Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1859-02-09


Memorial Of the Citizens Of Indiana
along the line Of the Wabash and
Erie Canal, TO the Legislature CT In
diana.
10 ne Honorable ne Senate and House of R,p
raeniaiircs ~ As STATE Of Indiana.
The citizens 81 tic counties of The State o
indiana along the Wabash and Erie Canal
from the Ohio State line 10 Evansville. b,
tscir delegatcs convened IN assembly at Indi.
annapolis, on ihe 1t day of February. lsfg
present this. their memorial TO your honora
lie body. Your memofi1lists have been sud
deuly aroused into anxiety by the announce
msni contained ia the report Of the Board OF
IL sislefs Of The Wabash and Erie Canal. made
80 this session Cf eur honorable body. that
the revenues of said canal have been for two
years or mere Inad, qua;e fof It's nainianauce
and that tor want OF the necessary iJ.as they
will be unable 20 csut.nue its navigation du
ri z the coming season. CT even % open IL in
the spiing. This ANNOUNCEMENT has created
sfeat aiata among Your memoTalists, and
hey ore forced thereby to approhend tie most
~erieus disasters 10 their vital interests
Your houurably body must be aware of the
arrnnont. which. more than thirty years ago.
ie 1 the PEOPLE of tins State with vast prspara-
tisn. TO urdcrtake the construction OF the Va
bah and Bic Canal. The Development OF "A
long lire Of county, sud the supplying a
means Of transportation 10 distant make for
the accumulatieg productions OF that country
justified he state IN as Infancy 10 onlafk 10
lie enterprise for lis construction. and 10 in
cur. therefor. a permanent debt OF large
amount % Tax Ike yearly toll Of the peoP.e.
IAi- work has been completed, and taoagh
Il has failed To produce the revenue anticipa-
I
riiorv r,cd byit, all the benefits which il
q undertaken 10 secure. Il has given val
ur 10 he soil Bordering J. line, and rend. red
Ilr country attractive 20 migration. !. has
flied ilat couufrv WI reputation and cover
90 II wiih wealih, ana ~ has given that popu.
lt.ion medium. ot transportation for The pro
auctions al their industry "a markets Of sale,
ard for tie pre- rement Of tie foreign com.
modtlies required for taeir CONSUMPTION.
Many 81 your mesnerla.isfs have made vast
personal aud pecuuiary preparations for the
a n-r aud employ ment Of This canal. They have
pfcdicafed the entire calculations of seyeral
v.ar> upon The enjoyment os the buslues, ia
ciliiIe- furu.- sled ~ O., aud have 4 vested cap
iisl !. sting entirely upon it, which VII b. nj
icfly snbverlel AID lpst q It shall 30 longer
o. naa attained o.sers 81 them, hose farms
ave within reasonable range of Its waters. or
W hose Industrial vocation Ia Other spheres
have "a direct r. lafion 90 the facilities which a.
Las furnished, Will b.. IN such case. paral zei.
and all their cEe.isLed calculations utterly
Discounted.
O.hsrs Ct them are participants 10 the irci.
dentsl and lublic bentdts which afe she'd
abr, al osor tie ooautry, aud through the
tOs sns aul cities along Tie line of this canal
for -four bundled miles. where The habit AID
convenience. Of fhe people have tccons adap
I'd ia the establish. use and lofmcn,
liefeef nd our mcmoriali-ts OF thls class
relier Ils'eihe imiuent haadonmeni Of lhs
canal - a. impending calamity
Desites their wrecked fortunes. and the loss
II ihe toou-i1mtd benefits and blessings con
fefrsd IS the canal in It's ordinary epioyuent
your msnor.a ats fer,see as the result ~ D..
lcssf'ion and disuse. the Induction of posiiiv,
eyil-iu tie nature 81 stagnani pools ol water
aud consequent disfase
These are among the considerations which
have aroused ihe excitement of the people
a.0u1 thr iine a. the clnal aud ave con>frain.
el ihein 81 make fhi- special appeal io he ir.
te-positiou AID power ~ The General s-em
bly ofihe > ste.
Yaur msmonalisis know not what specific
rravl.leu toask let they appeal to the wis
y ai ef fhe LEGS laiure foi such action a. shall
avert as. ,npeuding cslaniiy.
1hes respectfully submit that it i contrary
iothe iDiSfe-t. honor. and dignity. as well a.
tlie dliy aul -siefnn obligations of The STAT.
expressed 2nd iupiiei. 81 suffer an abandon
ueo; ol thi- canal
IL n e-samed that the same can not be pre-
served 81 mlintaiaed except BY direct ap
rroprstian 81 So N'l or s75 y Per year
from The treasury offhc State. still your memo
r'alisis urge thef en the score 81 interest. 81
macy REASONS. i - expedi.ut.o % make such an
nal appropriation.
First The canal can not be abandoned
without vast dcstrurton 4 property along
tie line o. tie same winch. with Is Use. = q
positive and large value. but VIII Us disus,
+ IS utterly worthless. OF this nature are ou
warrlor orsc- for storage and shipment of grain
and mills ard factories. erected and operate,
by power lss,.ed ffom The canal. The alnor q
( of property az this uatsre ~ Estimated a ny'
hundred thousand dollars
Aeaia the decrease Ia the value of farmin.
lad sud ether real estate along is line. an
within he range Of is iulasEce b. givsu.
valne Go agricultural predictions. in he *
tent II fonr hundred miles between The OH
F line and Fvansviile. viii afnount 70 many mai
lions q dollars. 1oar loomoralists can no
furnish vilh The limited opportunity The
have. aecurate estimates II this decrease. Ia
from sufficient considerations feel warrante.
IN siaiing that Il will exceed the sun Of tucn
ty-fve mil lions of dollars.
Again your memoriaiis's urge, that "a
State can not srf,r this canal 20 70 down an.
with il he fortunes Of such q Your memorial
i~is a. are embarked upon it. without mssinl
compensation f8r their loss The Sale estaa
iished has canal - one 81 lsr permanent ia
slitaiious. Under forms a legislation the mo.
solemn and most strongly intending % i1vit
the sorhasncs aud galth 81 Ass sitlz~us. IN
spired - these SANCTIONS ihey have made "a.
invesrnenis upon this great public work =
They have erected warehouses aad mills an
ether costly buildings along - margin. al
fos is use They have built boats Ia nasigai
IL and 70 d. IL business, vithoat which, n
v ork itself. a. fsrnished By the Safe al II
Cos, Of Der millions, would hays been ussles