Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1841-01-15

tlOH anu einOankfnent Is maue, TWO locks CON-
pleted, and another nearly completed. A CON-
paratively trihing sum would finish this work,
but the funds of the company are exhausted,
and the Commonwealth is annually called upon
for the amount of her guaranty, and her subscrip-
ton is wholly unproductlve. 1t is very valu-
BILE tributary TO the State Canal, terminating in
one of the richest mineral regions in this or per-
haps any other country. Every article coming
out of it pays toll on our State Canal for $50
miles to Columbia. therefore submit to the
better judgement of the Legislature whether
sound economy does not dictate the further sub
scripion of sum sufficient to finish 1t, bellev-
ing that its productiveness will then be amply
sufficient to relieve the Commonwealth from any
further payment of her guaranty
There are at present many public improve
ments in a course of construction in our State
by means of private companies, most of which
| cannot but think are calculated to benefit Penn
sylvania in very high degree. Among the lat
ter may particularize the Williamsport and Ell
mira railroad as tending with certainty to pro-
duce this result. This road will connect the
Grand Erie Canal of New York, by the Seneca
Lake, with the West Branch Canal at Williams
port; and also intersect, at Elmira, the great
Southern railroad, now being constructed from
the Hudson river to Lake Erie, at Dunkirk.
The advantage likely to result to ourselves from
the construction of this road will be, that the
great amount of tonnage and travel which now
annually finds lis way from the Lakes, through
the State of New York to the Atlantic, will
thus be brought directly through our own public
Improvements to Philadel phia, the distance from
Elmira to the latter city, by this route, being II
miles shorter than from Elmira to the city of
New York by any contemplated improvement
in that State. Other Improvements of similar
character, and perhaps of equal importance,
might be noticed.
Every man is presumed to be present in the
Legislature by his representative, and to know
what public laws are enacted, and is therefore
held to be bound by them from the time of their
enactment This notice however, is but con-
structive one. l would respectfully suggest,
whether some provision for the immediate pub
lication of all laws of public nature is not ne
cessary, to give to the people actual notice Of
provisions by which they may be seriously af-
fected.
The Report of the Superintendent, Of the
Public Schools, which will shortly be laid be-
fore you, will show the progress which the
cause of education is making in public opinion,
and the state and condition of the Colleges,
Academies and Schools, throughout the COM
monwealth.
| Though the active operations of the Geologi-
cal Survey are not yet entirely completed, a
much greater extent of country has been min
utely explored during the past season, than in
any former one. The State Geologist, and his
corps, were laboriousy occupied in the field,
their researches extending into various districts,
both east and west of the Allegheny mountains.
The insight acquired during the progress ofthe
survey, into the more minute features of our Gs-
ology, and the true position of our various min
eral deposits, has served greatly to increase the
accuracy and value of the large body Of facts
now collected. Throughout several extensive
sections of the State, where hitherto, no accu-
rate clue had been discovered by which par,ic-
ular beds of those useful substances, iron ore,
coal marble and limestone could be traced much
of the obscurity has been removed. Several
Districts however, of greater or less extent, yet
remain to be explored. Though some of these
have been already faithfully examined, one year
more will be necessary for unraveling the in
tricacies of their structure and enabling the Ge-
ologst to arrive at a satisfactory knowledge oi
their resources. For this purpose an appropri-
alton will become necessary. The amount,
however, will be less than the sum hitherto an
nually expended. The Typographical Maps
now in course of construction, are essential
as basis for the Geological map called for by
the law. In the chemical department Of the
survey, an extensive series of ores, Goals, ce-
ment, fuxes, &c. have been analyzed, resulting
in species of knowledge now becoming every
day more important to the growing, manufactu-
ring, and mining interests of Pennsylvania
1t is an undoubted fact, that the few last years
have been period of pecuniary embarrassment
in the business community. 1t has been con.
soling however, to reflect, that during portion
of that time, our husbandmen have been reapine
full reward for their labor in abundant crops
for which, until recently, they have found ready
markets, at fair prices. They had not general
ly been affected with that mad spirit of specu
lation, which a, one time seemed to have seiz
ed so large part Of other portions Of our cit,
zens, and induced them to engage in almost ev
cry visionary scheme in their ''haste to get rich
The causes of this embarrassment have beer
variously explained, as suited the views of thos,