The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-09-30
Is the Presence Of the Dredgss in the
Bay Due lDicl<inson's Eforfa7

Is the PRESENCE Of the DredRes h The
Bay Due topickinson's Eforts7
The Fremont Messenger says that
the presence Of the government
Fdredges in our bay is due TO the Of
fetal efforts of E. F. Dickinson.
The estatement is as near the truth
as most Of The political statements
made by the Messenger, if being in
fact point blank falsehood.
On the 23d of June, 1856, through
the effort of General Ralph P. Buck
land, the Republican representative
of the Ninth District, the sum of
$38, $50 was appropriated to the i'm
provement of the Sandusky harbor.
On the second of March, 1857, the
sum of $4,000 was appropriated
through General Buckland's inhu-
ence, to the improvements Ofthe San
dusky river from Fremont to Lake
Erie. This was the condition Of ap-
preparations at the time Dickinson
entered Congress. The latter sum,
SzO,OOO was used on Sauduskv river,
and with its use E. F. Dickinson
had no more to do than the editor Of
the Messenger. OF the former sum.
without any Intervention on the mari
Of E. F. Dickinson, twentv-eiobt
thousand dollars were used on the
outer bar Of Sasdusky-Bsy, leaving
on hand of all appropriations on the
1st of August. 1859, about ten. thou
and dollars. Through the influence
of Captain John Youngs, Collector
of the Port of Sandusky, the late C.
L. Boalt, and Major Walter McFar-
land, the officer in charge ofimprove-
ments in this district, the work Of
dredging the channel Of the harbor
was let, the advertisement for bids
being published in the daily edgi-
ton of the Register over year ago,
and before E. F. Dickinson had tax
en- any practical part in the doings
of Congress. The work was let by
Major Mcfarland according to the
terms of that advertisement, E. F.
Dickinson knowing no more about
it and having no more to do with it
than the man in the moon. At the
time the contract was made to do the
work, all the money of McFarland's
disposal was the unexpended balance
of the appropriation Of June 23d,
1856, an appropriation made at the
instance of General Buckland, and
at "a time when a nomination to on
gress was not even thought of by the
great distributor of naturalization
papers. The presence of the dredg-
es in the bay is due to Captain John
Youngs, c. L. Boalt, Major McFar-
land, Gen. R. P. Buckland, and the
unexpended balance Ofthe appropri-
alton of 1866. We do not believe
that the late accomplished Probate
of Sandusky County, knew Of their
presence In the bay until he saw him
self credited Herewith in the col
umns of the Messenger. Certain tits
that, the citizens of Sandusky, in
Guiding the gentleman named, in all
their efforts to have that balance ex-
pended, rever once thought Of call
ing upon Dickinson for help, know
ing perfectly well that he had no in
fuence in Congress of it which
could procure the accomplishment
of the work. So much for that cleo
tioneering falsehood. Lest the Me8-
ssager tell no more falshood, We viii
state one more fact which covers the
whole question of harLor and river
improvements, so far as Sandusky
and Fremont are directly interested.
Before the contract was made by
Major Mcfarland for the work now
being done, which contract was made
over a year ago, Major Mcfarland
drew up areport to Gen. Humphreys
at Washington, setting forth that the
unexpended balsnce would not be
enough to do what ought to be done
on the harbor of Sandusky, and re-
questing Gen. Humphreys to secure
ten Thousand dollars more. Gen.
H. recommended such additional ap-
preparation, and it is to Major. Nc.
Farland's letter, which was written
at the instance of Capt. Youngs
that we are indebted for the appro.
priation Of ten thousand dollars,
made a few days before the close Of
the last session of Congress. OF
this last appropriation not one dol
lar has been used as yet, nor will be
except for work not yet decided up
on by the engineer. When the bids
for the work now being done by the
drsdges were opened, it was found
that the above mentioned unexpend-
ed balance was amply sufficient, with
something over, so that no work has
yet been DONE. or is being done on
appropriations made since Gen.
Buckland retired from Congress.
Dare the Messenger take back its
falsehood