Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1850-05-10
The yarfh REanch Canal


bill is unnecessary because the thrty-flth sec
ton OF the act of 10th April, lS49, (pamphiet
laws, page 642, already gives TO thls improve
meat all the surplus monies that, AFTER the ION
of August in every year, snail remain I'D tue
Treasury, after meeting the interest on the
State debt, and other necessary appropriations.
Under this act the North Branch already has
had appropriated to it $l50,O00 for the year
ending the 18th of August next: of which
about 1000 only has been drawnout and ex.
pended. leaving an undrawn balance OF $l2O,-
900 still applicable to this work ; and they will
be entitled 10 whatever surplus may remain in
the Treasury on the 18th of August next, in
addition and so on every year, until the canal
is finished to the State line. When we thus
gave them all we had, surely we had no right
to anticipate demand for more | say nothing
now of the policy of passing that law. had
no hand in passing IT, Had been a member
OF the Legislature when il passed, should pro-
badly have voted against it, and demanded that
our surplus means should all be carefully hus-
banded, and faithfully applied to the payment
of our debt and the reduction of our taxes;
not, sir, from any unfrlendly feeling towards
this Improvement, or the section OF the State
through which il passes, for which ! entertain
the most cordial and friendly feelings; but
from sense OF the more pressing duty owe
to my Immediate constituents. But sir, that
question is not now before US. The law is on
our Statute Book and we have only to obey
its reqsitions."
Mr.. S. then proceeds to show the ap-
preparation would in all probability lead to
an increase of the State debt. and then
adds
In the year l942 the State, finding the
present and prospective condition OF her hnan-
ces such that she was unable to prosecute to
completion this and the Erie canal, passed two
laws, giving them each to companies. on condI-
ton that they would complete them in GER
tain time, reserying to the Commonwealth the
right to resume them at any time after 1897,
on condition of repaying 10 the companies the
cost Of their completion with seven per cent
interest, and deductng therefrom the amount
of dividends declared and received by the
stockholders. At this time there had been eX-
pended on the North Branch canal, including
damages and interest, the sum Of nearly
S4,000,000: and, according to the report and
estimate of VIM. B. Foster, Esq, dlstin-
guished engineer, 1t would have required
Sl,l06,037 10 complete It from the mouth OF
the Lackawanna TO the New York State line,
in Athens township, Bradford county. !; will
thus be seen that the opportunity was afforded
to the inhabitants of Northern Pennsylvania,
to appropriate to themselves S4OO0,U 600 already
expended by the State on condition OF their IN
yesting and expending only little over one
million.
Under this, certainly very liberal grant, the
citizens of North Western Pennsylvania, pro-
ceeded to organize a company, IN compliance
with the terms of the law. and completed the
n - HI 81 fboy ~,
invest IN il. But they went TO work on II them
selves shouldered their picks and spades and
shoyels; put in their own labor, sweat and toll,
IN lieu OF money; pushed on the work with
en;erprize and judgement and succeeded, as
judgement and enterprise always succeed, IN
accomplishing the work Their canal is Row
in successful operation, without irs costing the
State cne additional dollar. They never asked
for any.
A feeble attempt seems to have been made
TO accomplish the same result IN relation 10 the
North Branch. company was organized ;
SI5O.0O0 of the stock was taken by the citizens
of the county adjacent. The residue, about
$500, 900. they suffered to fall into the hands
of New York fancy" men and spectators,
who, failing to pay, the entcrPrlze was aban-
doned, and has never been resumed, nor al
tempted TO be resumed.
Now, sir, one OF two conclusions IS inevlta Bile.
Either this work does not promise the reallza-
ton of the golden harvest when completed,
which we are now so confidently promised, or
the people Of this region have manifested such
a want Of perseverance, and enterprlze, as not
to enttIe them, with a very good grace, to IN
yoke the aid Of the Legislature again. But the
latter supposition does them injustice. They
are intelligent, industrious, enterprIslng people,
rich in all the elements Of social greatness and
individual worth; and would never have aban-
doned SO promising an enterprise, commenced
under such favorable auspices-they never
would have suffered the stock to be monopo-
lized by foreign spectators. and these foreign
spectators never would have relinquished the
undertaking, had it really promised TO yield
as rich returns as we are now assured II viii.