Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-07-15

SATURDAY., JULY IS, 1881.
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.

awaken to Z knowledge Of her own INTEREST," in
relationto the public works now in progress in
this section, or that, at least, if unwilling tc
Investigate for herself, she should submit to
hear correct and impartial statement of the
manner in which those works are carried on.
The excitement produced by the conflict be
tween Ohio and Michigan should have passed
away, especially in Ohio, and with it should
also vanish every description of local preju-
dice, and it is to be hoped that the people Of
Ohio may never be betrayed into course
which they shall afterwards regret by the
ranking of any unfortunate bias, that they
have imbibed in a period of high excitement.
The state of Ohio has assumed to herself the
responsibility of constructing that portion of
the Wabash and Erie canal which comes with
in her limits, and it is both her duty and her
interest to complete the same with all the des-
patch which is consistent with judicious econ
omy. Indiana has already nearly finished her
portion of the canal and she is calling loudly
upon Ohio to give her an outlet to the Lake
through hers, and it is apparent to all that an
immense profit will accrue to the State of
Ohio, so soon as this importantlne of. commu-
nication is completed Under such state of
facts, and with the limited means which Ohio
possesses from the sale of the canal lands, it
is unquestionably the duty of the Board of
Public Works to construct that part of the
canal first which is obviously of the most con-
sequence, and which will render those Sec
tions completed by Indiana available, a. least
for a portion of the season. 5F "a,
As we observed, a week or two since -
A canal around the rapids would open Indiana
to the Lake for a part Of the year, and the
completion of that part between the head Of
the rapids and the state line, would give them
an uninterrupted communication with Lake
Erie at all times. This is what is wanted by
both Indiana and Ohio, and it is the obvious
duty Of the Board of Public Works, so to
expend the money arising from the sale of the
canal lands, as that it shall 60 the farthest in
the opening Of the necessary portions of the
canal. But what has been done 1t is true,
that the canal around the rapdsis now under
contract, and it is equally true, that that above
the rapids remains unlet, while, at the same
time, fifteen miles of canal, stretching along
the tops of our bluffs, and overlooking the
snavigable waters of the finest river of the
Northwest, is going on with all the energy
which an abundance of pay can excite, and
all to crafty the avarice of set of public of
ficers. who have determined to raise the val
he Of their own town lots, at the expense of
their virtue and their characters. Added to
this, is the fact, that the money realized from
the sale of the canal lands, is fast being ex-
pended, and that no more can be sold, on ac-
count of the scarcity of money, for long
time to come, and then for very reduced
price, the absolute necessity for economy in
the public expenditures must be seen by every
one who is unbiased in his Investigations.
And now that the bubble of speculation has
burst, and in its explosion has annihilated
those who inflated it, it is certain that the six
ty sections of land between the foot of the
rapids and the final termination Of the canal
us designated by the Board Of Public Works,
win not half pay the expenses of building a
canal which viii cost, at the least calculation,
three hundred thousand dollars. Thus, in
stead of gaining an excellent bargain by the
possession Of the lands below, the State will
be saddled with loss of several hundred thou
sand dollars, Jan expenditure which will ma
teraly retard the advancement of the useful
and profitable part of the work above, and
swill have upon her hands as worse than dead
weight, work which can never be other than
source of shame and sorrow SO long as the
earth retains trace, or history record of
its existence. And as for those unfaithfill
public officers, who are now hugging them
selves in the prospect Of their ill-gotten
wealth, let them beware. The time will come,
when even the projects matured in privacy
shall be exhibited, and when the springs and
movements shall be laid bare before the eyes
of an injured community.
The Hon. Daniel Webster paid Wis
it to the towns upon the Maumee river,
on Thursday last. He arrived at Per-
rysburg inthe steamboat Com. Perry,
escorted BY adarge number of citizens
ofthat place and Maumee City. AT Per-
rysburg he was seated in an open car
rage and in company with almost the
enrire population of the town, together
with large number Of strangers, in car
riages and on horseback, paid visit to