Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-02-05
Public Work..

~~~~~~~"--fst
above caption, relating to the resolution of in.
quiry offered by DR., Scott, in the House of
Representatives, and addressed to the Board Of
Public Works, Is so grossly erroneous, especial
iy as to the estimated appropriations for the
coming year, for divisions two and three of the
Public Works, that am constrained to ask you
to publish the following statement, made up
from the last annual report Of the Board, and
which is substantially correct.
OF your unfairness in impugning the motives
of the mover Of the resolution, calling, in le-
gitimate and highly proper manner,fo iniorma-
tion Of great Importance, and your grAtuitous
offer to foreshadow tho opinions Of the Board In
their answer to the resolution, and your efforts
to forewarn the public that their answer, be 1t
what 1t may, will be dishonest one, calculated
"to mislead members In the discharge of their
duties," 1t is not mine to Judge, but will leave
that to others.
quote the following paragraph from the ar
ticle in question: "In the report referred to,
Mr.. Martin and Mr.. Gregory ask appropria-
tions, Qncluding some unexpended balances
which are claimed to exist) for the support Of
their two divisions, amounting to the sum Of
$409, 1891 co." You here set down in positive
terms definite sum even TO the odd cents, o
part of which is "some unexpended balances
which are claimed to exist" Fray, sir, how do
you arrive al 60 great accuracy from so vague
and uncertain data as supposed balances"
Your statement of the amount Of appropria-
tons asked for, for the maintenance Of the two
divisions of canal TO which you refer is errone.
ous to the amount of $l64,24l 80.
The estimates for the Miami and Erie as sta
ted In the annual report of the Board, are for
superintendence, construction and repairs for
the three quarters Of the present fiscal year and
the first quarter of the coming year, to wit:
from February Is, 1861 to February 10, 1862,
100000. or the unexpended balance on that
canal at the close Of the last fiscal year, $685..
10000 viii be expended in the building OF wood.
en- locks and other structures then in progress OF
construction, leaving $40 600 90 If re-appropri.
ated, to be carried forward to the new appropri.
alton OF $ll8, 900, asked for, making the amount
estimated for superintendence construction and
repairs for the year ending February 10, 1852,
$l2s, 900. The appropriation of 1860 provided
Sl5 5,000sfor the first quarter of the fiscal year
1861, the present quarter, and will nearly all be
required for the current repairs during the
quarter for which the appropriation was made.
Estimates for the present fiscal year and the fret
quarter Of the succeeding year for Mr.. Gregory's
division OF the Public Works are as follows:
Ohio canal, $67 7,l50; Hooking canal SIG 900;
Muskingum Improvement, $34,0OO. Total
$l17,l50.
OF the above sum $4,000 is estimated as
necessary for new structures and the their COM
pletion is not contemplated, nor will II be neces.
sary until the year following:
TO REcAPITuLATE.
For Superntendence, construction and re-
pairs Miami and Erie Canal. 1872 GOO 90
Do Mr.. Gregory's division Ohio. Hooking and
S245,l5O 90
Appropriations are recommended for the pur
chase of land in the Lewiston Reservoir, to the
amount of $50, 900, which Ia rendered necessary
by the action of the Democratic Legislature of
1858, in cancelling the contract with the Re.
servoir Company, and also requiring the Board
TO condemn TO the use Of the State, all the
lands within the the limits to which the State
had not already acquired title. An appropria
ton is also recommended for the indemnity Of
the owners Of lands around the Mercer County
Reservoir of $500. This also becomes neces
ssry by the action Of the Democratic Legislature
of 1854, as will be seen BY reference to the an
nual report of the Board, page 36. Adding these
sums to the amounts above stated, which, how
ever, can in no wise be considered as any part
Of the cost Of the maintenance of the canals
and your statement is yet incorrect to the
amount Of $l25,74l 30.
priation recommended, not only for the two
divisions Of which you 80 deliberately treat, but
also the contingent expenses OF the Office of the
board of public works, salaries of members,
resident engineers, land damages, attorneys
fees, etc. amounting to the sum of ST., 200 and
still your ciphering contrAdcts the old adage
"that figures can't lie," to the moderate extent
Of over $l0s,0 900.
1t will hardly be urged by the advocates Of
the lese bill now pending in the Legislature,
thatthe State would In the least degree be re-
lieved from the necessity Of providing for the
claims estimated in the last three items, to
wit: the purchase Of lands, salaries OF members
OF the board, rd11dent engineers, contingent
expenses Of the Office of the public works
eto amountind altogether to $55, ZOO. O0.
Should the board report in answer to DR..
Scott's resolution In the way you seem to have
settled that they will do to wit: that the canals
can, under State management, be made self
sustaining, they will have, so far at least as any
credence Is given to their opinions, proven that
the many millions Of canal property Of the State,
is worth at least small amount, while you, for
benefit OF private speculation, haze established
the fact that they are really worse than worthless
to the amount of 5000, 900 per year. lam free to
admit that, In my opinion, the public works will
for the next year, and l hope for series of
years, make net revenue 10 the State. @Pfoper
economy In their management ami freedom
from extraordinary disasters by food, will, / am
well persuaded prove the truth of the asser.
tion.
The western division last year paid very
handsome net revenue, and the extraordinary
repairs, as appears from the report Of the com.
missioners on divisions one and two, amounted
to within few thousand dollars of the entire
deficit for the fiscal year 1860, on the eastern
division.
The last years deficits are chargeable to the
Northern and Southern Divisions of the Ohio
Canal, the Walhonding Canal, the Muskingum
Improvement, and the Western Reserve and
Maumee Road, in the amounts following:
Ordinary Bxtra'dny
:, Expenies Expenses Total. Deficit.
O. Cana. 800 0s sSOcl 0s slC,Oss 30 $50 $50 &C
B. Div.
o. Canal. 4l,o05 &c so,7ss 90 os,sl 90 1924 o4
Canal -. a.Osfis l;asa 90 4.sls 10 sa7s Is
MuskR'm
I@pT'vm!, 1890 80 as,oe, II 1878 50 a,am 30
M. Road. 1880 81 1880 81 1888 90
Estimating on the basis of ordinary repairs
only, and the largest deficits are on the Wal
bonding Canal and the Western Reserve and
Maumee Road. That basis must be adopted In
q comparison as between the canals and road,
as the latter Is not charged with any extraordi-
nary repairs. The amount of the deficit on
those two works is nearly equal to the entire
deficit on all the public works, after deducting
the amounts set down to the account Of extra
ordinary repairs, as charged by the Commits
sioners on divisons one and two. The policy
of 0Yereatimating the costa of maintaining the