The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1919-07-24
LOOKING BACKWARD
Twelfth Installment.
Compiled by Judge u. 4. Davis.

The policy Of the state 81 Kentucky
has always been 10 encourage internal
Improvement and development From
tho earliest time acts 81 the legislature
were passed 20 encourage the improve.
ment and navigation of the many
streams and rivers Of the state. state
aid was then given 20 the construction
or rather the opening ~ roads Many
Of The public roads 81 the state were
,orfxirss.e -,F.~t<sfsa at tine expense oG tlls
state and by grants Of the public land.
for such purpose. Such roads were
known locally and called the state
roads and may be- found al over West
ern Kenfucky The state road from
Hickman east originally was opened M
the expense of the state from Canton
on the Cumberland river I'm Trige
county 10 Mills Point MANY acts of
the legislature were passed for the
purpose of improving creeks and water
WAYS The public moneys 81 the state
were spent in such improvements of
creeks In iS3O by act of the legisla-
ture the bayou Dc Chem was declared
20 De- a uavigahle stream from Moscow
- its mouth The Little ohion WAS de
cleared % be- navigahle stream from
the crossing Of the Moscow and Colum-
bus roads and all persons were forbid
den 20 obstruct these streams under n
heavy penalty Of n fine Of three dollars
for each 2f hours Of such obstruction.
In 1879 an act Of the legislature furth-
CT declared the Bayou de Chem 10 be
navigahlc 20 Caldwell's Mill. ! am un-
able 20 say whether such mill existed
above Moscow or whether this act in
creased or lesSened the navigation Of
the Bayou de Chem.
In 1871 the Bayou De Chem Naviga-
tion Company was Incorporated by an
act Of the legislature for the purpose
of improving this important stream.
This company was given authority 10
cut and remove all timber within 100
feet Of the bank on either side 50 as 10
render the stream navigable FOR as
cending and descending vessels and
crnft~ The capital stock Of this cor
poration was $4,000 and its chief Of
flee and place Of business was 10 he To-
Gated AZ Moscow. 10 could begin bust
ness and organize when $500 was sub
scrihed Its officers 10 conduct its
business were president and board
Of ten directors The president and di-
rectors were given control OF the naTi-
gafion of this stream and were permit
ted 10 collect tolls on the ascending
and descending vessels and craft at
the rate of 20 per ton per mile 10 Doe
paid i'm the gold and silver coin OF the
| United States II was provided that
the dividends Of the stock in this COM
many should never exceed six per cent
and when the earnings exceeded this
the rate Of tolls should be decreased.
Books for the subscription of stock in
this cmpany were To be opened on the
first Monday i'm April. 1881. at Clinton.
XIV. by Samuel =. McFall. James W.
Gibson. Austin :. Tyler. at Moscow.
XIV. on the third Monday in April 10y
Rezin Davidge. Sam i. McFall and
Thomas Griffety. and at Mills Point on
the fourth Monday in April by John
shaw. q. w l.. Marr. and John Han.
M. Possibly the people thought such
an enterprise of great local benefit
II i not known how much of the stock
was placed at Mills Point or Moscow
Possibly many enterprises now on hand
will after a century appear as unreas
enable. The stock in this company Is
permanent investment and is prob
ably worth as much per share as stock
i'm the Mississippi Transportation Com
pany OF recent memory.