Bulletin Kenton County Historical Society
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Bulletin of the Kenton County Historical Society Website: www.kentoncountyhistoricalsociety.org Email: [email protected] P.O. Box 641, Covington, Kentucky 41012-0641 (859) 491-4003 September / October 2013 Northern Kentucky Railroads and Bridges, Crossings, Intersections, and Stations Ronald Louis Ziegler Covington-born White House Press Secretary Northern Kentucky Railroads and Bridges, Crossings, Intersections, and Stations John Boh Locomotives “Butt” each Other The Covington & Lexington, the earliest local In the spring of 1893, two giant railroads clashed Northern Kentucky railroad, started operating regularly by in Covington rail yards. The fight about a “shipping the end of 1854. Local investors and promoters included track” was to be settled in court, but the C.&O. tried to Mortimer Murray Benton, first Covington mayor (1834- force the issue by laying a “straddle track” a few inches 35) and president of the railroad; Bushrod T. Foley, the from the contested one. The Louisville & Nashville fourth Mayor (1845-1860); merchants, Samuel Walker, (L.&N.) was claiming the “track,” the Chesapeake & Ohio John B. Casey, and Charles Withers (who financed the (C.&O.) was claiming the “ground.” first 18 miles south), and Frederick Gedge; industrialists, John T. Levis and Alexander Greer; and others.4 Locomotives from both sides entered the fray, leading to “butting!” (The “Iron Horses Butted and The Covington & Lexington tracks ended near 7th Butted Each Other.”) An angry C.&O. road master, John and Washington streets. Railroad tracks were built south Reynolds, allegedly climbed aboard an engine and as- through a tunnel into present-day Latonia, and in the Lick- saulted an L.&N. engineer, Tom Colbert. An L.&N. sec- ing River watershed to Falmouth, Cynthiana and Paris. tion boss, Thomas Maloney, appeared in Covington Police They joined with the Maysville & Lexington Railroad Court charged with “tearing up” the contested track. An tracks going to Lexington.5 L.&N. fireman, H. W. Glenn, was severely injured in an- other incident.1 The Covington and Lexington Railroad soon be- came the consolidated Kentucky Central Railroad. The Competing for power and prestige in city after Kentucky Central was later acquired by the C.&O., and city, the L.&N. had built its railroad empire from Louis- then by the L.&N. It became a division of the L.&N. ville; the C.&O. had built its line from the east coast through West Virginia into Kentucky. By 1893, they Another railroad, the Louisville, Cincinnati & shared a rail route from Covington to Cincinnati - but still Lexington (L.C.&L.), was built from Louisville to New- as rivals. port, and crossed the first local Ohio River railroad bridge (1872) to Cincinnati. From LaGrange near Louisville it In the 19th century, emerging cities also competed ran through Glenco, Sparta, Verona and Walton. From for valuable commercial advantages including railroad fa- Walton, it followed the direction of Banklick Creek to cilities.2 In 1866, Cincinnati had six scattered depots and present-day Latonia. It crossed over the Kentucky Central Covington had another one. In 1900, Cincinnati even tracks and a Licking River railroad bridge. It was built on had architecturally grand stations at Sixth and Baymiller; Saratoga Street in Newport to the bridge.6 at Front and Butler (Pennsylvania and L.&N.); and at 3rd and Central (“Big Four”).3 The L.&N. acquired the L.C.&L. Railroad in 1881. When the L.&N. was acquiring additional property Yet to consolidate and streamline passenger and in 1893 at “Milldale” (now Latonia), some businessmen freight services, old rivalries would be left behind in the saw “a large city” developing in “five years.”7 The Cincin- 1920s. Big public construction projects preceded the nati Southern Railroad crossed the second local Ohio opening of a very grand and elegant Cincinnati Union River railroad bridge (1877) passing through Ludlow, Terminal in 1933. along Pleasant Run Creek toward the Dry Ridge. At Walton, a trestle carried the newer Cincinnati Southern Three Interstate Railroads Emerge rails above the older east-west L.C.&L tracks.8 By 1893 three interstate railroads in Northern Kentucky intersected with each other and shared some In the 1880s, the C.&O. built tracks along the sections of rail beds. They also blocked vehicular, streetcar south bank of the Ohio River passing through Ashland, and pedestrian traffic on streets, roads, and to private Maysville, Augusta, Dayton, Bellevue and Newport. The driveways. newer C.&O. laid its tracks over the L.C.&L. roadbed at 2 Above: C&O Offices and roundhouse, Covington, taken in 1985. On the cover: View looking north from Newport showing the L&N bridge, circa 1965. images courtesy: Kenton County Public Library 11th and Monmouth streets in Newport before entering the L.&N. in December 1890 acquired the K.C.R.R. right Covington on its new Licking River railroad bridge. To of way – thus sharing it with the C.&O. to the Cincinnati reach into Cincinnati the C.&O. had acquired the Ken- rail yards. Yet the L.&N. and a reinvigorated C.&O. re- tucky Central route which still ended near 7th and Wash- mained adversaries.11 ington. At street level, the C.&O. soon extended the Ken- tucky Central tracks diagonally toward Main Street to The L.&N. now used two bridges across the Ohio reach the third local railroad bridge built over the Ohio River. It readily survived the 1890s business depression. River (1888). The C.&O. thereby connected with the rail New acquisitions made it a major southern carrier with yards in Cincinnati at the Mill Creek.9 over 2,000 miles of tracks. Coal became a dominant com- modity. Freight tonnage doubled after 1900. The L.&N. K. C. Junction – Very Busy was envied by “other railroad directors.”12 A short distance from downtown Covington the C. O. tracks intersected with the older Kentucky Central During World War I, capacity seemed to be Railroad at “K. C. Junction.” This junction is just north reached for rail traffic in the Cincinnati yards across the of the Stewart Iron Works property, not far south from river. A consensus emerged that the multiple freight and old roundhouse and railroad repair shop buildings (still passenger stations were inadequate. The region’s railroad standing near 12th and Madison). infrastructure needed reinforcement and streamlining. The direct connection to Cincinnati made the Before the C.&O. replaced its original bridge at track at K. C. Junction for a while the “busiest in the Covington, the two oldest local Ohio River railroad country.” The bridge “at Main Street was the heaviest and bridges were rebuilt. The bridge that was opened for the the longest truss bridge in the nation at the time.”10 Then L.C.&L. Railroad in 1872 was also called the “Newport 3 and Cincinnati Railroad and Wagon Bridge.” I t had road- oiled. But the Pike and Washington depot (downtown) ways on both sides of the tracks. Around 1881 it was wid- still had not been modernized - only washed-down a few ened for horse drawn streetcars. But heavier railroad cars months ago.”19 and locomotives and the introduction of electric street cars made this bridge obsolete. Its replacement in 1897 A Special Liberty Bell Celebration!!! had rails for the L.&N. on one side and on the other side Northern Kentucky schoolchildren, parents and a roadbed with street rails and walkway.13 Opened with others enjoyed an extraordinary celebration at the railroad single tracks in 1877, the Cincinnati Southern replaced its tracks on November 22, 1915 – and it happened to be bridge at Ludlow in 1922 with a double tracked struc- Covington’s centennial anniversary year!20 They viewed ture.14 America’s very own Liberty Bell up close on its return trip from San Francisco to Philadelphia!21 About the time of Demanding Better Railroad Amenities Liberty Bell festivities the Covington Industrial Club and By 1900, Covington factories also wanted more the West End Welfare Association prepared to urge that direct loading facilities, but they were rejected. C.&O. the city go to court as needed to compel the railroad to rid people met with officials from the Cambridge Tile Com- the city of dangerous street-railroad track “grade cross- pany and other leaders. They toured a proposed connec- ings.”22 tion along Willow Run Creek, the “probable route” for sidings from the Cincinnati Southern and C.&O. to the On the Horizon: New Infrastructure tile manufacturer located south of 16th, between Holman There were murmurings by 1916 about combining Street and Willow Run. They saw the Houston, Stanwood freight and passenger terminals and elevating tracks to a & Gamble Company (manufactures of steam engines and new C.&O. Bridge. In just 25 years the C.&O. Bridge boilers), the Republic Iron and Steel Mill and other local became obsolete. Constant traffic and heavier tonnage factories. Industry owners threatened to move out if rail- still crossed the bridge at a higher elevation than street car loading were not made more convenient. Railroad level requiring more locomotive power. Elevated tracks to spokesmen claimed to be favorable - if there were suffi- the bridge would ease the passage and eliminate hazards at cient “inducement.” street level. In 1901, the railroad offered unfulfilled hope for Nevertheless, negotiating agreements between citi- a new freight depot at 12th and Washington streets.15 Dis- zens, officials and the railroads was unending. Offering cussions in 1913 again included factory switching tracks, a false hope the railroad said it might sell current depot new passenger depot and street-track “grade” crossing property and build a station in Covington where the Eliza- elimination. The City Solicitor under Mayor George E. beth Hospital building was torn down (west side of Madi- Philipps drafted an ordinance.