Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1842-01-12


ed | did not mistake their true character; nor
can the extraordinary conduct of some persons,
protesting better principles who first urgedthe
adoption of the measure, and afterwards de-
nounced those who acquieSced in it, shake for
moment my steadfast convictions on this sub
ect. | always believed the people would do
their duty, let 1t cost what it might; the first in
stance is yet to be found in our history when
they have fiinched from it, if rightly under
stood.
The unprecedented increase of our popu'a
tion and resources, Cannot fail, in a few years,
to render our improvements SO productive as
to supercede the necesS ty for taxation. The
ultimate value of our stupendous system of
public works can hardly be estimated.
They have already added an lncalculahle
amount of value to the property OF the cni-
zens of the Commonwealth, and given an ear
nest of their capacity for future usefulness.
The travel and transportation upon them
must increase in full proportion with the mul
duplication Of our population, and the derel-
opement of our eXhaustlesS resources When
il is recollected that the population OF this
State in the year 1900, was only 02.54i; that
in 1920, it was 1,049, 9,3l3; and in l840, il
1,724, 033 showing an increase within the
last twenty years, exceeding the whole popu-
lation In the year 1900; and " hen It Is re-
membered that this immense increased and
imparting, its intellect, energy and industry to
the improvements of the agricultural mining
manufacturing and commercial Interests of
the Commonwealth and that during the past
year, when trade and business were greatly
depressed +; when the Delaware division was
not in use until about the lst of August; and
when the important anthracite coal trade from
the Wyoming, Shamokn and Bear valleys,
and other Intermediate points to tide and
I. tlaA a
mountain, on the West Branch, and Juniata
region, to tide have been barely commenced
the receipts of toll amounted to the sum of
S762, ,260 a, it will be difficult to form just
estimate of the extent Of their future useful
ness and extended receipts.
These iaternal improvements, for the con-
struction of which the principal amount OF the
State debt has been incurred, consists of 7e8
miles Of canal and railways completed, and
1861 miles of cana! in progress of construction
and nearly completed.
The finished works are the following
Miles,.
The Delaware canal, from Faston to tide
at Bristol, 59t
The mail line of canal and railway from
Philadelphia to Pittsburg, 1851
Canal from Beaver, on the Ohio river, to
Greenv.le, in the direction of Erie, III
Canal from Franklin, on the Allegheny
river, to Conneaut lake, 494
Canal. Susquehanna and North Branch,
from Duncan's Island TO Lackawanna, l1l4
Canal West Branch, from Northumber-
land to Farrandsvle, IS
Several side cuts and navigable feeders, 7
Total canals and railways completed, 1854
Canals in progress and nearly completed:
Miles.
North Branch extension, from Lackawan-
ma to New York line, 90
Erie extension, from Grenvile TO EIie
harbOr, 623
Wiconisco canal, from Duncas'o Island TO
Wiconsco creek, 12l
Total canals in progress, 1861
The report of the canal commissioners, with
the accompanying documents, which will
shortly be laid before you, will show, in detail
the state and condition of our public improves
ments Having in former Communications TO
the Legislature, stated my views in relation to
our system of internal improvements, beg
leave, respectfully, to refer you TO them, as
being unchanged, without wishing unnecessa-
rily to extend this communication, by embo>
dying them in it.
When first entered upon the duties Of the
executive department, the question # COM
pleting the North branch ana Erie extensions,
was submitted to the action Of the legislature.
The representatives of the people decided in
favor of completing both, and have by three
subsequent acts, appropriated considerable
sums of money for that purpose. The North
Branch canal has already cost S2,348, 276 SO,
of which the sum Of S3S ',676 40 remains yet
due to contractors. The Erie extension has
already cost about 50 9l9,507, Of which the
sum of s574,4Qe %, is yet due TO contractors.
Tho grave question is now presented to your
serious consideration, whether, under all the
circumstances, those two line are to be forth
with finished, OF abandoned for all time to
come, and the entire amount Of labor and mo-
ney expended upon them thrown away. Con
tractors who have gone on to the work, and
perhaps executed the least profitable part of
it, will have fair claims On the Justice Of the
legislature for remuneration, for the losses
they have sustained by an abandonment of
the work by the commonwealth. Judging
from the success which usually crowns perse-
verance, in similar applications before the le-
gislature, there can be bat little doubt that
this class of claimants will not go away unan-
swered and unsatished. The farmer whose
lands have been cut UP and destroyed, will al
so be just claimant for compensation for the
injury he has sustained, for which the advan-
tages from the proposed canal Will not be an