Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-05-01

would ever refuse 10 pay to the State this
small pittance, the tonnage tax-it was when
| that revenue was steadily coming into the cof-
| ferS of the State. These declarations were not
made when the company had refused to pay
this tax, or when an act had been passed re-
leasing them from this taxation. If the nom
payment OF this tonnage tax had been antici-
pated no such declarations would have come
up here from the Governor or from the canal
| commissioners.
The gentleman has stated that the Pennsyl-
Vania railroad company purchased those public
works for double what they were worth. Well
now, had supposed that the Pennsylvania
railroad company was a very sharp customer
Every gentleman who has had dealings with
| that rpOration--every man who has sat here
as a member of this body, must have learned
that that company is very sharp party with
whom to deal That this corporation should
absolutely pay for those public works twice
what they were worth will, think, strike the
minds of most Of US as very extraordinary
| That company is not in the habit of consum.
mating such bad bargains it is not in general
disposed to spend its money in this extrava-
giant way. How does the gentleman propose
! to prove this ? Why, he argues that the Main
|
company for an amount vastly more in proper
tion to the cost of the work than the amount
for which the residue of the canals sold. We'll,
si:, | do not know but that may be true but
it is also true that this improvement constitut
ed an avenue bet the two great cities Of
the State-the eastern and the western city
opened communication from the Atlantic to the
great Ohio, which flows into the Gulf of Mex
| loo II 10 al. hof
ed line on which tonnage wonId be more
! likely to be carried than it would be on those
other canals But, sir, there are other consid-
! erationS in connection with this matter The
sale of the SunbuTy and Erie railroad company
was not conducted in the same manner as the
other The sale to the Sudbury and Erie rail-
road company was made Tor price that was
! fixed in these halls The sale to the Sunbury
/ and Erie railroad company was made for three
| hundred and seventy five thousand dollars less
than the amount of which the company sold
the works af:erward | will endeavor to show
/ to the House that they afterwards sold it for
the lowest price that they could get, and for
the poorest pay. They sold for three millions
and half, property, which if put up at public
sale, would have brought more than double
that amount How was this done? Why,
sir, would not the country be shocked to know
that, while the bill was pending in this body
I a month before its paSSage-the Sunbury aud
Erie railroad company executed contracts with
individuals in different parts OF the State-for
what For the very purpose of securing votes
! for the passage Of the bill This accounts for
| the price at which the work sold. Tue com.
| pany absolutely entered into contracts, solemn
contracts i writing, in this capitol one month
before the law was passed through this body,
| to convey these branches to different parties {:
and these contracts were made for the very
! purpose of procuring votes. Is it, then, sur
priSng that these works should bring so small
a sum Is it astonishing? Aud sir, worse
than ALL these infamous bargains, these shame
! ful contracts, thus made one month before the
bill passed this body, and for the purpose of
Obta ining votes TO pass it here-theSe contracts
were absolutely consummated and were ap-
! proved by the Governor of this Commonwealth,
when bids were put in, (as he himself tells US
in his message, after heSe infamous sales were
made, for larger sum than that stipulated
/ To show the manner IN which this transaction
was conSummated, read from the message of
! Gov. Packer--lhe executive documents of
1859 -
Sales were made by the Sunbury and Erie
railroad company, aud reported to me under
the oath of the president of the different lines,
as follows: The upper and lower North Branch
canal to the North Branch canal company, for
one million six hundred thousand dollars the
West Branch and Susquehanna divisions, to
the West Branch and Su>quehanna canal com
pany, for five hundred thousand dollars the
! Delaware division, to the Delaware Division
canal company of Pennsylvania, for one million
seven hundred and seventy five thousand dol
! lars in all the sum OF three million eight
| hundred and seventyfve thousand dollars
Upon investigation and inquiry, having be-
come satisfied that these sales were made for
| fair prices, and upon such terms and to such
persons composing the various purchasing as
! SOciatiODs, as to insure the payment of the
purchase money, they were severaIly approved.
After the contract for the sale of the Del
| aware division had been entered into and my
consent bad been verbally given, and seventy
! five thousand dollars of the purchase money
had been actually paid by. the purchaser, upon
the fact of the contract, and my assent thereto,
/ was informed that higher price had been
offered by responsible persons, for the canal
| But, under the circumstance, my opinion was
that the offer came too late and as the rail
road company &C nsdered itself bound to con-
summate the agreement by delivery of the
deed and possession of the property to the first
purchasers, | could not, in good faith, with
hold NY assent The North Branch canal
company, subsequent to the purchase of that
division, sold that portion of the canal lying
between Wilkes Barre and Northumberland,
to the Wyoming canal company, for the sum
of nine hundred and eighty-fve thousand dol
| lars"
! The Governor says: AFTER the contract
| for the sale of the Delaware division had been
| antared into and nv conSept had haan varhal-