Franklin County, Indiana - Chapter 9: Highways and Transportation, 1915

Chapter 9: Highways and Transportation

One of the most difficult problems which confronted the early settlers of Franklin county was the question oi transportation. When it is recalled that as early as 1814 there were ni<jre than seven thousand people in the county, it will be seen that tliere must liave i)een a great demand for roads, and the early commissioners' records devote more than half of their minute records to this question of highways, or "cartways," as they called them. The frequent use of the word "trace" betrays the southern birth of the early settlers. Scores of roads in the county mention the Whetzel, Carolina and Balinger traces, either as crossing or branching off from one of them.

The rough character of the land, together with the heavy forests, made the building of highways not only difticult, but also very expensive as well. The first roads were little more than narrow paths cut through the woods and many of these were only wide enough for traveling on horseback. Each succeeding year saw better roads, but it was not until after the Civil War .that the use of crushed stone came into use as a road-making material. The first good roads in the county were made by incorporations of local men and were familiarly known as toll roads. These were in use in parts of the county until the latter part of the last century and it is safe to sav that this was the only method by which it w-ould have been possible for the people to get good roads. There was too little public money to keep the roads in repair, e\en after they were laid out, and it was only by the toll system that enough money could be raised to keep the roads in a passable condition. Today there are fine rock highways threading the county in every direction and each year sees more improved roads in operation. No county in the state has better road-making material within its limits and. with the latest machinery for crushing stone. Franklin county bids fair to have as fine roads Avithin the next few years as any county in the state.

The county has always suffered as a result of the floods which sweep down the ^\'hite Water valley and the swift-tlowing streams which unite with it in the county. The size of White Water is such that it takes at least twentv thousand dollars to construct a bridge and at the time of the flood in 1913 there were ten bridges across White Water, namely: One each at Laurel. Metaniora, Cedar Grove, New Trenton and I-'airficld and five at Brookville. The flood carried away four of the bridges at Brookville and also those at Cedar Grove, New Trenton anrl Metanif.ra. It also wa-^hed away the approaches at Laurel and at Whitconib bridge near Brookville. In addition to these large l^ridges which were washed away, there were scores of smaller bridges which had to be replaced. Not only were tens of thousands of dollars' worth of bridges destroyed, but the highways in hundreds of places were practically ruined.

Cost Of Road Maintenance

The following statistics are taken from the annual report of Francis R. Harder, superintendent of repair and maintenance of free gravel or turnpike roads of Franklin county far the year 1914:

River Transportation

Owing to the fact that the roads leading from Franklin county to the Ohio river were in such poor condition in the early history of the county, the enterprising merchants early conceived the idea of utilizing the White Water river as a means of getting their produce to market. They would save what could be transported by water safely until the spring freshets and then construct as large rafts as the river could accommodate. On these rude rafts would be stored barrels of pork, whiskey, flour, furs, etc. Frequently the produce was taken direct from Brookville to New Orleans without making a change. The raft, which was always constructed out of as good timber as could be obtained, was sold for lumber after the cargo was disposed of. Flat-boating continued intermittently until the canal was opened in 1839.

As early as 1822 a large amount of produce was flat-boated down the White Water from Brookville. A bill of lading, now in the hands of Harry M. Stoops, gives an interesting insight into this phase of the early history of Franklin county. The bill of lading is given in its entirety, including its bad spelling, punctuation, etc. :

"Shiped in Good order and well Conditioned on board the Strong Boat Brookville - Masters & Owners John Jacobs Sundry Barrels of Pork Whiskey and Flour, more particularly described as Follows viz:

Rec'd of N. D. Gallion on Board of my Boat as above Stated all the Several Barrels and Kegs in good order and condition each containing about as above Stated. All of wliicli I am to freight for said Gallion to Xew Orleans at the rate of one dollar per barrel and charge him a very Small Commission for selling the Same (M1 its arrival at market. We promise to comply to the above Errors

This bill of lading gives a good idea of the nature and quantitv of the cargoes which were floated out of Brookville. There was a chair factory located near the Catholic church and its proprietor shipped a big load of his chairs soutli every spring. Most of the shipments, however, were pork, flour and whiskey. Very little produce was shipped up the river, most of it being hauled overland from Cincinnati or Lawrenceburg up until the time the canal was opened.

The rapidly increasing settlement of the White Water valley and the remarkable fertility of the soil caused an increasing demand for a market for the products of the farms and as early as 1822 or 1823 a convention of of delegates from Randolph, Wayne, Union, Fayette, Franklin and Dearborn counties, Indiana, assembled at Harrison, Ohio, to consider the practicability of constructing a canal down the valley. The prime mover was Augustus Jocelyn, a minister of the gospel, who edited and published the Western Agriculturist at Brookville and through his pai>er worked up quite an interest in behalf of the improvement of the valley. Shortly after the convention was lield. Colonel Shrivcr, f)f the L'nited States army, began a survey for a canal and got as far flown tiie valley as Garrisrjn's creek, where the survey was brought to a sudden close by the death of the Colonel. The suspension was ui short duration, for Colonel Standbury, United States civil engineer, soon completed it.

Nothing seems to have been done until l'"ebruary, 1834. when the T-egislature directed the canal commissioners to employ competent engineers and "early the ensuing summer survey to locate a canal from a point at or near the mouth of Xettle creek, in Wayne county, to Lawrenceburg. Indiana." Accordingly, William Coodw in was employed as engineer-in-chief and Jesse L. Williams, assistant engineer. During its construction and existence there were employed as assistant engineers Simpson Talbot, Elisha Long, John H. Farquhar, .Martin Crowell. Henry C. .\roore, Stephen D.

west side of the river as far as Laurel., where it crossed to the east and continued down to the gravel bank just above Brookvillc, where it recrossed to the west bank and proceeded on to Lawrenceburg, but was afterwards located on the east bank, from Laurel to its terminus.

Strange as it may seem, this great and badly-needed improvement was bitterly opposed by some and every possible obstruction thrown in the way of the enterprise, the opposition being led by Charles Hutchen. a Kentuckian, who resided for many years in Brookville and during his residence edited a newspaper.

The Blue Creek Canal

A meeting was called to assemble at the court house in Brookville at two o'clock P. ]\[.. December 25. 1S34, to consider the proprietv of constructing a canal from the forks of Blue creek to its mouth. It was proposed to connect with the White Water canal near the mouth of the creek, and it was thought that Congress would donate contiguous land. The call closes with the following postscript: "\Miile we are borrowing monev to build the White Water canal let's borrow a little more to build the Blue Creek." This was done by the opponents of the White Water, as the proposed canal would only have been three or four miles in length. On January 6, 1835, the engineer reported the survey completed.

The Beginning Of The White Water Canal

The lenf;;th of the canal was seventy-six miles, with a fall of four hundred and ninety-one feet from its head at Xettle creek (Wayne county, near Cambridge City) to its terminus at L.awrencelmrg, recjuiring fifty-six locks and seven dams, the latter varying in height from two to eight feet. The estimated cost per mile was $14,908, or $1,142,126 for the entire canal. In June of that year Gen. Amaziah Morgan, of Rush county, was appointed a commissioner to receive stone, timber or the conveyance of land to the canal to aid in constructing it. It would give an outlet for Franklin, Rush, Fayette. Henry, Randolph and Hancock counties, as well as a large part of Wayne. Union, Decatur and Delaware - a district aggregating 3.150 square miles. Produce could be transported I)y tliis means at an average cost of $3. 56 per ton, as against $10, the present cost. This wOuld amount to $221,000 annually for the entire section. The water power would turn 318 pairs of mill stones and on its banks could be placed scores of saw-mills as well as cotton and woolen-mills. There is small wonder that the people of this county were anxious to see the canal built and gave the enterprise every possible support.

Owing to the hills in southern Indiana it was deemed best to cross the line at Harrison and locate about eight miles of the canal in Flamilton county, Ohio, recrossing into Indiana and continuing to Lawrenceburg. As it was necessary to have the consent of Ohio to construct the portion running through her territory, the Legislature of Indiana authorized the governor to obtain Ohio's permission, and Governor Xoble appointed O. H. Smith a commissioner, who proceeded to Columbus. Ohio, and on January 30. 1835. presented Indiana's ref|uest. This was bitterly opposed and the petition refused on the grounds that it was against Ohio's interest to grant it. as the White Water canal would run parallel to the Miami at a distance of from twenty to fifty miles from it. and that the product of Wayne. Union and part of Fayette and Franklin counties. Indiana, were taken to Hamilton and shipped to Cincinnati on the Miami canal, and if Ohio granted the request she would lose that tonnage. The refusal only served to put Indiana on her mettle, and the Buckeyes soon learned that when "the Hoosiers will they will, and that's the end on't." for the Legislature immediately instructed the board of internal improvements, should Ohio persist in her refusal, to construct a railroad on the Indiana side of the state line from Harrison to Lawrenceburg. This, with the influence of Cincinnati, whose people quickly realized wliat the result would he to thciii if the commerce of the valley went to Lawrencel)urf(, hastily chaii.L,'cfl the mind of Ohio's Legislature and the petition was .t^ranted. One enthusiastic advocate of the White Water canal, in the Liberty Hall and Ciiuiinuiti Gazette of September 8. 1836. earnestly and persistently ur_i;ed Cincinnati to borrow half a million dollars to aid in constructing the canal and Miami railroad. l*)arly in January. 1836, the champions of the White Water canal in the Indiana Legislature. Enoch Mc- Carty in the Senate and Caleb Smith and Mark Crum in the House, had the pleasing satisfaction of seeing their labors crowned with success by the passing of the internal improvement bill.

Gala Day In Bkookville

Tuesday, January 9, 1836, was a gala day in Brookville, for on that day the news that the internal improvement bill had passed both houses of the Legislature was received, and in the evening the event was celebrated with speaking by prominent men. .Ml buildings, public and private, were illuminated and long rows of lights placed on the fences along Meirs street. A large procession was formed under the command of Col. B. S. Xoblc and Captain Dodd, and. amid the ringing of bells, beating of drums and roaring of cannons, marched through the streets to the inspiring strains of a band of music. The demonstrations coiitinued until after midnight, when the citizens retired to their homes, but the cannon boomed till daylight.

On September 13, 1836, the ceremony of "breaking ground"' and letting of the contracts for the construction of the canal from Brookville to Lawrenceburg was celebrated at Brookville by a great barbecue and everv expression of rejoicing possible. The orator of the day was Governor Xoah Noble. The other speakers were ex-Governor James B. Rav. David Wallace, Hon. George H. Dunn, of l^wrenceburg, and Dr. Daniel Drake, of Cincinnati. Quite a number of speeches were made and toasts offered, the following being offered by James Finley, editor of the Richmond Palladium :

A pick, shovel and wheelbarrow had been provided for the occasion and at the close of the speaking^ and reading of the toasts, one of the speakers seized the pick and loosened tiie ground for a few feet, another trundled the wheelbarrow to the looscnetl earth, another took the shovel and filled the wheelbarrow and David Wallace trundled it a short distance and dumped it and "ground was ])roken" for the White Water canal. On this day, September 13, 183^1, contracts were let f(jr the construction of the canal to the following parties : William Carr, Joel Wilcox, Zepheniah Reed,

Benjamin M. Remy, George Heimer, Moses Kelley, William Marshall, N. Hammond, William M. McCarty, Isaac Van Horn, H. Simonton, William Garrison, Paren & Kyle. Carmichael & Barwick. Gibbons & Williams. Halstead & Parker, Xaylor, Troxall & Company, D. Banham & Company, Scott & Butt. H. Lasure & Company, \^ance. Caldwell & Company, Tyner, Whii>- ple & Company and C. and Joseph ]\ leeks. The state pushed the work and in November, 1837, J^^' Wilcox, the contractor for building the bridge and dam across the East fork of the White Water below Brookville, completed the latter and water was let in the first mile of the canal. According to the report of the board of internal improvements for that year, there had been employed between Lawrenceburg and Brookville nine of that board, one engineer-in-chief, one secretary, twelve resident engineers, seven senior and eleven junior assistant engineers and twenty-four rodmen. One of the rodmen was the late George A\'. Julian, for many years a resident of Irvington, and who a few years later took such an active part in national affairs. There were twenty axmen and nine hundred and seventy-five laborers, the latter receiving eighteen dollars per month. So rapidly was the work pushed that on December 20, 1838. Superintendent Long reported that the canal was nearly completed to Brookville.

Bridges And Locks

The W^hitc bridge, as it is called, was finished by the contractor in September. 1838, the west side of it being used for the towpath. It is three hundred and ninety-two feet long and cost fourteen thousand dollars. The locks were either named for some prominent person engaged in constructing the canal or for .the town where they were located. Beginning at the southern end, they were Marshall's. Fox's, Trenton, Berweise's. Rhubottom's, Cedar Grove, Guard Lock at Case's. Wiley's (two), Tvner's, Guard lock below Brookville. Brookville Basin lock. Reed's, Boundary Hill. Yellow Bank, Twin locks, Gordon's, Metamora. Murray's. Ferris's. Jink's, Laurel. Hetrick's. Garrison's creek, , Conwell's, Limpus's, Berlin. Xulltown. L'pde-

The first boat to reach lirookville from Lawrenceburg was the "Ben Franklin," owned by Lcjn.i^ <:v: W'esterfield and commanded by Gen. Elisha Long. It arrived June 8, 1839, and was drawn by hand from below tov.n up to its landing. The last boat that landed from Cincinnati to Brookville was "The Favorite." owned and run by Capt. Aaron C. Miller. The fir-t boat completed at the Rochester (Cedar Grove) yard of T. Moore, U. Kendall, G. B. Child and S. D. Coffin was a packet called the "Native." With Stephen D. Coffin as master, this boat arrived in Brookville July 3, 1839, and the next day took a merry i)arty of excursionists to Case's dam, three and one-half miles below town. The "Xative"' marie regular trips between Brookville and Lawrenceburg, leaving the former at six-thirty A. M., Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, arriving at the latter place the same evening; on the return, it left Lawrenceburg at six-thirty A. M. on Tuesdays. Thursdays and Saturdays, arriving at firookville on the same day. The fare was one dollar and twenty-five cents and one dollar and fifty cents, the state receiving thirty-seven and a half cents out of each fare.

The established cost of the canal from Hagerstown to Lawrenceburg was $1,567,470, and yet to construct it to Brookville had cost $664,665. The state debt had. become so large that it could not pay the interest. On August 18, 1839, it was announced that the state was bankrupt and could do nothing more in the way of building the canal, and the state accordingly sold the canal in 1842 to Henry S. Vallette, a wealthy Cincinnatian. who proceeded to complete it. In November, 1843, the first boat, the "Native."' in charge of Captain Crary, reached Laurel at dark v\'ith a grand excursion from Brookville. During the night the bank bursted and left the merrymakers eight miles above Brookville - and they walked into the town. In June, 1845. the canal reached Connersville. The first boat to arrive at Herron's lock was the "Banner." The following October the canal reached Cambridge Citv and had cost the company $473,000. In 1846 it was completed to Hagerstown and, according to the report of the auditor of state for 1848. had cost the state $1,920,175.13. In January, 1847, a flood destroyed the aqueduct at Laurel and also the one on this side of Cambridge City, and cut channels around the feeder dams at Case's, Brookville, Laurel. Connersville and Cambridge City. The damage was estimated to be $90,000. and S70.000 was expended during the summer in repairs. The following November there was another Hood that destroyed all that had been done and $80,000 more was expended, leaving $30,000 of repairs undone, and the canal was not ready for use until September of 1848. Disaster followed disaster, the cost of maintaining it exceeding the revenue until July 22, 1863, when it was sold at the c(jurt htnise (hjor in iJmokville Ijy the United States marshal to H. C Lord, president of the Indianapolis & Cincinnati Railroad, for S63.000. that being the amount of the judgment. The railroad company Iiad long <lesired to secure the canal from Harrison to Cincinnati, so it could lay its track through the tunnel and thus gain an entrance t(j the city and the use of the White Water basin for a depot. This sale, for some reason, was set aside, although the railroad held that portion of the canal and used it as I have stated, but on December 5, 1865, C. C. Binckley, president of the White Water Valley Canal Company, sold it to H. C. L(jrd, president of the White Water Valley Railroad Company, for 8137,348.12.

As early as 1836 Ohio had begun to consider the question of building a branch canal from Harrison to Cincinnati, and in I-'ebruary, 1837. finally decided to build it. It was estimated that the canal would ccst between $300,000 and S400.000 and take two years to construct. In May, of the same year, stock in the branch canal was placed on sale at Cincinnati. Ohio took $150,000, Cincinnati $200,000, thus leaving Si 00,000 un.sold. This branch was completed in the spring of 1838. In April of the same year an excursion was run through the newly completed canal and from that time through traffic was maintained between Cincinnati and all points on the White Water canal.

Half way between Brookville and Cedar Grove there lived a few years ago Joseph McCafferty, one of the last captains to ojjcrate a boat on the White Water canal. Some years before his death he talked reminiscently concerning the days when thousands of tons of produce were hauled up and down the canal. "Well, I know a few things about that old canal." said Captain McCafferty. "for, man and boy, I have been near it all my life. I used to hide behind trees and throw stones at the Irish laborers who were brought here to dig it. The digging began, I think, in 1836: it was along some time in 1839 that the water was let into it from Lawrenceburg to Brookville, and. if I remem!)cr right, it was open to Cincinnati along about 1848. The canal broke in 1847 and again in i'ii^2, and caused considerable damage, but was built up again and business increased for a while and then began to let down. ...

Miami canal for a number < i yars, and it was dcciderl to bring- her over here. She was dropped down from the Miami canal to the Ohio river and floated to Lawrcncelnircf and ])ut into the White Water canal. I Ixiiight her and chanf^ed the name to 'Henry Clay' anrl there weren't any boats on the canal that could make any better time. ' I I)iiilt a numl>er of I)oats to .sell, and always ijot ^ood |)rices for tiiem. The first l)oat built at Cedar Grove was called the 'Native,' and when slic started on her first tri]) there was a good deal of excitement all along the canal. The 'Xative' was a passenger and freight boat and was fitted up in a manner that was gorgeous for those days. There were two cabins and large state rooms ranged on the side, the same as is now seen on passenger steamers. Stephen Coffin was the builder and captain, and when he started out on a trip he always niafle a good deal of fuss about it.

. "Finally I built, a boat called the 'Belle of Indiana,' and there was nothing on the canal that touclied her anywhere. The swan line of packets was put on about that time. They did not carry anything but light freight and passengers, and it was expected then they would make a fortune for their owners. But they did not pay, and after a season or two they were withdrawn. I carried passengers on the 'Belle of Indiana' and some of the most famous men of the day used to ride with me, but I did not pay a great deal of attention to them, for generally I was too busy.''

Intense Rivalry Between Bo.At Crews

"Lively isn't the word for it," chuckled the old captain. "There was an intense rivalry between the boats, and the way they used to race was a caution, and when one boat tried to pass another it was about sure to end in a fight. The crew of a boat was the captain, two steersmen, cook and driver, and sometimes they all got into it. Down near Cleaves. Ohio, one time, two boat crews got into a fight and one of the men was killed - that was the only killing I ever knew of, but I saw a whole lot of of them beat up."

"Oh, I guess I had my share," and he pulled his tall athletic form up to its height, "but none of them was ever serious. You see. I had one of the fastest boats on the canal, and when 1 came 'round the bend, the other fellow just took it for granted that I would go by, so he hugged the shore and let me pass." " ' " '^ ' - \

"Well, I had a right smart excitement, but the greatest time was when they opened the canal to Cambrid.i(e City. We knew for a long time that the canal was to be opened ui) to that place, but we did not know just when it would be, so we all laid away as much as possible and waited for the word. Several times it was repr)rlc(l the water was coming down, and we would edge up close and get ready f(;r the rush. It was just like the rushes they made down in the Indiana Territory, except we have canal boats instead of horses. At last the word came that the water wa^ in the canal at Cambridge City, and we started.

"There were twenty boats, and c\ery one tried to get by the other, and when we had to make the locks I tell you there was some tall swearing and not a little fighting, but no one was hurt. My boat and all the other packets were crowded with passengers. I had the 'Belle of Indiana' then, and there was such a crowd on the deck that 1 had to separate them so the steersman could see the bow- of the Ijoat. When we got in sight of Milton it seemed as if the whole United States was there. There were two or three cannons fired and the people were shouting and yelling like Indians. John Lemon was captain of the 'Belle of the West." and I was pushing him mighty hard, for he was in the lead. But the water was not deep enough for a good race and he beat me into Canijjridge City : but I was right behind him.

Grektings At Cambridge City

"The crowd at Milton was not a patching to the crowed at Cambridge City. There were cannons, more bands, the state officers were there and every one had a great jubilee. They kept it up all night and most of next day, and everyone had any kind of fun he wanted, and did not lia\e to pay for it. I tell you, there is a big ditterencc now and then. Why. we went through the stretches of woods four and five miles long then to get to Cambridge, and it would be hard to find a stretch now half a mile long. Those were great days, though, and everylxidy made money. Init mighty few kept it. It was come easy and go easy.

"Of course, I was around the canal about all my life, but I ran a boat about seven years, and good years they were. too. But I saw that the business on the canal was falling ofif and so I sold all my boats, closed out mv business, bought a farm and have been a farmer ever since. I'm getting to be a pretty old man, and want a rest. I guess that I am about the onlv one of the boys who used to run on the canal that is left, and it won't be very long until I tie up forever."

Chesapeake And Ohio Railroad

Before the White Water canal was in f^(K)d runnin*^ order, Franklin county began to agitate the building of a railroad through the county. In the early fifties the local pajjers are full of articles on the building of railroads through the county and the plat book in the recorder's office (pages 12-13) shows a railroad through the n(jrtheastern corner of the county known as the Cincinnati, Caml)ridge & Chicago Short Lines Railroad. The date of it is given as August 4, 1 85,^5, and it was just sixty years from that time until the present road was built across that corner of the county. On Xoljle's map of 185S, is shown this railroad as if it were actually constructed and future generations seeing this niai) might think that there was actually a railroad through the county at that time. .\ part of the grade for this road was actually made, but unforeseen circumstances stoi)[)ed the buiUling of the road. Traces of the grade may yet be seen, although in places trees had been growing for more than half a century. In 1902 the Chicago, Richmond &: Muncie Railroad Company began building its line and, as finally surveved, six and eighty-eight one hundredths miles of its track was in Franklin county. On April 4. igoj. Bath and Springfield townships voted on the question of granting a subsidy to the company. Bath voted a subsidv of twelve thousand dollars by a majority of sixty, while Springfield voted twenty thousand dollars by a majority of si.\ty-nine. There are two stations on this line in the county, Peoria and Bath, with a passenger and freio-ht depot at each station.

It was not until after it was seen that the canal had outlived its usefulness that the building of a railroad through the county took on a serious aspect. The floods of the latter fifties damaged the canal so that it was of little use after the beginning of the Civil \\'ar. In 1S63 the Indianapolis & Cincinnati Railroad Company secured the right to use the towpath of the canal for the building of the railroad and within three years Brookville had steam connection with Cincinnati. This road, now kno\\Ti as the Whitewater division of the Cleveland, Chicago, Cincinnati & St. Louis railroad (Big Four), has 27.8 miles of the county, which, writh 3.93 miles of side-track, is listed for taxation at Si()4,g25.

proposition, due not only to the limited territory which it serves, but also as well to the heavy exi)ense entailed by the frequent floods which sweep down the White Water valley. The (L;od of 1913 practically ruined the right of way throujg-h the county and more than one hundred thousand dollars was expended by the company before the track could be used again. In fact, so extensive was the damage that it was nearly two months before the trains were running. There was talk at the time that the company would discontinue the road altogether, but, fortunately for Franklin county, the company decided to keep the road in use. For nearly a year the Big Four has maintained through service only between Cincinnati and Connersville, and at the present time operates two passenger trains each way daily between these two points. There is one passenger train which reaches Brookville each night from Cincinnati and returns to that city at five o'clock the next morning.

Chicago Division Of Big Four

The Big Four was the first railroad built between Indianapolis and Cincinnati and three and twenty-five one-hundredths miles of its track lie in Franklin county. It crosses the southwestern corner of Ray township and goes through one town in the county, Huntersville. This road was constructed in the fifties and has been a good paying proposition ever since it was built. This road is double tracked through the county. This road was valued at $134,875 in 1914. for the three and a fourth miles of tracks which it had in the county.

The Proposed Richmond And Brookville Canal

Among the first settlements in southeast Indiana Were those along the fertile valley of the East Fork of Whitewater river and its tributaries. The settlers were a thrifty, energetic people, and their industry soon produced a surplus. At quite an early day tlatboats were built at Dunlapsville and Quakertown and loaded with the products of the farms, and when a rise in the river occurred were nm out into the current and lioated to New Orleans. In the spring of 1819 or 1820, a flatboat that had been built and loaded with provisions at Dunlapsville by George Newland, father of the blind musician of that name v/ho was well known in Indianapolis, passed Bassett's mill dam at Fairfield on its way to New Orleans.

Possessing the push and energy that they did, it is no wonder that these people were among the first to advocate internal improvements. Such improvement was very early agitaterl and by 1834 the scheme for a canal down the East Fork began to assume form. On August 4 of that year a meeting was held at Richmond to consider the practicability of constructing a canal from that city to intersect the proposed Whitewater canal at or near Brookville. This was followed by a meeting in Brookville to consider the propriety of constructing a canal down the East Fork of the Whitewater river from a point in Darke county, Ohio, to connect with the .Miami canal at or near Dayton, Ohio. On September 12, 1836, a convention of delegates from Wayne and Franklin counties assembled at Dunlapsville in the interest of the proposed canal. On calling the roll the following delegates answered : Robert Morrison, John Finley, Warner M. Leeds, John Ervin, Irwin Keed, Daniel P. Wiggins, James W. Borden, William R. Foulke. Alexander Stakes, Basil Brightwell, Achilles Williams, Mark Reeves and W. B. Smith, of Richmond; Smith Hunt, Frederick Black, W. J. Matchett, Col. E. Rialsback, Jacob Hender, Thomas J. Larsh and William Clerick, of Abington ; William Watt, James Laml), William Youse, Jesse Starr, T. H. Harding, J. F. Chapman, Ladis Walling, Jacob Imel and Greenbury Beels, of Brownville; George Newland, John Templeton, J. W. Scott, Matthew Hughes, Hugh McCollough, Israel Kirk and Bennett Osborn, of Dunlapsville; Redin Osborn and James Wright, of Fairfield ; Abner McCarty, Samuel Goodwin. William T. Beeks, George Kimble, John Ryman, John 'M. Johnson and George Holland, of Brookville. A permanent organiation was eected. Committees of three from each delegation were appointed to correspond with parties residing on the line of the proposed canal and notitv them of future meetings, and give any other information in regard to the enterprise.

On January 27, 1837, the Legislature of Indiana directed the board of internal improvements to survey and locate early the ensuing summer a canal from Richmond to Brookville, to intersect the Whitewater canal at or near the latter place. They were to use the local engineers then emploved on the Whitewater canal, and to incur no extra expense for the state. Accordingly. Col. Simpson Torbet was employed as engineer-in-chief and Col. John H. Farquhar. Thomas Noell. Elisha Long. J. C. Moore and M. Dewey, w^ho had been employed on the Whitewater, presumablv, formed the engineering corps of the Richmond and Brookville canal. On December 2, 1837, Colonel Tori)et made his report to the state l)nard of internal improvements, stating that he had completed the "survey and location of a canal down the East Fork of the Whitewater river, beginning at Richmond, in Wayne county, and terminating at Brookville, in Franklin county."

40 feet at the surface, aiul to have a depth of four feet of water. There would be 3>4 miles of slack water and 3 miles of hlutf, requiring riprapping of loose stone protection. There was a tall of 2'/y/z feet, requiring the following mechanical structures : 2 guard locks, 2 aqueducts, 7 culverts, 2 water " weirs with gates, 16 road briflges, 2 towpath bridges over the East 1-ork, 5 dams, and 31 lift locks. The dams were to be located at the following points: Dam No. i, one-half mile from Richmond, at the National road, 160 feet long; Dam No. 2, 160 feet long, 5^4 "liles from Richmond, near Larsh's mill; Dam No. 3, 170 feet long, iij4 "li'^^s from Richmond, near Ottis' mills; Dam No. 4, 180 feet long, above Fairfield, and 2},y. miles from Richmond; Dam No. 5, 200 feet long, above iJrookville and ^2 miles from Richmond. The locks, each 90 feet long by 15 feet wide, were to be located at the following places: Xo. i, one-half mile from Richmond, at the National road bridge; No. 2, at Bancrofi's factory; No. 3. at Siddle's mills: No. 4, McFadden's sawmill; No. 5, Rue's mill: No. 0, Henderson's farm: No. 7. Henderson's sawmill; No. 8, Colonel Hunt's lands; No. 9. at Shroyer's f ann ; No. 10, at Abington; N(j. 11, at Schwisher's house; No. 12. guard lock where the canal crossed the river; Nos. 13 and 14, in Brownsville; No. 15, at Aschenbury's sawmill: No. 16 and 17, at Adney's land: No. 18, at Silver creek; No. 19, at Newland's, near Dunlapsville ; No. 20, at J. F. Templeton's lands; No. 21, at Hanna's creek: No. 22, above Fairfield; Nos. 23 and 24. at Wolf creek; No. 25, at Robert Templeton's f ann : No. 26, at John Logan's lands; No. 2"], at McCarty's farm; No. 28. on school section; No. 29. at Butler's land; Nos. 30 and 31, in Brookville.

The line of the canal followed the right (east) bank of the river for a distance' of 1134 miles, when it crossefl over to the left (west) bank at Dam No. 3, and followed that side of the river for I2j4 miles, passing into slack water below Hanna's creek, and recrossing to the right bank at Dam No. 4, above Fairfield, and continued down that side of the river to Brookville.

This is the route according- to the original survey, but it must have been relocated, for George Templeton later said that the line crossed over to the left (west) bank at the southwest corner of his farm, near where the school house stands on Fairfield pike, and that there was to have been a feeder dam at that place. This would correspond v/ith the locks located on the John Logan, Abner McCarty and Amos Butler lands, besides avoiding some extensive blult excavations, and is a far more practicable route than to have continued down the east side of the river from the dam above Fairtield to Brookville. This would locate Dam 5 about 30 miles instead of 32 miles from

Franklin' Covntv, Indiana

Richmond and about 3^/. miles above Brookville. The route as surveyed in Brookville passed down east Market to the intersection of James, now Fourtli street, where it veered to the west and terminated in tiie pool of the W huewater canal fomied by the dam across the East Fork. The estimated cost of the canal per mile was $15,277, and for the 33^4 miles, $483,778, including contingencies of $24,i«8; the entire cost of the canal was estimated to be $507,966.

Colonel Torbet said in his rep<jrt of the proposed improvement: "With the exception of the bluffs and the lockage, the valley of the East Fork is of the most favorable character for the construction of a canal. There would be many advantages growing out of its construction, the l>enertt of which can scarcely be anticipated. It would be the cliannel through which all the trade of one of the most populous, fertile and wealthy regions of the western country would pass. Richmond, situated at the head of navigation, with its vast water power, extensive capital, and enterprising inhabitants, might become the Pittsburgh of Indiana."

A fatality seemed to have followed the engineers of the Whitewater and Richmond and Brookville canals. Colonel Schreiver died while he was engaged in surveving the former, while Colonel Torbet. completing the survey of the latter, made his final rep.:)rt January 5. 1838. and died the 23rd of the following March at John Godley's, near Harrison, Ohio.

In January of 1838 a meeting was held in Brookville in the interest of the canal. A draft of a charter for the organization of a company was approved, and two committees were appointed, one to correspond w'ith our representatives in the Legislature, requesting their influence in behalf of the charter, and the other to communicate with towns along the line of the proposed canal. In the same month a meeting was also held at Fairfield, of which James Osbom was chairman, and James L. Andrews. James McManus. George W. Thompson and Nathaniel Bassett were appointed commissioners, as required in the charter. In February- of 1839 Warner M. Leeds, secretary of the company, published the following notice :

"Richmond and Brookville Canal Stock Subscription - Books for subscription of stock in the Richmond and Brookville canal will be opened by the commissionei-s on the first day of April. 1839, and kept open tiventy-one days, agreeable to the charter, at the following places, viz: Richmond. Abington, Brownsville. Dunlapsville. Fairfield and Brook^-ille. The following commissioners were authorized to have special charge of said books, one of whom will attend to each of the following places for the purpose of receiving subscriptions: Robert Morrison, Richmond; Col. Smith Hunt,

The Kichjiiond Falladmm of April 27, 1S39, states that Franklin, Union -ind Wayne counties had taken $215,000 worth of stock, of which $50,000 was taken by Richmond, the following citizens of that place taking stock: William Dewey, Warner A'l. Leeds, Benjamin Fulgum, James King, Andress S. Wiggins, Charles Paulson, John Ogan, Dennis McMullen, Henry Moorman, Caleb Sheren, Irwin Reed, Joseph M. Gilbert, Benjamin Strattan. William Owen, Cornelius Ratliff, William Kenworthy, John Suffcrin, Benjamin Mason, Basil Brightwell, Benjamin Pierce, Isaac Jones, Benjamin Strawbridge, Armstrong Grimes, Solomon Florney, Jr., Jacob J. Keefer, Reuben AI. Worth, William Meek, Williams S. \\'att, John M. Laws, Isaac Bceson, Kasson Brookins, Henry Hollingsworth, James W. Salter, Hugh S. Flamilion, Thomas Newman, William B. Smith, Oliver Kinsey, Clayton Hunt, and Samuel E. Perkins. For the names of tlie stockholders we are indebted to Joseph C. Ratliff, of Richmond.

Undoubtedly Brookville and Franklin county did their duty and were as generous as Wayne and L'nion counties or any of the towns along the line of the canal, but no record of the stockholders can be obtained. The names of only two have been learned ; these were Graham Hanna and James Wright.

In September of 1839 Richmond and Brookville papers contained advertisements calling for bids for constructing sections i, 2 and 3. near Richmond: 13, near Abington; 20, near Brownsville: 40, near Fairfield, and 52, near Brookville. The advertisement states that the sections to be let "embrace a number of mechanical structures, consisting principally of dams and locks, with some very heavy bluff excavations." Specifications of the work were to be posted at Doctor Matchett's tavern in Abington. Doctor Mulford's tavern in Brownsville, Abijah DuBois' tavern in Fairfield, D. Hoffman's tavern in Brookville, and at the company's office in Richmond. The lettings took place as advertised, except section 52, near Brookville, which, owing to the heavy excavations, was not let. So far as can be learned. no work was done near Brookville, but on section 40, near Fairfield, the contractors, Heniy and Harvey Pierce, excavated about one and a half miles of the canal down the east side of the river to the farm now owned by Sallie and ^Missouri Hanna. Traces of excavation can al.>o be seen plainly on the farm of James Blew. Sections i, 2 and 3, near Richmond, let, and from a mile and a half to two miles of excavation made. No use of these excavated portions was ever made until i860, when Leroy

At the breaking- of ground for the Whitewater canal John Finley, editor of the Richmond Palladium, quoting Moore's "Meeting of the Waters," with changes to suit the occasion, said : "The last picayune shall depart from my fob ere the East and West Forks relinquish the job." Whether the last picayune departed from the editor's fob or not is unknown, but undoubtedly the East Fork relinquished the job, and Richmond failed to become the "Pittsburgh of Indiana."

Agriculture Axu Agricultural Societils

The first attempt to form and conduct an agricultural society in Franklin county was the organization of such a society in Septeml^r, 1834. Tlie first officers were as follow: David Mount, president; Enoch McCarty, Samuel Lering and Samuel Goodwin, trustees ; George Holland, recording bccretary ; Rufus Haymond, corresponding secretary; George W. Kimble, treasurer. The township directors (then called curators) were as follow: Brookville township, William T. Beeks. Daniel St. John. Joseph Goudic, Richard Littel and Samuel Hymes ; Highland township, Bradbury Cottrcl and Solomon Allen ; Blooming Grove townsliip, James Webb, John Allen and W. T. Jacobs; White Water to\vnshi[), John P. Case and Samuel Rockatellar: Bath township, William Shultz and Abraham Lee ; Posey township, I. Lockwood, James Simmons and Alexander McKee ; Springfield township, Samuel Shirk, Philp Jones and Isaac Wamsley ; Ray township, Charles Martin and James Halsey; Fairfield township, Benjamin Snowden. James Wright, Redin Osborn and Michael F. Miller. John A. Matson was selected to deliver the first annual address.

At the fair in 1837 stock and machinery were exhibited on a lot near the residence of Samuel Goodwin. The butter, cheese and all articles to be judged by the ladies were placed in a room at the court house. James Calfee was then acting as the society's secretary. This fair was held at Brookville, while later exhibits were made at Laurel, as will be observed later on. Brookville has had three fair grounds. The first was situated in the southern part of town, near tlie present home of !Mr. Hathaway: the second was near the present school building ; the last one where now is located the cemetery, on the west side of White Water river. .\t the last named locality about thirty acres of land was leased and fairh' well improved by the agricultural society, which continued to have their annual exhibits until 1881. when the society disbanded. The land was sold to the Odd Fellows of Brookville, who converted it into the present cemetery. '^"*"

Prior to 1850 the original society went down, and a meeting was called for August 29, 1 85 1, for the purpose of organizing a society in Franklin county, under the new Indiana state law. It was signed by James Everett, James McClure, John P. Brady. Thomas F-'itton. A. B. Line, John R. Goodwin, C. F. Clarkson, Isaac Peck, George Holland and Samuel Goudie. C. F. Clarkson, who was elected president of the new agricultural society, later in life made a famous record as a journalist in Iowa, where he was familiarly known as "Father Clarkson," and was the founder of the great loiva State Register, now the Rcgistcr-Lcadcr, of Des Moines. Iowa.

The first county fair under the auspices of this society was held at Laurel in 1852. Three acres of grf>und. just south of the village of Laurel, were fenced in with a seven- foot board fence; a speaker's stand, floral hall, mechanic's hall, a hall for grain and dairy products, an office and ticket building, with pens for cattle, hogs and sheep, were among the improvements of the place. The main buildings were thirty by one hundred and fifty feet in size.

After the removal of the fair to Brookville things went on well for many years, and very creditable annual exhibits were made. But as time passed and the state fair began to absorb the interest hitherto taken in local county affairs, this county, with many others in Indiana, began to wane and finally, after several new leases on its existence, went down. This is to be regretted, when one comes to consider that Franklin county is still classed among the good farming sections of the state. At an early day the population was more or less absori^ed in manufacturies and living off of the forests, which were finally ruthlessly cut down and shipped away or consumed at home. But with the passing of factories and mills, a majority of the freeholders began to turn again to the soil for their chief support.

The Soil

At an early day the bottom lands and valleys generally were too full of vegetable matter to be good wheat-raising lands, but after several decades of corn growing on these lands this condition was all changed, and then wheat was profitably grown. In many sections there were produced as manv as fifty successive crops of corn, which tended to exhaust the vegetable matter, after which other grains grew better.

In the eastern part of the county there was a large amount of level and wet land, which was not considered valual)le for farming purposes, but later on, when drained an<l cleared off, became the richest part of the entire eonnty. In this portion there is a clay sub-soil with a vegetable loam for the upper surface. In Blooming Grove and parts of other northern townships the soil is gray and, in instances, almost white, with a yellow sub-soil, which when brought to the surface affords a fine productive soil. In the southern part of the county the sub-soil is also a yellow clay, though not as productive as in other sections. l!ut the proper care, fertilization and general rotation of crops has brcnight these lands up to alxiut the stanrlard of this section of the state. Especially here (jne finds many of the most valuable orchards and vineyards. It has been said by scientists that this county lacks in lime, and hence fertilizing and the plowing under of green clover has l)cen successfully followed for many years to the betterment of the soil.

Live Stock

As a grazing county this is most excellent and those who have turned their attention to more stock and less grain growing, have come to be the wealthy husbandmen. The dairy industry also has been profitable, and is still so. As one example of this liranch of farm indu.stry it should be stated that hundreds of pounds of milk are shipped from milk and cream stations within the county, to distant markets, including Cincinnati. Again, the quality of stock matured here can be shown by the following description of a mammoth steer, which item appeared in one of the weekly home papers a few years ago:

"One indication of this county being a good live-stock section is the fact that here was bred and matured one of the largest, if not the very largest, steers grown in the world. He was exhibited at various stock and horse shows in 1906. He was raised and kept until past four years of age on the farm of Perry M. Elwell, in Springfield township, and sold to Andy Wissel, when he was eighteen hands high at his shoulder, six feet in circumference, seventeen feet and four inches long from tip of tail to tip of nose. He then weighed three thousand, five hundred pounds. He was known as 'Jumbo.' "

Horticulture

That fruit growing in Franklin county may be made a success, one's attention only need be called to the following item in a local ErookviHe ^newspaper of 1906, which stated the facts concerning three of the most extensive orchards in the county: D. L. Secrest raised twelve thousand bushels of fine marketable apples that year : Herman Trichler, six thousand bushels ; Charles F. Jones, three thousand bushels." The editor adds: "There are hundreds

Another source of p^ood returns from the soil of this county, in more recent years, is the cultivation oi tohacco, which is successfully grown on both hillsides and valley lands. Piere and there up and down the White Water valley may be seen larj^e sheds for dryiiVs; and curin.q the tol»acco leaves, which are shipped to Cincinnati and other points. This industry, however, has assumed large i)r(>portions only within the past few years, but bids fair to become greater. A small piece of land set to tobacco produces good returns, but it improverishes the soil considerably.

It is to be regretted that the assessment books of this county for many years have not been correctly kept and that the supposed list of farm products, etc., have not been made up as prescribed by law. In many instances there are se\ eral townships which have made no atlemi^t at duing this work. In 1913 there were four townships and one incorporation not reported. The remaining townships and corporation gave the following :

The assessed valuation of all lands in Franklin county in 1895, according to the county reports, was as follows : Value of all unimproved land in the county, $14.78' per acre, as ])er assessed valuation report; on all improved lands within the county, $17.28 per acre. It is somewhat lower according to recent reports.

Farmers' institutes have been doing a good work of late years in this county, but the rule is that they are not attended as-they should be or nearly as much interest manifested as in other sections of the state. There is too much of a tendency to plant and cultivate just as was done by "grandpa and great grandpa" scores of years ago. The farmer who does pay attention to modern, scientific agriculture and stock-breeding is the successful farmer of the county.