Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-05-23

ICOJ JpIlh IL 'i'h' ''' ~
J. B. Gregory. .....
Total greater amount of money--S257, ,057 Il,
drawen 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 prcscrbc'fo
this large deficit in the revenues of the Public
Works Of the State.
What means can be devised to prevent draft
upon the State treasury for sum which has
grown to be over 500 600, each year, to keep up
these canals, over and above all their revenues2
These are pertinent questions, which every Sen
ator on this floor ought to answer for himself,
according to his best judgment.
do not believe we can clear the taxpayers of
the State of this evil my continuing the manage
ment of the Public Works in the hands of the
State.
The last five years have given us lessons of
dear experience in State control Of these Works
And their present condit ion is only evidence of
their utterly 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, stationary, and examiners
have been 50 ,S5G,6l0 l5--averagng annually
1885 66l Oh.
This period includes nearly two years through
which repairs on the Public Works were let by
contract for the sum of $27S,320 per annurn--
the Stace having only the supcrintendcnce during
this latter period. until directed by an act passed
at the session of 1887, to recind these contracts
and again give the State full charge of these
repairs.
Through eight years of exclusive State man
agcment since ls5I--excluding the two years
these repairs were managed by individual enter,
plise--it re cqures an expenditure of S3,l2I,l1U 81
on account Of repairs-averagng each year
$500, 1872 60.
The expenditures for keeping up the Public
Works for the last five years amount to 81 ,eb2,-
796 27-at an average each year of S312,359 %.
In the last five years there has been collected
and paid into the State Treasury s sos, ,739 0s of
revenue from the Public Works-ayclaging each
year 1891 ,32l ,l47 81,
At the close of the fiscal year, Nov. Is, 1856,
Il deficit of Sl0,3l0 2S 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 1850 show deficit Of
Sl07 ,152 Sc averaging for five years sol All 43,
paid out of taxes of the people over and above
the amount paid into the Treasury rs revenues
from the Public Works. without any prospect OF
change for the better, as long ns we continue the
State in the management Of these canals.
1t is the opinion to day of the best engineers in
the State, and others of large experience in the
management of our Public Works, that under
State control no remedy can be applied that will
hereafter ever make the Public Works sustain
themselves.
Ex- Governor Chase, in his last annual message,
speaking of the Public Works. says:
"Withn the last few years the outlay for re-
pairs and Improvements has exceeded the income
The real deficiency last year (loo9, after deduct
ing the extraordinary disbursement directed by
the Legislature was not large; but there is little
room for hope that it will be less hereafter, while
there is much ground for apprehension that 1t
will be greater"
Governor Dennison, in speaking of the Public
w orkS, says in his annual message to the present
Legislatures:
1.-The estimated cost ofour Public W orks at the
time of tEeir completion was Sll,b2i ,'29 '9.-
The average canal expenses beyond the income
for the last five years. has been traction less
than one half of one per cent ON tins cost We
have then, this unayorablc exhibit. We we
property that cost us ABOUT l'uuo,o"V uoil'l''
and we find by five consecutive years experience
that instead OF its paying the interest on It's cost
it is actually running us IN dent'
Mr. Tayler, the present Auditor OF ntate' IN ms
last annual report says tN''' "'tt' .'''L
ton of the subject, the prospect that the revenues
of the Public Works will ever, hereafter De sn!
hcent TO meet the cos, OIL keeping 'Hcin III ''p""
Is not very hauermS' cp.l
mr. paoAu'' '"'p I VI ,,' a,,;,
nc orNS'-'''l "D'o a,i' NIX ,h"so no,[s u,nro
n'l'H pe1n t,nno ,'o, saws in a snociI rnnnrt
.'i'''. '" s,rut;o,, nf h" ohcr branch of
~ i ",lS"er ~ A,semiy hat he is authorized in
sa,inr without siualc execution, that all of the
r of ,he Honrd of Public Works. many
IF wb"m orc among the most accomplished and
ornaricnccd u canal engineers of the State, who
baye been connected With the Pubic Works for
thn mast twenty five years fully agree with him
in the opinion that under State management the
canals cannot he maintained and kept in good re-
noir from their revenues.'