Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1852-09-24
Total,

York to PIttsburg, ~ 50
Out of which they pay the
Camden and Amboy Rail
road, 81 123
Horse power, City Railroad
tolls. and Incidental expen-
ses, say Is
| Canal tolls west Of mountains,
say Is cents and transpor-
tation from Blairsyille, to
! Pittsburg, on Canal, 57t cts. 72i-2 90
Which leaves balance of 81 so
/ Equal for the railroad distance from Phila-
| delphia to Blairsville 81 mills per mile. Of
the above sum, the State will receive, for the
use of her roads and the carriers thereon, as
| follows
Columbia ana Allegheny Portage
Railroad tolls, IS
Pa Bingham & Dock for carving
over Central Railroad, 20k
Worth an equal AMOUNT Oh Port
age Railroad, 20!-l 60
Leaving for Harrisburg and Ian
caster Railroad and Pennsyl-
vania Railroads, 20l miles in
length, 81 a
which is equal to mills per mle-wh;e the
charges on the State road, under the new ar
rangement, is ] mills per mile, nearly 20 per
cent more than the Companies.
But the amount charged by the State is too
high, and the rate agreed TO be paid to Bing-
ham s Dock, is also cents for every emf
grant passenger, more than the service is
worth.
The fact is, if the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company allow for their road and motive
power the same that they have been charged
on the State roads, nothing willremain 10 them
for transportation service. The rate paid Bing-
ham y Dock is, however but about cents
above its value, which, on an average Of
$4,000 emigrants for the next four wears, will
make loss to the State of SlG. 800. Add
this to $4,000 mail pay, in addition S l0S 600
on first class passengers, will make altogether
loss to the Treasury cf Sl36, 900. exclusive.
of loss on passengers carried at reduced rates
during Christmas holidays, conventions, &c.
for all OF which the Stale pay, uader the cor
tract, to Bingham Dock full rates, and upon
which the Company have only charged pro
rata rates
Wird.-Wo have little to say in regard 10
the question of law, which the contract in
wolves. The Canal Commissioners assert it,
legality, while Mr.. Tyson. the legal adviser Of
the Company, supported by Judge Bell ami
the best jurists OF the State, assert the CON
trary but as legal questions are ont of our
province, we Will leave their discussion to the
law SSIS ana tItlE GSGlSlOn 10 the court.
We do not assert that the Commissioners
have leased the road, but they have made
contract which is worse than a lease. T.
not only excludes all but the contractors
from the use of the road as much as lease
would do IL but 1t constitutes the State the
carrier, and makes her sustain ali the burdens
and incur all the risks Of such n relation; anal
while. it involves the same objections that
would apply to lease, it is far more danger
Gus and exceptionable.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company has
made 10 issue with the State as is asserted.
andthey will make none They have regarded
the Canal Board as a body constituted u
manage the Public Works in accordance with
the laws Of the State, and not in opposition to
them. If they have a legal right to make an
erc5Msire contract With any parties. the act cf
Assembly which authorises it can doubtless to
referred to. When was the appropriation
made TO purchase cars and build dcpot.?
We can no where find the law authorisng IT.
If no right existed to make these exnendi-
lures directly, there can be none to do il ind
rectly, by allowing individuals large excess
over the proper value Of the service sufficient
to cover them.
The money is abstracted from the treasury
just as certainly in this way as if a direct ar-
preparation had been made: but the manner
Of doing 1t is far more Objectionable, mas
much as the transaction is not an open one,
and the actual compensation of the carriers
may be excessive, which it must be in the
present instance, since these gentlemen have
asked Sl00, COO for their bargain, equivalent
to salary of So, 900 per annum for superin.
tendence.
True economy, the Commissioners argue.
does not consist much in getting work
done eheaply, as in paying for it we'll: the
price to be paid to Bingham & Dock, they
say, does not go beyond that Standard "a
fair rcmpneration." The public will form
their own opinions upon the propriety Of So
novel position.
BY what rule of propriety the Pennsylva-
MIA Railroad Company is to be excluded from
the privileges of the Columbia Railroad as
public highway, and the West Chester Com
pany admitted, it is difficult to conceive un-
der the disavowal of the Commissioners of
all hostility TO the interests of the Company.
We wish to credit their assertion, and must,
therefore, attribute their action to mistaken
idea that the interests Of the State required
it. Charity will not permit Us to assign 8
less creditable motive.
On these facts re make no comment. On
their face they show q contract made Stsrs::ly
and agGinst tie lalo. Whether they are true
or not we leave as a question of veraeity
with Mr.. Miller and Mr.. Thompson. And
ahat the effect of them is true, we leave to the
common sense Of the taxpayers Of this Com
monwealth.
Elect Mr.. Hopkins, and you elect the fac
tion who rule the Canal Board.
Elect Mr.. Hoffman, and you elect man
whose life gives you guarantee that he acN
and cUn SHl No To fhaca nd cip p,iIor ON troOeS