Clinton County, Indiana - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 14 of those read), 1913

Free Gravel Roads

The most serious difficulty with which all central Indiana had to contend in early times was the lack of means of cheap transportation. In the earliest times, all the streams that could be navigated by flat-boats in the spring freshets were utilized, but these were not numerous. In Clinton county there were none, though "Sugar Creek, or Rock River, from its entrance into the Wabash to Crawfordsville,'' was declared a navigable stream by an act of February io, 1831. There is a tradition of an organization to secure slackwater navigation of the North Fork of Wildcat, bv a series of dams, but it never accomplished anything.

The energies of the settlers were first directed to getting wagon roads over which they could travel with some approach to comfort. For this purpose state aid through the "three per cent, fund'' was freely sought and often obtained. By act of January 31, 1835, George Paris, of Clinton county, was appointed commissioner to view, survey, locate and mark a state road from Michigantown, in Clinton county, to Andersontown, in Madison county." By act of February 7, 1835, "the county road leading from Lafayette, in Tippecanoe county, to the crossing of the Middle Fork of Wildcat Creek at Esquire McCurdy's mill, thence up the Middle Fork of Wildcat Creek, on a section line to the boundary between Tippecanoe and Clinton counties, at the mill of Daniel Underhill, thence to Rossville, in Clinton county; thence to the Michigan road," was made a state road.

By act of February 8, 1836, Arthur Crumpton, of Clinton county, was made commissioner to locate a state road "from Michigantown, to intersect the Frankfort and Lafayette state road at or near Joseph McClelland's farm, in the county of Clinton." By act of February 6, 1837, Matthew Bunnell was made commissioner to locate a state road from "Frankfort, in Clinton county, via Grandview on the Michigan road, in Carroll county, to Wabash, in Wabash county." By act of February 4, 1837, John Blake and Beal Dorsey were made commissioners to locate a state road "from the west end of Walnut street, Frankfort, to the Crawfordsville state road." By act of February- 17, 1838, Thomas Hite and Matthew Brown, of Carroll county, and James F. Brown, of Clinton county, were made commissioners to locate a state road from Delphi, bv way of Adams' mills, on the North Fork of Wildcat creek, and by way of Lexington, to Michigantown.

These serve as samples of the efforts to secure state aid ; but meanwhile every session of the Board of County Commissioners had its petitions for opening roads, and very few of them were refused. The amount received from the state was small, and it was parceled out as equitably as possible. Thus on September 4. 1832. Henry Fudge was made Three Per Cent. Fund Commissioner of the county, and was authorized to expend $320 on six state roads then in progress. All he had to do was covered by these instructions: "The commissioner above shall cause the aforesaid roads to be improved by bridging, ditching, causewaying, and chopping out the timber, and in all other ways, so as most effectually to conduce to the public convenience." Henrv was a faithful servant and reported his labor ended, with only $307.92 expended.

As the county developed, and the difficulty of teaming on mud roads became a more serious consideration, some attention was given to plank roads. The road from Tipton to Berlin was planked, and the roads from Cicero to Kirklin, from Frankfort to Lafayette, and from Delphi to Frankfort were partially planked. The company for building the last-named road was created by a special act of the legislature of January 15, 1849, ar>d continued active operations for a number of years. On March 4, 1854, N. T. Catterlin, the president, reported as expended in construction, "including amount paid for steam saw mills, location of road, loss by fire on mill and toll house, destruction of bridges by flood, building of toll houses, and services of superintendent and gatekeepers," $48,942.13. The company then had a debt of $5,585.03. and credits of $1,937 that were considered good.

But the one thing that everybody was looking and longing for was railroad transportation, and on January 16, 1849, the legislature incorporated a Clinton county railroad company, to be built entirely within the county. This was called "The Frankfort Branch Railroad Company." The incorporators were John P. Crothers, John Barner, Wm. Pence, N. T. Catterlin, Wm. Ten- kins, Mordecai McKinsey, Wilson Seawright, Arthur St. C. Stall. Ephraim Byers, Samuel Aughe, Abram Xorris, John Blake and Samuel D. Maxwell, all of the county of Clinton. They were authorized to "construct a railroad of a single or double track" from Frankfort to connect with the Indianapolis and Lafayette Railroad at any point between Lafayette, in Tippecanoe county, and Thorntown, in Boone county, at the option of the company." They were authorized to use "steam or other power" for transportation, and to "charge for travel and transportation on the same, when it is graded and bridged, although the rails may not be laid so as to admit carriages thereon."

The Indianapolis and Lafayette Railroad was not yet built, but it was assured. It was chartered January 19, 1846. and was practically a local enterprise, as most of the early Indiana railroads were. Stock was subscribed liberally all along the line, and the road was completed and opened for traffic in December, 1852. This road only touched the southwest corner of the county, having 3.87 miles of its track in Perry township, but it gave Clinton count}' its first railroad connection with the outside world, and the station at Midway later developed into the thriving town of Colfax. The Indianapolis and Lafayette road long since passed into the Big Four system, constituting the Chicago and Indianapolis division of that company.

And now the problem was to connect the rest of the county with this railroad, but it was not accomplished for many years. Meanwhile the transportation was a drawback in every way. Personal travel was either by private conveyance or by "stage" - what is more commonly now called "hack." The Crescent of March 11, 1854. said: "The Delphi and Midway

(Colfax) mail stages arrive every evening, and the Lafayette on every other evening. We hope the daily to Logansport, by way of Michigantown, will soon be put on." Two weeks later it said: "Baker's Lafayette mail stage

But inconvenience of travel was not so serious a matter as the effects of wagon freight. In an article urging encouragement to railroad-building, on March 18, 1854, the Crescent said: "All our produce, and the aggregate of it is immense, is bringing in far less money than that of counties pierced by a line of railroads. Corn has been selling from 45 to 50 cents a bushel on the railroad; here at 25 to 30. Wheat has been selling at $1.50 to $1.60; while here the average has not been more for our entire crop than $1.00 or $1.10. So with everything else - with every article of consumption produced by our country - a less corresponding price. What does this prove in stubborn facts and figures? Why, the startling fact that we have actually lost on the difference of prices of produce more money even this last winter, twice over, than would pay all the railroad stock now subscribed in the county.''

But even with the railroad, when it was reached, the disadvantage of high freight was very much greater than it is in the competition and improved conditions of today. This is illustrated by comparative prices at Frankfort, Lafayette. Cincinnati and Xew York, on September 15, 1855, which the Crescent was then publishing, as follows: Flour, per barrel, Frankfort. $7 ;

But this was only one side of the story, for the freight rates increased the price of everything that was brought in. That is why the people of those days undertook so many things for themselves that they pay no attention to now, such as spinning, soap-making, and substituting wood for iron wherever it could be done. The argument for cheaper transportation was overwhelming, and that was why the people of Indiana embarked so largely in "internal improvements." and practically furnished all of the invested capital for the railroads that were built in the state. In return for the money they put in, they got stock in the roads; but to secure the iron for the tracks, and the rolling-stock, it was necessary to mortgage the roads, and the subsequent foreclosures of mortgages usually wiped out all the investment of the stockholders. Xevertheless they were well compensated by the difference produced in both export and import prices, by the increased value of lands, and bv the increase of taxable railroad property.

The Frankfort Branch Railroad was not built, but it was located, and Midway (Colfax) was made the other terminal of the line. Considerable stock was sold, most of it made payable when horse-cars should be in operation on the line: but before much work was done it was swallowed up in a much more ambitious enterprise - the Crawfordsville, Frankfort, Kokomo and Ft. Wayne Railroad Company. On July 30, 1853, notice was given that the stock subscription books of this company would lie opened for sixty days, at Frankfort and other places on the line, on August 1, with the caution that, "as the subscriptions are already heavy, and the amount of real estate, bonds and stocks to be taken (in payment for railroad stock) are limited, and the books to be shortly opened on the entire line, 120 miles, persons wishing to subscribe should do so immediately. It is now a well settled fact that this will

The response was prompt and favorable. On August 20 notice was given by W. P. Dunn, secretary, that sealed proposals for ''the grading, grubbing, bridging, and furnishing the ties on the line from Crawfordsville to Kokomo - being about -r miles." would be received until October 29. On the same day notice was given that, "at a meeting of the directors of said road, held at Frankfort on the 1 6th day of August, it was ordered that 3 per cent, on the capital stock of said company be paid to Wilson Seawright, treasurer, on or before the 1st day of September next. Work was begun actively, and on February 24, 1854, notice was given that 10 per cent, installments on stock would be payable on April 3, June 5, August 7, and October 9. On October 9 notice was given that the remaining installments would be payable at intervals of sixty days until fully paid.

The work went forward, but with some discouraging accompaniments, and on April 23 and 24 a railroad meeting was held at Frankfort, which indorsed the road and condemned "those who, without any laudable object in view, have labored steadfastly and zealously to accomplish, if possible, the overthrow of an enterprise which to this county is the only harbinger of a bright and prosperous future." And so the work progressed slowly, steadily, and with much effort until in 1837, when the line had been graded from Colfax to Forest, the bridges built, and the ties distributed along the line, all ready for the iron. Then came the panic of 1S57, breaking up the contractors, putting a stop to subscriptions and loans, and ending the work for more than a decade.

In 1869 the work was taken up again, at first by three independent companies organized to build roads from Rockville to Crawfordsville, from Crawfordsville to Frankfort, and from Frankfort to Logansport. The old grade between Colfax and Forest was acquired, and, before construction was begun, the three companies were consolidated as the Logansport, Crawfordsville and Southwestern. Later it was extended to Terre Haute, and called the Terre Haute and Logansport. The work was pushed rapidly, the road being built from Colfax to Frankfort in 1870: to Logansport in 1871 ; and the whole line completed in 1873. The first train was run into Frankfort on October 14, 1870. Thousands of people gathered along the line to witness the event, and proclaim their joy in exultant shouts. And so Frankfort had her first railroad forty years after her beginning.

This road was given liberal local aid, as were two other roads that were started at the same time - what are now the Monon and Lake Erie and West- ern. The county levied a 2-cent tax, in aid of the three roads equally, which raised $112,500. Of this the Terre Haute and Logansport received $37,500, and in addition to this, Perry, Owen and Jackson (then including Center and Union) voted each an additional 2 cents, or $12,000, $12,000 and $36,000, respectivelv. In addition to this, nearly $40,000 was donated by private parties, besides the right of way. In the early 80s the road was sold to the Vandalia Company, and is now operated as the Michigan division of that company.

The Vandalia road crosses Perry. Jackson, Center, Union and Owen townships, having a total of 22.04 miles of main track in the county, and 5.79 miles of side track. Its principal stations are Colfax, Manson, Frankfort, Killmore, Moran and Sedalia. The total assessment of the road, in the county, for taxation is $344,705.

In 1869, soon after the organization of the Terre Haute and Logansport road, another local road through the county was projected. This was the Lafavette, Bloomington and Muncie, which was chiefly a Lafayette enterprise, under the presidency of Adam Earl. Work was begun on this line in 1871, and it was completed in 1875 from Muncie to Bloomington (111.). This road also received $37,500 from the county, and $5,000 from Johnson township, with over 875,000 of private donations and practically all of the right of way. In 1880 it was extended to Sandusky, Ohio, and the whole line was reorganized as the Lake Erie and Western. This road intersects Madison, Washington, Center. Michigan and Johnson townships, having a total of 25.24 miles of main track in the county and 5.53 miles of side track. Its principal stations are Mulberry. Frankfort, Boyleston. Hillisburg and Scircleville. The total assessment for taxation in the county is $444,935.

The third road organized in 1869 was the Indianapolis, Delphi and Chicago Air Line, so called because it was practically a direct line from Indianapolis to Chicago. It was to receive $37,500 of the county's tax, and was also voted $12,000 by Ross township. $12,000 by Kirklin, and $36,000 bv Jackson (including Center). Rights of way through the county were given in 1870. The work was begun at the north end of the line, and by the time the road was finished to Delphi the company had become financially embarrassed - practically no work having been done in Clinton county. The road was then bought by the Louisville, New Albany and Chicago Company (the Monon), which completed the line to Indianapolis in 1883.

Owing to the delay in construction, the $37,500 voted by the county was forfeited, and also $36,000 voted by Jackson township. This road crosses Ross, Union, Center, Jackson and Kirklin townships, with a total of

24.64 miles of main track and 3.56 miles of side track in the county. Its principal stations are Rossville. Cambria. Frankfort and Kirklin. Its total assessment for taxation in the county is 8636.207. which is the largest assessment for any one railroad company. The "Monon" is a prosperous road, and its ''Hoosier Flyer" is one of the finest trains in the country. It takes its name from the town of Monon, through which it passes, and the name is appropriate, as it is a Potawatomi Indian word whose meaning is equivalent to "tote." as used in the South, i. e., to carry or transport anything.

In the railroad activities of this early period it was foreseen that a direct line from Lake Erie to St. Louis was to he one of the inevitables, and agitation for its construction was begun. Railroads were usually built in sections and then consolidated; and as Frankfort was about on a direct line between the two important terminals, enterprising citizens of this place undertook to secure the location by building a section that would fit into the general line. Accordingly the Frankfort and Kokomo Railroad Company was organized in 1872; and Henry Y. Morrison, who was one of Frankfort's most active and public-spirited men, was made its president.

The project was received with favor. Center township voted $31,000 in aid of it; Michigan township $14,000. and Johnson township $5,000. About $30,000 additional was raised in the county by private subscriptions, and the right of way donated. The work began in 1873. and by July 4, 1874, the contractors. A. G. Wells &: Co., had it completed so that cars could run from Frankfort to Kokomo. This action was timely, for a rival company had been formed to build south of Clinton county, and it might have proved a formidable rival, but the panic of 1873 wiped it out of existence before construction, while the Frankfort line had passed the danger point.

In 1875 the Frankfort and State Line road was organized to build southwest from Frankfort on the same line. The promoters were mostly the same men that had built the Frankfort and Kokomo. Public aid was again freely given, Center township voting $40,000 in two separate elections, and Washington $12,000. Private donations of $12,000 were added, and the right of wav given. Work on this line was begun in 1878. and much of it completed in that year. By this time a number of other sections were in progress, and the general plan had been to build narrow gauge roads, so the Frankfort and State Line was built narrow gauge; and, in 1879. the Frankfort and Kokomo, which had been built broad gauge, was reduced to narrow gauge. In 1881 the entire line was completed narrow gauge, and consolidated under one companv called the Toledo, Cincinnati and St. Louis.

Kansas City, the new management intending to extend it across Missouri, but this was never done. The name was later changed to the Toledo, St. Louis and Western Railroad Company, but its western terminal is still East St. Louis. In 1888-9 t*le entire road was made broad gauge, and is now an important trunk line, popularly known as "The Clover Leaf." It crosses Washington, Center, Michigan and Forest townships, with 23.26 miles of main track, and 16.15 01 side track, most of it in connection with the shops at Frankfort. The principal stations in Clinton county are Fickle. Jefferson, Frankfort, Michigantown and Forest. Its total assessment for taxation in the county is $469,955.

On May 16. 1889. Center township voted a tax of $57,000 to induce this road to locate its shops at Frankfort. This action did not suit the people in the northern part of the township, which constituted the first voting precinct, and which was the only precinct voting against the tax. Its vote was 107 for and 160 against. The total vote was 1.089 tor anfl 557 against. They petitioned the county commissioners on June 4. 1889, to be put in a new township. This was granted on June 7. 1889. and Union township was formed. The railroad company was not satisfied to accept the tax levy, and twenty-nine citizens of Frankfort organized the Frankfort Improvement Company to handle the situation. They purchased 100 acres of land, and gave the company twenty acres, and $80,000 in money, to locate their shops, taking an assignment of the company's claim to the tax levy. By collecting the tax and selling their remaining eighty acres they came out even on the investment. The shops employ from 350 to 450 men. according to demands of business, and are an important factor in Frankfort's business interests.

In 1906 another proposition was made for Center township to vote a i-cent tax, or $50,325. for the enlargement of these shops. The company offered, if the tax were voted, to expend double that amount in betterments. It was to buy eighteen acres additional, make capacity for 1,500 cars in its general yards and 500 cars in its shop yards, and erect twelve large new buildings, within five years. Tt agreed that these should remain the principal shops and vards of the road, and that if it failed to maintain them as such the property should revert to the township. An election on the question was held on February 13, 1906. and resulted in 1.892 ayes and 270 noes. The tax was collected, but as the railroad company failed to comply with its agreement within five years the donation was declared forfeited.

The total of railroads in the county is 99.05 miles of main track. There are only two townships without railroads, Warren and Sugar Creek, and that is because none of the lines constructed came their way. In 1871, when the

Toledo, Thorntown and St. Louis Air Line was in contemplation - the rival of the Frankfort and Kokomo - its surveyed line passed through Kirklin and Sugar Creek townships. On August 31, 1871, Kirklin voted 169 to 2 for a 2-cent, or $9,000, tax in aid of it; and Sugar Creek voted 135 to o for a 2-cent or $4,000 tax, but, as stated above, the project was killed by the panic of 1873.

In all, Clinton county has given upwards of $650,000 in public and private railroad donations, in addition to rights of way and stock subscriptions on the early roads, which in all probability w ould bring the total to the neighborhood of a million dollars. There is little room for doubt that it was a good investment. - The railroad property in the county is assessed for taxation at $2,033,677, and they probably give employment to 1,000 people. But this is a small financial consideration compared with the increased value of lands and the increased returns for home products, not to mention the cheapening of imported goods. There can be little question that the increase of prices received for farm products in the last fifty years would equal two or three times the donations of all kinds.

In addition to steam railroads, Clinton county has two electric traction lines. The Terre Haute, Indianapolis and Eastern was originally built, and operated for several years, as the Indianapolis and Northwestern. It was built without public aid, and passes through the towmships of Madison, Washington, Center and Jackson, paralleling the Lake Erie and Western part of the way. It has 18.95 miles of niain track, and .4.6 mile of side track in the county; and is assessed for taxation at $181,285. It was built at one stretch from Indianapolis to Lafayette, though the part between Indianapolis and Frankfort was equipped and operated a short time before the rest of the line. The first car into Frankfort on this line was one borrowed of the Indianapolis Street Railway Company, which brought a party of officials over from Indianapolis on an inspection trip on September 1 5, 1903. It was recorded by the Times as somewhat extraordinary, that "the entire trip was made in less than three hours."

The other traction line, known officially at present as "The Indiana Railways and Light Company," was built as the Kokomo, Frankfort and Western Traction Company's line. It parallels the Clover Leaf through Center, Michigan and Forest townships, with a total of 13.18 miles of main track in the county. It has only .18 mile of side track, and the total valuation for taxation is $109,051. This road received no public aid. It was opened for traffic on July 20, 1912, and at first had a service every three hours, which is now reduced to one hour and twenty minutes. It unites at Kokomo with a

The work of improving the roads of the county has been a continuous one for more than three score years and ten. It has gone through all the stages of county roads, state roads, toll roads, and free gravel roads. The toll roads varied in prosperity. For example, the Jefferson and Frankfort Company, with four miles of road, had only $496.96 of receipts in 1877; while the Barnesville and Frankfort Company, with a little over five miles of road, collected $1,005.20 of tolls in the same year. The county went into the free gravel road period very willingly, and has made a great' success of it. On June 1, 1913, there were 826 miles of gravel roads in the county and only twenty-four miles of unimproved or dirt roads. This record of over 97 per cent, of improved roads is excelled only by Union county.

In reality the record is rather better than appears on its face, for in some cases crushed stone is used for gravel in Clinton county, and the roads are really macadam instead of gravel. There are over ten miles of crushed stone roads now, and twenty more in process of construction. Most of the public debt in the count}' is township gravel road bonds, of which there were $552,638 outstanding on January 1. 1913. Of these, $164,738.50 were issued in 1912. In 1912 there were twenty-nine miles of road constructed at a cost of $133,750; and in the same year $32,029.54 was expended in repairs of gravel roads, and $17,966.56 for bridges. Altogether Clinton is in a fair way to become the banner "good roads" county of the state.