Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-04-22

Total greater amount Of money-$257. .057l7,
drawn from the State treasury for FIVE years,
than revenue paid in, according to Mr.. Martins
most favorable showing In the special report
from which have just read.
What remedy can this Legislature prescribe
for this large deficit in the revenues of the Pub.
lie Works of the State2
What means can be devised to prevent q draft
upon the State treasury for sum which has
grown to be over 100000, each year, to keep
up these canals, over and above all their reve-
nuts7
These are pertinent questions, which every
Senator on this floor ough. to answer for him.
self, according to his best Judgment.
LIDO not believe we can clear the tax payers
flthe State p this eyIl by continuing the man.
agement OF ihe PUBLIC Works In the hands Of
tho State.
The last five years have given US lessons Of
dear experience in State control of these works.
Apd their present condition ia only evidence Of
theiriutterly hopeless redemption If our present
policy is continued.
The total expenditures for ten years past, for
keeping up the Public Works-exclusive Of FIVE
thousand dollars yearly for clerks, blanks,
books, printing, binding,' stationery, and ex-
aminers-havo been SS,s56, ,6l0 l5-averagipg
annually $685., 5,66l OF.
This period includes nearly two years through
which repairs on the Public Works were let by
oontrac. for the sum of$97s, ,3as per annum-
the State having only tbs> >snperintendence dur
ins this latter pOrio5s until directed, by an act
passed at the aessioh of 1851, to resciud these
contracts and again give the State full charge
Of these repairs
Through eipht years Of exclusive State man
agemens, since ,ls5l-excluding the two years
these repairs were managed by individual enter
prise-it required an expenditure Of 50, ,l27, ,l4O-
SO on account Of repairs--averaging each gear
1890. .s92 60.
The expenditures for keeping up the Public
Works for the last five years amount to 81 ,s62,.
796 25--at an average each year of $372, ,359 25
In the last FIVE years there has been collected
and paid into the State Treasury 81, ,6o5,739 Os
Of revenue from the Public Works---averaging
each year $3al,l47 81. D 3 I4J(a
At the close of the fiscal year, Nov. Is, 1855,
deficit of $40, $40 90 occurred in the receipts
and expenditures of the Public Works; and
this has been increased from year to year, until
the close OF the fiscal year 1860 shows deficit
of SlU7 Asa s6-averaglpg for Eve years $751;
all 43, paid out Of taxes Of the people over and
above the amount paid intoth Treasury 20 rev.
enues from the Public Works, without any pros.
pccs Of change for the better, as long as we con.
tinuo the State in she management Of these
canals. ~-
tits the opinion to-day Of the best engineers
in the State, and Others Of large experience in
the management of our Public Works, that un-
der State control no remedy anbe applied that
will hereafter ever make the Public Works sus.
tain themselves. ...,...
Ex-Governor Chase, in his last annual mes
sage, speaking Of the Public Works, says:
"wi,hin the last few years the outlay for re-
pairs and improvements has exceeded the in
come. The real deficiency last year (ls59), al
ter dCductipg the extraordinary disbursements
directed by the Legislature, was not large; bu,
there ia little room for hope that Il will be less
hereafter, while there is much ground for APP
prehension that IL VIII be create" I" ~ '7if y
Governor Dcnnison. in speaking Of the Public
Works, says,in bis annual message to the presen,