Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-10

commerce OF all nations ana TO promote the civ
illzation of mankind. They ought TO be protec
ed by the government with sleepless and ealou
vigilance.
THE TROYiAND GREENFIELD RAILROAD.
Inc act OF the last general court, facts of 1862
chapter 1861 providing for the more speed
completion of the Troy and Greenfield railroad
and H0oSac tunnel" directed the appointmen
of three able, impartial and skillfnl commits
soners to investigate the subject of finishing the
Troy and Greenfield railroad and of tunnellino
the Hoosac mountain, whose duty it shall be to
report TO the governor and council, what in their
Judgment, Will be the most economical, practi.
cal and advantageous method of completinp All,
tunnel and road, the estimated cost of fitting the
same for use, the time within which the tunnel
can be completed, and what contracts can be
effected, and with what parties, for completing
said tunnel and road, and the probable cost az
| the same, the probable pecuniary value of the
| road and tunnel when completed the sources
| and amount of traffic and income, and all other
facts in their opinion useful to assist the govern
| or and council in determining the best method
OF securing continuous railroad communica-
| tlon between Troy and Greenfield" Certain
| other powers and duties were conferred on the
| commissioners, in part preliminary and in part
subsequent in their operation TO the rendering of
| thelr report TO the governor and council. I'm
der this act three gentlemen were appointed,
each one OF whom was carefully selected as be-
ing, IN the words of the act, at once "dble i'm
partial, and skilfM." They entered forthwith
upon the performance of their task, and have
pursued it constantly with the aid of engineers of
the hrSt distinction, one of whom has visited and
explored all the great railway tunnels of Europe
and collected all the knowledge attainable there
tending to illustrate the questions of science and
experience submitted by the law to the commits
sion. An elaborate report has been prepared by
this gentleman and is in the hands of the com
missioners, under whose direction the drawings
connected with it are being reduced for conyen-
A fro, ~
er engineer of large experience in construction
OF tunnels in this country has also been pre-
pared for the board.
The report of the commissioners to the gov
ernor and council is not yet made but it is I'M
derSood to be in rapid preparation am una
ble therefore, TO communicate to the e isature,
at the beginning of its present session, so fully as
had hoped, Onlthe subject of this important and
interesting enterprise of establishing a new ave-
nue. for our trade with the west, piercing the
Green Mountain range, and opening up to great
er activity the economical resources of our north"
ern tier Of towns. | trust that the conclusions
and reasoning of the commissioners when pub
lished, will settle conflicting opinions in the
minds of the people, and, if favorable to the ac-
tive pursuit of the enterprise, that its prosecution
Will enjoy an unanimous support. The work
can be pursued relieved from all Fictitious en-
barrassments, and contracts can he made by
those in the sole interest of the commonwealth,
superintendent by citizens of the highest expert
ence and capacity.
BANKING AND CURRENCY
The report of the bank commissioners will ex-
hibit the condition of our banking institutions.
L repeat my former suggestions that radical
changes in our financial system should be adopt
ed with great caution.
The secretary of the treasury, in his recent able
report on the financial affairs of the nation, rec
ommenGs to congress the creation of national
system of banking, which if carried out, may in
terlere with our own, and may deprive the Com
monwealth of large income now derived from
the tax on banking capital The secretary's
plan is 10 authorize free banking TO be based on
deposit of national bonds. This course, he sug-
gests, will create demand for government Sc |
curities will furnish perfectly safe convenient |
and uniform currency; will check the circula- |
ton OF bills ofunsafe banks, and greatly tend to
strengthen the union of the states Its believed |
by some that if this system should be authorized |
many of our banks would fall into it, while 9th |
charters. The secretary p hoeYe that most of
Of old 6aneSe cent FI6gehs tnn The ~ coerciye
to the country institutions which defTSe'aqAtQn
profit from their circulation its effect on tuOse
in the large cities would be light for there the |
circulation is unimportant.
Moneyed corporations are naturally cautious
in their movements and are inclined TO hesitate |
and deliberate much before adopting new meth |
DDS. But whatever may be the operation OF the |
secretary's system on the New EDgland banks, |
there can be no doubt of its great usefulness 10
the west, where an abundant AMI safe currency
has never existed and thus indirectly the whole |
country will derive benefit proportional to The
advantages of national currency, simple, uni |
form and of unreasonable value. Should con
gress adopt the system proposed, securing 10 the
United States some part o; the proht deriVaoe
from the issue of paper money, wnlle IL WOuiu
probably compel Massachusetts to abandon The |
revenue received from its tax on the banking |
capital of the commonwealth it would at Inc |
same time relieve the people from Their Inability
to other taxation for the support OF the nauonal
government and the payment of its debts, to an |
extent equivalent TO the revenue realized to Inc
treasury of the United States from that source
And should the measure be adopted II Is ques-
toned even y some of its supporters whether tne
prosperity of our country banks would, AFTER all
be permanently injured. But much rs shoulu
regret to see any proper investment IN the
commonwealth rendered unproduciIve by legls-
latio L. that regret would be temp ;rcd hy inc ron
sderation that the same capital woud never
need to be inactive whenever and wneresoVcr
safe business should present ltseii 10 inc enter
prise of industry and skill While whenever OF
wherever such business opportunities do not pre-
sent themselves, the loans of banks arc oi neceS-
sity less profitable and secure NOR can IL pe
doubtful that the substantial pecunlary advan-
tage of New England business interests demands
the naturalization of the currency, so that the
paper representation OF dollar shall be alike
valuable in Boston and Chicago, and the lndebt-
edness of the west 10 the east ma at all tunes
medium of adjustment, and the trade between
the two sections of the northera states flow I'M
irnpcded by oppressive and ruinous rates OF ex-
change.
PLEURO. PNEUMONIA.
Under the act of February, 1862, three COM
missioners were appointed on contagious diseases
of cattle--one veterinary surgeon, one doc-
tor of medicine, and a third member OF the
executive council, all being of some agricultural
experience. They were Immediately called by
selectmen of Milton to investigate cases of dis
ease among neat cattle which had broken out
there and was creating alarm. The animals
were carefully examined and found to be infected
nv Deuro- pneumonia Tue commissioners Or
dered the entire isolation of all herds of cattle in
the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Plymouth, and
Worcester, which could, by any possibility, have
come into contact with any of the injected ami
mails. One hundred and fifly-four animals have
died or have been killed by order of the commits
sioners, of which number seventy-seyen, or Just
one half, were found diseased and in every case
but one, contact has been proved
The commissioners are satisfied that the dls-
ease is never generated from local causes; tnat
il is altogether an imported disease; that 1t is
generally communicated by contact oil breath;
that il cannot be eradicated by treatment; that
those cattle which have apparently recovered arc
really the most TO be feared, from the danger OF
RELAPSE: and that, by care, the disease may be
Dreyented from extending from one herd to an
other. The expenses of the commission, as
nearly as can now be estimated, are about S9lOO.
The appropriation being but $1,000, there VIII DC
a deficiency to be supplied by Legislation Inc
disease is apparently extinguished, ana mas no"
no visible fOOIhold in the commonwealth. Inc
ease ard celebrity of its eradication by prompt
treatment on its re-appearaDce last year, re-