American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1823-02-14
PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
MoNDAy, Jan. 20, 1928.
Mr.. Lehman, from the committee on roads an
inland navigation, made
REPORT:
That, deeply impressed with the signal advanta
ges which have already been conferred upon III
state, by means Of internal improvement, they fee
anxious to call the attention OF the Legislature
the projected canal which is to connect the water
OF the Delaware and the Chesapeake, and whicf
when completed, will advance the prosperity OF Penn
sylvania and by promoting the great interests OF tn
nation confer the most lasting honor upon the stat
under whose patronage it is executed.
More than fifty years ago. under The direction G
the Philosophical Society OF Philadelphia two cit
ze9s Il Pennsylvania FRANKLIN and RITTEN
HOUSE, iilustrious for their patriotism and wis
dom, made surveys OF the peninsula which sepa
rates the Chesapeake from the Delaware, and as
certained canal to be feasible. Its execution wa
however prevented by the war of the revolution
which required the application OF all the enterprise
anG genius Of the country, to the acquisition ant
maintenance Of freedom and independence.
Immediately after the termination Of the war. OF
motion of General ANTHONY WAYNE, ther
member of the General Assembly, a commte,
was appointed, who reported resolution, which wa
unanimously adopted "rhat the supreme exc
cutve council be requested to enter into a negocia
ton with Maryland and Delaware, upon the GROUND
of reciprocal advantages to be derived TO those states
and Pennsylvania from canal, as well as from an
etfectual improvement Of the navigation of the Sus
quehanna ard lis streams.' 1t was not, however,
until 1902 that company was incorporated for
the accomplishment Of this object; when, imme
diatey after its organization, the board of mana
gers engaged Cornelius Howard Benjamin H. La
trobe and John Thompson, all OF them men Of hig
repate, as engineers or surveyors, who, accompa.
nj ~ committee of the managers, explored the
couatry between the Delaware and chesapeake.
and took all necessary surveys and levels The re-.
suit was confirmation of the practcabity of the
work and upwards OF a hundred thousand dollars,
which had been obtained by individual subscription,
were expended in the purchase of watsr rights and
lands and in constructing four miles If canal which
Is intended to serve feeder, and at the same
time to confer he advantages Of slack waterman
cation upon tine southern parts OF Lancaster and
Chester counties but, notwithstanding the practi-
cabty and utility of the work have since been adj
United by every enlightened individual and been
repeatedly recognized by Congress, and b. the LIE
gislatures OF Pennsylvania, MARYLAND and Delware,
and Notwithstanding lis execution is obviously es
sentiol to the prosperity Of large portion Of the
state, It has been suffered 10 ianguish for nearly
twenty years for want of funds.
At the last session Of the Legislature, bill All
;horsng the Governor 10 subscribe 10 the stock oil
the 3mpauy passed the House Of Representatives
by large majority, and afterwards received the
sanction OF committee Of the whole Of the Senate,
but was ost 10 its further progress in consequence
OF provision in the bill which pledged the com
pound Interest arising from unpatented lands for the
payment OF the subscription.
Your committee in order effectuaIly TO secure the
completion OF this great work, have reported bill
TNpO fltp1f 1rf
fifty thousand dollars Of The stock, upon condition
that new subscriptions Of the same amount are pre-
slousiy obtained from other sources in addition to
former subscriptions, and providing also for the re
peal OF law passed in 1918, authorisng the Co
vernon to subscribe to the amount Of seventy-fve
Thousand dollars, whenever the United States and
the states OF Delaware and Marylan shall sub
scribe eleven hundred shares. The amount due
from the old subscribers IS about two hundred and
nifty thousand dollars, nearly the whole Of which
may DC cole ted, provided the work is recommen
GEO. which, with the sum contemplated TO be raised
py THIS bill, viii amount to more than five hundred
thousand dollars. his sum, il is believed by the
most competent Judges, will be sufficient or nearly
So for the accomplishment of this object, so init
matey connected with the best interests Of the state
Inc Secretary OF the Treasury, Mr. GalIatin, in a.
report made ~ pursuance of resolution of the
Senate OF the United States, March 3D. 1907, after
the most elaborate research, and a consultation wth
the abIes' engineers Of the country, makes the fol-
lowing estimate:
Digging % miles, at $4,000
PEI mile $4,000 90
ats.'see.' locSs' al D io,uo. each, 100000 90
0eeder(nearly completely reser-
voirs, lock at the feeder, pur-
chase Of water rights and land,
including debt due by the
company, Q9o ooo m
S850.000 90
Ihe Interest on which sum, at per cent. is
S5l'O 900. TO which Mr.. Gallatn adds, thar "one
hundred thousand dollars, paid by the stockholders,