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


cents on each passenger, more than the Stat
would have been required to pay, had TIN
letting been public.
Now, to satisfy the Canal Commissioners
Bingham & Dock, and the public in general
/ that there is no humbugging in what have
I stated, | make the following proposition tC
Bingham & Dock, viz II lciU IN connection
acith responsible men, agree TO carry all paSsen
gers oeer the lStOte road, tor them, al 3 mill,
per mile, or 24 cents md 6 mills for all through
passengers, by which they will clear on each
through passenger, l6 cents and 4 mills CT
Sl00,0 GOO in the next four years without being
subject to one cent Of expense, and for the
.faithtut performance Of tie contract I 1oal
gige as good security as tie State Of PeansW-
caaiG can produce only asking them i'll re-
turn 10 give me good security, that will not
be disturbed during their four years lease.
This proposition | dare them to accept.
have made it in good faith, with full
knowledge Of what | am about, and believe
that | understand the expense Of railroading,
quite as we'll as those who hold the contract.
To the friends and patrons Of Our Line
| return my most sincere thanks, for their
liberal patronage in sustaining us in our
darkest hours, and beg leave to inform them
that the cars Of Our Blue Line are now in
the repair shop, TO be fitted Up IL the very
best style, and the moment the Road is
open to competition again, (Which hope is
not far distant,) they Will be placed on it,
ready to accommodate the travelling public,
and keep down any imposition that might be
practiced on them hereafter.
DAVID MILLER.
We next call the readers attention to some
extracts from the excellent letter of Mr..
Thompson, President Of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, under date 10th August,
1852, and regret that we cannot give it at
length. Mr.. Thompson says:
1t is not our intention to ask public SYM
pathY in consequence of the apparent breach
of good faith On the part Of a member Of the
Canal Board under whose sanction the Com
pany purchased the cars of the old Eagle line
at $4,000 more than their actual value, and
engaged IN the transportation Of passengers
over the State road, with assurances Of his Of
ticial protection. These assurances tn" Pres-
ident IF the Canal Board now says he has
forgotten, although he recolincts the terms Of
the purchase, and frequently expressed his
srtisflcti0n at the great improvement; IN the
comfort % travellers. introduced by the nCv
ngement--cirCumstan in themselves
less the Company had not yielded the neccs-
sary facilities.
1t is admitted that the President Of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, after being
informed, III February last. that there was a
party endeavoring to secure a contract for the
mails over the Columbia Railroad. in connec-
ton with the transportation Of passengers
made inquiry rs TO the truth Of the rumor
Mr.. Morrison, one of the Commissioners, re
piled that such propositions had heen re-
ceived, but he did not state that the Board in
tended to consider them, CT by excluding all
other persons from the uso of the thorough
fare, ass3Nnae tie office Of common carriers"
Propositions of the kind had been before the
Board nearly every year, and not considered
for want of legislative authority; and were,
therefore, not deemed novel, or Of anv conse-
quence, except In connection with the trans
portation Of mails, which gave them, in the
view OF the Commissioners, an importance
that they We're not otherwise entitled TO-
This interview with Mr. Morrison was at
Washington city. On consulting the books
of the Post Office Department, the name Of
the party biddipg was ascertained: aud, on
representation being made TO him of his posi-
ton, he desisted from his object. and the whole
matter was considered a. at an end We
therefore assert that DO notice whatever was
given &c the Company Of the intention Of the
Canal Commissioners to make contract of
any KIND, or to become common carriers on
behalf Of the Commonwealth, or of the time
or conditions upon which proposals for carry
ing passengers would be received.
Second.-The material point at issue has
only been made fully apparent by the pub
lcation Of the contract of Messrs. Bingham
Il Dock, an instrument which eyinces a most
singular Indifference to the interests of the
Commonwealth, or a lamentabIe ignorance of
its ultimate effects upon the revenues Of the
State. 1t could not have been made more favor
able 10 the contractors if drawn by themselves
with no other object In view than the advance
ment OF their private interests. They assume
no risk, no responsibility, and participate in
no reductions Of fare Oh long travel to meet
competition, or on excursions or otherwise,
while the State, under the terms Of the con-
tract, sustains the onerous responsibilities
and risks of common carriers, ana must bear
all losses TO lie, limb and property, and all
Of fare
The favored contractors have GOOD reason
for the demand of 100000, which they ask
as the bonus for which they Will sell their
contract to other parties. They certainly de-
serve credit for tact IN obtaining so favorabIv
a contract from gentlemen, so keenly alive to
the interests of the State, that have been
able to discern in the most simple and equit-
able propositions Of the Company sinister de-
signs upon the revenues of the Common
wealth. Singular as it may appear they
have published to the world a contract which
convicts them of giving to other parties under
exclusive privileges terms at least 65 per ct
better than those upon which the Pennsylva-
mia Railroad Company have been performing
the same service, under an arrangement
which involved no violation of the law. but
which left the State road open to the free use
and competition of every citizen of the Com
monwealth, as intended by the Legislature.
From a careful perusal of the contract re-