Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1859-01-14

To the Gen. Assembly ofthc State Of Ohio

To the Gen. assembly ofthe State Of Ohio!
A Convention of delegates, representing
many Of the counties Of tho State, having
assembled at Columbus on tho eth of Jan
uary 1859, to take into consideration tho
future policy which should be pursued in
reference 10 our canals, represent,
That the construction of the canals Of
Ohio has been the principal cause of our
States prosperity, growth and greatness; (;
that they have boon the means Of clearing
cur lands, making the cultivation of our
soil profitable, building up our mauufacto-
res, rendering the minerals Of our State
valuable, furnishing avenues Of extended
commerce, and bringing the State Of Ohio
from a wilderness into State Of general,
active civilized industry; and although
many other channels Of intercommunica-
ton have been established, yet our Canals
have been heretofore, and if properly man
aged, will in the future be, the great regula-
tors Of our internal commerce.
The sale Of the canals, would, in our
opinion, result in their ultimate abandon
ment, as no securities could be given by
purchasers which would be lasting iu their
nature, and in no case beyond the lives Of
the present generation. If a sale should
take place, tho abandonment would follow
whenever the purchasers should find it un-
profitable to keep them up; or when the
canal business iuterfered with other business,
railroad or otherwise, which, in tho opinion
of the purchasers was paramount to the in
vestments in the canals.
The great benefits derived from the ca
nails are not tho production of revenue, but
to enhance the value of property, and in
crease the business Of the State; because
the money invested in the canals, although
sometimes lavshly and recklessly sxpend-
ed, has benefited the State in sum
amounting to several times their cost, and
therefore the State may well Keep up the
canals, even at sacrifice, when individuals
would be justified in sustaining them only
when their revenues made them a source of
profit And further, these benefits are not
confined merely to the counties along their
tline, but the cost of carriage on the canals,
regulates, to great extent the cost oftrans-
portation on all our railroads-the canals
fixing the general average cost of transpor-
tation; therefore, were it not for our Canals,
many of our railroads could and would es-
tablish higher rates than they now do, and
consequently depreciato the price Of all ar
ticles for transportation at the home mar
ket, and secondly, the value of taxable
property would be SO reduced that the State
would lose far greater sum than has ever
yet been expended to keep our canals in re-
pair. The canal counties now pay a much
larger amount of taxes than all the other
counties; and the abandonment Of the ca
mails, and the consequent decrease of taxa
bic property in the canal counties, would
require the other counties 10 pay a larger
tax than they now pay.
AS proof of what we have said, we
would refer to the policy pursued in refer
ence to the Ohio and Pennsylvania canal,
about one-third of the stock of which is
owned by this State, and the other two
thirds by individuals interested in Railroads.
This canal is so managed that all business
has been driven from it, and is now monop-
olizcd by Railroads.
While wo believe an honorable and fair
competition between tho Railroads and ca
mails of the State would be beneficial to the
interests of the people, we think the Legis-
lature should interpose its power to prevent
an unjust policy on the part of the railroads,
which sometimes seem more intended to in.
Ijure the business of tho canals than pro.
mote the best interests of the roads.
Your memorialists earnestly request that
you make sufficient appropriation to put
tho canals in thorough repair. If this j,
done and rate of tolls established suf-
fciently low to invite business, tho revenue
heretofore derived from the canals will be
amply sufficient to sustain thom, and these
great works, which are tho cause and the
present monuments Of our States grsatnes,
be preserved to benefit coming generations
J.W. UNDERHILL, Chairman.