Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-06-11

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Speech Of Gen. VIM, F. Packer.
Deliusred mAe Senate Of Pennsylvania
Friday, Feb 81, 1851, on the Bit to tas
tie York d. Cumberland Railroad Co.
tExPoErrD W. E. pRAKE.l
The Bill authorized the assessment of :
tax on the York l. Cumberland Railroad
Of 25 cents per ton on all freight, and 1;
cents per passenger en- all passengers pay
ing fare, passing over the said road, ant
was before the Senate on second reading
Mr.. Carson, of Franklin, proposed t.
amend the bill by striking out all after tn,
enacting clause, and inserting four new
sections, the first of which was as follows
S l. BE 1t enacted dc, That it shall be
the duty of the York g. Cumberland Rail
road Company, to pay into the State Trea.
sury, semi-annually, for the use of the
Commonwealth, under the provisions OF
the eighth section of the act to which this
is supplementary, the sum of three mills
per mile upon every ton of freight or mer-
chandise, except the ordinary baggage of
passengers, and ten cents upon every pas
senger paying fare passing over the road
of said company Provided, That coal,
lumber, iron ore, iron, gypsum, agricultu-
raj products, the growth Of this Common
wealth, and way trade and travel shall not
be subject to taxation.
Mr.. Packer said-Mr. Speaker The
question before the Senate is one of vast
importance to the people of Pennsylvania
1t is not only important to the district re-
presented by the Senator from Philadel-
phia Mr.. Crabb) who has discoursed so
eloquently upon it-and who has advoca-
ted the bill as reported By the Committee
on Finance with an energy and zeal de-
serving of a better cause but it immedi-
ately and yitally affects the whole valley
of the 1Susquehanna-the valley of the
Juniata-Cumberland Valley-the main
line of cur public improvements from
Harrisburg to Pittsburg-the city Of Pitts
burg itself-and indeed the entire Com
monwealth. / have given this subject
some attention, and think am able to
show, by facts and figures, that the bill on
your table, imposing unusual and ruinous
burthens on the York e. Cumberland Rail-
road, will infict upon the people of Penn
sylvania an irreparable injury-and SO far
from promoting the prosperity Of Philadel-
phia, whose interest it is especially inten-
ded to protect, TIE prohibitory tax propos-
ed, by driving the Baltimore trade from
your State, and compelling it to seek its
destined market by other channels, will
cripple the resources of Pennsylvania,
paralyze the energies of the Central Rail
road and thus disastrously affect the inter-
ests of Philadelphia herself If that be
true, ask you, sir, is not the subject
worthy of the serious, careful and candid
consideration of Senators? If it be true
that by thus preventing the trade and travel
arriving at the Capitol of your own State
from diverging at this point toward Balti-
more, after having passed over the Central
Railroad or your main line Of public I'M
provements between two and three hun
dred miles, you drive the Baltimore trade
off of your own canals and railroads, force
it out of your State-deprive Pittsburg of
her natural advantages-and ruin her for
warding merchants, and at the same time
confer no benefit upon the citizens of Phil /.
adelphia, nor on any other human being
in the broad limits of the State, what rea-
son, 1 pray you, can be assigned for adopt
ing policy SO unwise, so ungenerous and
50 suicidal? Sir, in the discussion of this
interesting question, l ask the candid and
serious attention of the Senate. Now, sir,
how does the question stand?
Mr., Speaker, an act was passed on the
2lst day of April, 1916, to incorporate
company to construct railroad from the
Cumberland Valley railroad at the west
end Of the Harrisburg Bridge to York. l
call the attention of Senators TO localities.
The road was to extend from Harrisburg
to York-thus connecting the Pennsylva-
MIA canal and Central railroad at Harris {
burg, with the Baltimore & Susquehanna J
at York, and consequently opening direct |
communication by railroad between Har t
risburg and Baltimore. The eighth Sec {
ton of the act of incorporation provides
"that it shall be the duty of the President
and managers of said company, as soon as
sand railroad shall be completed for the {
transportation Of passengers and freight,
to prepare full and accurate account of !
the cost Of said railroad authenticated by 1
the oath or affirmation of the President and {
Secretary Of said Company, and commu- c
nicate the same to the Auditor General, {
who shall file the statement in his office, {
and within six months after the compile {
ton of said railroad and semi-annually j.,
thereafter, n the proper officer or-of the said
iork d Cumberland railroad company ,
snali make out under oath or affirmation,
ana transmit to the Treasurer of this State ,
statement exhibiting the amount of tom :
mage, of whatsoever kind or description, I
and the number Of passengers that may I
have passed over the entire length of said I
road, between York and the connection on I
the Cumberland Valley railroad, during {
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