The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-03-28
Special Report OF the Board OF
Public Works Relative to the
NOO-Payment of Commission
eTS' Checks.

NOD-Payment of Commission
eTS' Checks.
OFFICE OF BOARD OF PUB. WoRKs,l
Columbus, March IA, 1860,
Hon. RoBT. g. KIRK, Prest of the Senate
The Board of Public Works feel con.
strained, by a sense Of duty to the public
interest, to lay before the General Assembly
plain statement of the financial embar-
easements under which each acting Commits.
sioner labors in his endeavors to keep the
canals in repair.
1t is well known that the money expend.
cd in the repairs of the Public Works must
be drawn from the General Revenue Fund.
The Legislature, at it's last session, made
appropriations from the fund itself, after it
had been swelled by all the resources pro-
vided for its maintenance and enlargement.
The consequence was that, during muc h
Of the fiscal year, the checks of the mem.
bers Of this Board have not been paid when
presented at the State Treasury. In some
instances the members of the Board have
been obliged to sell these checks at q dis.
count to procure money to pay for labor
done and materials furnished in making the
necessary repairs. In one case the collect
ors OF tolls have cashed these checks as they
have collected money, pay ing them in small
sums from time TO time, as they obtained the
means from the canal revenues.
The resul, has been continual embarrsss
ment to the Board, and great injury TO the
Public Works, the uncertainty OF payment
= necessarily increasing the price Of labor and
materials.
The checks drawn by the members OF this
Board tor the payment for labor, materials
and superlntendence, prior to the 10th o.
November last, which was the end OF quar-.
ter and of fscal year. and which the gooc
faith and interests of the State required
should be promptly met, were not paid unit
the first OF January; and all the labor anc
materials, furnished since the 18th day OF
November last, are now unpaid. Our checks
Tor the same have been Issued against uner
pended balances of appropriations, IN de by
the last General Assembly, to the amount
oil twenty five thousand dollars.
We are advised that there is no money
subject to draft in the general revenue funC
to pay these checks; nor is there oDy proba'
bility that there will be until the next semi
annual settlement with the County Treasur.
CIS III VI june
The superntendents holding these checks
in order to meet the absolute necessities OF
the lsbprers to whom a large proportion o.
the money is due, will be obliged to sell the
checks at such discount as moneyed mer
please to indict upon them, unless the Leg
islature auth@rze the financial agents OF TIT
State TO anticipate the revenue loans, in or
der TO meet the demands for money to keeE
in repair the Public Works.
1t has always been customary to make the
chief repairs upon the canals at an early day
in the spring of the year. 1t ia necessary
to do this, and do it thoroughly by the time
lake navigation opens, in order to enable
torwarders upon the canals to compete will
other avenues of transportation.
1t is now time to make these repairs.
is time to draw. the water from the canals
and bottom them out, but we cannot do it
we have not the means; nor is there any t
be had from the State Treasury.
1t is exceedingly difficult TO find men WIT
will do this work and take our checks, un
less the funds are provided for their payment
They will do it, any rate except at enormous
prices, and take the checks of the members
OF the Board, and wait for their pay till thu
tolls derived from the canals shall be suffi
cient to meet them.
The honor of the State has hereto fort
been carefully maintained blythe promptnes
with which she has met her engagements
That honor should be maintsined at al
hazards, and especially should the claims o
laboring men be listened to and met witt
promptness.
The Board desire and intend, with oil
possible economy, to keep the canals in
good repair. They know it is useless Il
think of business being done upon them un
less they are thus kept. They know further
that ii business be once diverted from them
in consequence of their bad condition, tha
it will be very difficult, if not impossible
ever to regain it.
The Board would, therefore, respectfully
and earnestly urge the Legislature to make
immediate provision for the payment of the
checks already issued, and such other checks
as it shall be necessary for them to issue II
order to put the Public Works in good re
pair in time tor spring navigation.
ABNER L. BA CKUS, President.
Circulation Of Democratic News