Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1858-01-01

this important division Of our public works: and il is
feared will continue to decrease them. Its management
has been satisfactory, and compared with other divisions
Of the public improvements economical The
nue. at the Treasury si7I0Ol 81, decrease of 500
093 So compared with the receipts the preceding
year. In addition 10 TIE ordinary expenditures, the
Of slG-d3 paid fo- the enlarge.-.ut and improve
merit Of this division
Ihe North Branch Extension Of the Pennsylvania canal
although far completed IN the fall of 1856, that boat
freghted with coal and other products successfully
passed through its entire length from Iston the June
tinn canal in consequence OF large portion OF the
Horse Race Dam having been carried away by the
feshe OF last spring. business the canal suspend
ed the part Of the past year. 1t repaired
during the summer and IN the fail business resumed
alonL its entire length soon after. the dam
again extensively injured by sudden and heavy freshe
and the greater part Of the canal rendered iclcs for
business. An appropriation viii be required to recon
strUct the dam.
This canal although useful valuable appears be
doomed to failure disaster These the Of
former mismanagcment and fraud in its constructicn-
Every effort has been made to repair the errors Of lis
early management and TO complete and render useiGl
this division OF public works Under proper man
agement it be successfully accomplished.
In pursuance the Of the 10th day Of May, lshI
providing for the sale Of the Nam Line Of the public
work. aftr giving the notice required by law, caused
the said Main Line to be expocdto ubhc sale at the Mer
chants Exchange in the city Philadelphia the th
day Of June last and sold the the Penn'y vaia
Railroad Company for the Of seven millions five
hundred thousand dollars the highest price bid for the
same and the minimum price fixed in the act.
Alter full compliance by The purchasers with the con
duon OF the authorizing the sale and the delivery OF
their bonds number ami for the amounts equal I" and
falling due at the time provided for the pay ment OF tue
respective in~taments. the Secretary Of the Common
wealth the 3lst day July. a. u, 1857 directed
by act transferred under the great seal Of the state
to the ~yvania Railroad Company their successors
assigns. the whole Man Line the public " rks be
tween Philadelphia and isburg, tcgehcr with all the
right title and interest clam and demand Of the Com
wealth OF Pennsylvania u all property. real per-o
nal and mixed, belonging To or used in connection with
the 10y the Commonwealth, and the purchasers
having gwen notice OF their readiness to take possession
Ia a
delivered the Company the first day Of August last,
O which notice was given to all Superntendents and
Agents Of the Commonwealth, by prOClimt atom bearing
date the 3ls day Of July 1851 as required by the law
authorizing the sale.
The bonds Of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in
the Of seven and onchalt millions of dollar were
c,vci by the Treasurer and held by him for the
Commissioners the sinking Fund the entire proceeds
Of the . .ae IL beng 9y Rs 5S af 5SS' ts payment
q tie State debt
Icarnot orbcar congratulatng the people Of the Com
mOuwcalth on the C0n-um!naou Of this sale Pubic
sentiment expressed through the ballot box and in
other forms equally significant demanded t-pubc policy
and the Interests Of the commonwealth required II. 1t is
done The many approve; few complain, those most,
have gained unenyable reputation by reckless dis
regard Of the pub c interests exhibited in the eXtruya
CANT useless and fraudulent expenditures Ui the public
ney for selfish or partZin purposes.
The sale of the Main Line has directed
public attention TO the importance and neces
sity of disposing Of the remaining divisions
of the public improvements. The reasons
and policy that required and justified the sale
of the one, apply with equal force to the sale
of the other. The proprety of separating
the State from the care and control of the
public works, is not only evident to all who
have given the subject candid and impartial
consideration, but the necessity is clearly
lIUu ana inaha-c.".i.s. .".s 'i.;o .ss.,>J,.
be a source of revenue to the Commonwealth,
and if retained by the State, will require an
expenditure in their repair and management,
largely exceeding ary revenue, that under
the most favorable circumstances, can be
derived from them. In any phase of the
question, this separation is desirable, but in
connection with the payment of the public
debt, and the reduction of State taxation, it
becomes an object of more than ordinary in
terest. A sale, at the earliest practicable
period, of the whole of our public works, for
a fair consideration, upon terms just and lib
eral to the purchasers, and at the same time
amply protective of the rights and interests
of the people, should be authorized by the
Legislature. Such sale, with the application
of the proceeds to the payment Of the public
debt, would secure its still more rapid extin-
guiShment. The subject is recommended to
your unbiased consideration.
The law incorporating the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company imposed a tax OF three
mills, per ton, per mile, on all tonnage passing
over that road, as an equivalent for any de
crease in the revenues of the Commonwealth,
that might arise from the anticipated compe-
tition of the road, with the business of the
Main Line of the public improvements. This
tax is not imposed upon the Company, but
upon the tonnage, and is paid by the owners
OF the freight transported over the road the
company acting as agents in its collection and
payment to the State. II is virtually a tax
upon the trade and commerce of the Com
mOnwcalth, and upon the commerce OF other
States whose productions seek an Eastern
market over this road and thus by increasing
the rate of charges and the cost of transl'or-
tation the produce of the W"St is forced upon
tho coupeting railroads of other States and
to .tI.- markets than our own. The neces-
sity that required this tax, as regards the
Commonwealth and her improvements. has
ceased. Its continuance can only be justified
as a revenue measure. 1t should be the
policy of the State to invite the transmission
of the products of Other States through her
territory to her own markets, and therefore the
propricty OF relieving the trade and business
of the Commonwealth and country from this
tax upon it, is respectfully submitted for your
consideration.
In consequence of the suspension of specie
payments by the Banks of this and the other
States of the Union, and the financial embar-
rassmcnt and general prostration of business,
| deemed it my duty TO call, as authorized by
the Constitution, an Extra Session of the
Legislature, to meet at Harrisburg on the
sixth day of October last. Although the re-
lief provided by this extraordinary session of
the General Assembly, was not as ample as
the eXgency of the case required, yet it was
productive of many beneficial results, and
served to allay the intense excitement and