Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-02-02

The stone aqutduct at Cab Creek isl 6
more dilapidated than i was year ago,
md II uSt snon fail. il having settled aud {
Ipalled within the last year, ve'y consid
,rably. Lcck 6, at SIsbtoWn, is, with
difficulty, Kept suffi' iently wide 10 pass
,natS, Notwithstanding tour inches were
;ut off the face OF the wall. With a mild
winter, it will probably stand anolher
Fear. In our last report, we stat-d that
.he Lowell dam required repairs to the
im1unr ot S725; the work 10 be done is
crib below the dam. Two years ago.
about three four hs of the crib was replac
ed, and The remaining one fourth, with
partial repairs, was supposed safe tor one
wear 1t will, most unque>tionably, hsve
10 be put in the coming season. The Shs
mango aqueduct has stood some years
lnnger Than the preceding aqueduct. A
number of trunk linibers failed, The last
season, and were rel lIced with new ones
In our opinion, an entire new trunk will lie |
required next season, the estimated ex-
pense OF which, is SI55u.
ln o'der to ec0nOmise, the Directors
have dispensed with the services OF an
Engineer, consequently are without a
report on repairs, for the coming season.
The estimated expensa, last year, was
made by Geo Robson, E>q (whoSe char
acter siards high for ability and integrity J
,uG amounted 10 ever S50,OUO, for The
repairs of 1853. Duri z tie last year.
rs you will perceive by The exhIbiI, but
few extraordinary repairs were made, be-
Iieving in the policy of sustaining and
ing ;he old structures as long as possible;
consequently, nearly all the work speci
fed in our last, still remains 10 be d me;
and in addition 10 The extraordinary repairs
tina, are developed this season, making III
ii ON S55,UOO to S60,000.
The experience of all engaged on ca
nails, warrant US in saying that breaks
ird disasters happen to paris that e'ore
had been considered the most SECURE, a.
wa, the case on this canal in l~42. Al
hat time, Ia one night. damage was done
10 the amount Of over S20,0O0, on VOL K
consider, the most >ecuIe on the line.
We stated to you. Thai IN view of lhe
certainty Of the wants of the Company
to make the foregoing repairs, il was NJ
C. ssary 10 provide funds for that pur. osa
rs in no cnntirg ncy could We res Sd lably
expect to borrow funds, or receive The
r. CURED aid from -sFuekicl,irrs. We
have, therefore, declared dividend oI
one rer cent, and placed the resi- ot
the funds subject 10 call, On interesr; be-
liveing prompt response will be made,
AS the wants OF The canal require.
Much has been said within one or two
wears on the suhjecr Of high tolls, mostly
vious 10 The eensiruc ion of Il e Prnnsyl
vanis g. Ohio Canal, coal mines in the
Mahoning valley were Of little value, the
market being confined % limited ex,eD
Of country. that was supplied BY ans
and the numb, of mins 50 numerous
and The price so low hat owners barely
made sufficient from their sales 10 pay
mining expenses.
Awaiting themselves Of the canal, they
are now enabled to ship their coal to dis
raHt markets, and in place of mere NOM
inal bank prfii, they now realize a return
in most cases Of over so cts. per ton foI
the coal in The mines. An acre of coal o.
The ordinary thickness OF vein. in the Ma
honing Val-y contains from 4GOO 70 5G0:
I ns, and amounts 10 from $1,000 u $4,000
This great enhancement in coal lands, in
the Mahoning Valley, is owing entirely
TO your large investment, in The canal
and from which you cannot receive one
per cent. on your investment, at the rates
charged last year. Had tie Ioll rates oI
1856 been charged last year, Nth The
diminished trade of the canal, The reve
nue. derived would not have paid the
expenses sufficient 10 have kept il in boat
ng condition. Such a policy would De
disastrous TO such as still have no otheI
avenue by which TO ship, as is The case o.
all mines east of Youngstown, rendering
their mines vIlueless thereby.
On all property transported on the ca
nal. we have endea, orej 10 fix toll thai
would develope trade, encourage ship
mems, and con r;buie 10 the continuance
and usefulness of The work; no; expect
ing to realize for the present, certainly
not more than one per cent. on the capita
invested. A low revenue of one per cent
ought not to be complained of by coal ship
pers, for the reasons that they could afford
to pay a higher tariff Than they now pay
and still have q return for their invest
menis equal if mol 8 psrior to that Of AM
made 10 The country. i, is due 10 many
shippers, TO say that in view of charging
1858 rates 10 sustain the canal, they con
cede the necessity and say, should it be
necessary 10 pay even higher toll, and
el al lower prices in the Lake market.
their bank profits would permit depls
rion, and snil probably leave margin
sufficiently large to stimulate as large
81 ipmenis as the markets demand.
On account of the suggestion being
made by some Of the stockholders, as to
the policy of abandoning that part OF the
canal west of Warren, between whic'
point and Akron il is most out Of repair;
consequently requiring most of The funds
set apart for repairs, a resolution was
offered at a meeting Of our Board, and
adopted. as Gllows:-
| Resolred, That the President Of the
Company be auihorized to obtain from
Reuben Hitchcock, his careful opinion
as to the power of the Company 10 aban-
don the use of any part of its canal, and
its effect upon the right and power Of the
company 10 keep open and charge tolls on
the residue Of the canal.
Judge Hitchcock's opinion is as fol-
lows:
CLEVELAND, o., Nov. l3, 1858.
CHARLES SMITH. Esq,
;, Pres idsnt p d o. Canal Co
DEAR SIR I'm obedience 10 the reso-