The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-03-31

THE WABASH AND ERIE CANAL.


ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND CHIEF
ENGlNBER-STATISTICSA AND OTHER POINTS
OF INTEREST.
The board of trustees of the Wabash and
Erie canal submitted to the governor yes
terday their report for 1873. The navigation
OF the canal has only been partially main
tanned by the contractors (the Wabash and
Erie canal company under their contract
with the board, made on the 23d of June,
1866. The reasons for the failure to main
tain the navigation of the entire line during
the whole season, are fully set forth in the
report of the chief engineer herewith sub
mitted. The navigation would not
have been maintained at all but
for the aid afforded to the contractors by the
counties along the line of the canal, under
the law passed in the winter of 1873, which
authorized the counties to subscribe in aid
of the canal. Under this law, the several
counties subscribed the amount of $50 900.
and of this sum about forty-two thousand
two hundred and sixteen dollars and
fifteen cents has been actually paid
in and expended. The balance re-
mains to be paid, as required, while the
expenditures for the maintenance of the
canal during the year have amounted to
$5S, 1855 81. The tolls and revenues derived
from it have amounted to only Sl7,0S6 "a,
leaving a deficiency of more than S40,-
000 The contractors have intimated
an intention to abandon their contract with
the board of trustees, which, by its terms,
does not expire until the first day of July,
1878. The trustees do not admit the right of
the contractors to abandon the contract
made with them on the ed OF June, 1885, by
the terms of which they agreed and bound
themselves to preserve the navigation, and
to keep it in good condition, with all the
structures, locks, DC, during the full term
of the contract, and until Tho first of July,
/ 1878. In view of the
LIBERAL ENCOURAGEMENT
and support which have been afforded by
the county subscriptions during the past
year, and the interest thereby secured
in the maintenance of the canal on the part
of the people in the valley of the Wabash
the trustees will regard it their duty to in.
sist on the performance of the contract ac
cording 20 its terms until the first of July
1878. 1t is more important at the present
time, when the subject of cheap transports.
ton and the need of increased facilities o.
intercommunication between the western
states and the Atlantic seaboard is of com
handing interest and Importance. There is
probably, no one route that should at
tract more attention or that hold:
out greater inducements, or that would
do more, if improved, to solve the
problem of cheap transportation be
tween the east and the west than the
Wabash and Erie Canal, looking at its ter
minal points, of Toledo at the head of Lake
Erie in the east, and Lafayette, Attics and
Terre Haute in the valley of the Wabash in
the west. The expenditure of a compare.
lively small sum Of money would put this
canal from the one end to the other in gooG
condition, and thus establish one of the
most valuable water lines for the transpor
tation of freight to be found in the United
States west Of Lake Erie. To insure thi:
result, however, requires means, as we'll a:
powers, which the board do not possess
They can not, however, but regarC
the subject as one well worthy of the atten
ton OF the states through which this thor
oughfare passes and of the general govern
ment. The accompanying statements ex
hibit the condition and property OF The trus
and also the condition and prospects of the
canal at this time.
CANAL LANDS.
There have been sold, as appears by tn,
annual report of 1878, of the canal lands il
the vincennes district, l,l6O acres, for tn,
sum ofs2, $50, on account of the small guam
tity remaining unsold. the receipts from
this source will continue to be light
OF the lands east and west o
Tippecanoe nothing has been paid during
the past year, but 1t is hoped, that nearly
all of the remaining Indebtedness from this
source will be paid during the present year
The estimated value of the assets of tn,
trust are as follows:
Balance hand per report.........-....s 8, SAG
Suspended debt, estimated at.............. Fl 472
Land in Vincennes dstrict................. 1853
Lands east and west OF Tippecanoe...... 1914 A
slO4 555
1t is hoped and expected that a consider