The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1891-03-04
"REMINISCENCES.
nv Az oLD-rIMrn.
No. i2.

| yantageous to the citizens OF bOtn, tnat
the two towns should unite, and after
the matter had been discussed for sew
eral years and an argument reached in
regard thereto, it was carried into effect
by an act Of the Legislature, approved
Feb. IL, 1860, and "Cloverport" was
made to include both The usual pro-
visions of town charter were granted,
including police regulations, and in ac-
cordance with same five trustees were
elected, two from the upper side of the
creek and three from the lower side /;
also Police Judge, John G. Babbage
being the first to fill that position. AT
terward the Office was held respectively
by ID. r. Murray, w. ID. Holt, John r.
DeHaven and +. Fisher. John w. Raitt
was the first Clerk.
~
The excitement of the war, which fol-
lowed soon after the organization under
the new act, threw everything into con-
fusion, and for number of years but lit
tie attention was given to municipal
matters. Although the war was less dis
astrous here in all respects than in
many other places, yet much feeling
was manifested. The people were di-
vided in sentiment, producing OLSEN
sions among friends and tending in
some instances to the severance of fam
lily ties to greater or less degree. But
the deplorable results Of the war have in
a large measure passed away, amicable
relations restored all around, and there
is no disposition on the part of the
writer to remove the veil that covers
alike the faults of either side.
~
In March, 1870, the following Board OF
Trustees was elected, viz; A. b. Skill
man, A. l.. Simons, John S. Lightfoot,
Isaac Miller and Fred Walter the re-
suit of a disposition upon the part OF the
citizens to see that matters were given
that attention which the interests of the
town demanded. A. B. Skillman was
President and John w. Raitt, Clerk.
80
On the 3lst of October the Board
adopted an excellent set of town ordi-
nances, which were printed in pamphlet
form, and did much towards restoring
good order and better management of
affairs. In March, 1871, the Trustees
elected were r. X. Pierce and A. j. Will
kinson on the upper side, and Fred
Walter, Allen Murphy and Richard d.
Witt on the lower side. This Board or
ganized June 26th, with r. r. Pierce,
President, John w. Raitt, Clerk, and
w. IL Bowmer, Treasurer.
-
The first act of the new Board was to
give the trustees of either side the con-
troll of the streets on their side, with
power to work and improve at their dis
erection, each side using its own funds
for that purpose. A good wharf had
been built at the upper landing, as was
done afterwards at the lower landing,
but the streets were in bad condition, so
much so that wagons sometimes were
stalled in getting up the hill-then
considerable ascent-from the bridge to
the corner, now Suffers. 1t had been
the practice of the authorities-and is
too much so now-to expend the rev.
enues of the town by scattering promis-
cuously over the streets work of no per-
manent benefit.
-
At the suggestion of the writer readily
acauiesced in by his colleagues, it was
determined to use the funds of the up
per side in filling and graveling streets,
the latter an experiment, beginning at
the bridge. Accordingly fiji Of about
six feet was made in the lowest part,
first of dirt, then rock. and grave on
top It was thought by many that It
would be entirely too expensive, and
Mr.. Walter, who proved to be a splendid
finan,ier and an enterprising business
man, expressed freely the opinion that
"Pierce would bankrupt the town before
he made the street to the corner"
~
1t proved differently, however; the
treasury was not depleted until the
graveling process was continued up the
street to where Skillman then lived and
along the street by Miller's stable to the
wharf, it being found, after getting to
the corner, entirely unnecessary to use
rock at all. One year sufiiced to prove
the adaptedness of the gravel for paving
streets both as to cost and solidity, and
Trustee Walter then graveled on the
lower side from the bridge to'the Vest
and Walter corner Time has but con-
firmed the fact that we have an abund-
ance OF good material at hand for streets.
1t has now been used on the principal
street through the city and some others,
and it is to be hoped this work will be
continued until all the streets are made
permanently good, and that sidewalks
will not longer be neglected.
-
In March, 1872, r. II. Pierce, A. J.
Wilkinson, Fred Walter, w. B. White
and Jacob Nook were elected Trustees;
r. r. Pierce, President, John w. Raitt,
u. Vs.....,... Il