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The first effort to build a railroad in Christian County of which
we have any account was made about the year 1832. At this time, the
Legislature having made an appropriation for the purpose, Messrs.
Chinn and Jouette, of Lexington, made a preliminary survey for a
rail-road from Hopkinsville to Eddyville, on the Cumberland River. A
final survey was afterward made by Mr. Letcher, of the same place.
Maj. John P. Campbell, Jr., then a youth, acted as a chain-carrier,
but beyond this nothing further was done. The company failed to
organize as required under the charter, and the project was
temporarily abandoned. In 1837 it was revived again under the same
charter and another survey made by Mr. A. Livermore, State Engineer.
This effort also proved abortive, and for the same reasons. It was
again, and for the last time, agitated in 1845 and 1846. The
People's Press of May 7, 1846, gives the following account of a
convention held in Hopkinsville April 25, Dr. A. Webber in the
chair, and G. W. Johnston, Secretary: The committees appointed
February 14, 1846, to visit the different points on the river
favorably spoken of as the termini of the road, reported through Dr.
Montgomery that they had visited Ferry Corner, Clarksville and
Trice's Landing. They found either point quite feasible for a
railroad terminus, and were of the opinion it could be built at a
maximum cost of $8,000 per mile. To Clarksville the road would be
twenty-five miles in length, and cost $200,000; to Trice's Landing
(Providence) twenty-three miles and $170,000; to Ferry Corner
thirty-one miles and cost $248,000. Mr. Livermore's experimental
survey to Eddyville in 1837 " by a circuitous route through
Princeton " gave the distance as forty-eight and a half miles, and
was estimated to cost $338,000, but this they thought to be an
exaggeration both as to cost and distance. They thought the distance
could be reduced to thirty-five miles, and the aggregate cost to
$280,000. The following unique, if not original and novel method of
raising the necessary means, was suggested: " The people to
subscribe $75,000 or $100,000 to the building of the road, which
subscription shall be well secured by stock. Of this sum, $50,000 or
$60,000 to be vested, as fast as paid in, in the purchase of 100
young, able-bodied Negro men, who, if well provided and judiciously
directed, would grade the road to any one of the points suggested in
the course of twelve or eighteen months, or at the longest time two
years. These 100 laborers could then be hired or pledged for the
iron, and so soon as the work should be completed they could be
readily cashed for the benefit of the railroad company." A summary
of the probable business of the road when completed is then given: The Henderson & Nashville Road In 1839 a charter was granted by
the Legislature to build a road from Henderson to Nashville. In
1850-51 it was amended, with Joel Lambert and James Albes of
Henderson, Powhattan Robertson and A. G. Gordon of Hopkins; and John
P. Campbell of Christian, as Directors. These gentlemen called a
meeting of the stockholders at Madisonville on the 1st of June,
1852, and finding the necessary stock subscribed, proceeded to
organize with Hon. Archibald Dixon of Henderson as President of the
company. Mr. Dixon resigning in the spring of 1853 was succeeded by
Edmund Hopkins of Henderson. At the annual meeting of the
stockholders for this year, the Board of Directors elected were: E.
G. Sebree, R. T. Torian, W. E. Price, John P. Campbell, Jr., P. M.
Robertson, Joel Lambert, John Woolfork, R. G. Beverly and M. S.
Hancock, of whom John P. Camp-bell, Jr., was elected President.
Under contract with Messrs. Van Bergen, Ward & Co., of Ohio, ground
was broken and the work pushed forward as rapidly as the collection
of stock would permit. Efforts were made to secure subscriptions by
the several counties--in their corporate capacities, but upon
submission to the people the measure was defeated. The war came on,
the contractors suspended work, and finally abandoned the
enterprise.
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