Clinton County, Ohio - Chapter 6: Highways and Transportation, 1915

Chapter 6: Highways and Transportation

The first roads in Clinton county, as in every other county in the Middle West, were the Indian trails. These trails were narrow and well-worn, owing to the fact that the country was densely wooded and the making of new roads.in the pioneer times was no easy task. There were also the trails and traces left by the expeditions which passed through 'this region ageinst the hostile tribes of the Miamis on Mad river. The roads, which wound promiscuously through tne country, were nothing more than neighborhood roads and would go from one house to another with no regularity.

Later, when surveys were made and the roads laid out on some definite system and the routes fixed, these pioneers, who had previously found the track running past their door, found that they were some distance from the road. As the county became more fixed and the boundaries determined, the zigzag paths were partially straightened and new building sites were consequently chosen nearer the line of highway. The most prominent localities, which in that day were the taverns, mills, etc., around which clustered a small settlement, were sure to be accommodated by a public road.

The first commissioners found on taking up their duties, in 1810, that: the greater part of their labors consisted in laying out new roads and definitely establishing the ones which had been previously laid out. The early commissioners' records are filled with petitions, reports and orders on road matters. These early records will give the best history of the laying out of the roads which can possibly be taken. They follow and are partial duplicates of the records:

"The road from Wilmington to Lebanon was laid out by Daniel Cushing and Robert Eachus, under the act entitled, 'An act making further appropriation of the three per cent. fund, etc,' passed February 20, 1812." (This record was taken from the first volume of the commissioners' record, page 57.)

"The road commencing near Absalom Haworth's house, and running to Daniel Nordyke's, was laid out by John Wright's field, thence to Samuel Cox's mill, on Cowan's creek, thence by Daniel Bailey's and John Routh's farm to Daniel Nordyke's farm."

"The road Unthank's mill to Wilmington: Viewers, Thomas Babb, Sr., Stephen Mendenhall; John Woolman, surveyor; length of road, from mill to the south end of South street. seven miles and one hundred and eighty poles. Established June 7, 1815."

"Prom Highland county line, near Richard Barnard's, through Centerville, to intersect the Urbana road. two hundred: poles south of James Gillespie's tavern. Established October 22, 1817. Viewers, John Wright, Leonard Morris and Joel Matthews; Hiram Madden, surveyor. Distance, seven miles and two hundred and eight poles."

"The Kenton Trace - This trace commenced on the bank of the Ohio river, opposite Maysville, and terminated at Urbana, @Mhio. It was laid out by Gen. Simon Kenton, and passed through Williamsburg, New Market. Morgantown (by whete Job R. Haynes now lives). crossing the prairie near where Thomas Stitt settled and lived. down the edge of the prairie, through the woods, for some distance, crossing the road leading from Wilmington to Washington, east of the bridge over Anderson's fork, where the Perkinses, father and son, had in former times a pottery on the road, and crossing the route of the present Urbana road at a point-near the residence of William H. Polk.' C. P. Gallaher, Esq., on July 27, 1877, said that when a boy he traveled this trace from the present Reesyille to Morgantown, and passed the residence of John S. Frazer, a Quaker school master, from near Lebanon, whose school he had formerly attended.

Prairie Road - "The petition for this road was. presented to the commissioners on June 3, 1816. Its beginning was at the end of a street near the northeast corner of the town of Wilmington, thence to run the nearest and best way to Gideon Edwards' lane; thence through the said lane and the nearest and best way to the 'lick' above the dwelling house of the elder Mr. Haws; thence on the nearest and best way to the prairie, to strike a line between the lands of Thomas Hinkinson, Esq., and John Coulter, and thence to run with the said line and intersect the Urbana road on the north of Kamoth Hawkins." The fourth mile tree was 'at the ford between the 'lick' and the Haws; the eighth mile tree was between Hinkson and Coulter. Total length of the road, nine miles and two hundred dnd eleven poles. The road was established June 14, 1816. :

The road from- Hillsboro 'to Waynesville via Cox mill and Wilmington: "At the meeting of the commissioners, September 3, 1810, present, George McManis and Henry Babb, a petition was presented by 'Walter Armstrong and others for a road leading in the following manner, to 'wit: At a toad that runs from' Hillsboro in a direction to Walter Armstrong's tavern on the College township road,' and to continue on to said Armstrong's; from thence 'to John Cox's mill; thence to the seat of justice of Clinton eounty; Joseph Doan, William Adams and Daniel Moon, viewers; Peter Burr, Esq, surveyor. Return to be made the first Monday of December, 1810."

'Road from Van Meter's to Waynesville - "Meeting of county commissioners; present, George McManis, James Birdsall and Henry Rabb. The petition of William Dakin and others for an alteration of the state road, leading from Van- Meter's through Waynesville, was read. James Birdsall and Henry Cox bound for the expense on conditions an alteration between Crsar's creek and the town of Oakland is thought improper by Benjamin Farquhar, Robert Hachus and Jacob Hale, who are appointed as viewers of the same. To make report on the third Monday of September, 1810; Joel Wright, surveyor. The viewers report that a certain alteration in said road between the town of Oakland and Cesar's creek would be of public utility; the same is hereby eStablished as a public highway, and all that part of the former state road between the two points, as surveyed by Joel Wright, is hereby declared void and useless."

"From Preserved Dakin's to the east end of James Dakin's improvements on the Waynesville road, and William Dakin's, to intersect the Bullskin road, at Anderson's fork (now Burlington): Viewers, Jacob Hale, Benjamin Farquhar and Job Jeffries. Established June 7, 1815. Nathan Linton, surveyor. Length of road, six miles and one hundred and sixty-six poles."

'Drake's Path - Van Meter's Trace - June 2, 1818. Present, Joseph Roberts and Samuel Ruble. A petition for a new road was this day ptesented and read as follows: Beginning at the Clermont county line, at or near where Drake's path crosses the same line, running thence on a northeast course into the Van Meter trace, where a new road has been cut out. From Jonathan Baldwin's to said trace, running near or through said Baldwin's lane; thence to Isaac Burrough's, Warren, for the purpose of meeting a county road, laid out from Lebanon to the Xenia state road. Viewers appointed, Blijah Burge, William Johns and Freeman Smalley. Nathan Linton, surveyor. Place appointed for meeting, the house of David Burrough's, on July 2, 1818. A survey of the above road was returned'to the commissioners July 8, 1818."

"From the center of Paris (now Cuba) and running the nearest and best way to the east fork of Todd's fork, at or near David Wright's; thence the nearest and best way to the head of the West fork of Todd's to or near John Starr's; thence to the county line to where the county line crosses the head of Sycamore, to meet the county road from Williamsburg to Wilmington. Established October 7, 1818. William Johns, David Wright and Thomas Johns, viewers. Surveyor, N. Linton."

"From the Center meeting house, thence through to Richard Fallis's mill, as far as Benjamin Farquhar's lane, by Eli Maden's, Jacob Hale's, Joshua Nickerson's, near John Haden's mill, to intersect the road leading down Todd's fork, near William Harvey's, Viewers, Joseph Roberts, George Richards and William Butler. Nathan Linton, surveyor. Established June 8, 1819. Length of road, six miles and eighty-seven poles."

"September 28, 1819, an alteration of road made by William Moore on his land across Lee's creek, for the convenience of his farm. The old road is one hundred and twenty-seven poles, five feet and six inches in a through line. The new route is one hundred and thirty-seven poles. But said Moore agrees to make a road across the swamp of two rods and six feet of a hollow bridge, and cut a ditch through the swamp into the ereek. He is given permission to turn the new road as proposed and have the old road vacated. Viewers. John Allen. Esq., Thomas Autrim and -Solomon Sharp."

"April 11, 1820, a road established beginning at the road from Wilmington to Paris (now Cuba), at John Shield's mill; thence to Joshua Moore's mill, and thence past Lytle's Creek meeting house and crossing the Lebanon state road to Richard Fallis's mill. Length of road, five miles and three hundred and ten poles. Viewers, Robert Eachus, Mahlon Haworth and,John Lewis."

The Urbana road was probably laid out before Clinton county was organized and the following note probably refers to a re-survey. This was taken from commissioners' record 2, 1, 179: "This road was run by Nathan Linton, surveyor, under the direction of James Gallaher, Thomas Howe and James Sherman, about the last of September or the first of October, 1820, and found that part which runs through Clinton county to be thirteen miles and two hundred and-eighteen poles."

"State road from Wilmington through Clarksburg to the road through Cincinnati through Montgomery county. Surveyed by Nathan Linton, August 18, 1820, under the direction of Samuel Wilson, state road commissioner; begins at the center stone; total distance, ten miles and one hundred and fifty-seven poles, two poles of which are in Warren county."

"From David McMillan's barn by Enoch Wickersham's, by Nathan Scholey's barn on the left side, passing the lane between Samuel Stanton and Nathan Hines and crossing Dutch creek to a stone corner to Nathan Hines and Dr. John Greer; thence with Greer and Hur Hodgson's line, and passing through Greer's northeast corner to Hur Hodgson's northeast corner, crossing the Xenia road, passing Daniel Bailey's corner; thence through the lane between Daniel Bailey and Thomas Dillon to Amos Hodgson's corner, through Ezekiel Frazer's land, passing his house (and six-mile tree); passing Robert Lomax's house, on the south to Richard Lyon's corner, passing the three-mile tree to Adam Rynard's land, thence through his lane, passing the eight-mile tree, Isaac Johnson's well, thence to the Wilmington road five poles east of the five-mile tree. Total distance, eight miles and one 'hundred and forty-seven poles: Viewers, Joseph Smith, Joseph Doan and William Walker. Established December 3, 1822. Surveyor, Nathan Linton."

"From the east end of Martinsville to the College township road, through John Moon's lane; distance, two and one-half miles and eighteen poles. Viewers, Henry Cowgill, Asa Brown and Amos Wright; Robert Grant, surveyor."

Snow Hill to Locust Pond - 'Begins at Charles Harris', thence with the College township road to the line between Lewis Giblet and said Harris; thence to Centerville (six miles and sixty poles from Snow Hill); thence to Locust Pond, four miles and one hundred and forty poles. Whole distance, ten miles and two hundred poles. Viewers, Paul Huls, Joseph Rulan and Samuel Harvey. Hiram Madden, surveyor. Established June 7, 1825." notes, thirty miles and two hundred and sixty-eight and three-quarter poles. Distance through Clinton county is twelve miles and one hundred and five poles; through Greene county. ten miles and two hundred and eight poles; around Montgomery county, seventeen miles and two hundred and fifteen poles."

The College township road, so often mentioned, was established by the Legislature, February 18, 1804, passing from Chillicothe through Lebanon to Oxford. A route was determined on the same day for a road passing from Chillicothe through Hopkinsville and Montgomery to Cincinnati, and the first appropriation made for laying out these roads. They follow the same route, viz., from Chillicothe to a point in Clinton county west of Cuba, and about a mile and a half southeast of Clarksville. where they diverge, the College township road running via Smalley's and Ft. Ancient to Lebanon, and the Montgomery road passing south of it to Miramda's and Hopkinsville, crossing Todd's fork below Smalley's at the Cres farm.

In the case of Hallam ys. Adams, James Curtis, a witness, speaks of a trace from the Troxel, passing near where William Figgins lived and going up the Long Arm prairie into the Main prairie. between the Woods pond and Locust pond, and, crossing the prairie there, went on the direction of a cabin called Jackson's cabin on the big ranch.

The following is taken from an almanac of 1818: Cincinnati via Lebanon to Chillicothe: Reading, ten miles; Price, eight miles; Lebanon, fourteen miles; Rue's (Little Miami), six miles; Armstrong's, eleven miles; Van Meter's. thirteen miles; Clifton. thirteen miles; Greenfield, nine miles; Davis, five miles; Wiley. seven miles: Roger five miles; Chillicothe, ten miles.

Turnpikes, Plank Roads And Early Improyements

By an act of the Legislature, passed March 22, 1837, the Goshen. Wilmington & Columbus Turnpike Company was incorporated, the Clinton county members being John Hadley, Eli Hale, Nathan Linton, Isaiah Morris, David Stratton, Lawrence Fitzhugh and Joseph Reed. The building of this turnpike had been commenced some years earlier and completed from Goshen to Cincinnati. In the spring of 1838S the work as far as Wilmington was under contract. The work was carried on principally by parties living along the route of this road. In 1840 the pike was completed and opened for public use. The cost of this turnpike was estimated at four thousand dollars per mile. The same company which finished this turnpike also graded and bridged the road between Wilmington and Sabina and, in the spring of 1850, sought to convert this into a plank road, but the project was unsuccessful. This was the largest incorporated turnpike company in the county. although there had been earlier ones formed and many were chartered after this time.

In 1823 the state Legislature authorized the building of a state road from Wilmington to Cincinnati, and another act of a similar nature was passed in 1835. All corporations had to be granted a charter by the state Legislature and. by referring to the laws of Ohio, the following turnpike companies, with portions of their lines in Clinton county, were incorporated in the years given below: Goshen, Martinsville & Leesburg, 1832; Clarksville, Cuba, Snow Hill, New Lexington & Leesburg. 1838; Wilmington, Jamestown & South Charleston, 1838; Wilmington & London, 1888; Waynesyille & Wilmington, 18388; Dayton & Wilmington, 1839; Xenia & Wilmington, February 6, 1846; Circleville and the Port William, New Burlington & Adelphi, February 25, 1848.

In 1844 the Legislature passed an act for the establishment of free turnpikes and this brought about the formation, the following year, of a number of plank road companies. A later act, which applied to plank road companies, is given below. This was passed March 20, 1849, and the extract is from section one of the said act: "That any company heretofore incorporated in this state for the purpose of constructing a turnpike road may construct said road, or any part thereof, by covering the same with plank not less than two and one-half inches thick, of sufficient width for the accommodation of teams, and in a good and substantial manner, instead of covering the same with gravel: Provided, no company shall take any timber without the consent of the owner or owners thereof." Subsequent acts fully defined the powers and privileges of plank road companies.

By reference to the acts of the state of Ohio it is found that the following plank road companies were chartered by the Legislature in the years given below and having members and portions of their lines in Clinton county Goshen, Blanchester & Martinsville, 1844; Leesburg & Blanchester. session of 1850-51; New Lexington & Wilmington, session of 1850-51; Mount Pleasant & Martinsville. session of 1850-51; Blanchester & Wilmington, session of 1850-51; Martinsville. Westboro & Woodville, session of 1850-51; Port William & Wilmington, session of 1850-51. By glancing over this list, it is seen that the 'craze' struck the people in 1850 and evidently the Legislature of that year had their hands full in taking care of the petitioners for plank road charters. None of the above incorporated roads were ever laid out and but one plank road was ever built in the county. So the material improvements which. plank roads did Clinton county was wholly on paper and not suitable to travel over.

On February 16, 1850. a meeting was held at Harveysburg. Warren county. to make arrangements for the organization of a company to construct a turnpike road from Waynesville to Wilmington. via Harveysburg. This road was to connect with the Little Miami railroad at Harveysburg. The Legislature. in the session of 1888-39 had granted the original charter to this company. but a definite organization had never been made. On April 1, 1850. subscription books were opened at Wilmington. Harveysburg and Waynesville for the sale of stock in this company.

The commissioners who had this matter in charge were from the three towns. Nathan Linton. of Clinton county, representing Wilmington. A. Brook was appointed secretary for the corporation. As early as April 2, of that year. a daily line of omnibuses was running over the road, and a short time later a new coach was put on and a daily mail earried. The headquarters of the omnibus line were located at Wilmington at the Buckeye House and FE. Flood was appointed the agent for the line. Jacob Strickle. who lived on South street, was the proprietor. The fare from Wilmington to Waynesville was fifty cents. The stockholders of the rond met on April 27, 1850, at Harveysbureg to elect directors. The name of the company was then changed to the Waynesville & Wilmington Turnpike and Plank Road Company. Late in the fall of 1852 the road was completed as far as Wilmington and, of this distance. about seven miles was planked. two miles between Wilmington and Todd's fork and five miles between Dutch creek and Waynesville. This was the only plank road ever constructed in Clinton county. Some time later the whole route was covered with gravel and converted into an excellent turnpike. Toll was taken over this road as late as the spring of 1881. The last name of the company was the Waynesville & Wilmington Turnpike Company and Cyrus Linton was on the board of directors from 1857 until the company was dissolved.

The first free turnpikes. or macadamized roads, as they are now called, did not make their appearance until the middle of the fifties. At its session of 1853-54, the Ohio Legislature enacted a free turnpike or road improvement. law. This act provided that. on the petition of three-fourths of all the resident landholders on each side of any state or county road, and within one mile of said road, to the auditor, his duty shall be to assess, in addition to the regular taxes, four mills to the dollar on all lands within a mile of the road, and on all personal property held in said boundaries by both freeholders and personal property holders. Said tax was to be applied to improving said road. The first action taken by the citizens of Clinton county to secure an improvement on the county roads was in May, 1859. George Sanders and J. S. Leaming undertook, under this law, to secure a free pike from Wilmington to the Washington line, about a mile south of Burtonville, along the line of the Wilmington and Martinsville road. The petition was presented with sixty-one signers. Jeff Hildebrant was employed as surveyor, Charles Jones was employed as flagman, Benjamin F. and Abner Lewis, chainmen, and in a few days the survey was made and the report, with the necessary calculations, returned to Auditor William Greer.

This project proved a failure through some unforeseen wire-pulling and the short+ sightedness of some of the landholders along the proposed line, who preferred to travel in mud rather than pay for a pike along their preperty. The promoters were left to bear the cost of the undertaking, which amounted to forty-nine dollars. A failure quite often only proves a spur to incite men to further endeavors in their work. And this road failure, as contrasted to the first railroad venture, only served as an awakening to the citizens of the county in their need for better roads and internal improvements.

Many laws have been passed since that time which tends to make it easier to get free roads, and at present only a majority of freeholders interested in the road are required to sign the petition. As a result, free turnpikes are numerous and the condition of the roads in the county is in an excellent state.

The early citizens of Clinton county were among the first to realize the advantages and benefits to be gained by securing a railroad through the county. This desire for transportation and communication with the markets of the larger cities was a stimulus for securing one of the first roads through this section of the state.

A meeting was held at the court house in Wilmington on June 30, 1827, for the purpose of making arrangements to act with the citizens of Chillicothe, where a meeting had already been held, to induce the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company to extend its line west of the Ohio river to some suitable terminus on the @reat Miami. This project in itself did not meet with immediate results as far as bringing the desired railnoad through the county, but the seed was sown and the citizens were not to be discouraged in their attempt. The proposition was always uppermost in the minds of the citizens and finally their efforts were crowned with success.

Cincinnati, Wilmington & Zanesville Bailroad

Hon. R. B. Harlan, who was the representative in the lower house of the Legislature in 1850, introduced a bill in December of that year asking for a charter for the Cincinnati, Wilmington & Zanesville Railroad. The bill passed and the charter was granted on February 4, 1851. The name of/ Wilmington was inserted out of respect to the county in which the bill originated. The aspirations of the promoters of this road was that it would be come a great trunk line, but the great mistake was made of connecting it with the Little Miami road at Morrow and running its trains over the tracks of that line from Morrow to Cincinnati, instead of building a separate and individual road. This interfered to a great extent with the success of the new road, which would have proved a better venture if its own tracks had extended to Cincinnati. The first surveys were made from Morrow to Lancaster, a distance of ninety miles, in November, 1850. The estimates were made and the contract let for building that part of the road to A. DeGaff.

At an election held in Clinton county it was voted that the county subscribe two hundred thousand dollars towards the construction of this railroad. Active work was first begun in December, 1851. In the November 26, 1852, issue of the Clinton Repudblican, it was stated that over two thousand tons of iron for this road had reached New Orleans, to be forwarded at once to Cincinnati, and the laying of the track was to begin as soon the following spring as the weather would permit. It was the expectations of the citizens of Wilmington that the road would be finished and trains of cars running by June 1, 1853. But the work on laying the track was not begun until the latter part of March and, on account of numerous difficult places which detained the work, it was 'hot finished to Wilmington until in August. On the 11th day of that month, 1853, a "massive celebration was held at Wilmington in honor of the event. It was estimated that 'the crowd numbered from ten to fifteen thousand people, and a general gala day was held. An old-time barbecue marked the zenith of the day's entertainment, in which five oxen and a number of sheep were served; the table which was erected to accommodate .the' crowd was in the form of a square and was one thousand two hundred feet long The train which bore the last of the visitors left at three- -thirty P. M. and by six o'clock all was quiet again in the little village..

On August 15, 1853, trains began running regularly between Cincinnati and Wil- 'mington, one a day each way. The fare between the points was one dollar and sixty cents. The road was completed to Washington C. H., Fayette county, November 24, 1853, and the company began to run its trains to that point, forty-one and one-half miles to Morrow, and seventy-seven and one-half miles from Cincinnati. The road was finished to Lancaster in 1854 and the same year the contract was let for building the part between Lancaster and Zanesville. This part of the road was not finished until late in 1855, but by 1856 trains were running uninterruptedly over the entire length of the road.

The first president of the road was Franklin Corwin, who served from 1851 to 1856 and was succeeded in July of the latter year by Erasmus Gest, who acted in the capacity of president and superintendent. The road was not a paying proposition, as seen by the report given out in March, 1857, which was as follows: Receipts, $472,899.04; expenditures, $492,508.81. The eompany thus sustained a loss of $20,000, besides the depreciation in the value of the property. In consequence of the loss to the stockholders, Mr. Gest was appointed receiver, in 1856, holding the position for twenty-six months, during which time a balance of over eighty thousand dollars was placed to the credit of the company and subsequently invested in rolling stock and improvements. Mr. Gest was succeeded, May 1, 1859, by Col. William Key Bond, who had charge of the affairs of the road for four and one-half years. The affairs of the company were again in bad financial straits and, in October, 1863. the road was sold at auction and purchased by Charles Moran, of New York, in trust for the original mortgage holders. In March of the following year the stock of the company was transferred by Mr. Bond tg a reorganized company, which was composed entirely of original stockholders and creditors. This new company was organized upon a capitalized or reduced basis. Mr. Gest was again elected president and the business of the company began to flourish as before. The annual surplus reached forty thousand dollars. At this time the name of the road was changed to the Cincinnati & Zanesville Railroad Company.

Again the condition of the company began to run in narrow financial straits and subsequently the road, with all its franchises, real estate, machine shops, depot buildings and rolling stock. was sold at auction, December 1, 1869, at the door of the court house in Cincinnati. Judge Thomas L. Jewett. who was then president of the Pennsylvania Central Company, purchased the entire holdings for one million four thousand dollars. The road later, on May 1, 1873, passed by lease into the hands of the Pittsburg, Cineinnati & St. Louis Railroad Company. by which road it is still operated under the name of the Cincinnati & Muskingum Valley Railroad.

Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad

The Marietta & Cincinnati Company. as originally organized, March §&. 1845, w was chartered under the name of the Belpre & Cincinnati Railroad Company. The act of the charter authorized the stockholders to build a road from a point opposite Petersburg, Virginia. to Harmar, in Washington county. Ohio. as a majority of the commissioners should determine; thence by the most practical route up the Hocking valley by way of Athens and Chillicothe, to come point on the Little Miami railroad between Plainville,

Hamilton county, and the mouth of O'Bannon creek, in Clermont county. This act was amended in March, 1850, and the company was authorized to build its road to any point so as to conneet with any railroad or other improvement constructed to the Ohio river on the Virginia side; and a subsequent amendment, in the following year, authorized its completion to Cincinnati, with the privilege of connecting or crossing the Little Miami or any other railroad. A

The name of the road was changed in March, 1851, and it was known as the Marjetta & Cincinnati Railroad. Active work was begun in the spring of 1851, and the line was opened from Harmar to Loveland, Clermont county, a distance of one hundred and seventy-three miles, in 1857. Like many other roads of this early date, the stockholders found that with the completion of the line their resources were exhausted and they had no reserve on which to operate the road; consequently, it was placed in the hands of a receiver, who operated it until February 25, 1860, when, in May, the trustees of the road purchased the stock for the benefit of the stockholders. It continued to be operated by the trustees until August, 1860, when it was transferred by them to the reorganized company. which was known as the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad Company. The extension from Loveland to Cincinnati, a distance of twenty-four miles, was begun by the newly re-organized company in 1864, and was completed to a point six miles from Cincinnati in February. 1866... From there to Cincinnati this road used the tracks of the Chicago, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad. Later the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company took over this road through a lease and it is operated under that name at present.

The Hillsboro & Cincinnati Railroad runs through the southern part of Clinton county and parallels the Baltimore & Ohio, Marietta & Cincinnati line, from Midland to Blanchester, where it makes a junction with that road. It is interesting to note that this was the first railroad built in Clinton county. It was completed from Loveland to Hillsboro in 1852. This road is also operated by the Baltimore & Ohio railroad through a lease.

Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad

This railroad runs through Liberty and into Chester township. An agitation for the construction of this line was first begun in December, 1875, when a meeting was held in Port William and the plan of building a narrow-gauge railroad from Waynesville. connecting there with the Miami Valley Railway, to Jeffersonville. and ultimately to Columbus, was presented by J. F. Ely. of Washington Court House.

The incorporators, J. F. Ely, Ethan Allen. J. M. Hussey. James Ellis and Doctor Marshall, immediately procured a charter and the proposed road was ineorporated as the Waynesville. Port William & Jeffersonville Railroad. After a sufficient amount of stock was raised. an organization was effected in March, 1876. Meetings were held along the intended route and stock raised to the amount of sixty-five thousand dollars.

This road extended as far west as the Miami Valley railroad, a short distance below Roxana. Trains were run over this, the main line. for only a short time and then. either because of the condition of the track or the cramped condition of the stockholders, it was abandoned. A short time later a spur or feeder was begun. This branched off at MecKay's Station and was to run southwest through Chester township and into Warren county. The grade was made as far west as Harveysburg, but rails were never laid any farther west than through Kingman. Later the rails that were laid west of Kingman, a mile in all, were taken up and the grade west through Haryeysburg was abandoned. The old main line, or that part of it from McKay's Station through New Burlington and west, was abandoned and the rails taken up. The right of way was soon fenced in and only a few of the older settlers can ever remember seeing a train on this part of the road. That part from Port William to Kingman was made a standard gauge and is the road as we see it at the present time.

pany through a lease, but the traffic at present is very light and evidently the owners are awaiting an opportunity to make a junction with some other road.

Proposed Roads

There have been quite a number of railroads proposed in Clinton county and some even went so far as to sell a large amount of stock, but, for some unforeseen reason 'failed to materialize. The Ripley, Wilmington & Dayton Railroad Company was such a venture. The following men, as incorporators, M. M. Murphy and W. D. Young, of Ripley; Dr. L. B. Miles, of Georgetown; J. Fite, of New Hope; L. S. Vance, of Mount Orab, all of Brown county; A. T. Moon, of Highland county; D. Gould, of Martinsville; L. M. Moore, Cyrus Linton and J. W. Denver, of Wilmington; and §. F. Covington, of Cincinnati, chartered this road in the spring of 1878. The capital stock of the company was placed at two hundred thousand dollars and Gen. J. W. Denver, of Wilmington, was chosen as the first president.

The road as originally planned was to run from Ripley to Dayton, via Wilmington. In the spring of 1878 the survey was made to Wilmington by Lawrence Woolson, of Cincinnati, but has extended no farther. No work has been done on this road, although the organization existed as late as 1882. he officers of the company in 1882 were as follow: G. F. Early, president; Cyrus Linton, vice-president; I. ©. Betts, secretary; Harley F. Walker, treasurer; Frank Moore, S. Q. Fulton, John Outcalt and Cyrus Linton, of Wilmington; William Turner, John Turner and Henry Walker, of Martinsville; Alva Moon, of Mount Orab; Judge Louden, of Georgetown, and G. F,. Burly and Ephraim Flougher, of Ripley, directors. ;

In 1879 this same company was granted a charter to construct a branch from Aberdeen to a point on the main line near Buford, Highland county. The officers of this branch company were Jeff Hildebrant, president, and Cyrus Linton, vice-president.

Another proposed railroad which failed to materialize was the Southern Ohio Railway Company. Certain capitalists of the East proposed, in the fall of 1871, to build a 'railroad that was to extend from the Ohio river at Huntington to Dayton. This road was to connect with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad at Huntington and give it an outlet over the tracks of that line. Colonel Trimble was the first president of this road and he proposed, on the part of the incorporators, to equip the road and advance the capital for its completion if the people along the line of the said road would raise eight hundred thousand dollars.

The first meeting in the interest of this enterprise in Chester township was held at the Methodist Episcopal church in New Burlington on the evening of November 21, 1871. At that meeting Peter Harrison was made temporary president and H. G. Cartwright, secretary. A committee of twelve was appointed to solicit stock and''secure a right of way. This committee met at the store of John Grant on the evening of November 25 and organized by electing Samuel Lamar permanent chairman and A. H. Harlan, permanent secretary. Allen Linton presented a set of papers setting forth the conditions on which the people of Chester township would subscribe stock. On the motion of John Grant, these articles were adopted and have been copied verbatim: 'We whose names are here unto subscribed do severally agree with and promise to the Southern Ohio Railway to take and pay for the number of shares of the stock of said company set opposite our names, of the value of $50 each, payable in installments on the total sum subscribed by each of us, as may hereinafter be required by the board of directors of said road; provided - first, that the aforementioned road will pass from Hillsboro to Dayton via Wilmington, Clinton county. Ohio, crossing Cesar's creek in said county near the village of New Burlington, Ohio; that enough stock be taken to complete said road in accordance with the proposition of C. P. Huntington, president of the Chesapeake & Ohio Rail-

The interest at this meeting was great and forty-two shares of stock was subscribed, which amounted to two thousand one hundred dollars. These meetings for the sale of this stock were held every week and the enthusiasm often ran high. The meetings were well attended and thrilling speeches were made. The minutes of the meeting of December 5, 1871, are here copied: "Meeting called to order by secretary - the chairman not present. On motion of John Grant, Allen Binganon was asked to preside Members present: John Grant, Jesse Spray, Jr., Henry Hurley and George Mann. There not being a quorum present of the committee. the evening was spent in speeches. On the motion of Jobn Grant, duly seconded, George Mann and Hurley were asked to address the committee, which parties agreed to, provided Mr. Grant would make the first one. The latter gentleman, being then called, arose and delivered a very neat little speech, setting forth the many inducements that were calling out the support of the people in this railroad enterprise. He was followed by George Mann, who arose only to excuse himself. and to insist upon Mr. Hurley addressing the committee. Mr. Hurley then addressed the meeting at considerable length. showing plainly the benefits to be derived from public improvements."

The last meeting held by the committee was on the evening of December 26, 1S71, and the minutes as recorded are as follows: 'Committee met at the store of John Grant; Samuel Lamar in the chair. The meeting was called to order, and the minutes of the previous meeting read and adopted. The meeting was largely attended, owing to an appointment made at a former meeting by James Swindler, Esq.. to be present and address the committee on the railroad question. The speaker failed to come to time. Not much was done at this meeting, but, by hard work and perseverance, it was not altogether a failure, and the receipts of the evening were one share."

The people of this township subscribed to a total amount of twenty theusand dollars. The road was located, ten per cent. of the stoek being paid in. but, from some unknown reason, which has not Neen ascertained by the historian. the enterprise failed and the money was refunded. So another failure on the part of the citizens of Clinton county to locate a railroad through this section is recorded.

Midland Ratlroad

The Journal, in its issue of February 21, 1883. set the machinery going in the ngitytion for the proposed railroad from Columbus to Cincinnati. This project was the work of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company and it was their desire to built this rond in order that a direct line from Columbus to Cincinnati might be secured. This would run from Columbus to some point on the Marietta & Cincinnati railrond, probably via Washington Court House and New Vienna, or perhaps from Blanchester to Wilmington. The location depended to a certain extent on the enthusiasm which would be shown by the citizens of the different places and the assistance which they would give the proposed line. In other words. the route was open to the towns which made the hest proposition.

In the Journal, April 18th issue. the following head line is set in large type. "Left Again, Proposed Road to Miss Wilmington, Owing to Lack of Interest of the Citizens of this City." Judging by the way things eventually turned out, this was a clever advertising scheme on the part of the promoters, for in this issue it set forth the possibilities which this road would have afforded the citizens of this town, but, through their lack of interest, the golden opportunity had been lost.

In the next issue of the Journal a lengthy article was written on the Midland line, 'the gist of this article being to the effect that it was not entirely too late for the citizens of Wilmington to secure this proposed line if they really wanted it and woud show the proper enthusiasm.

The issue of May 9, 1883, bore these startling headlines: '$100,000 is the Price which the Midland Railroad will Cost this County." The proposition was set forth as follows: If the citizens of Clinton county would donate one hundred thousand dollars and the right of way, the proposed line would be run through this county. The route of this line would be through Sabina, Wilmington and Cuba. Previous to this, a meeting had been held at the court house and a committee appointed to meet with the stockholders of this road in an effort to come to some terms whereby the road would come through this county. R. E. Doan, John S. Savage, Madison Betts and Cyrus Linton presented the argument to this company for bringing this road through Clinton county. Colonel Yeoman made the speech for the directors. After several hours of deliberation on the part of the stockholders behind closed doors, the verdict, which was set forth in such astounding headlines by the Journal, was given. This money was to be divided between the three towns and townships, as follows: Wilmington and Union township, . sixty thousand dollars; Sabina and Richland township, twenty-five thousand dollars; Cuba and Washington township, fifteen thousand dollars.

The proposition was accepted and a soliciting committee was appointed at an open meeting held in the court house. From this time until June 6 all the issues of the paper contain articles on the proposed line. In some of the articles the people are being urged to subscribe and pointing out the advantages. In others, the proposition is spoken of as sure to fail and the citizens who do not back the project are blamed. Hot air and the time limit are the chief lines of appeal. The issue of June 6 has this headline: "They will Run Cars on the Midland Railroad," and the list of contributors are printed. Over forty-eight thousand dollars had.been subscribed and it was sure of success. In the next issue the entire proposition is rehashed and the last appeal made to the people of the county. It stated that the proposition was not altogether cinched and that at the last minute it might fail from the lack of a few hundred dollars.

The issue of June 27 allays all fears and insures the people that the road will come through Wilmington. The following was the contributions by townships: Wilmington and Union township, $66,441.50; Sabina and Richland township, $20,830; Cuba and Washington township, $10,118; total, $97,399.50; deficit, $2,618. This deficit was apportioned among the three townships. as follows: Wilmington and Union township, $1,560 ; Sabina and Richland township. $650; Cuba and Washington township, $390. The trustees who had been behind this movement went to Columbus to meet the officials of the road and deliver the report. After the report was given, the officials also asked for the right of way, in connection with the one hundred thousand dollars. This necessitated the raising of about six thousand five hundred dollars more,

But this was a small matter and the report that the Midland division of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad would pass through Clinton county was met with great rejoicing. Meetings were held and the people gave vent to their feelings in all parts of the county. The stockholders arrived in Wilmington, October 3, 1883, and made a trip over the proposed route, viewing the right of way.

On October 8-9, 1883. work of grading began. The contractor arrived that day and all the paraphernalia and tools for making the cuts and fills was unloaded. The work was rushed through and it was hoped to have the road completed by July 1, 1884. The total amount of stock subscribed at this time was one hundred and eight thousand dollars. As different parts of the road was finished, trial trains were run over that part.. The first train to make the through trip over the entire route from Columbus to Cincinnati passed through Wilmington, November 138. This was a special train and carried the members of the board of trade of Columbus. Several of the citizens of Wilmington accompanied this band in their initial trip over the line. The first time card went into effect on November 16. The rails laid on this division were sixty-pound steel and there were three thousand cross ties to the mile. The hopes and dreams of the citizens had been realized and Wilmington now had the services of two roads.

Highway Statistics

According to the report of E. D. Trickey, the surveyor of Clinton county, the following statistics on the roads of the county are complete up to March 1, 1915: The 835 miles of roads in the county were divided into three classes: Macadam, 121; gravel, 627; earth, 87. This total of 835 miles of roads includes the 100 miles of state roads, part of which are macadamized, the most of them being gravel. There were a total of 748 miles of improved roads, of which 99.9 was listed as inter-county highways. The main market roads total 19.2 miles: the improved state roads totaled S miles. The last available statistics show that the county expended $72,363 for road and bridge construction and repairs during the last year. The main market road above mentioned is the Cleveland and Cincinnati road, running through Sabina, Wilmington and Clarksville. Of its total length of 259.1 miles, there are 24 miles in Clinton county, 19.2 of which are outside of municipalities. The 8 miles of improved state highway comprises that part of the Wilmington and Nenia highway in Clinton county.

The largest and oldest bridge in the county is the covered wooden bridge over Todd's fork at Clarksville. There are approximately 5,500 bridges and culverts in the county, the longest bridge having a span of 175 feet, with a clear water way of 20 feet. At least 100 bridges, ranging from 10 to 85 feet, have been constructed during the past year. All the culverts were made of stone or concrete.

The macadamized roads of the county range from ten to fourteen feet in width, most of them being ten feet. All of the state roads so fur constructed have been fourteen feet wide. The average cost of a ten-foot macadamized highway (eight-inch rolled stone or thirteen-inch traffic packed) is about $3,600 per mile; a fourteen-foot highway of similar construction costs about $5,000 per mile. AIl roads are let out to the lowest bidder, the county surveyor having general charge of the construction. The repairing of the roads is in charge of road superintendents, each township having from one to three such ofticials.

Under a law which went into effect on September 1, 1915, the supervision of the county roads was placed in charge of a county highway superintendent. The law provides that the surveyors of each county shall be such highway superintendents and prescribes their duties in detail. The county highway superintendent has from one to four superintendents in each township, who are appointed by the township trustees. This law relieyes the county commissioners of all administrative duties in connection with the highways and places the burden upon the highway superintendent, who, in turn, is responsible to the state highway commissioner.

Clinton county is fortunate in having plenty of limestone for srond construction, although all of the gravel has to be shipped in from outside counties The eastern part of the county is plentifully supplied with Clinton limestone, which outcrops in all of the eastern townships. The stone in the western part of the county comes mostly from the beds of the creeks and is known as the Cincinnati group of limestone. Vernon township is the only one operating a crusher of its own, all other crushers being owned by the contractors. The county owns three ten-ton road rollers. which are used only for repair work.