Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-06-27
The Sale of the Main Line.
PHILADELPHIA, june 10, 1857.

IHibADtLPHlA, June ioi 1901
: Editors Of the Sa,lay Transcript -
Ny attention has just been directed to that
part of the bill in equity, dled in my name,
against the Pennsylvania Railroad Compa-
ny, where it is represented the State Caua's,
between Columbia and pittsburg, have not
for many years realized sufficient income to
pay expenses, 1t Is undoubtedly correct
that the portion Of the Main Lue between
Columbia and Pit sburg, If the Port 'ge
Ratlyo I'd is included, has been unproduc-
tive, aad such was my instruction for
framing the bill. The omission to insert
the Portage kold was clerical error,
which did not discover until my attention
was called 10 it, and have instructed my
counsel to have the necessary amendment
made.
| The Canals of the Main Lire and the
Portage Railroad are connecting links cf
one work between the two termin at Col.
umbia, and Pittsburg. The Canal yielded
/ "a sOOO . . . . ~ ~ 80 ''
| Expenses. ............. l9S,Ol5 81
Nett income. ........,. 81 ,S76 36
/ The portage road, $40 047 23
Expenses, .......,.....l .l93,sO4 53
-- ---------
Loss on portage road. .sl73,757 80
Deduct nett Income of canals. 81 $40 36
Loss for 1856. ........ .S121 $50 94
The above statistics appear in det'il 10
the Canal Commissioners Report of 1885,
But, while this part of ibe Main Line is
uuprcductive, the other portion Of it is just
the reverse.
Columbia is..R. yielded, 1856, s953,O34 2s
Expenses ........,..,..... AIS, ,536 al
Nett revenue, Columbia r. R. s5o4477 81
Deduct loss on Canal and Por-
tage road, ............ 12l $50 9i
Nett revenue on the whole, $685., 500 93
Add tonnage tax, 1856, on
Penna. II, R. Sl97,29S 90 ..
Har'g & Lancas'r $4,000 o. 22O, ,3Ol sc
Net receipts for 1856, 5000 1893 10
paying five per cent. interest on 81 2 ,057 ,975
of the public debt. ...... H.e
This result excludes the expenditures for
improvements of a permanent character
the purchase of new machinery rebuilding
of bridges, &c. As these improvements
last for series OF years, it is.not considered
just to charge them wholly to the running
expensesof the year.
These items amounted, 10 1856, to the
sum of Sl7l ,0S4 al. Estimating the pro
portion Of 1856 at ten per cent per year,
as they viii continue serviceable f'r at
least ten years, there will be a deduction of
sl7,l0s Al, leaving the nett receipts 9555,
$50 30, paying FIVE per cent. interest on
ISIi,7l5, ,507 of the State debt.
The public is aware that the late act of
Assembly permits the purchaser to abandon,
at pleasure, the Portage Railroad, and the
western division Of the Canals.
This measure enables the purchaser TO
abandon the unproductivc part OF the publ
works The revenue of 1856, flowing from
the remainder Of the works, which the
purchasers are obliged to keep up, stands
thus:
The receipts at Columbia per
the Canal, including out let lock ,s7l,l33 OIL
Portsm nth ;. ............. 45,555 23
) Harrisburg ..........-..... 1926 As
Newport, .................. $500 OF
Lewistown, n,................ 1921 IL
Hunting gdou, 1891 sS
Hollidaysburg,. ls,42l II