Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-02-02

ATTEMPT TO DEcEIvE THE PEoPLE.-
The PubEc Works Of Ohio have always
been, when in the hands Of the Democ-
raey Of the State a great source from
which was fed the thieving, worthless,
PFundering spirits Of the party. Expo
sure does no good-as long as the peo-
pie permit such men to control affairs,
stealing will enjoy an immunity. We
have before alluded to the S107, ,325
expended by the Board of Public Works
Of which they make no account in their
report. There can be no doubt that
the Board OF Public Works in their an
nual report, set about deliberately to
deceive the people, by dating drafts
upon the Treasury, to the amount Of
over one hundred and seven thousand dol
lars. SO that they might not appear in
their annualreport. The following arti-
Gle on the subject on the matter is from
the State Journal:
That sl05 395ii
Treasurer Breslin, in response to
resolution of the House of Representa-
tives, has made Report, and the same
is in print, showing that between the
l4th day of November and the 18th
day of January, he had paid out of the
Treasury, on account of drafts from the
Board of Public Works one hundred and
seuen thousand, three hundred and tUenty-
fve dollars and tpenty-uipe cents. This,
be it observed, at a season of the year of
all others requiring the smallest expen-
dItures for repairs. There had been no
disastrous floods or other providential
calamity causing damage requiring
large and unusual outlays to repair
The year passed had been signalized,
perhaps beyond any other year since
the construction of our Public Works,
for exemption from disasters of the
kind. The fiscal year closes with the
18th of November, to which time the
accounts are made up for publication as
information to the people. The show
ing, as thus prepared, was bad enough,
in all conscience. But resolution of
the House calls forth the lurking fact
that in the sixty days from the closing
of that account, and while the forces on
the Public Works were, or should have
been disbanded for the winter, the enor-
nous sum of more than one hundred
and seuen thousand dollars has been
drawn from the Treasury on account of
the Public Works. Thus reducing the
net proceeds of these works to less than
forty-eight thousand dollars for the year;
while the State is paying annual interest
on the cost of the construction of only
part of these works-(for the National
Road was constructed by authority of
Congress )-of nine hundred and nine
teen thousand .fUe hundred dolIars!-I
Showing loss to the State of eight han
dred and seUenty-one thousand tire hun
derd dollars per year!
On the 7th day of January, a Con-
vention was held in this city, before the
resolution of the House had called out
the mysterious facts of these heavy
winter drafts upon the Treasury; and
one of the present members of this
famous Board of Public Works was
nominated for reelection. Will that
candidate explain to the tax ridden
people of the State the necessity for ex
hausting the whole of the proceeds of
the Public Works, in the most favorable
seasons; and the propriety of hiding
S1O7, 900 from the public view until
after the nominating Convention? or
will he send in his declination?
The items constituting this sum of
SI07, ,395,29 were apportioned among
the different Public Works as follows:
Miami and Erie Canals $40 GOT 81
Ohio Canal 18 828 rs
Muskingum Improvement STA 38
Hooking Canal 8 $50 IA
Western Reserve and Maui
NEE Road 2 900 90
National Road 5279 81
Contingent Fund of Board / 24O 90