Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-01-07

investigation of the history, cost, con-
scructiOn,. management, &C., of the vari-
and arrangement of these facts, in accessi.
BILE form, is in Itself OF very great value
and not only adords a reliable basis for
legislating upon this important class ofin-
bterests,S but exhibits to the world the most
authentic evidence of the extent 60 which
great public improvements have been car
ried in Ohio. The practical suggestions of
the Commissioner upon the many delicate
and Intricate questions arising between the
people and these useful corporations, are
worthy of theamos careful. con sideration,
- PUBLIC WORKS. Sss5r
In accordance with the directions of the
statute on, that subject, the lease of the
canals and public works has been renewed
and extended for ten years, so that it now
runs TO June lst, 1881. The Board of Pub
lie Works express great satisfaction with
the energy and promptness with which the
lessees have made the costly repairs re-
quired on the canals in consequence of the
great freshets of 1866, and give good rea-.
sons for believing that the interests of the
State are not suffering by the conditions
and terms of the lease. The drouth OF the
water transportation on the canals and
rivers. but it would seem that everything
has been done which was possible to over
come the difficulty. eidgA asiir .tsnaS ~
GAS INSPECTION. xfs-- aosf ~. .9
i An Inspectorship OF Gas and Gas Metres
was established by act of the last General
Assembly, and that duty is in the hands of
one of the most able and we'll known chem
lists of the country His report details the
steps taken by him to carry out the pro-
visions of the law and the means adopted
to make the tests used for the protection of
the public as nearly exact as may be, in
their scientific accuracy. His salary was
by the terms of the statute to be collected
by the Auditor of Estate from the Gas Conn
panies, and as some of them have delayed
payment or contested the constitutionality
OF the law, 1t has resulted that no salary
has been as yet paid to the Commissioner.
would respectfully suggest that in such a
case the first payment of the salary OF a
public officer should be made directly from
the Treasury, and that the State can afford
| to wait the process of reimbursement by
collection, much better than the officer who
depends upon the salary for his living.
e7 paa LIBRARY.
The Improvement of the State Library
has progressed satisfactorily, and the new
| alcoves, with the gallery above, give room
cumulati6n of books require it. The beauty
| of the design and workmanship make the
room attractive in a high degree. To ac-
commodate the books packed and stored in
the lumber rooms, the second tier OF al
coves should be completed, carrying out
the full plan upon which the lower tier has
been constructed. q 80 -
Ts,.. STATE HOUSE.
| Although nearly ten years has elapsed
eI,<S Stnk< H,,ro Ct
a rough board fence still reaches half way
round the whole inclosure. A good bri K
walk has been laid upon the east side Of
the square during the past season, but the
north and south sides are equally in need
of pavement. The postponement of these
matters, from year to year, does not seem
| to make it easier to reach them, and
would strongly recommend that this por-
tion of the necessary work about the Capt.
tol be completed at once. .is1ilifss
BOARD OF MILITARY CLAIMS.
The Board of Military Claims, consisting
of the Auditor and Comptroller of the
Treasury and the Secretary of State, which
is charged with the duty Of examining and
paying claims of Ohio citizens for services
rendered and money. expended in the re-
cruiting, feeding, transporting and cloth
ing Ohio volunteers and militia, during the
war prior to the time when such troops
were mustered into the service of the
United States, reports that its work is sub
sGantially completed. 1t has examined,
during tie past year, claims amounting to
$l46,SS7 81, of which a part, amounting to
$66, AL 81, have been allowed, and the re-
mainder are still under consideration. The
claims allowed exceed the last appropria-
tion made by $2I,7l3 AZ, and this sum, to-
gether.wit such portions of the claims still
under examination as may be found just,
will need to be provided for. .,..., .,F ..s-B
GEN. CAsEY's BOARD.
The Federal Government, under an act
of Congress, appointed a Board of which
Gen. Casey was President, to examine and
pass upon the claims of the State for expen-
ditures made on behalf of the United States
during the invasion of 1863, known as the
Morgan Raid" Their authority did not
cover any claims tor damages to private
property, but only the legitimate expendi-
lures for putting on foot and sustaining in
the field the State troops. Claims for these
items were laid before the Board by the
| Adjutant General, amounting to $274 9A-
"A, of which all but So 622 73 were al
lowed. and are now awaiting the action of
the U. S. Treasury Department upon the
report of the Com mission. @
OTHER MILITARY CLAIMS.
Besides the two classes of claims against
the General Government above described,
ished and expenditures made during the
war. In addition to instalments previous
ly allowed and paid, we have this year re-
ceived the sum of $l59,027 %, which has
been duly certified into the Treasury, and
are in daily expectation of the receipt of
another and larger payment. - hail
The amount of claims presented, but not
yet allowed and paid, exclusive. OF those
presented to Gen. Casey's commission, and
Those allowed hv the Stafa p,i;tsrv
Amount before Gen. Caseys commits -
Amount allowed to this date by State ~ '''-
commission .-.....--...'-.-:-...--.-- 25o,5io ~
Total outstanding military claims ,. Is
against the U United State 81 l00, $40 q
Of these, it is reasonable to expect that
$500000 will be paid during your session,
and the remainder will be pressed as rapid
ly as possible by the officers having them
in charge. N3'-"
s a' SOLDIERS CLAIMS.
By act of the last General Assembly, the
further receipt of soldiers claims, for back
pay and bounty. was stopped on the first
of June, and on the first of October the
business remaining unsettled was trans
ferred to the Adjutant Generals office, and
the Bureau, of Soldiers Claims closed. The
report of Royal Taylor, the commissioner,
is appended hereto, showing that the busi-
ness of his Office was faithfully performed,
and all the books, records and papers
properly turned over to the Adjutant Gem
eral as provided by law. should
be glad to be able to report the same of
James C. Wetmore, Esq, of the Washing
ton Agency. In June last felt it my duty
to make some structures upon acts of his
which appeared to me designed to defeat
the object OF the law for the sake of per.
sonal profit, by creating the impression
that the cessation to receive new claims
included also the cessation to prose cute gra-
tuitously the collection of those already re-
ceived. The correspondence on this sub