Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-02-10

come for that, or that such n policy
will ever be warranted In this coun-
try; but, to my mind, the one alter
native, FOR the present and distant
future time, ics in the building and
Improvement of inland waterways, to
be owned and controlled by the peo-
ple-whcrever such waterways nre
practicable and advisable--as public
carriers and regulators of freight. I'm
til these matters are honestly and ably
determined, it would be bad policy
indeed to abandon the canals of Ohio.
1t is Il fact that the canal bed, ex-
cept those portions situated in some
of our large cities, is really valuable
only as canal right of way or for
use by railroad. This has been dem
onstratcd by the effort to sell during
the past two years some 10 miles of
the abandoned Walhonding canal for
agricultural purposes, the sale Of
which hardly more than paid for sur
veying, advertisements and expense of
selling.
The hasty abandonment by the Leg
islature of the States canal property
in Toledo, Cleveland and Cincinnati,
already Effected, has resulted III cost
ly experiments and in loss 10 the
treasury of the State reaching into
millions of dollars.
1t is often good policy in trade to re-
tain the ownership of property await
| ing good market, even IL It's posses
sions costs taxes; SO the state, as the
owner of its public works should not
be too hasty in parting with its canal
property, for any temporary outlay for
it's maintenance will he more than
! covered by the returns.
Experiments are now being tried in
Europe, as we'll as in this country. in
the propulsion of boats on inland
waterways, by means Of electricity
or other motive power, with the oh
| ject Of lessening the cost of transpor-
tatlon, which give promise of great
results.
| In conformity to ii resolution passed
at Brussels in 1898, for the purpose of
the study and investigation Of the i'm
portant subject of promoting the util-
ity of canals and the discussion of
other matters pertaining distinctly to
waterways, an International Congress
of Navigation is to be held at Paris
during the course of the Universal
expected that the great engineers and
commercial people of the world will
! be present and take part in the delib-
erations in an attempt to determine
in what manner and by what means
navigation can be improved in order
to again make it II controlling factor
in the carrying trade of the world.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
The amount collected from actual
tolls and rents has amounted, during
the past year, to $90,S09.12, of which
amount the Miami & I..ie canal has
paid in $50, 151.41, the Northern Di
vision of the Ohio canal S15, 5,055.15, and
the southern division of the Ohio canal
$6,602.56, an increase in cash collec
tions over the previous year of $40,
9S4.94; the credit of increased receipts
being wholly due to the Miami ant
Erie canal.
The net earning of all canals ovel
cost of operation amounts, since the!
were first built to the end of the pres
cnt fiscal year, to S5,30T ,646.36., as PEI
statement herein contained.
Ii is fair to assume that the marke
value of the state canals will amour
to the cost of their original construc
tion, leaving IL cash net earning owe
and above all expenditures to date, o
over $5,000,000 dollars in money.
AS u basis for estimating the require
ments in money appropriations to b.
made by the General Assembly to aug
ment the earnings of the canals, il
= order to keep them in their presen
condition, l have to say that for tn
past five years there has been apprc
priated by the Legislature in cash 1t
ceipts, over and above earnings, til
5 sum of 1922 ,02l.72, or an average yeal
3 by direct appropriation during thi
, time of $6i, ,404.34, as follows:
Amounts appropriated for canal re
: | I,ni,c for -.cnrc 90, I,, 1SOn ". ci a.,