Howard County IN Archives History - Books .....Roads In Howard County 1909 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 3, 2006, 4:09 am Book Title: History Of Howard County Indiana ROADS IN HOWARD COUNTY. The Indians had no roads. Their highways were paths or "traces'' through the forests, over which they traveled on foot or on their ponies. The white man, of necessity, must have roadways over which to travel with his wagon and team. His first roads were but temporary affairs. They built them the nearest ways and where they were the least difficult to construct. Farmers' lanes formed important links in them, but after the lands were sun-eyed and township, range and section lines were run out and established they began to locate the roads on these lines, and many of the former meandering roadways were abandoned. These for several years were dirt roads, or, more correctly speaking, mud roads, during most of the year. They were built by the supervisor, who "warned out'' all the able-bodied men of his road district between the ages of twenty-one and fifty to work the roads each spring from two to four days for no remuneration save the public good. This service was never enthusiastic. These roads were often impassable in places detours were made around such places by going out and over the adjacent farms. As the farms were ditched and public drains constructed the roadbeds became drier and the roads became good much sooner. There were no gravel or macadam roads constructed in Howard county before 1867, so that for more than twenty years the people had to be content with dirt roads. HOWARD'S FIRST STATE ROAD. The first state road located in the county was the Burlington and Marion state road from Burlington, in Carroll county, to Marion, in Grant county. The report on this road was made to the commissioners at their June term, 1845, by Thomas A. Long, one of the commissioners appointed by the legislature to do this work The road as reported by them was one and one-half miles in Carroll county, twenty-nine and one-fourth miles in Richardville county and eleven miles in Grant county. This was a winding road, changing its course fourteen times in Carroll county and sixty-four times in crossing Richardville county. In passing through Kokomo it entered at the west end of Sycamore street and passed out at the east end of this street. There were two state roads reported at the September term of the commissioners' court: The Kokomo and Michigantown state road, by David Foster and George W. Snodgrass, commissioners. This road began at the southwest comer of the public square in Kokomo and ran south in Buckeye street to the bluffs of Wild Cat creek, thence southwesterly to the north bank of Wild Cat creek, crossing at; the rapids, thence in a general southwesterly direction, zigzagging back and forth, finally reaching Michigantown. The other road was the Peru and Canton state road from Peru, in Miami county, to Canton (Tipton), in Tipton county. This road came into Kokomo from the northeast in the general direction of the Lanby gravel road until it intersected Union street; thence in Union street to the southeast corner of the Donation, thence south on the line of Union street to Home avenue, thence southeast on the line of Home avenue almost to Kokomo creek, thence easterly and southeasterly, throusrh the Purdum, the Dyas and other farms, to the intersection of the line of the Albright gravel road. The Logansport state road was laid out a little later. The outline map of this road from the Cass county line to Kokomo shows wet prairies, ponds and sloughs almost the entire way. The general direction of this road was from the northwest to Washington street in Kokomo, and Washington and Walnut streets afforded entrance to the town proper. FIRST GRAVEL ROADS. The first gravel roads in Howard county were toll roads. The traveler upon these roads must always go prepared to pay fare or toll, and at frequent intervals were toll-gates, or toll-houses, and the inevitable pole swung across the passage in front of the tollhouse, ready to be pulled down in front of the luckless rider or driver who attempted to pass without first settling with the keeper. It did not matter how great the hurry, the urgency of the call or how fierce the storm, toll must be paid. It did not matter that it was a public highway, that had been cut out of the forests twenty years before by the supervisor and the men of the road district, and had been worked by them every year since, a gravel road company could occupy it to the exclusion of these very men who had made the road, and by doing additional work, compel every one traveling with horse and vehicle to pay a toll for the privilege of passing over it. The land owner whose lands had been appropriated was not respected in this operation. The law permitting this seizure said. "The Board of County Commissioners of the several counties of the state are hereby authorized to give their consent to the appropriation and occupation of any such state or county road or other public highway over and upon which any company may locate any such road." The law permitting the formation of gravel road companies was, "Any number of persons may form themselves into a corporation for the purpose of constructing or owning plank, macadamized, gravel, clay and dirt roads, by complying with the following requirements": Then followed the usual requirements of stock companies. Whenever they had subscriptions for stock to the amount of five hundred dollars per mile they were permitted to file their articles of incorporation in the recorder's office and to become known publicly as a corporation. It is true that the toll gravel roads were not very paying investments from a pecuniary standpoint, and were built largely by public spirited men whose main purpose was to have good roads for travel the entire year. The grievance of the other party was that the road, whose right of way he had given, and upon which he had spent much labor and which was his only or main outlet from his home, was wholly occupied by the company and he was compelled to pay, willing or unwilling, -for the privilege of pasisng [sic] over it. The Kokomo & New London gravel road was the first gravel road built in the county and was built under this law. It was commenced in 1867 and was completed in 1870, being three years in the building; is ten miles long and cost twenty-seven thousand dollars. It connected the county seat, Kokomo, with the then metropolis of western Howard county, New London, and passed through Alto and the future West Middleton, and was the main thoroughfare to the southwest. The city of Kokomo paid two thousand dollars toward the building of this road and individuals gave thirteen thousand dollars to assist in its building. The leading citizens in forming the company to build and manage this road were Captain Barny Busby, Dr. E. W. Hinton, Isaac Ramsey, Jonathan Hansell, Josiah Beeson, Shadrach Stringer, Samuel Stratton, C. S. Wilson, Joseph Stratton, Hiram Newlin and Richmond Terrell, a splendid company of men. This was continued as a toll road until the growing sentiment for free roads caused the legislature to enact a law permitting companies to sell their roads to the county. OTHER GRAVEL ROADS. The other gravel roads built by companies organized a little later under the same or similar laws were: The Kokomo and Greentown gravel road, reaching from Kokomo to Greentown, eight and two-thirds miles long and mostly on the south side of Wild Cat creek. This road was commenced in 1869 and finished in 1874, and cost twenty-three thousand, two hundred and eighteen dollars. Vaile avenue was the western end and a toll-gate stood where a brick business building now stands at the intersection of Union street. The leaders in the building of this road were Raw-son Vaile, Noah Carter, J. W. Smith, William T. Mannering, Vespasian Goyer, Paul Miller, Clarke Boggs and N. J. Owings. This continued a toll road like the others until the growing free gravel road sentiment made it possible to sell out to the county, and it is now a free gravel road. The Kokomo, Greentown and Jerome gravel road was organized in 1869 and was completed in 1871 at a cost of thirty-eight thousand dollars. It extends from Kokomo, running east on the north side of Wild Cat creek, through old Vermont, to Greentown, and thence to Jerome, a distance of twelve miles, and is a prominent eastern thoroughfare. The active friends of this road were David Smith, Andrew Patterson. C. C. Willetts. Rossiter Gray, Jacob Brunk, Barnhart Learner, D. S. Farley. John S. Trees, Jonathan Covalt, E. P. Gallion, W. M. Sims, J. R. Curlee and Milton Garrigus. This road is now a free gravel road, the toll system going with the others. The Kokomo and Pete's Run gravel road was organized in 1869 and completed in 1871 at a cost of thirty-three thousand, fifty-eight dollars. It is eleven miles in length and is popularly known as the Jefferson street pike, beginning at the west end of Jefferson street and running directly west. It is the principal thoroughfare for the west end of the county toward Burlington and Delphi. The active citizens in the building of this road were H. W. Smith, James McCool, Israel Brubaker, Michael Price, S. D. Hawkins, D. B. Hendrickson, Thomas M. Kirkpatrick and others. This, too, is now a free gravel road, after a prosperous series of years as a toll road. The Wild Cat gravel road was commenced in 1869 and completed in 1871. This is popularly known as the West Sycamore street pike, and begins at the west end of Sycamore street and runs west along Wild Cat ten miles, costing twenty-two thousand dollars. The principal, friends and managers of this gravel road were Judge N. R. Linsday, William B. Smith, N. P. Richmond, Isaac Hawk, Silas Grantham, S. E. Overholser and Thomas Dimmitt. This road parallels the Petes Run gravel road and at no point is it far from it: It is built over hills and through bottoms, making it both more expensive to build and to keep in repair, and has besides been unfortunate in having- the collection of the assessments enjoined and then being reassessed. The legislature then repealed the law authorizing the collection of gravel road taxes, making- a combination of adverse conditions its friends were not able to overcome, hence they abandoned it. The Deer Creek gravel road was commenced in 1873 and completed in 1875, at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars. The road began at the north end of Smith street and extended north five miles to the Miami county line. The active workers in securing this gravel road were William Kirkpatrick, John Davis, J. M. Leeds, Jesse Swisher, William Mills, Jacob Early and John W. Lovin. These were the only roads constructed under the company system. One of them reached the southwestern part of the county and did a good business; one reached the north line of the county and did a fair business; two paralleled each other closely both to the east and west and one of each pair did not pay. PUBLIC ROAD SENTIMENT. The sentiment that all roads should be public and free had grown rapidly and in 1877 the legislature passed a law for the construction of free gravel roads and providing for the payment for the same by assessing all lands lying within two miles of the road to be improved, according to the benefits to the several tracts to be assessed. The first roads to be built under this law were the Albright, commenced in 1878 and finished in 1879. This road begins at the south end of Home avenue and runs somewhat east of south, and terminates one mile east of Fairfield and cost fourteen thousand, seven hundred fifty-one dollars. Also the Rickett's road, which also begins at the south end of Home avenue and runs south on the range line to the south line of the county. This road was commenced in 1878 and finished in 1879 and cost thirteen thousand, nine hundred forty-six dollars and twenty-two cents. These two roads furnished excellent outlets for the south side of this county and the north side of Tipton county. In 1882 the Peter Trouby gravel road was built at a cost of twenty-eight thousand, eight hundred sixty dollars and twenty cents. This road begins at the east end of Jefferson street and runs in a northeasterly direction four miles, thence east four miles, ending at the west line of Liberty township. This road has since been extended east by the construction of the Gorsett gravel road, ending at the Darby road, one-half mile west of the Grant county line, and thus provides a splendid outlet for the entire northeastern part of the county. In the same year, 1882, the J. L. Smith and Harrison Harlan gravel roads were built to the northwest, both starting together at the intersection of North and Smith streets and running- together west and north three-fourths of a mile, and then separating, the Harlan following a general northwesterly direction along the line of the Logansport state road nearly four miles, ending at its intersection with the Smith road and was built at a cost of nineteen thousand, nine hundred ninety dollars and twenty-seven cents. The Smith road ran west after its separation two and one-half miles, thence north one and one-half miles, thence westerly to the vicinity of Poplar Grove, and is fourteen miles in length. This road provides the entire northwest part of the county with a good outlet to Kokomo. In 1887 the P. N. Schrader gravel road, commonly known as "the pumpkin vine" because of its many directions, was built. This road provided the entire southeast part of the county a good outlet over a free gravel road to Kokomo. These various gravel roads having a common center at Kokomo and radiating to all parts of the county, formed an admirable gravel road system for the entire county, affording citizens of all parts of the county an excellent highway at all seasons of the year direct to the county seat, his system of roads cost more than three hundred thousand dollars to construct and the annual repair cost is a very large sum. Since 1887 many gravel roads have been constructed, most of them shorter roads, using the roads heretofore described as a trunk system and building branches and cross roads from one line to another. THE TOTAL MILEAGE. In round numbers the mileage of all kinds of roads in Howard county is six hundred. Prior to the year 1908 there had been fifty-nine gravel roads built with a total length of two hundred and seventy miles and at an aggregate cost of six hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Under the 1905 gravel road law as amended in 1907 and known as the three mile limit law there have been fifty-four roads sold for construction with a mileage of one hundred and fifteen. Thirty other roads are petitioned for and awaiting* sale. When the roads now sold for construction are completed and paid for the citizens will have invested about nine hundred thousand dollars in gravel road construction, and should the others now petitioned for be built, three-fourths or more of the road mileage of Howard county will be macadam or gravel and more than one million dollars will have been invested in their construction. The annual cost of repair is now fifteen thousand dollars. When the increased mileage now started is completed, the repair cost, if increased in like ratio, will amount to nearly twenty-five thousand dollars annually. Were all the gravel roads in Howard county, constructed or ordered to be constructed, placed in a continuous line, end to end, and a railroad track laid on the line it would require a train running thirty miles an hour, fifteen hours to traverse it. HOW THE ROADS WERE BUILT. These roads have been constructed by varying methods. The first as we have seen was by companies and the stock system and the accompanying toll-gate. These became free roads only after they were purchased and paid for by an assessment on all lands lying within two miles of the road. The second step was under the law of 1877, which provided that the commissioners shall begin proceedings for the improvement upon the filing of a petition signed by five or more persons whose lands would be assessed for the improvement asked for, and the filing of a bond to secure the costs should the proposed improvement fail. Under this law the costs of the improvement were paid out of an assessment made upon the lands lying within two miles of the improved highway; each tract of land was to be assessed according to its relative benefit. The next change provided that townships by a popular vote could order certain roads improved and the costs of the improvement were to be paid from the sale of a twenty year series of bonds against the assessed valuation of the township. Then the system was changed to the assessment of the lands lying within two miles of the road proposed to be improved. This law provided that a majority of the resident land owners along the line and abutting the highway and also owners of a maojrity [sic] of the acres of land abutting should be represented on the petition before starting proceedings. The next change was to the present law with its amendment that on the presentation of a petition signed by fifty resident land owners and voters of a township for the improvement of a highway less than three miles in length and which has a United States mail route upon it, either in whole or in part, or connects two gravel roads already constructed, it shall be the duty of the county commissioners! to take the necessary steps for the improvement and the cost of the improvement shall be paid from the sale of bonds at not less than par, the bonds to be issued in a ten year series, bearing four and one-half per cent, interest; to be a lien upon the property of the township and not to exceed four per cent, of the assessed valuation of the township. Under this law there has been a flood tide of petitions for roads; the residents along any unimproved road insisting that inasmuch as they were compelled to help pay for the roads of others that they were justly entitled to have the others help them to pay for their inprovement. WANT LAW REPEALED. There is already a clamor for the repeal of this law because it is alleged that in the eager haste of each section to build its roads, a great debt is created and consequent high taxes for a great number of years. On the other hand, it is justly urged that those communities which are now taxed to pay for road for other communities should have the benefit of a similar taxation to pay for the improvement of their roads. The constant change in the methods of paying for public improvements is the bane of our times. A fixed and equitable system of paying for public improvements should be adopted and rigidly adhered to. Those who have paid for their gravel roads by special assessments and then by a township tax are compelled to help pay for a distant improvement are wrong-ed. Since so large a per cent. of the highway is now being improved under this law taxing all the people of the township, it seems the more equitable to continue it in force. Additional Comments: From: HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY INDIANA BY JACKSON MORROW, B. A. ILLUSTRATED VOL. I B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA (circa 1909) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/howard/history/1909/historyo/roadsinh13nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/infiles/ File size: 19.7 Kb