Tipton County IN Archives History - Books .....County And State Roads 1883
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/in/infiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 14, 2006, 2:21 am

Book Title: Counties Of Howard And Tipton, Indiana

COUNTY AND STATE ROADS.

   State roads were extended across the county during the thirties— one from
Indianapolis north to the Wabash River, and one from "Muncietown" to La Fayette.
Several others were also built late in the thirties. So far as can be learned,
the first county road had the following limits: "Beginning on the line of
Hamilton County, on the east side of Section 28, Township 21 north, Range 4
east, thence by the best route to King's mill on Cicero Creek." More than twelve
residents of Cicero Township petitioned the board of Hamilton County, to which
Tipton was then attached, for this road. About a dozen other roads were extended
across the county prior to 1844. The first road petitioned for and built after
the county was organized was to extend as follows: From near Michael Mitchell's
residence to Zimri Brown's; thence to Charles Griffith's, thence to near William
Going's and James Jack's, thence north to the Miami Reserve. Charles Thurman,
Carter T. Jackson and Samuel Townsend were Viewers. The "Three Per Cent Fund"
furnished by the State for the construction of roads was a godsend to Tipton
County. A special road tax, however, was levied, so great was the pressure for
better highways. The special road tax in 1845 was $74.90; in 1846, was $289.58;
in 1848, was $320.65; in 1849, was $472.02. In 1849, Joseph Price, and in 1850,
Andrew McMurtry were permitted to hang gates across the State road from Muncie
to La Fayette. What did that mean? By September, 1852, there had been projected
a total of seventy-five county roads, the greater number of which had been
built. By September, 1854, ninety-two had been projected; by June, 1858, one
hundred; by March, 1860, 125; by June, 1866, 208; by September, 1869, 285; by
December, 1876, 413; by 1882, to over 500. These roads have cost the county
hundreds of thousands of dollars.

GRAVEL ROADS.
   A total of eleven gravel roads have peen petitioned for within the past three
years, Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 7 having been granted and fully completed, and No. 5
having been granted and partially completed. No. 1 extends about eight miles
from Tipton to the north line of the county, and cost over $16,000. No. 4
extends northeast of Windfall about five miles, and cost $10,000. No. 6 begins
about three miles northwest of Windfall and extends to Sharpsville, being in
length about six and one-half miles, and cost about $12,000. No. 7 extends north
of Windfall one mile, thence west two miles, being three miles long, and joining
No. 6, and cost $5,000. No. 5, now in course of constructon, extends a little
east of south from Tipton to the Hamilton County line, an [sic] will cost about
$17,000. Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 7 have cost over $43,000, which large amount was
raised by the sale of county bonds. If to this amount be added the estimated
cost of No. 5, it will be seen that the county has already expended over $60,000
in gravel roads. This amount of indebtedness has already been incurred, $10,000
of which has been paid, leaving the present gravel road debt over $50,000. If to
this is added the debt of $25,000 incurred in erecting county buildings, the
total county debt foots up to the large amount of about $78,000.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

COUNTIES OF HOWARD AND TIPTON, INDIANA.

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
ILLUSTRATED.

CHARLES BLANCHARD. EDITOR.
CHICAGO: F. A. BATTEY & CO.
1883.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/tipton/history/1883/counties/countyan394gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/

File size: 4.0 Kb