Jackson Purchase Historical Society

Stories of Interest from the Hickman Courier from August 1, 1874

• The Hickman Courier announced they would change the publication day from Saturday to Friday to avoid delays in the transfer of mails on different railroads serving the city.
• The Local Option Law on restricting alcohol sales in Fulton County failed by a vote 647 to 293. Though “some hot personal feelings were engendered during the canvass” the editor of the Hickman Courier “hoped that all will be smoothed over and good feeling reign.”
• The Beechwood Seminary in Hickman was scheduled to begin their fall session on August 31^st.
• The Superintendent of Public Instruction delivered a lecture on “Education and Common School Interest in Kentucky” at the Methodist Church in Hickman on July 31^st.
• The marble works of B. C. Ramage notified the public that Mike P. Dillon was no longer authorized to transact any business for his company.
• A man by the name of Hester, a fisherman that resided on a small boat on the opposite shore from Hickman, shot and wounded a man named Chambeaugh with a double barrel shotgun on July 27^th. Chambeaugh allegedly impregnated Hester’s mentally challenged daughter, who later gave birth to a child. Hester was arrested and a trial was set for later this month in Mississippi County, Missouri.
• The picnic scheduled for August 1^st at Fulton was cancelled due to another picnic being held the same day at Crosslands Bridge and that speakers could not be procured.
• The barbeque at Moscow on the evening of July 29^th was well attended by “some 500 or 600 people.” Congressman Ed Crossland gave a speech on “political issues of the day.”
• The National Bank in Mayfield was reported to have a capital stock of $100,000.
• A public meeting was held at the Circuit Court room in the McCracken County Court House in Paducah on July 31^st to express their gratitude to C. L. Randle for his dedicated service as Commonwealth’s Attorney. His term was to end the following month.
• Some people in the region believe that the “very unusual character” of the weather in the past few months may have been affected by the comet.
• The delegates of the First District Council of the Patrons of Husbandry met in Paducah earlier in the week and resolved to organize a Farmers’ Mutual Benefit Association for the “laboring industrial classes” and to “oppose corruption in every form and all avaricious monopolies.” They further resolved that they were not the “enemies of the railroads nor canals” and were not the “enemies of capital,” but “opposed the oppression of monopolies,” “excessive salaries,” “high rates of interest,” and “exorbitant taxes.” They also declared that the “mission of woman as beneficial” and in accordance with the Constitution.
• The Paducah Kentuckian suggested that T. E. Moss, of Paducah, be the Democratic Party nominee for State Attorney General.
• W. Powell, of Obion County, and Henry W. Adams of Lake County, declared themselves candidates for the Tennessee State Legislature.
• Columbus Huey of Obion County, Tennessee lost a fine mare from the bite of a poisonous snake the week prior.
• The Lake County, Tennessee crop prospect was defined as “sad indeed” and that cotton and corn were “uneven and poor,” but the wheat grown was of “extra quality.” A correspondent from New Madrid Bend wrote “the disastrous crops of 1874 will be one well committed to memory and never forgotten.”
• The Lake County Democratic Committee met at Tiptonville, Tennessee on July 30^th where H. W. Adams announced his candidacy for the Tennessee State Legislature, Bob Webb as candidate for county tax collector, Tip Anderson as candidate for county trustee, and H. Brady, Joshua Tipton and George Winn as candidates for county sheriff.
• A convict escaped from a railroad work camp on July 28^th near Dyersburg, Tennessee. The prisoner made his way to Hale Point where he broke into a trading boat, took supplies, and stole a skiff. He was captured by several men a few miles downriver and returned to the work camp.