Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-03-03

now, beyond a doubt.
In the general report of the Board of
Public Works, they show dimunitionsin
receipts on the Public Works of about
eighty thousanddollars from last year.
They say that the falling off of receipts
is owing in a great measure to the dim
inished trade of the Pennsylya- MIA and
Ohio Canal.
Also that the majority Of the stock is
owned by the Clevelandand Mahouing
Rail Road, and that The same persons in
some instances, are Directors in both cor
porations, and that the increased rates of
toll or competition with the Rail Road,
have caused loss of revenue to the State
of over S2O,O0o.
In the next paragraph, speaking of the
Miami and Erie Canal, they say compe
tit;on with Wabash Valley Raj Road has
taken froInthe Canal large portion Of
business. In the next paragraph they
entirely change their views. and con-
clude after all. that the most efficient
cause of the greatly reduced income of
the Public Works is found in the general
arrangement Of the monetary affairs Of
the country and that during the three
fall months, but little produce was sent
forward, when in ordinary seasons the
heaviest shipments of property are made
during the fall months, and Of course
the greatest amount of revenue is derived.
We are gralifed TO perceive that the
$4,000 deficit in revenue is taken from
the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal, and
charged 10 the monetary arrangements
of the country-we concede them wisdom
in their last conclusion, in part.
/ The report also complains OF the d.
minished tonnage passing to and from The
Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal, and says ii
has been reduced abou, fifty per cent.
from 1856.
This we cannot allow 10 be charged to
the monetary account, ss we know a
large amount of freight might have been
!, obtained, from Cleveland TO New Castle;
learning this, we addressed letter 10 the
President of the Board of Public Works
Ohio, stating the fact, and expressing an
opinion that unless we offered shippers
: low tariff or toll, the ore would 90 for
. ward from Erie, by the Eric Extension
: Canal, to New Castle.
We also stated (as did letter from g
very respectable house in New Castle. q
copy Of which We sent, that in addition
to the freight on the ore, The boats woulC
have been back loade.l with iron nails, &c
, We proposed in this communication that
as the interests of Pennsylvania anC
Ohio, and Ohio Canals were identical ir
that traffic to fix a maximum for freigh
through from Junction to Cleveland, anG
have each canll share in proportion tc
the distance transported on the respective
canals. To that communication We re
ceiyed no reply, but understood from Mr.
Blickensderfer when he was in Warren
in November, that he had directed the
Collector at Cleveland and Akron tC
clear boats as was proposed, on condition
that our canal pass boats. On similar and
equal rates-this we did not, for the rea-
, son that we were not advised that such
was the case on the Ohio Canal, and
from the fact of our not doing so, he order.
ed areturn 10 the former rates, and obliged
boatmen TO refund the difference between
the low maximum We proposed, and the
local toll sheet rates. That exaction was
attended with the usual bad effects of moi
living up 10 agreements and furnishing in.
nocent parties for others wrong, and
caused the shippers 10 seek another road
to New Castle. Had our canal been no.
tilted of the conclusion of the board TO
Join US in offering low toll on the New
Castle traffic, we would gladly have pas.
sed boats on The proposed low tariff, and
believe both canals would have been
largely benefited by so doing. We hope,
the coming season, that arrangements
may be made so as TO insure the New
Castle traffic /; that cannot be done, other
than BY offering low tariff, in which
case, the tonnage and receipts on our,
as well as the Ohio Canal, will be largely
Increased.
By order of the Board.
! CHARLES SMITH, Prest