Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-02-03

county are engaged in supplying Of wood for
the use of the Portage Rail Road-as this bust
ness gives employment to many honest, hard
working men. we may say that our community
are t,y this sweeping accusation Of the Canal
Beard, implicated IN the charge of fraud.
1t is due to our citizens and TO the Canal Board
themselves, that the charge thus seriously made,
should either be proven or be withdrawn: at all
events, examination into it's truth is of the
} most urgent necessity; it is due TO them, it is
their right, that most rigid scrutiny be institu-
/ ted, that the facts and figures be produced, and
/ let the fault rest where It justly belongs.
In this regard, we are happy to state that our
immediate representative, Mr.. Collins, has shown
that he was actuatcd by the proper sentiments,
and that he fully understood the feeling of his
constituents N the debate on the resolution Of
/ fered by Mr.. Stewart of Butler, : that the Canal
Board be directed to furnish the papers and facts
in relation to the alleged fraud upon the Alleghe
| ny Portage Rail Road, Mr. Collins concurred,
| and told the House that be did not ask as fa-
vor, the passage of the Resolution. but demanded
, it a right justly due TO his constituents,
against whom charge Of fraud was directly
| made"
| We repeat, that an investigation must be had:
carraitfon 4An-.Id bo eTr.ei4,ted, TO thoroughly
sift these transactions; the charge is too serious
| for whole community to lie under; we do hope
| that the matter will be Immediately acted upon,
and therefore shall not at this time, take up and
review in detail, this very extensive report we
do not wish TO meet assertion with assertion, but
! proof with proof.
We think that the Board in their report have
| laid themselves open to criticism, Take the fol-
| lowing:
| g Takethc article of wood for example, and it
cannot be doubted but that the State has been
| imposed upon to large amount, notwithstand-
ing the payments have generally been made upon
the certificates ofthe inspector appointed for that
purpose, the only exception to this rule being q
few thousand cords which were taken up by 9th
| er officers of the road, in the absence of the in
sPector. The conclusion is therefore irresistible,
| that either fraudulent certificates must have
been issued, or the officers deceived By the par
ties furnishing the wood. The Board incline to
the latter opinion"
! Now how does this conclusion come to be 9 IT.
| resistible g. The Board have offered no reason
ing from which an irresistible conclusion could
| be derived: they merely mention that I state OF
! things existed under which fraud might be posi-
| bic, and it is from this mere mention that they
| alone draw the - conclusion
Further, they ask, q Who can believe that
seventy thousand three hundred and fifty dollars
worth of wood could be consumed in the trans
portation of given amount of tonnage and num-
Der of passengers, over thirty-siX miles of this
road, when it required but sixty seven thousand
| six hundred and Lightweight dollars worth to
transport, at least equal amount, over eighty
one miles Of the Columbia Road"
| Now, we ask can it be actually possible that
| the Canal Board, are ignorant Of the fact, or
could have forgotten it, that the Superintendent
of their favorite Columbia Road, in his detailed
statement of the Motive Power Expenses for the
year 1858, expressly states, that, for the article
of fuel, in addition to SG7 ,688 for cord wood, he
| paid out S32 oil for bituminous coal, making a
total of 500 500 required for fuel that road for
! 1858 how could they, we ask overlook tins fact
with the figures before them!
| We are satisfied that upon an investigation Of
the relative merits cf the Columbia and Portage
Roads, the latter would have nothing to fear
| much as the Canal Board seem inclined to favor
! the former; now in this instance, they put the
figures for fuel used their pet, S32,211 too low
and those for the Portage at the very highest
notch, and on the next page, admit that the Dis
bursting officer, on the Portage, during the year
! 1888, paid out 900 on bills of wood lumber
OIL &C., which of right belonged TO the expendi-
! ture for 1852: how much of this is chargeable to
| to the wood account, they do not say, but ass1-
ming Sl5, ,GO0 of 1T which is certainly very mod
/ crate, as chargeabe to that account, and there
remains but $50 600.
| 1t is to be regretted that the Board have dis
played such indecent Haste in getting up these
charges; and we regret exceedingly to be COM
| pcllcd to make these animadversions upon Dem
ocratic Board of Canal Commissioners, but were
! they ''70 900" times Democratic, it would be
our luty, and we cannot shrink from the pcrfor-
nance OF it. Our citizens cannot suffer anv man
or set Of men, to make political capital at their
| expense; this bluff game Will not win, there
must be an investigation, and the Canal Board
must show their hands; If they can beat us, we
will at least have the pleasure of seeing what
they do it with.
An Old SOI6jeT E0na