Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-09-26


The following letter has been handed us fr,
p rblicalion by Mr. +. Smith, il reply to g. r
munica'ion from the Clerk OF tne Carz.,J =, 'or.-
Mr. Mitchell,' in our las; issue "'"f',
To rur FproR OF ruF FAnuEr
Dear Sri notice in your pa?
munica'ion from D Mitchell, I.q, Sect '"n'
the Canal Commissioners in which he ar'
a reply to my letter 10 them. | am no, :
to find any fault with Nr Mitchell 1t j. na
raj enough that he shoni enIeavor to vlndrca,-.
the Commissioners from any exposure that |
might make, being in their pay AMI for anything
know doing them good service His know
ledge Of the Canal Commissioners and their his.
tory, comes down agreeablv 10 his statement to
the 5th of August. This suppose is mistake
Of month On the llth OF July the Com7,is.
soners were at Wilkrsbarre and on the l2rh
and 18th was with them along the line of the
canal, and after making particular inquiry OF Mr.
Foster, and informed by him what he then >arh
would he Mr.. Maffet's only business at the Nan.
tlcoke dam, which was that he would have
charge in capacity of eugiL 'or' OF putting ia the
work that would he obliged 10 cutter INTO all
contracts for materials and receive and d,>hursn
all monies Ii Mr. Foster had then told mo
what he undonbtedy knew, wv that Matlr, was
or would be- authorised 10 make contracts and
receive and dsburse all monies Tor the work at
the dam, was then prepared 10 say to him that
| could not and would not hold the place Of 81
pcrvisor one moment That he anlic patcd that
fact have no doubt little Ingenious frank.
ness ou his part would have saved considerable
trouble. Mr.. Mitchell says the Canal Commits
soncrs are still absent at the date Of his commu-
nication list August. In his closing remarks
he says, that in pursuance of recommendation
of the Canal Commissioners IN their annual Te.
port "the legislature made specific approPr'I'
ton for this work" THIS is true enough and
il is Just as true that Mr.. Mafct was considered,
/ by those acquainted with hun and the facts.
very closely identified with that appropriation
aud ultimate expenditure. Indeed have MS
own statement verbally, that he tired To make II
larger but could not succeed. TO that part Of
his letter which refers to repairs formerly made
at the Nanticoke DAM chat il took the Joint cf
forts of contractors, engineers and a mechanical
super iLtendent.' | must say That The work
presents very strong evidence Of the ability
OF those employed, and that such evidence Of the
wastciul expenditure of money upon this dam aud
other similar work ia this neghborhood, is GER.
tainly no argument in favor of It's continuance,
and has somehow induced the legislature To di,
rect different method of proceeding and IL
does seem to me that our immense public debt
and almost Insolvency as commonwealth,
with the fact that our taxes are nrarh or quite
beyond endurance, has proved 10 the people the
necessity Of economy in the expenditure OF their
money But to close, have only to say that
those persons who a-ked for a change OF the sp-
peryisorshp Of ,he y, b. Division, expected the
Commissioners either would orwould not remove
Mr.. MaGet. 1t seems they were mistaken.
THO. SMITH
WrLxrsBAERr, 9th Sept. 1916.