The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-05-24
Cost and Revenue of the Public Works.
The Maine Line for 1854 and 1856.

Tn the course of debate in the Senate
day or two ago, Mr.. Darsie submitted
a table, showing the estimate of the Ca
nal Commissioners, with regard to the ez-
penses of the Maine Line in 1854 and
1866. The total for 1854 is given at
s2,213, 1888, and for 1855 81 ,259, ll5.--
In the estimate for 1854, the item OF
S6O5,7s3 is included for new work on tho
Allegheny Portage Railroad. Also, the
item of s4s3, 900 for relaying portions OF
the track of the Columbia Railroad
Hence the striking difference between the
two years On the same occasion, MIR.
Mcconnell, of Indiana county, made a
poverful argument in favor Of the sale of
this branch of the Public Works, and
stated that during the session of 1854 the
Auditor General and the State Treasur-
er. on being called upon, had submitted
the following figures in relation to the
cot, revenue and expenditures of the
Public Works, to November 3Otb, 1898 ;
Cost of construction Of the
public works, S32, ,524, ,267 g.
Working expenditures to
the same date, l9,A90,857 90
Interest on loans to the
same date, 45.156, 796 13
Qua ranted interest in ia
yor of companies, 436,256 Is
Whole amount Of cost OF
the public works TO
Nov Both, 1853, SS7,6i6, lao 65
The revenue to the same
period was 25,342,02O
Balance against the i'm
provcncnts, SG2,3Ol 156 81
These facts prove that the canals and
railroads of the Commonwealth have eoss
the people, from their commencement to
the close Of the fiscal year 1853, sixty
two millions of dollars more than they
have yielded. Is it to be wondered at,
that taxation is oppressive and exhaust
ing under these circumstances. But Mr..
Mcconnell followed up the subject still
| further, and said
Throwing entirely out of view the o.
riginal cost of constructing these works,
let US see how the revenue and expcndi
lures compare. The revenue for twenty
three years, has amounted to S25, ,342 ,O20,
while the interest paid on the money bor
rowed to build them, was s35, ,127, ,796, an
amount exceeding s9,sl5,776 the gross
revenue received. When to this excess,
we add working expenditures, sl9,479,-
357, we have total of S29 81 D 5,633, as
the amount sunk in tweDty-threc years,
working of them not including the orig
| inal.
'The gross revenue received in these
twenty y-three years amounted to S25, ,342,-
020; the working expenses TO be SIS, ,499,-
S5l, showing net revenue in that per-
iod, of s5,s42, 1872, which is an average
of but S253, ,007 a year, or about three
fourths of Ole per cent. per annum on the
cost of total construction. The State
pays five and six per cent per annum on
it's loans, made to build the works, while
the works yield the State less than one
per cent Who is so blind as not to be
able to sec how burthens are, have been,
and now are, the Senate's proprietorship
of these public works, proprietorship
which certain men are anxious to perpet
uate, in direct disregard, | cannot help
thinking, of the true interests of the peo-
pie, whom they pretend to protect.
The amount sunk in twenty three years
working, not regarding the first cost, VIC
have seen to be S28, 3l5,633-which Is
an average loss of 81 ,274, 1893 per annum,
which deficit the taxpayers have been
compelled to meet, and will be compelled
to meet as long as they continue to own
this line of public works. How long will
they be quiet under this burthcn?