Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1841-01-16
MR.. CRAvENs' REPORT
from the select Committee on Modification.
Mr.. President /:

MR. 1REsIDEA1-
The select committee 10 which was referred s.
much Of the Governors Message relates to
modification Of the system of internal improve
ments, have directed me to report:
That your committee directed their attention to IN
existing laws the subject, tho condition oil MS
works, the amou1t Of The original appropriations
which have been expended on them respectively
and the probable ultimate cost Of their completion
The aIs, took iDt1 consideration the merits o
each work considered as channel OF commerce
and its productiveness in tolls. The hrst act OF
the subject in 1886, provided for the construction
of nine works. VIZ: The Madison, indianapolis
and Lafavotic Rail road; the Central Canal; toe
White. water Canal; the Jacksonville md Craw
louisville Turnpike; the New Albany and Vim
cenues Road; the Cross cut Canal; the extension
of the Wabash and Ere Canal; the Lawrence
burgh and indianapolis RaIl-road: and Canai
from Fort WAYNE to Like Michigan at or near
Michigan Guy; and appropriated Tor the com
pIetion of seren Of those works the sum Of ten
millions of dollars. The same act established "A
Board Of Internal improvements consisting OF
nine members on the representative prnclpie.-
THIS Board was invested with almost unlimited
discretion 10 the manner OF applying the APP
preparations on the several works; while they
were SO constituted that each and every member
was interested in securing an immediate hPP'ica-
cation Of a portion of the funds appropriated 10
the work which he represented on the board
The inevitable consequence OF this arrangement
was that the funds borrowed from time 20 time to
meet the nppropria tons of the act applied
nj MANY different points at the same time, snvo-
wing the state III great number OF burdensomc
undertakings, at remote points from each othef,
which not only put oil, tn IA remote and indefinite
period the ultimate completion OF any one work,
but greatly enhanced the prco of the labor and
materials employed III thpir construction. BY
this arrangement also, the sums expended must
necessarily remain unProductIve urtii the entire
syst tenn. IN all It's Elgantic proportions, could be
fully complete
1t IS now five years since the passage OF this
act and six millions eight hundred and five thou
sand eight hundred and ninety four dollars have
been expended without the compl ton of Il single
work or the accomplishment of any of the objects
designed By tho .rnmors of the system. The
modlfica lions which the original act has under
gone since its passage are considerable, but no;
enough as yoar commee coqt @ f tor , 1ho fb
.Ions was in the reduction OF the number oil the
hoard Of Internal improvement, first from nine 10
three and subsequently to two members; thereby
destroying IN some degree the force of the repre-
sentative principle in tho Board OF Pub'ic works
Blt while the SINE combination Of interests exists,
to which The act Of establishing the system owes
its origin, your commit tee approhcnd great mis-
chiefs from antrustng Board with unlimited dis
cretion IN the application OF the sums appFoPria-
ted 10 the several works; more especially when
We consider that this Board nwo their appoint
ment 10 Inc legislature in winch their various IN
,erests arc represented and subject To instan-
tancous removal If ma iority of the members rep
rcseniirg those interests should be offended BY Il
concentration Of the public energies on any given
work.
Be- tho original act establishing the system,
the Fund Commissioners were invested with pow
or and required mpcra,ivclv to borrow the STATE
stocks sums OF money sufficient to meet the requl
sitons of the Board of !nternai Improvements,
no; exceeding the sum of ten millions of dollars
appropriated by the original act. In pursuance
= I l.. f.,,,,t
millions one hundred and eighty -tise thousand
dollars for the prosecution Of the system; OF which
sum million einh. hundred and sixty SIX thou
sand, eight hundred and fftv-sevcu dollars has not
been realized, and IS IN very prccarious sliua-
ton.
OF the originally appropriated six mil
lions eight hundred ana five thousand, eight hun
bred and ninets-our dollars have been expended.
Bv adding the sum of four hundred thousand dol
lars. subsequently appropriated to the Madison and
indianapolis Railroad, to the amount OF 10 millions
originally appropriated to the Pablo works, and
doducting the amount expended on Thorn, a. etoled
above, we hud the balance OF uneNpended aPproprl-
atoms on the public works to agnonnt 10 The sum
of three millions. five hundred and ninoty-fo.r
thousand one hundred and SIX dollars.
An opinion has very generally prevailed
through the community. that the nc, of last win
ter for the relief of contractors. prohibited the
Fund Commissioners from making any further
sales OF State Bonds to meet the acquisitions of
tho Board of Internal improvements for the pros
ecution of the public works. On a careful peru
sal of this net, your committee have not been
able 10 discover any such provision. Nor do they
find any prohibition restraining the Board of Pub
llc Works from making additional lettings, 10 the
extent Of the unexpended appropriations. The
act last alluded To offers bonus 20 the present
contractors to relnqush their contracts, and pro-
vides for tho issue OF one and half millions Of
dollars in Treasury Notes. directing the manner
of their issue and payment to contractors and
provides for their ultimate redemption This is
the of the provisions of this act Another
act of last session reduces the numhcr OF the
Board of Internal Improvements aud Engineers
but it is also void of any prohibition to the ma
king Of new lettings or the sale of State Bonds
10 the extent Of the original appropriation.
On a careful examination Of the whole subject.
your committee discovers the Board of Internal
improvements much unrestraincd by