Jackson County GaArchives History .....History of Harmony Grove-Commerce, Chapter 10 1949 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 August 21, 2004, 6:23 pm CHAPTER X RAILROADS AND HIGHWAYS Before the Civil War there were very few railroads in Georgia. Of these, the most important ones were: The Georgia Railroad, from Augusta to Atlanta, with its branch from Union Point to Athens; The Central, from Atlanta through Griffin, Barnesville, Forsyth and Macon to Savannah; The State Road, known as the W&A, from Atlanta to Chattanooga, Tenn. There were other unimportant short lines. About the year 1870, there was projected an extension of the Richmond and Danville Railroad" from Charlotte, North Carolina to Atlanta known as the Charlotte Division of the Richmond and Danville Railroad. The R&D Railroad was in operation before and during the war from Danville to Richmond, and to Charlotte during or just immediately following the war. The first survey of the road from Charlotte to Atlanta was via Spartanburg and Greenville, South Carolina, Carnesville, Jefferson and Lawrenceville, Georgia, following generally the county sites. This projected road was known as the Airline Railroad. The survey ran just north of Harmony Grove and followed generally the old Carnesville and Jefferson Road, crossing Borders Creek and the Oconee River near S. W. Jack-son's grist mill. This mill for a long time bore the large sign "The Airline Mills." However, before the airline route was finally located, Gainesville and Toccoa came into the picture and offered inducements by way of taking stock and other financial considerations. The railroad was finally located along the line now known as the Southern Railway. Along the line of Richmond and Danville Railroad, towns sprang up between Gainesville and Atlanta. The line between Charlotte and Atlanta, constructed in 1871, was known under the various names, the Charlotte Division of the R&D, the Airline, and the Piedmont Airline. Soon after this road was in operation, it was agitated that a connecting link between the Georgia Railroad at Athens and the Airline be established at some convenient point. It was first planned to connect at Gainesville by way of Jefferson. However, the location was contingent upon subscription for stock and of the securing of a right of way. Athens people had subscribed $2001000.00 and were asking $ 50,000.00 subscription from Jefferson or Harmony Grove. Jefferson failed to make the guarantee. C. W. Hood and W. B. J. Hardman guaranteed the $50,000.00 worth of stock for Harmony Grove, they taking the bulk of the stock. Some stock was taken by other citizens. So the Northeastern Railroad was routed by Harmony Grove and connected with the Airline at a point known as Lula. Jefferson .had to wait until the Seaboard was constructed from Gainesville to Athens by Jefferson which was known as the Gainesville Midland. The town Lula was named for the daughter of R. L. Moss of Athens who, with John W. Nicholson, were prime movers in this enterprise. The two first engines (wood burners) on this road were named "The R. L. Moss" and "The John W. Nicholson." After the Civil War, in order to stimulate railroad building, the State Legislature authorized the issuing of state bonds to match private subscriptions in the building of railroads in Georgia, the mileage to be not less than forty. The State of Georgia furnished bonds to the amount of $300,000.00 with first mortgage title to build the Northeastern Railroad. It was discovered when the survey was made from Athens to Lula that the distance was only 39 miles. Because of this, the road was extended one mile up, to Belton. Using the Airline track this distance, trains were run to Belton as long as the State held the title. The turntable for reversing the engine was at Lula. The Northeastern was begun in 1875 and completed in 1876. The construction began at Lula and proceeded south. The road grading was done largely by convict labor. The engineering was done by Joel Hurt of Atlanta, the young engineer who afterwards became a well known promoter of Atlanta. The first train came into Harmony Grove in June, 1876. This was a construction train. The regular schedule from Lula to Athens was not completed until the fall of that year. Among the stock holders were Center and Reeves of Athens. The town of Center was named for the head of this fern. The town of Nicholson was named for the Nicholson family of Athens. The location of the depot in Harmony Grove raised some questions. Some favored a site near the Harmony Grove Cot-ton Mill, but it was finally decided by C. W. Hood, donating about an acre of land at the present site, including Spencer Park. Mr. R. S. Chaney was the first depot agent and "cow-coroner" of this road. This was before the Georgia Stock Law and all cattle and stock ran at large. Quite often a cow, hog or other animal was run over and killed by the train. It was the business of the "cow-coroner" to try to settle the damages with the owner. The Northeastern Railroad cost around $600,000.00. It never paid any dividends. Finally, after operating for some fifteen years, and being unable to liquidate the bonds, it was taken over by the state about 1891. It was then leased for a year or two to Richardson & Company of Atlanta, who was backed by W. S. Witham, the banker. This company failing to meet the rental, the road was run by the state for several years with Rufus Reeves of Athens as Receiver and Mr. Dooley as Superintendent, after which the road was put on the block at the upset price of $300,000.00, but failed to receive a bid. In the meantime, the Southern Railway Company had been organized and had absorbed the Richmond & Danville Road, known as the Piedmont Airline. At the same time, the Seaboard had been built through Athens to Atlanta and became a strong competitor of the Southern. In 1895, the Northeastern was again put up for sale and bought by the Southern Railway for $300,000.00, the amount of the bonds endorsed by the state. The railroad was a large factor in the growth and development of the town. Harmony Grove became one of the leading distributing centers of Northeast Georgia. It was the means of building up trade from the surrounding counties and its freight receipts in time exceeded those of any other town of the same size on the Southern Railway. When the first train came into Harmony Grove, it was a great sight for the young folks and the older ones, too. It pulled in from Lula at about 10:00 A.M. and stopped in front of the school building located on what is now the site of the grammar school building. One little fellow, of about eight years, suddenly jumped from his seat, ran out of the door exclaiming, "Yander she comes, boys, a new engine!" All the other little fellows followed. It was sometime before the teacher could restore order. For a good many years the people coming in from the surrounding country were jittery about the railroad train. Grown-ups had been known to run into the front yards and shut the gate. Those driving teams would wait for hours at a safe distance for the train to pass to keep from frightening their horses and mules. For a number of years, the cotton to Athens was hauled on flat cars exposed to the sparks from the old wood burner engine. Buckets of water had to be supplied to extinguish the sparks. Anyone could have a free ride to Athens on these flat cars by helping to keep the cotton from catching fire. Many youngsters availed themselves of this opportunity. Stock-holders day was a great time in the fall of the year when all the stockholders' families had a free ride to Athens and back. The first engineer was Jim Cochran whose daughter, Genie, married W. S. Witham, of Atlanta. The next was Jim Galloway who had for years been engineer on the Athens branch of the Georgia Road. He was followed by his son, Fox Galloway, a rather fast and reckless driver. He was succeeded by Tom Moore who served for the longest time and was much loved for his careful and safe handling of his engine. Bob Lemon was among the early engineers that pulled the freight. Among the conductors were Jeff McClesky, Hope Hale, and E. C. Cox, who served until his death and was followed by his son, Arthur Cox, Dan Martin, and Allen Smith. The latter two are now on the main line. Perhaps the best known of the conductors was the elder Captain Cox who, before the Civil War, as a young man, was conductor on the Central of Georgia from Atlanta to Macon. He told me he then wore a beaver hat and a Prince Albert coat which gave the conductor a very distinguished appearance. The "Cow-Coroner" for the Northeastern had some unique experiences. On one occasion, Mr. Cheney, the Cow-Coroner, was called to a wreck near Gillsville where a south bound train had been wrecked by running over a little bull yearling. Two or three car loads of flour and other merchandise had been overturned down a large fill, scattering the flour and other goods broadcast. Mr. Cheney, approaching the owner, inquired how much damage he wanted for the killing of the animal. The man, looking up and down the wreckage for a few minutes, finally replied, "I am willing to strike off even if you are. I think my bull got the best of it." On another occasion, W. C. Farrabee, who lived a mile south of the depot, had a brood sow with pigs. In crossing the railroad, she was struck by the engine of the north bound train and lifted bodily to the top of the cow-catcher. She had a free ride to the depot without injury. Mr. Farrabee, missing his swine, walked to town and drove her back home to her pigs, none the worse for her free ride. (Believe it or not!). Some four or five years after the Northeastern Railroad was built, there was a survey made to construct a road from Augusta to Chattanooga. This project was for the purpose of the development of northeast Georgia and for a direct line from Augusta to the West. Promoters of the road came to Harmony Grove and solicited funds for this survey and for stock in this company. The survey was made and stakes set. The citizens of Harmony Grove thought this line would soon be built. In fact some 20 miles were graded from Augusta as far as Appling, Columbia County. The route lay through Washington, Wilkes County, Sandy Cross of Oglethorpe County, entering Madison County at a point where Corner is now located, to Danielsville, on to Harmony Grove, along about the present Danielsville Highway, entering Harmony Grove where the cotton mill is now located. The route from Harmony Grove was in a direct line to Gainesville, thence to Dawsonville, Ellijay, Chatsworth, Ringgold and Chattanooga. After some expenditure and grading on the lower end of the route the project was abandoned. The stakes of the Augusta to Chattanooga survey passed through the back yard of the W. B. J. Hardman's residence. Being a small boy at that time, I was troubled about being disturbed and awakened by the trains passing through at night. In my dreams, I could hear them running down the Madison County Road. In later years, there was a plan to build an electric railway from Anderson, S. C., to Atlanta known as the Anderson-Atlanta Electric Railway. Short electric lines had become popular in South Carolina and it was considered a good investment to construct an electric railway from this section direct to Atlanta so that people could go to Atlanta, have time for business and return the same day. This line was routed from Anderson, Lavonia, Carnesville, Commerce, Jefferson, Lawrenceville and Decatur. Quite a sum was raised in Commerce and Jefferson to make the survey through Jackson County. After the development of the automobile, trucks and busses, these electric lines were abandoned. This project was launched in January, 1916. A meeting of . the representatives of the towns along the route met in Anderson, S. C., March 11, 1916. The surveying crew reached Jefferson May 18, 1916. After some effort to deflect the route, the statement was made on November and in the Jackson Herald that the road would be built. A banquet was held at Commerce January, 1917, for further planning. The Atlanta and Railway Company was formally organized April 17, 1917 with J. L. Murphy as President and Mark Ballinger, Secretary. This enterprise was soon abandoned for the reasons given above together with the entrance of the United States into World War I. HIGHWAYS TO AND FROM COMMERCE 1. Paved Highway in Southwest course to Jefferson, direct route to Atlanta, connecting with Gainesville and Athens Highway at Jefferson, the Atlanta and Athens Highway at Winder, also with the Hoschton and Gainesville Highway at Winder. 2. Paved Highway in Northwest course to Maysville, connecting with the Gainesville-Toccoa Highway three miles south of Lula. 3. Paved Highway in North course to Homer and connecting with Gainesville-Toccoa Highway at Cornelia. 4. Paved Highway in Northeast course to Carnesville, leaving the Homer Highway two miles out of town bearing to the right, connecting with Royston and Toccoa Highway at Lavonia. 5. Paved Highway in Southeast course to Ila, Danielsville, and Corner, connecting with Ila and Athens Highway at Ila, with the Athens and Royston Highway at Danielsville and with Athens and Elberton Highway at Comer. 6. Paved Highway in South course to Athens, connecting with all the Highways entering that city. 7. In addition to these main arteries we have the lower Carnesville Road leading east and crossing the Hargrove Creek, which gives access to the city for the people of the lower part of Banks and Franklin counties. 8. The Water Works or Hood's Mill Road in a slightly Southwest course which gives an outlet to the people between the Jefferson and Athens Highways. The main Highways were paved in the following order: Ga. U.S. To Jefferson Route 15 To Homer Route 15 441 To Danielsville Route 98 To Carnesville Route 59 To Athens Route 24 441 To Maysville Route 98 Original roads and highways are described in chapter on Roads, Springs and Trees. Additional Comments: From HISTORY OF HARMONY GROVE - COMMERCE JACKSON COUNTY, GEORGIA BY THOMAS COLQUITT HARDMAN 1810-1949 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/jackson/history/other/gms158historyo.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 14.7 Kb