Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1854-02-16
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We have received from Harrisburg copies OF a
statement furnished 70 the Legislature oy me tAu-
litot. GenefaI and State Treasurer. OF the cost,
revenues and sex penditnres of the Public Works
! of Pennsylyania; in obedience to a resolution
passed by the House. on the 9TH day of January,
calling for such statement. We look upon 1t as
the INST irnt mi document which has ever been
isbed ui,on the question of our Pubic Works
IL IS b most astounding Development to the tax
payefs of this ,Commonw ealth. Everybody, we
believe. supposes OF has made np his mind 10 the
CONCLUSION, that the State Works annually entail
o loss upon'th people. and that they impose upon
the citizens very heavy burthen of debt, but
very few, we imagine, are prepared for the reyela
lions made IN the statement furnished 10 the Leg
stature.
According to the pamphlet before us-and il
'bearthe Official fMprSndtiR whole cost of all
the Public Improvements made by the Sta lie up TO
the end of theSfscal Year 1858, was
Cost, s32.542 .267 n
Expenditure 10 same date, ts,49s.s5 03
Interest on loans for The Public sS6f
improvements up 10 same date, 35,16I,I96 is
GuuranterdI Interest, d - - tsssss 446i 256 l5
r.Fbs sse'lzss aft7d $50 te = 49, = 20
The whole amount iexpendedfn ssSe el
our Public Works from their
commencement TO the end Of
the iscal year 1858, Ss7,64e, III os
Revenue finn all the Public j
Works from their completionto 2l
the end of the fiscal year 1853, %, $40, 020 Al
Balance. -.se..7s ss2,so4,166 81
In other words the Public Works of this State,
from the time of their commencement 10 the LIST
Of December, 1883, haze cost the people oper sizty
tcs millions of dollars moro than they hare ytiaed!
II IS apeaSa nj picture TO look al, rulyl Butthis
is not the worst oft; Tor al least two millions nore
are wanted 10 complete the new PoTtage Road, and
the North Branch Canal, and relay the track of the
Columbia Rnadj making total oil stSty-iour mil
lions of dollars which the ublic Works have cost
over and above theirSrevenue.
Look, again, at some OF these figures more IN de.
tall TIE revenue from the Public orks for %
years is Set down at SIS, $4,000, aud tlieir lnter-
est their cost nj S35. l51 796; that we have
paid IN interest on telr cost Of their construction
So, SIS, I76 moreGhansthey have Yielded oil gloss
revenue. In the period the expen1itu. es ON
these works have been ,i99 S51, which Is 10 be
added 10 the foregoing sum of S9,SI5,716, making
tU.al of S29, Sl5;633 wDiclt. these Works have
Cost, more tlan they ,haye yielded, independent of
the hrSt cost OF uielr construction. Tske anolher
Revenue of State Works. % years, S25, 342, 020I
Expenditures ON same, do I9,499,s5I
Net revenue for % years, S5,s42.I63I
This would give an average Of S25s,0 n year,
aud would be about three fouIths of one per cent.
per annuln onIhe total cost of ;heir cunslrucloE!
We pay6 aud Gper cent upon the money we bot-
rowe.ilo. bulld them, aud we receive a Return oil
only three fourths Of one per cent!
Counting the interest which we pay annually
and he expenditures on the Public Works, and
deducting therefrom the gross revenue OF these
Works. they have cost Us Tor the last twenty-ihree
years, age of 81, 274, 1913 yearly. than
We have received IRON Them. This we have 10
meet by tnxalIon, and Tie heavy debt OF torty
millions is sill US 6urthensome ever
Will the people submit 10 this ate of affairs
any Iongerl The Whig party proposes to sell,tiese
Works--tliese are not only unproductive but
penSive Works-and thus relieve the State from
portion Of er debt, aud the Lurthen OF keeping up
Works which cost more 10 keep them going than
they yield; but Gov. BIgler opposes this, md as
can a ali
Stale of ihings revealed by his ow II officials The
approaching State contest is 10 be fought partially
perhaps mainly, on this issue, and no tue Penn
SylvanIan eau hesitate TO winch side he will
take.=R.tfs. Gnx.. - Il. -