Madison County, Indiana - Chapter 14, 1897

Chapter 14

There are but few, it" any, counties in Indiana that are provided with more or better public highways than jMadison count}-. Din-ing the early history of the county but little attention was paid to this branch of public improvements for the reason, probably, that the sparse population rendered it impossible. With the increase in population, however, and therefore increased travel, more attention was given to the roads of the county. The legislature enacted laws encouraging as well as requiring the improvement of all public highwavs in the State. Turnpike laws were passed and companies were organized under them for the jnirpose of constructing roads that would enable the traveling public generally to go from point to point throughout the State with greater facility and comfort.

Up to 1858 all the roads in Madison county were what were commonly designated as " dirt roads, "" and farmers experienced great difficulty anil inconvenience during certain seasons of the year in hauling their surplus produce to market. The roads very often, in the spring and winter, were almost, if not wholly, impassable and their improvement was, therefore, not only urged, but demanded, by the farming interest.

The first person to interest himself in better roads for the county, under the turnpike laws, was Dr. John Hunt. He early saw the importance of a good road from Anderson to Alexandria, and in 1S58 was instrumental in organizing a company and constructing what was known for nearly a half century as the Anderson and Alexandria pike. The road was built to within two miles of Alexandria, when, for some cause or other, the work was stopped and never resumeil by the company.

The first board of directors of this pike was composed of Frederick Black, W. A. Hunt, (ieorge Xichol and Curran Beall. The first officers were William Crim, president ; Neal C. McCullough, treasurer, and Joseph Fulton, secretarv.

Historv Oi- Mahisox County, Indiana

The officers of the coiiipanv were never chanyed until the deatii of Mr. McCullough, whicli occurred in Feisruary, 1888, when his son C K. McCulloiigli was elected treasurer.

Not lon<i; after the completion of this pike anotlier company was organized in Fall Creek township for the purpose of constructing a road from Pendleton east to Markleville, in Adams township, and thence to tiie Henry county line. This ro.id was known as the Pendleton and New Castle pike. Although the work of building it was begun in 1857, it was not completed until 18fi7. The entire length of the line was nine miles, and the cost of its construction -$1,50!) per mile. This road while operated as a pike was conceded to be one of the best in the county. The first officers of the company were Neal Hard}', president, L. W. Thomas, treasurer, and J. T. Wall, secretary.

The next pike built in the county was known as the Pendleton and Eden turnpike. It was constructed in 18(52 and was eight miles long. About this time a number of turnpike companies were organized resulting in the building of the following pikes ; Pendleton and Fishersburg pike ; Lick Creek pike, running south from a point three miles east of Pendleton to the Hancock county line; Madison and Hancock pike; Anderson and Perkinsville pike; Anderson and New Columbus (short line) pike; Pendleton and Fall Creek pike; Anderson and Fishersburg pike; Anderson and Columbus (east line) pike; Anderson and Lafayette pike; Killbuck pike; Pendleton and Noblesville pike; Anderson and Hamilton pike. This was the last toll-road built in the county, having been constructed in 1872.

These roads were all well managed and some of them paid fair dividends on the capital invested. Taken as a whole, the pikes of Madison county were as good as the best in the State, and it is apparent now that unless better care is taken of them in the future than has been bestowed upon them since they were purchased by the county, the people made a mistake in voting to buy them. The law authorizing the purchase of toll roads was passed by the legislature in 188(3, and before the year 188U had expired Madison county's splendid system of pikes was no more. Elections had been held, and, as the people voted to buy them, the Board of Commissioners acted accordingly. The pikes were bought of the various companies owning them, and the county now has about four hundred miles of free gravel road.

The benefits resulting from good roads are not more apparent anywhere than in Madison county. There is not a township in the county that is not provided with good gravel roads, and not a section of land but is easily accessible. Along these roads may be seen mile after mile of cultivated land, uuequaled for fertility, save in a few portions of the state, and homes that compare in beauty and comfort with the more pretentious residences of cities. The log-cabins have disappeared, along \vith the men who built them. The deep, dark woods are '^gone, and what were once the " unbroken solitudes " now respond with abundance to the toil of the thrifty husbandman. Tru!)-, " how grandly are the old things passing awa^'."

Ihon Bridges

The first bridge built in Madison county- was constructed across White river at a point just east of H. H. Conrad's carriage factory on North Main street, Anderson. The bridge was built entirely of heav}' hewed timber, in the year 1844, by order of the Board of County Commissioners. Henry and Hugh Rogers, carpenters, residing at Pendleton, \vere awarded the contract. The timbers for this bridge were furnished by John DeWitt, who at that time owned a portion of what is known as the Myers farm, east of the city. It was a very clumsy structure, but answered the purpose for which it was built until the winter of 1847, when it was swept away by an unprecedented rise of the river.

It is said, by a few old-timers still living in Anderson, that the freshet of that year was the greatest that was ever known before or since in the county. The river and its tributaries were swollen to vast proportions, overflowing their banks, all the low-lands along their borders, and at several points to a great distance back over the level country.

The next bridge of any importance was constructed across Fall creek at Pendleton. This was also a wooden structure but in the course of time, like all the rest of the bridges across the larger streams of the county, gave place to one made of iron. The countv now has thirty-seven iron bridges, seven of the largest of which are constructed across White river. The bridges are the best that are manufactured, and were erected at a cost of many thousands of dollars.