Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-05-16
1DB RAPRgE1AloG DOU@nA1a
REMARKS OF MIR. MCCONNELL,
OF INDIANA COUNTY,
On the Bill for the sale OF the Main Line of the
PUBLIC WORKS

| Mr.. Mcdonnell offered the 10itOwIng AS a
new section, which was read: .sThat the pur-
chaser or purchasers of the said main line,
| shall be bound ever, after receiving possession
| of~th same, and such or any part thereof, TO
| keep in good repair and operating condition,
the entire line of said railroads and canals,
from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, with the ne
cessary tol-houses, water stations. locks bull
dings and other aprurtenances. and shall fGr-
| nish the necessary locomotive engines and mo-
| tive power for the use Of all persons or cOmpa-
| nies engaged or wish ng TO engage IN the
| transportation Of tonnage or passengers at
| such times and in such manner as to not i'm
| pair the use and enjoyment Of said railroads
| and canals, by said parties; subject, nevcrti.e
! less to such rates of toll as shall be assessed,
not exceeding the toll sheet of 1854, pub
lisfed by the board OF Canal Commissioners.
| it being the true intent and meaning Of this
| act that the said main line, and every part
! thereof shall be and ever remain n public
highway, and kept open and in repair by the
purchaser purchasers thereof such. for
| the free use and enjoyment of all persons dc
| string to use and enjoy the same
Mr.. Mcconnell said, he and his constituents
were not only anxious for sale of the public
works but they desired guarantee from the
purchaser or purchasers, that the line should
be forever kept open, in its whole length, as
public highway, for the use, under proper
| charges and restrictions, of the business pub
| lic for the promotion of whose interests twas
! originally undertaken by the Commonwealth.
| AS they stood, as one public Improvement,
| they challenged admiration; and ii properly
managed, would prove to be, not only of i'm
| mense value to the public, but productive of
| large income to the owners. a bill very sim
! liar to this in many of its provisions, bccamea
| law at the last session; but it contained ma
| ny oncrous terms and conditions as to fail to
| attract bidders. The general project Of a sale
had then received his cordial support; aud he
had voted for that bill, though regretting tie
! adoption OF some of its provisions. lie hoped
/ the Legislature would draw useful lesson
| from this experience, ard now try TO pass
| measure which wouidat once protect the Com
! monwealths interests, and secure the honora-
| bic transfer % the works. No question has
! been more earnestly and intelligeutly discuss
! ed by, and before the people, than the sale OF
| the public works, and to none had they given
more unequiyocal evidences OF their approval.
! ConSant and unremtting efforts had been
made to deceive them as to the value of these
| improvements; but the system of deception
/ had not been so complete 10 blind them to
! the real facts Of the case. Some Of these
| facts as revealed from official quarters, will
| throw great light upon the question.
| In report made to this House, at the scs
sion OF 1854, by the Audtor General aud State
! Treasurer, in reply 70 resolution OF inquiry
/ for the cost, revenue and expenditures Of the
| public works, the following statements are
made, being to the 30th OF November, 1851
| Cost of construction of the public
works, So, 52i 291 81
Working expenditures 10 the same
date, l9499,SJI o3
| Intcrest on loans to the same date 35l56796 l3
| Guaranteed interes: in favor of
companies. 436. .2j6 I5
Whole amount of cost ofthe public
works to November 80, 1853. S}76i6.l76 60
| The revenue to the same period was 25.3i2O20 -
! Balance against the improvements, So 304 l56 6I
| These official and reliable facts prove, that
! the public works OF the Commonwealth have
cost the people, from the commencement 90
| the close of the fiscal year 1853. sixty-two
millions Of dollars more than they have yield
ed. Since this report was made, another years
| folly has been experienced; about million
and a half of dollars were expended to complete
| the New Portage railroad, and the North
| Branch canal. and relay the track of the Phil
| adephia and Columbia raiiroi al and this
! sion $4,000 more asked for the Portage
road. Such are. in brief the results which
| have attended the Commonwealth's ownership
| and working of this line OF the public works.
! Throwing entirely out OF view the original
cost of constructing these works, let us see how
| the revenue and expenditures compare. The
| revenue for twenty-three years, has amounted
to So, ,3i2 ,020, while the interest paid on the
money borrowed to bnild Them, was S35, ,l2I,
196. an ount exceeding SO ,S15.T7G. the gross
| received. When to this excess we add work
| ing expenditures, Sl9, 40 ,357, have n total
of S2S 81 ,633, as the amount sunk in twenty
| three years working of them not including
| the original cost.
The gross revenue received in these twenty
three years, amounted to S25. .3Il 020; the work
ing expenses to be SIS, ,499 S51, showing a net
revenue in that period, of S5 ,Si2. .l62, which.is
| an average of but 1888 .007 a year. about
of per cent per annum on the total cost of
construction. The State pays 5 and per cent.
per annum on its loans, made to build the
| works, while the works yield the State less
than one per cent. Who is so blind not 10
be able to see how burthensom, has been. and
now is, the States propretorship of these pub
lie works, propretorship which certain men
are anxious to perpetuate, in direct disregard,
! / cannot avoid thinking of the true interests
of the people, whom they pretend to protect.
| The amount sunk in twenty-three years
working, not regarding the first cost, we have
| seen to lie S2S ,315 633-which average
loss of 81 PA 1893 per anrum. which deficit the
| taxpayers have been compelled to meet, and
| will be compelled TO meet as long they con-
tinue to own this line of public works. How
| long will they be quiet under this burthen?
| He wished not to deal in defamation, but to
| confne himself strictly to facts and figures.
which better became him, and better suited his
| purpose OF plainly and fairly stating the facts
| by which the decision Of this question should
be governed. But he wished to all the atten-
/ tion OF the House to one more dcvelopment.-
| The revenue for twenty-three years had been
| put down at 25 900 900. This was doubtless all
that was received at the treasury. Who believes
it was all that received by the collecting
! officers of the Commonwealth Is il possible
| that the gross receipts for freig ghtS and paSscG-
gers on all the public works for all these years,
| have been bur fraction over & million per an
nun No one can so believe, who is acqaint