Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-07-25


thereby saved to the State. TO effect this OBJ
iect the more certainly, the track must be
cleared of all Distractions The Board of Ca
nal Commissioners and the forwarding COM
panies, had heretofore been found antagonists
bodies, and rather troublesome obstacles to
the procuring of just such legislation on the
subject as was desired. And to those two
bodies, those. who were observing with some
alarm the movements of this Corporation,
hooked for protection and defence against its
But with such mammoth
these small obstacles were not TO
be endured. and the hopes of profession and
defence, from these quarters, were doomed to
bitter disappointment. When the Legislature
met last winter, by some strange nsesmeric
Influence, the Canal Commissioners and the
Forwarding Companies we're suddenly conver-
ted from enemies into friends, and they and
the officers of the Company, and their depen-
dants and stool-pigeons. were all found coop
Grating like band of brothers in accomplish
ing the same common object. A general hue
and cry of corruption and bad management.
and of the worthlessness of this Main Line,
were again raised, the Canal Commissioners
leading in the chase, and the North Ameri-
can" and the smaller papers IN the employ Of
the Compuny bringing up the rear The
Legislature was again assured that the Main
Line had always been unproductive, and a
burden on the treasury that it had never been
of any value, and was growing worse and
worse every day; that it was falling Into de-
lapidation and decay, and would soon be worse
than worthless; that unless cold without delay
to the Railroad Company. and at very low
figure, in short time, 1t could not be given
away. AS if not sufficiently enlightened, by
all these disinterested friends of the public
improvements, and the State, touching the
public interests, the Chief Engineer of the
Railroad, with as exuberance of patriotism,
and an excess of generosity and public spirit,
above all praise. published at his o,on crpense
Of coarse, a.pamphlet of seventy-six pages.
entitled. s.The Main Line of the Pennsylvan-
ia State improvements; its History, Cost,
Revenue, Expenditures, and Present and
Future Prospective Value" laid handsome
copy on the desk of each member of that body.
and scattered them broadcast, without money,
and without price, all over the State. The
name of this author and public benefactor, of
course from motives of delicacy, was carefully
consealed from wondering and grateful pub
lie and that his readers might be duly i'm
pressed with his pamphlet, and his disinteres-
ted motives be above suspicion he informs
them in his predatory remarks" that " the
persual of these pages may possible convey the
impression that this publication has been made
by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company for
the purpose of depreciating the value of the
property of the State, and securing purchase
on more favorable terms. Such. however, is
not the fact, neither the President nor any
member of the Board of Directors of this Com
pany has had any participation directly or in
directly, in the preparation of this pamphlet,
nor was the manuscript seen by any of them
previous to its publication.
AS might have been expected from the dis
interested motives of the writer and the OBJ
jects in view these improvements according to
the pamphlet are sufficiently worthless. their
past history rough enough, and their future
prospects depressingly gloomy: The Main
Line has no cheering future darker history
awaits it than the past has furnished" The
best thing that could be done for the State,
would be to fill up the canal indeed he would
seem to recommend a general filing up of all
the canals in the country the Columbia Road
should be sold to the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company, and the clause imposing the three
mill tonnage tax should be repealed; it would
increase the revenue of the State and greatly
promote the interests Of the people generally.
Notwithstanding the A. p. r. r. was near
ly completed, and an unconditional appropri-
alton of $277 ,730 had then been made tc
finish the laying Of the rails, the representa-
tiyes OF the people. overcome by such cogeni
reasoning, and weighty considerations of pub.
lie policy, passed another bill for the sale o,
the Main Line. fixing 81 500, 900 as the min.
imum, and proposing to release the Company
from the three mill tonnage tax, if it would
condesend to take these worthless improve
ments off their hands at So, SOC, 900. The
tonnage tax last year amounted to S136, ,61O,
the interest at five per cent. of more than 80
7S2, 900, and if suffered to remain, in few
years, it would yield $3.50. 900, or 800, 900
the interest Of five or six millions at FIVE pc,
cent. But the Legislature. as Introductory
70 the total repeal Of this promising source q
revenue. without any consideration, at least L
the State, and without any benefit to the Goa