The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-11-22

respect, VINO THINKS we nave been too ready
to censure the conduct of the Trustees of the
Canal, and to impute to them wilful neglect
of the Southern portion of the canal. He
thinks more intimate knowledge of the
facts and circumstances, would have led us
to different conclusions. He assures us
"there is no settled policy entertained by the
Trustees of the Canal, to neglect this end of
the work. He says Mr.. Bowling, the resi-
dent Trustee at Terre IIaute, was among the
earliest and most strenuous advocates for the
extension of the Canal to Evansville, and did
as much good by his pen and personal exer-
tons as any other man in the State, to ac-
eomplish it.
"The Trustees, he says have always re-
garded the Canal as a unit, and never enter
tanned the idea, for a moment, that one por
ton of the Canal could be neglected without
detriment to the interests of the bond-hold-
ers as well as the citizens of the State
They have never passed any order, nor given
any instructions that, in the slightest de-
gree, gave preference to either end of the
Canal"
The reports, says our correspondent,
that have been made from time to time
show that the expenditure per mile, on the
canal, South of Terre Haute for repairs have
been nearly as great as North of that point,
Notwithstanding great many old structures
have been rebuilt on the Northern portion
Our citizens will admit all that our cor
respondent asserts of the views and acts of
the Trustees-we have never doubted but
they were fully persuaded that no portion
of the Canal could be neglected without
prejudice to the interests of the bond-holders
and the people; for they would be very dull
men if they did not think so-nor has it
ever been alleged against them that they
were ever weak enough to place upon re-
cord evidence of their Partially by passing
orders expressly in favor of one section to
the neglect of others-and no one denies
but the expenditures for repairs per male on
the southern section have been as large as
those made in the North. But this rigid
equality of expenditure is one Of the chief
subjects of complaint. A new portion of a
canal is subject to far more casualties, and
demands more frequent and expensive re-
pairs than the old and firmly settled parts.
Moreover, it is notorious that our section of
the canal was built "upon the cheaps," and
in a manner to involve the least possible ex-
in, tO nj 10
tract with the State, and to answer the first
temporary purposes. 1t has, consequently,
needed unremitting care and extraordinary
Expenditures to keep it navigable. Neither
has it received. We judge of the manage
rnent by the success of the enterprise. We
know that sagacity, activity, and attention
will extort great results fom badly con-
structed public works.
A total failure is, of itself, a condemnation
of its management in any business. If the
Trustees have been impartial in their at
tentions to all parts of the Canal, there
must have been ga mastery inactivity y
throughout their Superintendence; for never
was one of them seen upon this section o.
the Canal till DR.. Barton was elected to the
trust.
Our correspondent says that on the Pc
tersburgh section-the most difficult to keeI
in order. Mr.. Osborne was placed because
of his long experience and known ability as
a Superintendent. Since he has had charge
of it there has been but few breaks. The
last two that have occurred on that section
were caused by persons wanting employ
ment, who had become impatient waitI {
for breaks in the natural way, and so they
cut the bank in place to give them the
longest job in repairing it. The place has
been examined by the writer-an expert
enced engineer-who declares it could no
have occurred in any other way. Their
had been no indications of previous weak
ness at the spot. The first break had beer
repaired but few days, when another wal
made on the opposite SIDE near the SAM
place. These breaks were never made b,
ordinary means. They were the acts O
villains and could not be provided against
This indicates bad state of morals il
the community, as well as Of affairs in til
canal Office at Terre Haute. \ few hundre
dollars expended in the wages of watchmen
under regulations similar to those establish
ed by Mr.. Smith, on the lower section-an
;, sndcfters of rewards for the detection of til
orts oefedators- have saved the expen
,tioditure of many thousands of dollars in re
pairs, and prevented the interruption c
navigation, and the vexation and cost at
tending it. If Mr.. Uowes is elected to th
Trusteeshp we will guarantee that Their
will be no more breaches made by rogueS t,
get work.
The writer is fearful that the attacks {
the newspapers are likely to prevent tina
good feeling towards the work Throughout
the State that we are likely to need so 500
to enable the Trustees to maintain the wcr
at ALL The newspaper attacks are nothin
more than the mutterings of the feeling
which the past mana cement has already alicr
cd from the canal. The newspapers cannc
deprive it of what it has already lost. If
Trustee shall be elected as deeply intqreste