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If at the expiration of one year from the date
of this advertisement the conditions therein are
not complied with on the part of the citizens of
Bourbon County, then I direct my executor to pay
over such before-mentioned balance of my estate
in his hands to the Treasurer of the Court of
Bourbon County, to be by the Bourbon County
Court, a majority of all the Justices being
present, safely invested in such manner as they
may deem best, and the interest on such
investment they are to apply to the education of
such poor, worthy and sprightly young men of
Bourbon County, as they may think most conducive
to the public good, and in the distribution of
such interest as above divided, the court may
pay for tuition, board, books and clothing any
one or all, as in their opinion may be deemed
best.
I further direct, that if any one or more of the
beneficiaries of the will should not be living,
or any child of such beneficiary, when it is
presented to the court for record, that his, her
or their legacies must be appropriated by my
executor to the cause of education in precisely
the same manner as the before-mentioned balance
of my estate was directed to be applied.
To enable my executor to carry this, my will, into
effect, I authorize him to sell publicly my
entire estate, the land in three payments, one,
one-third cash, one, one-third in one year, and
the balance of the property on six months' time.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this the 22d day of August, 1859.
WILLIAM GARTH [SEAL]
Colored Schools. -
The colored city
school is under the charge of the Board of
Education. J. C. Graves is the
Principal; Mrs. Lucy Fraser, Assistant.
Average attendance about fifty pupils.
Rev. James M. Thomas conducts a select
school of about thirty pupils in the Baptist
Church. Reuben Butler also
teaches a select school in the Methodist Church
with thirty pupils.
Such are the educational institutions of Paris, which
will compare favorably with those of other
institutes in the State. They are ample to
meet all the educational requirements of the
times, and no one who desires an education but
can avail himself of its advantages.
Hiram Lodge, No. 5, Masons (colored), organized
in 1867. Officers - Thomas Kelly,
W. M.; A. N. Smoot, S. W.; J. M.
Porter, J. W.; George Watson, Treas.;
E. J. Smoot, Sec.; Henry Craig, J.
W.; Frank Thompson, Tiler.
Knights Templar (colored), organized in 1878.
A. N. Smoot, E. C;
Thomas Kelly, G. W;
J. M. Porter, C. G;
J. W. Hatton, P.;
E. J. Smoot, S. W;
Richard Kelly, J. W.;
Henry Craig, W;
Frank Jones, S. B;
John Spears, S. B;
Alfred Bedford, G
United Brothers of Friendship Lodge, No. 36. H.
C. Smith, W. M.; Robert Claxton,
D. M.; W. G. Smoot, Treas.; James
Arnold, Sec.
Knights of Friendship - A. N. Smoot, K.
C.; J. M. Porter, S. K.; William
Smoot, Treas.; H. C. Smith, Sec.
Bourbon Star Lodge, No. 1,697, I. O. O. F.
(colored), organized in 1869 - George
Wilkes, N. G.; Stephen Conway,
V. G.; Morris Forsten, Treas.;
Thomas Kelly, Sec.; Harry Hawes,
R. S. to N. G.; Alfred Jackson, L. S.;
Peter Mason, N. F.; A. N. Smoot, P.
N. F.; Henry Howard, P. N. G.; Moses
Murphy, W.
The following is the present municipal
government of Paris, together with its material
resources: A. J. Lovely, Mayor; James
Paton, Sr., Clerk City Council; James
Mernaugh, City Marshal; Hugh Henry,
Deputy Marshal and Collector; W. O. Hite,
City Janitor.
Councilmen - First Ward, Henry Turney, Henry
Butler, Ben Perry; Second Ward, Mike
Dowd, Bush Hart, W. F. Spears; Third Ward,
Mike Dowd, Bush Hart, W. F. Spears; Third Ward,
Charles V. Higgins.
The receipts from
all sources for the year ending April 10, 1882,
are as follows:
From Collector |
$10,708.61 |
|
Same, for license |
249.54 |
|
Same, for fines |
243.90 |
|
From fines |
395.00 |
|
Same, for license |
403.00 |
|
From James Paton, Clerk |
1,463.89 |
|
James M. Thomas,
for tuition |
12.00 |
|
W. H. Lockhart,
State School tax |
981.12 |
|
John T. Hinton,
M. & L. Turnpike dividend |
120.00 |
|
A. Shire,
gas dividend |
920.00 |
|
|
$15,497.06 |
|
Cash on hand April 7, 1881 - |
|
|
City Fund |
$210.03 |
|
School Fund |
506.35 |
|
Gas Fund |
314.16 |
|
|
|
$1,030.54 |
|
|
$16,527.60 |
Amount transferred from City to
School Fund. |
|
$1,000.00 |
Total |
|
$17,627.60 |
Amounts paid during year ending Apr.
10, 1882 - |
|
|
From City Fund |
$8,995.08 |
|
School Fund |
5,094.69 |
|
Gas Fund |
1,944.25 |
|
|
|
$16,034.02 |
Balance cash on hand Apr. 10, 1882 -
|
|
|
City Fund |
$182.17 |
|
School Fund |
879.45 |
|
Gas Fund |
431.96 |
|
|
|
$1,493.58 |
Total |
|
$17,527.60 |
Page
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RESOURCES
OF CITY -
|
Estimated
Value |
Cost. |
Real Estate |
$10,500 |
$15,000 |
Fire engine and apparatus |
7,500 |
12,500 |
115 shares gas stock |
12,650 |
11,500 |
Total |
$30,650 |
$39,000 |
LIABILITIES OF CITY -
Balance of note due Northern Bank |
|
$900.00 |
Interest on above note |
|
$50.00 |
1 Engine note due Jan. 10, 1883 |
|
775.00 |
1 Engine note due Jan. 10, 1884 |
|
725.00 |
Total |
|
$2,450.00 |
Less cash in hands of Treasurer |
|
1,493.58 |
Total debt |
|
$956.42 |
To show the importance of Paris as a
shipping-point, there was shipped during the
year 1881, 1,200 car loads of stock.
At an early day, there were a number of manufactories
in Paris, which were kept busy supplying the
wants of the people - for at that time the cost
of wagoning goods was so great that it was
cheaper to manufacture them at home than to buy
them in distant places and bring them here.
Samuel Pike was a leading manufacturer of the
early times. He was a native of England,
and came here about 1810. He had but small
means, and was himself a practical wool
manufacturer. He was the first man who
carded wool in Paris. He also made rope,
bagging, etc., which he shipped South, and
brought back cotton. and manufactured it.
In 1815, he built a cotton factory or mill where
L. Price & Co.'s store is now situated,
and continued the business until 1825.
Another factory was built by him in 1822-23, on
the ground east of the present Christian Church.
The factory built in 1815 was merged into this
in the fall of 1825, and continued in existence
until 1837. It had a capacity of 720
spindles.
Mr. Pike also had a hemp factory at the
upper end of Pleasant street, built about 1818,
which he carried on until his death in 1837.
He was succeeded in the business by Henry T.
Duncan. It was run until 1840.
A cotton factory was built on the site of White's
distillery about 1830, by Philip Adams &
Co.; capacity about seven hundred and twenty
spindles. It afterward passed into the
hands of Kelly & Wilson, by whom it was
run until 1851. A market was found at home
for the most of their goods; the surplus was
shipped to Louisville.
A cotton mill was built some time between 1820 and
1830, by Charles Ainsworth, of 240
spindles, on the corner above where Mrs.
Ogden now lives. About 1835, a factory
was built on the site of the Jones Block,
on Main street. Its capacity was 240
spindles. It was run for a number of years.
The Paris Flouring Mill, which still exists, antedates
all of these. The first flour mill, a
frame structure, was built in 1800. It was
owned by Thomas Jones. It
passed through several hands, and was bought in
1859 by William Shaw, who still
owns it. Across from where Mr.
Shaw's warehouse stands, Mr. Jones
built a fulling-mill, which was successfully
carried on until 1854-55. Mr.
Shaw's flouring-mill is one of the
institutions of Paris. The flour
manufactured is known and sought after in all
directions. It is even shipped in large
quantities to England. The mill is always
taxed to its utmost capacity, frequently being
run night and day to supply the demands of its
customers. Mr. Shaw takes
much pride in it, and is always improving and
beautifying its surroundings.
The completion of the Kentucky Central Railroad in in
1854, placed Paris in easy connection with
Covington, Cincinnati and other manufacturing
cities, and the result was that articles which
had before that time been manufactured here,
could be brought by rail and sold here for less
than our manufacturers could make them, and they
could not compete with the manufacturers in more
favored localities; the market here was not so
large; the facilities for manufacturing were not
so great; coal was much higher, and so the
manufactories were all abandoned, and our people
became and still remain dependent upon the
manufactories of other cities. And so,
from that time to the present no effort has been
made to revive manufactures. With
high-priced fuel here, there could have been no
successful competition with other points.
But it is not improbable that the long-expected
and long-wished for time, when Paris will become
a manufacturing town, will soon dawn. The
mountains, rich in mineral resources and timber,
are being penetrated with railroads; coal will
soon become cheap; and, then, with cheap fuel
and fine water-power combined, Paris ought to
become an important manufacturing city.
Capital in plenty is here. It needs only
confidence and enterprise to bring about a
result so desirable.
During the present year the Kentucky Central will be
extended from this place to Richmond, and soon
thereafter direct connection will be made with
Knoxville, opening up the trade of the entire
South. The building of other roads is also
contemplated. The repair-shops of the
Kentucky Central are to be located here, and
with roads diverging in every direction, Paris
will offer advantages as a manufacturing point
which cannot fail to attract capital.
The planing-mill of Capt. James M. Thomas, the
flouring-mill of William Shaw, and the
large distillery of
Messrs.
Page
120a -
White & Ferguson, constitute now
the manufacturing interests of Paris. The
time, it is believed, however, is not far
distant when other industries will spring into
being, and a new life be infused into our
community. — McChesney.
{NOTE. - The following article on Turnpike Roads,
by Frank Kennedy, Esq., is given in
conclusion of the history of Paris.
Although some of the facts embraced in it are
given in the chapter on Internal Improvements in
Bourbon County, yet it is of sufficient
interest, to appear complete - ED.]
One of the most valuable improvements in Bourbon County
is its system of turnpike roads. Every
road that leads to its county seat is graded to
an elevation of about three degrees, and paved
with broken rock, on the Macadam plan, to a
depth of twelve to fourteen inches in the
center, thinning off to six or eight inches on
the sides. The first macadamized road in
Kentucky was constructed through Bourbon County
in the years from 1830 to 1835, under the
charter of the Maysville, Washington, Paris &
Lexington Turnpike Road Company. It is
also the best road of the sort built in the
State. It has the broadest and lowest
graded road-bed, few of its elevations exceeding
two degrees, while its wooden bridges are
monuments to the fidelity and skill of Mr.
Wernwag, their builder, whose name - the "Wernwag
bridges" - have made historical. In
1847-48 and '49, the roads leading from Paris
severally to Georgetown, Winchester, North
Middletown and Flat Rock, were granted corporate
privileges by the Legislature, and shortly
afterward converted into turnpikes. Since
then, road after road has been taken in hand and
improved until the turnpikes are more than forty
in number, and extend 215 miles within the
limits of the county. To all of these the
county, through its magistrates, subscribed
stock, and is by far the largest stockholder in
the county. These turnpikes have cost on
an average about $2,300 per mile, except the
first one, which, as before stated, cost nearly
$6,000. More than half a million dollars
have been expended in their construction.
The county, in its corporate capacity, has paid
$190,000, averaging about $900 per mile, while
individuals have subscribed and paid more than
$300,000.
It is estimated that the yearly expense of repairs on
the roads and toll-houses, falls little short of
$75 per mile on an average. These are paid
out of the tolls collected at the gates from
passers over the road.
After defraying expenses, dividends are paid to
stockholders, if there be anything left to
divide. Very few of them are so successful
as to be able to declare dividends, and they
necessarily small, except to persons who have
purchased depreciated stock at very low rates.
Estimating stock at par value, the roads mentioned be-
ow, since they commenced operations, have paid
in dividends as follows:
The Maysville & Lexington, in forty-five years,
have paid 82 ⁶⁵/₁₀₀ cents on the dollar's worth
of stock; that is an average of 1 ⁸³/₁₀₀ per
cent per annum.
The Paris & Winchester have returned, in twenty-four
years, 60 cents on the dollar, or 2½ per cent
per annum.
The Paris & Middletown have returned, in twenty-four
years, 80 cents on the dollar, or 3⅓ per cent
per annum.
The Paris & Georgetown have returned, in twenty-four
years, 85 cents on the dollar, or 3 ⁵⁴/₁₀₀ per
cent per annum.
The Paris & Clintonville, in sixteen years, have
returned 25 cents on the dollar, or 1 ⁵⁶/₁₀₀ per
cent per annum.
The Millersburg & Indian Creek, in sixteen years, have
returned 24½ cents on the dollar, or 1
⁵³/₁₀₀ per cent per annum.
These are the best returns made by any of the
forty-three roads in the county. Of the
whole number, less than one-fourth declare
dividends.
It is easy to see that, as moneyed investments, they
are not generally profitable, but as
conveniences - public and private - their value
is inestimable. In short, they are
indispensable. The farmer who is ten miles
away from town, on a good turnpike, is about as
near in point of time, as the one who is three
miles out; and is nearer in time, convenience
and comfort than the man who lives one mile from
market on a dirt road.
The half million dollars expended in turnpike roads in
the county has added to its general wealth
$2,000,000 at a low estimate. If they were
suddenly annihilated and mud roads re-adopted,
the lands of the county would fall to one-half
of the prices they now command. There
remain only about a half dozen public roads
which are not macadamized, and these have lost
their importance as public highways, and are
useful only as neighborhood necessities.
As the work of improvement is still in active
progress, it is almost certain that in ten years
more there will not be a public road in the
county but will be of easy and secure travel at
all seasons, in darkness as well as day-light.
The wisdom and liberality of the fathers who pioneered
the system, have been nobly sustained by their
sons, except that the latter have fallen into
the error of constructing the roads too cheaply.
That "the best is the cheapest," is eminently
illustrated in the building of turnpike roads.
A reduction of one degree would have added
comparatively little to the cost of
construction, and the saving would be fourfold
in cost of repairs.
The county stock is represented by an officer called
Page
120b -
"Commissioner of Turnpikes," who is elected by
the Magistrates, and whose duty is to attend all
meetings of the stockholders, and vote the
county stock, supervise the general interests of
the roads, give legal advice to their managers,
collect dividends on county stock, and report
annually to the Court of Claims.
We are indebted to Mr. P. Kennedy, the present
Commissioner, for details of facts and figures
on this subject:
Mr. Kennedy is an attorney at law in
Paris, and has very full and elaborate
statistics of the receipts, expenditures and
dividends of the roads from their beginning.
He has prepared also an index of charters and
their various amendments of the roads in the
county, the whole work filling a large book and
involving a great deal of careful and patient
labor, which is both convenient and valuable for
reference.
END OF CHAPTER
XII -
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