Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-01-15

there can be little doubt that this class ofcluim-
ants will not go away unanswered anu unsat-
isfed. The farmer whose lands have been cut
up and destroyed will also be a just claimant
for compensation for the injury he hns sustain.
ed, for which the advantages from the proposed
canal will not be an available set of; and At
may be well TO enquire whether the amount of
those claims would not go far towards tie COM
pletion of those branches Of our improvements. !
The only valid objection to a prosecution of
these works to completion, is the difficulty to be |
apprehcnded in raising the necessary funds for |
the purpose. The estimated cost 10 complete !
the Erie extension is $3.50, az AZ, and the !
North Branch $l,29S, ,4l6 independent Of the !
arrearages due to contractors, as before stated, |
which must be paid at all events. More conf
dence can be placed in the accuracy OF these
estimates OF the cost Of completing these works,
than could be extentcd to those made in the
earlier stages Of our public improvements, from
the increased practical experience Of those in
| trusted with the duty Of making them. My
own opinion remains unchanged, that it is our
true policy to 60 on and complete both these
works with as little delay as possible. This,
however, is a question exclusively for your de-
clSlOn.
| For the 1chs now due 10 contractors on these
lines, ns well for repairs on the other lines, ren.
de;cd indispensable, and without which many por-
! tions Of our canals would have h,en unavailable
and useless 'hrouchou, the seas n. | respectfully
urge that some prompt and immediate provisions
be made. Many Of the contractors have laid out
Of Il cir MONEY for long time, and have suffered
serious irjuri~. hy the delay. n no better expe.
dicnt can I've divsed. would recommend the mmc-
di.te is uing Of six Ter cent. stock to oil such
creditors redeemsble such tine shall te thought
most eIpedcnt.
The amour, required to pay debts due fnr re-
pairs the several lines of csual and railroad, il
will lie obssr,ed by the report Of the Canal Com
mi>sioner., is unusually large. This is TO be as
crb,d to the urprsce. ntrd bIench which occurred
in the Delaware d vision, in January last, which
cost about 81 10000; TO the renewal Of the North
tack Of tie Columbia rail road; to the rebuilding,
in a permanent manner, the locks. bridges and a.
queducs IN several Of the divisions. and particu-
larly on the North Branch, where the original su-
pof.tructur,s, composed entirely Of wood, had 40
far ders, ed ~ to leave no other alternative. than
ci,h,r rnsw them throughout or sban,on the
navigation entirely. ], is also, in part, to be ascr
bed to the fact, that only portion of the funds APP
prop,isted by the Of the 4,h Of Msy last for
psi,s and to pay debts then due, hseame avail:be
leaving large balance Of the appropriations to these
Objects therein su,horiz !, sill due 10 the public
D creditors.
:. There 10 slwsyr, even under the most economi,
! cal administrations Of affairs, greater amount Of
expense incurred in managing and keeping in re-
pair great public improvements for The Common.
wealth than it would il they in the hands
y Of individuals. II is Therefore, respectfully suggcs.
ted for the consideration Of the Legislature whether
!, the public interest would not I've promoted and the
l. amount Of the State debt considerably lssencd by
. sale OF the canals and railroads belonging to the
Common,es III. or al least, portion Of them, nj
!. such other disposition ns would diminish their an
q nual expenses to the Commonwealth, and incieas,
! the amount Of revenue from them.
d Were the Commonwealth free from debt,
n should hesitate TO recommend the sale Of any o
her public Improvements. Bu, oppressed Is sh
is, the cost which the repairs require, and the
crssy of relieving ourselves ss far as possible in
J., duce me TO urge action this subject, OF least 81
' far regards the COLUMBIA railroad. and the Della
+, ware division Of the Penn,ylvania canal. II vii
u matter hut little TO ,hose interested in The use Of lh
), Improvements, whether hey in the hands Of III
public or Of individuals, provided proper safeguard
, enacted 10 protect the public in the free ue an
u enjoyment of them, aud 90 gusrd against abuse
and eHscli1ns.
= II it he objected thu, sales eanno. be effected i
- the present state Of our pecun airy embarrassment
- that will 10 no why law should hot now h
enacted authorizing the sale Of such portions G
), them shalt be deemed proper. subject to the ar
y probation Of the lrgi i'a'ure on the sale being re
prime pal he secured, and the interest punctuall
pad. II will so far relieve the Commonwealth.
~ il W, re made d condition that Stale stock shoul
be received in payment, il would probably max
3s the sale mole advantageous to the Commonweal'
The dispositions Of cspirslistS would thus be mad
u known, md can al least, he ascrrsibed wheth'
- sale al an adequate price can he effected In
81 policy of lrssng for term Of years, one or both
- those improvements, has been more than once sul
tn ges,ed. OF the proprictv Of doing am no, pr
IT. pared to express a decided opinion but have III rug
he worthy Of suggestion for your consider alton.
Is. That the public works ,hould be unproductivr,
Is owing in g,eat measure to a want OF proper /
gsa,ion The subject, and unless this he remedie
re- il mus, impair public confidence in ihef ultima
IN utility. The Canal Commissioners have Tepeate
* ly urged upon The leg stature the propristy Of
I'm | lowing the Commonwealth alone, 10 carry the ps
seneers on the Columbia rairoad. Ma railroad
he the United Slate, could sustain itself, II II were
le. relnquish the carrying OF the passengers yet,
,us that road This strange condition Of things is exhil
hp ted. The State has expended in its consruclic
nj over four millions Of dollars, while the capital eI
an, poyed by those carr, ing the passengers, Perha
~, thirty thousand dnlla,s. The State on her II
49, mense outlay, is re.pirg shout 3 per cent, VIII
, the individual carriers their thirty thousand d.
lars, are clearing nearly 600 per cent. so II rs,
a, with regard to the transportation b.tween Phil
- ladephis and ints5urg, That line h our imPro'
~ meni, between thuse cities, wus constructed st
ow cost of fraction over fourteen millions II dolla
tn Tn. ,,snsn,,,,,;,, n, !, ia mon,uol ned nv sor
les seven eight comp mes, employing & capital
Tor less than four hundred ihousa nd dollars; yet, VIII
Dor the State 10 receiving little than will keep
ay in repair. the trsnspnriers are realizing immt
md profits, or that, loo, comparatively small OF
H. lay.