The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-02-23
Amount Of sales,

Amoun, Of sales, S7SO.75S 81
From which, however, should be deduct.
ed Sll LOCO, on which payment was not
made.
The excess Of sales Of lands over
appraisal, $3.50 SO
The excess OF sales Of lots over
appraisal, 3G,S9s SO
Excess Of sails over appraisal, $40,724 SO
In addition 20 the above appraisement.
your committee learn that, by request of the
trustees, appraisement was made OF wharf
ing privileges in Chicago, amounting 10 a.
bout half million Of dollars. Whether
those privileges belong 10 the canal fund the
means are not al hand TO determine. Blu,
from the silence Of the reports on the sub.
ject, it is presumed they are not relied on as
part Of that fund.
All the material facts connected with this
branch of our subject, il is believed, are a.
buve set forth, from which, in connection
with the other branch Of this report, it may
be judged wherin extravaganza exists. IT
the appraisers were engaged abont year
and half about this work, as has been IA.
ted, the salary they received would be attht
rate Of 81 900 per annum. That the duty
they had to perform was arhuous, delicate
and responsible, no one will deny. Tha, il
was faithfully performed, has not, to the
knowledge ofyour committee, been di.pu
ted. Torthe expenses o'this appraiseimcnt.
no provision was made IN the law under
which it was had II followed that they
must be paid out Of the canal fund. The
whole was IN the hand, of the trustees, and
the allowance made by them in the same
manner that other charges against this fund
were paid. And when considered in com.
Nari>on with other salaries on the canal, il
is presumed the appraisers viii hot appear
TO have been The special OBJECTS Of liberal
endowmonS. This was a temporary en-.
ployment, and one which would not warrant
business men 70 suspend their regular one
ra,lons, for The reason that il could continue
no longer than until The particular wcrk " as
done. TWAS not like a salarCtl Office, reg
ular and OicouStan duration, but was sve-
clal occupation which would nOt Justify a
suspension Of private bushes. and yet would
directly interfere with il. II is well known
that the persons employed for this purpose
were all men of business. and it could hard
/ ~ be supposed they would undertake the
performance of duty 50 delicate and 10.
>ponsihle as that Of fixing the price " hich
hundreds Of pre- cmptorS should pay forrrop-
eltv, and leave private business al greater
proht for less compensation than thn,
/ which was allowed. These men were Sc
lec'rd by the Judges, who had the appoint
ing power, ON account uf their wen known
( qualifications for business, and. since the ne
suit has shown that they were not Swerved
by the many influences winch hC>et them,
your committee are ui ,piniuu Hattie trus.
tees were not in fault when they made the
allowance they did. Tens OF thousands rG
dollars could easily have been lost 10 The
state, had the appraisers yielded at all to
the solicitations Of settlers and Others who
desired tn purchase. Aud it is h.hCv, d that
al appraisal ofnear three millions # dol.
lars worth OF property. at a rate which is
conceded 10 he uniform, and quite Ms high
a. it should be, could not reasonably be- .y.
pcted To have been made for less sum
than was paid.
The total amount Of disbursement MS on &C.
count orthe canal for the wear ending Nov.
SO,h, 1913, and not including the payments
ou the lean, SG6i ,5iS, 81. IN addition to
lnl>. lllf IiO>'tf> paw we lI'tItN NNt on
the loan Of 81 ,GO0,00O. and six per cent. u
the principal. This they were enabled To
do from the sales Of the lands before men.
toned.
The appraised value ofthe unsod lands
and lots belonging to the canal fund i ST..
39S, $50 Oj. This land is continually IN.
creasinc in value, and il may be presumed
will produce to the fund a larger sum than
that stated. The arrangement OF the is al.
tended with some expense, Ashas been
shown, there are two agents cmrloyc IA
protect them, NJ salaries uf 81 ZOO each, be-
sides thirty or forty sub. agents, who receive
$50 per snuum each. The system oi acch.
cieS adopted, it is believed, fails to afford
that protection to the property which 81
great an expense ought 10 secure.
II has been estimated, Oh what is suppo.
scd to be good authority, that unless some,
) thing occurS to affect adversely the bushes,
of the country. the tolls onthe cana, FOR III,
next season viii not fall below two hundred
' thousand dollars. The lumber " boats o,
the canal NJ the opening of navigation wa'
; fifteen and NJ the close lf2. From this il
will readily be perceived that the amount 81
: business done On the canal during the pas
I season, must be comparatively triiling. IT,
increase can hardly be estimated, An,
! with fair reduction Of conduc,ingthe woll
I aud managing the property. It may be hop
? ed that in few years the state will be ena
, bl,h to redeem the canal aud the propcr',