The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1861-01-16


at th time of their completion was 3l4,
627 .549,79. The 9ge?,.a auauti exgans.,
beyond the income for the last five wears.
has been ir0cton Ioss than one n0lf OF one
per Cent. on th3 cost. We hGve tRaD this
uaiavoTabe EXHIBIT. We have pr5pertg
the! cost u about ii ,taeR millions Of 5,,a,s,
nd we fn4 By Ave consecutive years exga-
r"rce hat, j"stgad fl, its p.yip! the ia'ers..
oa t;s c.2'. It 10 actually I4I1.n. Us in
delt.
This is oae view Of the cqse. Let US
look It the other. NJ ny inte,Iligen, citizens
urge 'hat Public Works, by a proper system
oi management, and graduation OF tolls, c8n
be made cot only sel'.:ustalniag, but
source OF t5va"uh to the Stpte. There are
many, and waighty reaspns why this should
be thoroughly tested, baote wr nbandqn
,hese costly and Important works, Large
investments have been made On the line Of
these works, as is aimed under an Implied
pledge on the part OF tha Safe, teat they
should be kept in perm aent condition for
use. An Abandonment OF the canals, or their
sale without sufTi 3ient guaranty for their
III tintenance would be ruDous t9 the parties
INCL ''t"' ~ "'dtI "V2i C"''tS th3 Natle
o property to an smoen! e%cee-ing the cJst
OF the canals.
In 1928, Congress grtntad nearly half f
million o. ncres Of land, between Dayton
and the mouth OF the Augaize river tor ca,
nal construction. rnis was Upon th3 con-
dition expressed in the desd Of conveyance,
"that said canals, when completed, she'll
forever remain public hjIAV'Y5 Tor t6a uea
OF tie Government IF IA. u. s., free FROM
tolls Or other Oh rg' ~,''.2ver Ior any prop
erty OF the u. s., CT persons in their service
passing through jhc san:." Whese LLu3.
were accepted by the St9'e OF Oajo win
this condition. Ensy have bean so!d, and
the proceeds hive 5sna applied 20 the pur
poses 0ftho graAt. / these canals :Ta sl!d
or pass out OF The hands o. the St,je, a4y ID
this promise to be fulfilled to the gsacca'
Government
On most Gf th4 c,g s, aud especially oa
tae Muskiagum inpr9yam n., thara arn out
Standing leases Q water power by th3 Stat
lor ninety .uine years, gaHawaba '0revc,
anl ia some iuat&ncee there a.e contracts il
| ltcl OF iJrl0eF grants, in neFna,utY, Phes.
90 tracts impose cyHsst.1as on tho ST.,
/ tO1L mNEI DC ms. II ~ 72@tI tGe3S NH-Ia
! ritht5 be protected i taa Site LispJss y. i .
| Interest in these wg,Gs!
1t is urged thHt Il the c.ne's Rra sold. the'
| will ultimately Be controlled BY the Rail
road Corporations o. the Grata, the affect 0
WGi"h Will be t, 80 d,n!u!9h traaspQ7iatia,
oo tn4 canals as 10 result in thair vistu'
abaoJonnsat; the Acct o' Wai3b, in turn
would BE- to CreQta SuCh 4 monopoly in th
railroads 10 to m4:Gti,li; increase tho tlcii
OF transport tio", aud conflict with tho wei
established policy ot every oommsrcil! Stat,
to multiply rather than to essen the avenue,
OF trade. Even iftho SUPPORT of canals gl4l
lnIpose small tex, it is worthy of consider
alton whether the incidental benefits of thl
counties not upoa or adjacent thorlo, b,
reason of lesser rates OF transportation
might not more tha . compansate for the tax
There are thirty six counties in Ol3, OF
or contiguous to our Public works, learin
ity.two counties dep,ndant mainly upor
rivers. lake or rlilr0ads for ,hsr avenues t
market. Tho canal counties are niinl,
those that were without nqlaral outlets /
a market. 1t is inst uGtige to noto thet
present position in regard to p5pulati an
wealth, By the census OF 1850, tbs thirtv
six c,nal counties have popAlatiou of /
1853 2s6; while tn fl ~ tv other countis