Stahlman, 1878 to 1880; J. M. Culp, 1880 to the present time. General Passenger and Ticket Agent: H. C. King, 1868 to 1875; C. P. Atmore, 1875 to the present time.
This system of roads, as will be seen, extends from Cincinnati, O., and Louisville, Ky., on the Ohio River, and from St. Louis, Mo., on the Mississippi, to Pensacola, Mobile, and New Orleans, on the Gulf-pass- ing through the States of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ala- bama, Florida, and Mississippi into Louisiana.
The city of Nashville, by reason of her geographical position, may well be termed the central distributing point in this vast system.
That the operations of this line with Nashville as such a distributing point and commercial center have largely contributed to the rapid growth and development of industries in Nashville must be admitted. It goes without saying that the immense increase of population and wealth of Nashville during the past decade could not have been acquired without
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the cordial support and co-operation of this great system of railroads. Still it is obvious that Nashville needs and must soon have other and dif- ferent systems of railroads built, if she is to become the great central city of the South, as her people fondly believe she is destined to be at no distant day.
The street railway system of Nashville is now very complete. The first street railroad company incorporated in the city was the South Nashville, March 19, 1860, Isaac Paul, C. K. Winston, Herman Cox, F. O. Hurt, M. C. Cotton, Leroy Armstrong, D. F. Wilkin, Ira P. Jones, and J. B. Linds- ley being the incorporators. The purpose of this company was to construct a street railroad from Church Street along Market, College, or Cherry Street to the southern boundary of the corporation, or the State Fair Grounds. The capital of the company was authorized to be $100,000, and to be increased to $300,000. Nothing was done under this first charter, and it was renewed June 9, 1865. The first President of this company was Anson Nelson, who held the office in 1865. He was fol- . lowed by F. O. Hurt in 1866; Daniel Hughes, in 1867; Thomas Chad- well, from 1868 to 1874; N. Baxter, 1874 to 1878; W. M. Duncan, 1878 to 1889; Dr. William Morrow, 1889. The Secretaries and Treasurers have been Leroy Armstrong, 1864 to 1866; John Trenbath, 1866; Jo- seph S. Robinson, 1867; R. A. Barnes, 1868; F. C. Maury, 1873; T. W. Wrenne, 1874 to 1877; J. L. Wrenne, 1877 to 1879; C. L. Fuller, 1879 to 1889; F. M. Morrow, 1889. The railroad of this company was constructed soon after the close of the war, south on Cherry street to Chestnut Street, and back on College Street to Cedar Street.
The next street railroad company incorporated was the McGavock and Mount Vernon Horse Railroad Company, February 29, 1860, the incor- porators being D. T. McGavock, S. D. Morgan, John M. Watson, M. W. Wetmore, F. R. Cheatham, George R. Maney, Eugene Underwood, J. H. Buddeke, Robert Gardner, A. J. McWhirter, John Hugh Smith, John B. Johnson, W. F. Cooper, their associates and successors. They were incorporated for the purpose of constructing a street railroad from the post-office or such other place as the Directors should agree upon in the city of Nashville to the Mount Vernon Garden in the northern suburbs of the city, and had the privilege of extending it three miles from the north- ern boundary of the city, and of having one or more branches connect- ing with the main stem. The authorized capital stock was $100,000, and the privilege was granted of increasing it to $300,000. The war pre- vented the construction of this road also, and the charter was renewed June 9, 1865. July 6, 1866, Judge James Whitworth was elected Presi- dent of this company; and Felix R. Cheatham, Secretary. Messrs.
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Whitworth, Laetenberger, and McFarland were appointed a committee to go North to secure funds for the building of the road, leaving here Monday, July 30. The road commenced at the post-office, ran down Cherry to Cedar Street, thence to College Street, thence to Line, on Line to Cherry, on Cherry north to Monroe, on Monroe west to Clay, and on Clay to St. Cecilia Academy. Work was soon afterward begun, some $56,000 having been subscribed previous to the trip of the commit- tee to the North. James C. Warner succeeded Judge Whitworth as President, and was followed by C. L. Stearns in 1880 and 1881. John P. White became President in 1882, and held the office until the con- solidation of all the street railroad companies in the early part of 1890. D. Deaderick succeeded Mr. Cheatham as Secretary, and held the po- sition until 1883, when he became Superintendent and H. B. Stubblefield became Secretary and Treasurer.
The Nashville and Edgefield Street Railroad Company was incorpo- rated May 23, 1866, Joseph Nash, W. B. A. Ramsey, A. V. S. Lindsley, Nicholas Hobson, Michael Vaughn, J. M. Williams, J. P. Dillon, E. Trewitt, Charles H. Irvin, George B. Hibbard, William M. Ashley, John N. Brooks, and their associates being named as the incorporators. They were authorized to construct and operate a street railroad from the site of the suspension bridge or any bridge that might be erected over the Cumberland River to any point in Davidson County north of said river. The full amount of stock needed to build this road was sub- scribed by July 17, 1871, and a complement of officers had been elected. Woodland Street was selected upon which to build the road. The offi- cers have been as follows: President: James C. Warner, 1878 to 1882; J. S. Bransford, 1883 and 1884; John P. White, 1885; J. H. Yarbrough, 1886 and 1887; W. C. Dibrell, 1888; and William Morrow, 1889. Sec- retary: A. V. S. Lindsley, 1878 to 1888; Percy Kinnaird, 1883 and 1884. Treasurer: John P. White, 1879 to 1881. Secretary and Treas- urer: H. B. Stubblefield, 1885 and 1886; W. T. Smith, 1887 and 1888: F. M. Morrow, 1889. Superintendent: D. Deaderick, 1882; J. T. Voss, 1883 and 1884; D. Deaderick, 1885 and 1886; T. R. Donahue, 1887 to 1889.
The Church and Spruce Street Railroad Company was incorporated May 25, 1866, Orville H. Ewing, A. J. Duncan, William T. Berry, R. T. Kirkpatrick, William H. Murfree, J. W. Paramore, James R. Willet. or any three of them, their associates and successors being named as the incorporators. The purpose of the company was to construct a street railroad along Church Street from where the post-office was then located to Spruce Street, and thence along Spruce Street and the Franklin turn- 22
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pike to the first toll-gate on said turnpike. The capital stock was fixed at $100,000, the privilege being given to increase it to $300,000. The company was authorized to use either horse-power or steam, provided the dummy engines used should not give off either steam or smoke in such manner as to annoy persons or animals. R. C. Foster, 4th, was Presi- dent of this company for some years after the re-organization, and was succeeded by S. L. Demoville in 1877 and 1878. J. Sax, H. Vaughn, and John P. White have since been Presidents of this company. F. W. Tealey and H. B. Stubblefield have been Secretaries; and S. R. Hardy, Superintendent of the company.
The Fatherland Street Railroad Company was incorporated March 7, 1881, the incorporators being William C. Dibrell, Andrew J. Caldwell, H. W. Buttorff, J. M. Sharpe, John S. Bransford, Andrew Allison, and Percy Kinnaird. They were authorized to construct a street railroad commencing at a point on the south-west corner of the public square near the intersection of the square and College Street, running thence along the south side of the square, across the suspension bridge, along Bridge Avenue to Woodland Street, along Second Street to Fatherland Street, along Fatherland Street across Tenth Street, and along the natural exten- sion of Fatherland Street and ending at a point about five hundred feet beyond or north-east of the intersection of Fatherland and Tenth Streets. This company was also authorized to use horse-power or steam, but was required in the charter to use a tram rail only, of such description as to obviate the danger of injury to wheels or axles of vehicles. The first officers of the company were: J. S. Bransford, President; Percy Kin- naird, Secretary; George Dibrell, Treasurer; and J. T. Voss, Superin- tendent. J. P. White became President in 1885. Volney James became Treasurer in 1883, and H. B. Stubblefield in 1885. Percy Kinnaird became Secretary and Treasurer in 1884; and D. Deaderick, Superin- tendent in 1885.
The Line Street and Watkins Park Street Railroad Company was in- corporated June 24, 1881. The incorporators were John P. White, H. B. Stubblefield, C. R. Handly, Robert Farquharson, and G. J. Stubble- field. The purpose of the company was to construct a street railroad from the west side of the public square to Cedar Street, along Cedar Street to Cherry Street, along Cherry Street to Line Street, along Line Street to the corporation line, and along the natural extension of Line Street to or near the stock-yards. The first Board of Directors was to consist of the five or more of the incorporators who should apply for and obtain the charter, and the same privileges as to horse-power or a dummy steam-engine was granted as in other cases. The officers of this com-
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pany during 1881 and 1882 were: J. P. White, President; H. B. Stubble- field, Secretary and Treasurer; and D. Deaderick, Superintendent.
Besides these, other street railroad companies have been incorporated, and all consolidated into one, as narrated below. These were the Main Street and Gallatin Turnpike Street Railroad Company, the Main Street and Lischey Avenue Street Railroad Company, the Summer Street and West Nashville Street Railroad Company, and the Nashville and Fair Grounds Street Railroad Company.
The Nashville and Edgefield Street Railroad Company acquired the Nashville and North Edgefield street railroad, the Fatherland Street railroad, the Main Street and Gallatin Turnpike street railroad, and the Main Street and Lischey Avenue street railroad in 1889. The McGav- ock and Mount Vernon Street Railroad Company acquired the Line Street and Watkins Park street railroad, the Church and Spruce Street railroad, the Summer Street and West Nashville street railroad, and the Nashville and Fair Grounds street railroad.
The McGavock and Mount Vernon Horse Railroad Company intro- duced electricity upon its roads in February, 1888. They equipped what is called the Broadway or Vanderbilt line with six cars, which innovation proved so satisfactory that by 1889 they had equipped their entire system, about seventeen miles in length, including Broadway, Spruce, McNairy, Church and Cedar, Line, North Cherry, Jefferson, Monroe, and Buena Vista Streets.
In 1889 the City Electric Railway was incorporated, and constructed lines in the south-eastern part of the city on Front, Fillmore, South Mar- ket, and Peabody Streets, and Wharf Avenue, and built an extension to Mount Olivet and Mount Calvary cemeteries. The same year the South Nashville Street Railway Company converted its lines to electric railways, including Cherry and College Streets, Lindsley Avenue, University, Hazel, and Fain Streets. The electric lines were also extended over the street railways in Edgefield, or East Nashville, covering Woodland, Fath- erland, Main Streets, and those in North Edgefield. The total length of electric street railway thus put in operation in Nashville is about fifty miles. The number of electric cars upon the entire system of street rail- ways is now fifty-six, the electricity being developed by means of steam- engines having an aggregate of fifteen hundred horse-power. Besides these, the company has twenty-two tow cars.
The various separate street railway companies were consolidated Feb- ruary 26, 1890, and chartered under the name of the United Electric Railway. The capital stock of this organization is $1,000,000, and the officers are: T. W. Wrenne, President; Isaac T. Rhea, Vice-president ;
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Frank M. Morrow, Secretary; and George W. Cunningham, Treasurer and General Manager. Toward the latter part of March, 1890, a sys- tem of transfer checks was put in operation, by means of which a pas- senger is enabled to ride from one side of the city to the other for one fare of five cents; which, together with the beauty, comfort, and rapidity of travel of the new electric cars, renders them of great use and popu- larity. There are few, if any, cities in the United States which, for their size, have a better street railway service than Nashville, and the value of real estate in the suburbs has been greatly enhanced by its per- fection.
In addition to the above street railroad system there are two dummy railroad lines running out of Nashville. One is the Overland dummy line, running from the public square to Glendale Park, a distance of six miles, and the other from the north-east corner of the public square to West Nashville and Cherokee Park, a distance of about five miles. Both were chartered in 1888, the capital stock of each is $100,000, each road is of the standard gauge, and is equipped with steel rails. Of the Over- land Dummy Railroad Company Dr. William Morrow is President, Frank Morrow Treasurer, and S. C. Paine, Superintendent; and of the West Nashville Dummy Line Dr. William Morrow is President, and W. J. Freeman Treasurer.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE PRESS.
First Newspaper Published in Nashville-Tennessee Gazette and Mero District Advertiser- The Clarion-Nashville Gazette-The Nashville Republican-Impartial Review and Cum- berland Repository- Nashville Whig -Nashville Gazette- Nashville Banner-Nashville True Whig-Nashville Union-Nashville American- Nashville Union and American- Nashville Evening News-Daily Orthopolitan-Christian Record-Western Methodist- Christian Advocate-Quarterly Review-Sunday-school Visitor-Banner of Peace-Ten- nessee Baptist-Other Baptist Publications-American Presbyterian-Miscellaneous Papers -War Publications-Post War Publications-Tennessee Staats Zeitung-Gospel Advocate -Union and American-Telegraphic News-Nashville Banner-Nashville Review-South- ern Lumberman-Christian Advocate-Other Methodist Publications-Cumberland Pres- byterian Publications-Baptist Publications-The Round Table-Nashville Journal of Med- icine and Surgery-The Southern Practitioner-Other Papers.
T HE first newspaper published in Nashville of which there is any rec- ord was the Tennessee Gazette and Mero District Advertiser. Its publication was commenced in 1787 by a Mr. Henkle, from Kentucky. In 1798 Mr. Henkle sold his paper to Benjamin J. Bradford, who changed the name to the Clarion, and soon afterward sold it to his cousin, Thom- as G. Bradford. Early in the century there was a paper published here called the Nashville Gazette, the name of which was changed to the Ten- nessee Gazette, and which was afterward merged into the Clarion, and the name of the new paper changed to the Clarion and Tennessee Ga- zette. Volume I., No. I, of this paper ( new series) appeared September 5, 1820, and was published by Wilkins (John H.) & McKeen (Thomas H.). About the first of the year 1821 the name was changed to the Nashville Clarion. Thomas G. Bradford succeeded John H. Wilkins as proprietor, as he had succeeded Wilkins & McKeen, and some time pre- vious to 1826 sold it to a gentleman named Darby, who had as his asso- ciate editor Mr. Van Pelt, subsequently the editor and proprietor of the Franklin Review, and later of the Memphis Appeal. The establishment was afterward purchased by Abram P. Maury and Carey A. Harris, who discontinued the Clarion and established the Nashville Repub- lican.
The Impartial Review and Cumberland Repository was established in 1805, by Thomas Eastin. The motto of the paper was: "I from the Orient to the drooping West-making the wind my Post Horse." The Review was published every Saturday, at $2 per annum in advance, or $2.50 at the end of the year. Notes were required of those who did not pay in advance. Advertisements not exceeding sixteen lines were insert-
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ed for 75 cents the first time, and for 25 cents each succeeding insertion. Payment for advertisements was required in advance. No. 49 of the Re- view contained the continuation of an article, which was credited to the Western World, on " The Kentucky and Spanish Association, Blount's Conspiracy, and General Miranda's Expedition." It also contained an article from the Knoxville Gazette, entitled "An Examination of the Pro- ceedings of the Legislature of Tennessee at the Last Session, so far as they affect the Land Interests of the State," by "One of the People," under date of October 13, 1806.
On December 10, 1807, Mr. Eastin, finding that the plan of taking sub- scriptions at the end of the year, which he had thus far followed, would not yield him that portion of ready cash which was absolutely necessary to enable him to carry on his business, felt compelled to make an altera- tion in the mode of payment. He said that although the amount from each individual was small, yet when considered in the aggregate it was no inconsiderable sum, when it was taken into account that upward of eight hundred papers were issued from his office every week. The Im- partial Review would therefore be published once a week as usual, at $2 per annum, payable in advance. Advertisements of no greater length than breadth would be inserted at 75 cents for the first insertion, and 25 cents for each subsequent insertion; and in proportion, according to length.
The Impartial Review was continued at least as late as about January I, 1809, but how much longer is not known.
The Nashville Whig was established September 1, 1812, by Moses and Joseph Norvell. The price of the Whig was $2 per year, in advance, or $3 at the end of the year. Advertisements of ten lines were inserted for 75 cents the first insertion, and 25 cents each subsequent insertion. On September 3, 1816, the Whig was published by Joseph Norvell and C. D. McLean, the firm name being Norvell & McLean. On August 20, 1817, Mr. Norvell sold his interest in the paper to Mr. George Tunstall, and the firm became McLean & Tunstall. The name of the paper was at. this time changed to the Nashville Whig and Tennessee Advertiser, and in their salutatory they said :
" The present happy union of the two national political parties in the United States requires but little on that subject, and the paper will be de- voted to the measures of a virtuous Republican administration, exercised under the authority of the wise and happy Constitution of the United. States, which will ever be held sacred."
In August, 1819, Mr. McLean sold his interest in the paper to Joseph Norvell, and Tunstall & Norvell continued its publication until March 12,
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1821, when Mr. Tunstall retired, leaving the paper in the hands of Mr. Norvell, who published it until January, 1826, when he sold it, probably to John Fitzgerald. From January 19, 1824, to January 1, 1826, John P. Erwin was the editor. At this latter date Mr. Erwin was appointed post- master. On May 3, 1826, the Whig and the National Banner were consolidated, and took the name of the National Banner and Nashville Whig.
The Nashville Gazette was started by George Wilson May 26, 1819. The paper was a five-column folio, and was issued semi-weekly, at $5 a year. It was styled in the prospectus a Republican newspaper. In this prospectus Mr. Wilson said, with reference to the course he should pur- sue, that with local parties, of which it was well known the State was not entirely clear, and which neither advanced nor promoted the public good, and which were kept alive merely for individual advancement, he dis- claimed all connection. He was free to own that at times past he had felt the force of party, that he had acted from the impulse of the moment and from party feeling; but he was then proud to own that he was clear of its influence, and in his editorial capacity he aspired to a sphere of use- fulness so high that the participation in the petty squabbles of party was so far beneath the course he had lain down as to be unobserved; or, if noticed, to be seen with contempt and derision.
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