Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-05-04

the hasty mannek IN which II isproposed to dis.
pose OF this immense property. He would
give the greatest possible public notice. He
also objected tothe teport because II does not
sufficiently provide ipr the repairs Of the Ca
nails
He regarded this Of Me highest Importance.
The efficiency OF the oAhals depends upon it,
He would prefer thatit should be stipulated that
the depth Of the canal should be fixed at three
and a half feet. EtipuReons for tonnage of
boats Is unreliable and uncertain. The report
fixes fifty tons as'the extreme tonnage at which
draft is TO be regulated. He doubted whether
this would prove adequate I'd the business of the
canals. Finally, while ne objected to the leas-
ing entirely, he found another objection in the
clause relating to the Lewistown Reservoir. He
was not willing to insert this 10 bill as q basis
for contract. [The Reporter Hid not hear the
specific objection to the clause,
Mr.. HARSH regarded the repairs Of the ca
nails as a very important point As Mr.. Jones
had remarked, if the three and half feet depth
Of the canal be adjusted by inserting fifty tons
burthen as the extreme tonnage OF boats, 1t will
be done merely to avoid the bottoming out Of
the canals. He was satisfied such change
would be seriously injurious to the canals.
Mr.. STANLEY concurred with the remarks
OF Mr.. Harsh. He thought the proposed a.
Mr.. GARFIELD thought the State ought not
to own Public Works. Such enterprises should
remain in private hands. He believed the State
would be benefited by disposing of the canals.
| He had favored leasing the canals, and was
ready TO do go now; but he could not endorse
| the report.
Mr.. PARISH said the report of the commit
tee did not meet his appreciation. He did not
regard the question OF time as OF 30 much i'm
poTtance as Mr.. Jones did. Bidders are now
waiting for chance to bid. They have had
| no opportunity, because one company seems to
have been preferred. He did not believe an
advertisement Of thirty days would bring more
bidders All who intended to bid are prepared
now. In relation to tonnage, he did not think
the report of the committee on this point i'm
portant, because the tonnage Of boat depends
upon its shape. Nor did he ike that causelof the
report which requires the State authorities to
accept the second bidder in case the first fails to
accept. He did not like the report entirely, but
| as it cannot be divided he would vote for it.
Mr.. MCCALL did not IKE the report A
public letting with three> Or four days notice
is an absurdity. No private individual would
dispose Of his property III tbat way, and why
should the State do it?
Mr.. EASON asked, 'Will the Senator vote
for the bill if the time is extended" r
Mr.. MCCALL replied s"Yes, if the bill is
framed like that which the Senate passed. and
if it is not mutilated by amendments" He
was willing to vote for such bill If sufficient
time ia given. He thought the pending bill had
been framed to aid favored bidders. Hethought
proposition to advertise in three or four pa
pers for three or four days is extraordinary.
Mr.. HOLMES thought it apparent that the
| Senate had not concluded what ought to be done
The Senator from Harrison had lately evinced
a disposition to criticise every proposition. 1t
is easy to criiieise, but not easy to decide
Some Senators have made up their minds that
leasing is not the proper thing. Now, what ad-
vertisng do we want2 During four months we
have constantly advertised these canals, and
the public knows we intend to lease them. What
greater publicity can we give to the subect2
| Let US act now as If we were determined to do
something with the canals. The subject has
been before the Legislature ten years. We ad.
vertised for contracts, and the State paid dearly
for it. If we advertise now for thirty days or
more, we shall be again victmized by combina-
tions He would, ifhe had his own way,sell out
the canals aud separate them from control OF
the State, But he believed bidders are prepar
ed to take the canals now, and there isno me-
| cessity of further advertisement As the canals
| cannot be sold, he would lease them at public
auction. Anything to settle the question
Mr.. HARRISON said he thought the honest
fame of Ohio and of this General Assembly was
involved in this proposition, and he desired to
enter his protest against its adoption. II the
| Public Works are TO be leased, let them be
| leased in such a mode that the people will at
least be satisfied that they were leased decently
and in order, and according to general usage.
1t is proposed to put the canals upat public auc.
| ton next Thursday. Nov, any man or compa.
ny who proposes to lease the canals will desire
| to examine every clause OF the act under which
they may be let, aud learn their fnll force and
effect. This bill cannot be enrolled, and bidders
obtain certified copy Of it,before Monday next.
Thus, you will have only three days for an ex-
animation, by bidders, Of this BILL involving
millions of dollars. uG.
| How many people Of the State know that
we have before us bill to let the canals on
Thursday nexti And how many persons are IA.
miliar with its provisions2 There are Senators
on this floor who do not now SO thoroughly un-
derstand this bill that they would consent to put
in q bid under it. The people demand that, il
the canals are leased, it shall be done under such
i circumstances, and in such mode, that the
honor of the General Assembly shall not be
liable 10 the impugned or the interests of the
State sacrificed. Would the brief notice which
the bill provides shall be given Of the letting,
prevent the combinations alluded to by Mr..
Holmes7 If combinations are TO be formed,
they can be made in three days. The longer
the notice. the greater number Of bidders there
will be, and the chances of a combination will
be diminished in the proportion bidders are in.
creased. Mr.. Harrison was totally opposed to
letting in any mode; yet, IL the canals are to
be lot, they should be let only after reasonable
public notice ofthe time, place and terms, and
conditions Of the lease, 80 that oil persons may
have an opportunity to bid for them.
Mr.. ORR said the Public Works do not touch
his district. but his constituents had been pay
ing taxes to support them. The public debt of
the State originated with them. sa.t.d ! Z.
There is not a man, he said, in hs district
who is not in favor of disposing of the canals =:
They would give them away, If they could not
otherwise dispose Of them. They are unpnofit-
able and behind the tines The State reaps no
benefit from them, and cannot hope for any
He claimed to be as desirous of promoting the
interest of the State as any Senator, and he
thought 1t best for the State to dispose of the
| canals. He doubted the sincerity of some Sena-
tors who oppose this bill. They had charged
bad faith npon the friends Of leasing, but they
had resorted to every bubble to defeat the bill
spending a morning in questions Of order, and
striving in every way to throw obstacles in the
way to prevent the passage of the bill. Mr..
Orr recapitulated the history of attempts to pass
bills to dispose Of the Public Works, and APP
pealed to the Senate to finish the subject now.
He was satisfied that the advertisement al
ready given the subject by discussion In the Leg
islature was advertisement enough for bidders,
and more time would not promote the interests
Of the State. He was anxious that the high.