Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-11-14
MOUNTAIN COMMERCE.
STREAMS ARE THE PRINCIPAL HIGH
WAYS IN EASTERN KENTUCKY.


Among the many novelties which the
stranger finds among the mountains Of
eastern Kentucky few will interest man
OF practical turn of mind more than the
public Highways The mountain roads.
except where a mountain gap Is to be
crossed. are the mountain streams. In
consequence there Is scarcely cross road
or four corners in this county outside OF
this. the only Village in the county. but
wherever O creek forks or brook enters
{ creek tho road forks
Under Kentucky law the county Judge
decides where and how new roads shall
DO laid out. The ordinary mountain road
10 lid out six feet wide. and the roadway
proper must be graded not less than two
feet wide Dut Judge Wagner. Of this
county. Is an enterprising citizen. who
desires to improve the country. and in
consequence he has refused TO Issue any
order for n year past for roads less than
nino feet vide This may seem narrow to
northern farmers. who lay out private
lanes CT least q rod wide, but Ia o country
where travelling Ia done on horseback. and
where the vehicles for transporting goods
Of any sort. even In summer. arc narrow
slcds. the pine foot road Is novelty
which has get the county to talking
TIE CREEK FED ROADS
OF course there are necessarily wagons
Wherever logging Is done. but the log
WAGON sticks to beds Of the streams.
which arc invariably wide and hollow.
Willie tho public highway winds along the
bank OF the stream and runs in the actual
bed Of tie stream only where the con
G,ruration Of tho mountain sides on each
bank u tho stream makes ii necessary.
When tho logging is done no effort is
made to keep open the hirh~ay formed.
These erect; bed roads ar s4,ellent in
warm weather and low wafer. in winter
and Spring they Gro inpassa bic for weeks.
Tho creek beds were originally selected
for highways because very lit.lc labor was
needed TO make a highway out Of creek
bed There Is not such thing in Pike
county as big Niger head rock. Tho
bcds of the streams are OF sand or sand
stone. and there Is never rapid or water
fall Of such descent as to bother team.
Another very good reason for utilizing
tho creeks as roads was the fact that all
tho Imports and exports of the mountains
have been necessarily carried in and out
Oh tho rivers. The mountaineer supplies
have been brought up from tho Ohio river
ever since there was any one on the Ohio
to sell them. AS oil creeks run by the
easiest and generally the shortest route to
the rivers. it was natural for the mount
naecr to follow the creek down to its
mouth to get his supplies at the stores
which were located along the river
TIE PUSH GOAT"
The rivers are not very trustworthy
highways. The steamboats, on the Zig
Sandy very often get started up for Pike
vile. the head Of navigation. only to get
stranded on q bar. or to find themselves
left IN pocket between bars by the sud
dca fall of the water Out Of this uncer
talnty regarding the length Of n steam
boats jourucyto and FROM The headwaters
of tho rivers has grown the craft. very
novel to northern eyes. called the push
boat No better craft for the water could
DO Imagined
Tho push boat is q scow 7 feet wide, 90
feet long and Is inches deep, At one end
II q wiadowlcss house high enough for O
man to stand upright in and 5lx3 feet In
area. This is tho cabin. There is sort
Of quarter deck abaft the house. and
cbovc this sweeps tho tillcr end of long
steering Ger. which the pilot wiclds by
walking to and fro on u shelf built half
way up on tho stern.
Lc IlcFCuduul5c IS Illcu Oh Three Wiue
pl2n,;s that run, like kecls. the length of
the boat. so Us to cover large part Of the
boat bottom, but clear Eangway Of at
least Gftccn inches in width is left along
o. each side Of tho merchandise. no mat.
ter low greet the load. These gangways
ere also 0oorcd by planis laid bilGo- keelson
fashion.
A bo1t like this viii carry twelve to
Gffpr., tone dead v-cicrbt nf f-oods IN n
draucht of eight inches There arc over
lCo Of them regularly employed on the
Eig Sandy and tho cargoc3 carried up
consist chiefly of tho goods kept in the
country stores. At certain seasons. par
ticulaily in tho fall. down cargoes can be
bad.
SHOWING A roAT.
When the hcqt is loaded tho skipper
cIir,l,a Ia III. nhn1f md rr,., ~. tho tiIlnr