Stories of Interest from the Hickman Courier from July 15, 1871
• Governor Preston H. Leslie planned to address the citizens of Fulton County in Hickman on July 19th. He also scheduled addresses at Clinton, Blandville, Paducah, Mayfield, Murray and Benton from July 20th to July 26th.
• The Fulton and Madrid Bend Railroad and Levee Company was established on July 10th at the Fulton County Courthouse to canvass and promote a levee and railroad line be constructed between Hickman and Tiptonville. H. A. Tyler was elected president of the company and Henry Campbell as Vice President. John W. Cowgill was appointed secretary.
• Businessmen in Paducah discussed the possibility of building a narrow gauge railroad from Paducah to Paris, Tennessee via Benton and Murray.
• The people of Troy, Tennessee met on July 10th and agreed to financially support a rail line extension of the Paducah & Gulf Railroad Company to their city.
• A large number of railroad mechanics were reported to be engaged in bracing up the bridges and trestles for inspection in the region.
• Hemmings & Cooper’s great combination of Circus and Menagerie was to perform in Hickman on July 22nd. It was declared to be the “finest traveling circus in the world.”
• On July 11th the Paducah Kentuckian purchased the Paducah Herald and the latter was discontinued.
• The new market house in Hickman was scheduled to be completed by August 10th.
• Construction began on the new Bondurant & Drewry’s Tobacco warehouse near Hickman.
• Candidates for the State Legislature and Senate spoke at Wesley in Hickman County on July 15th.
• William C. Clark and H. S. Hale, both of Graves County, announced themselves as candidates for State Senate. A. S. Arnold and Thomas E. Gleeson announced themselves as candidates for the State Legislature.
• B. R. Walker withdrew his candidacy for the State Legislature due to health issues.
• Some citizens in Hickman commenced canvassing to raise additional funds to build a bridge across the Bayou de Chien River.
• George W. Roberts, a resident of Hickman, drowned in the Mississippi River while visiting Arkansas on July 13th.
• It was reported the corn crop in upper portions of Fulton and Hickman counties “were ruining for want of rain.”
• Businessmen in Hickman encouraged the establishment of a tobacco market in the city to pair up with the new tobacco warehouse being constructed nearby.
• The steamer Tobe Hurt was reported as the regular packet between Hickman and Cairo and business was doing well.
• A picnic for the public was held at Mud Creek on July 11th. The Hickman Star Band performed before the rain “greatly marred the festivities.”
• J. J. Hickman, Grand Worthy Chief Templar of Kentucky, delivered a temperance speech at the Methodist Church in Hickman on July 7th and lectured at Kirk’s Schoolhouse in Fulton County on July 9th.
• The editor of the Hickman Courier wrote that he believed the “13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were unwise, unjust, accomplished by force and fraud, and the most sweeping acts of tyranny and usurpation ever perpetrated on a free people.”
• The Dyersburg Gazette reported that there was great excitement in Newbern, Tennessee as a man named Hood attempted to poison the wells in the town.
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