The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1900-01-04

OF Toledo as the place for holding the same,
the commission Immediately entered upon the
duty prescribed. The report OF ,he commission 20 m,
inform you that dilgent and active work has
been done by all the members.
1nasmuch as the triumph OF Ohio civiliza-
tion and advancement is more than well worth
the most signal celebration in its honor, and
as the congress OF the United States has vir-
tually made nm appropriation OF sooO,000 Tor
u government exhibit. would recommend to
the general assembly that at this session there
be appropriated $500 Oj0 to be expended upon
state exhibit and in such other ways rs may
meet your views. Ohio can afford to do no less
for such event. and 1t Is my belief that the
state can easily make the appropriation from
tho present revenues, providing it is distrib-
uted duriug the next two years. without re-
sorting to the disagreeable necessity OF oor-
rowing
CANAL SYSTEM.
The rerort of the board of public works on
the canal system for the fiscal year ending
in operation the e' total receipts were ss6, 500 u
appOrtioned as follows: Land sales. a369s;
tolls, t.OSt ..2I rents. a66. 29a 20 OF the tolls
the northern division Of the Ohio canal o. 1853 57
and the southern division, x1,0l669 or the
ssa to hs o she
Ohio canal. and s4,7sis7 to the southern divi-
sion.
ments with collectors, the gross receipts are
shown to be ,l9 ,14l 80. The expenditures were
ls2.46tsI. Of which si7i ,93i 20 was for repairs
9,6sase. In addition the emergency board has
authorized deficiencies amounting TO $1,000.
In the total for canal repairs. Consequently IL
can be seen that the canal system Of Ohio.
rather than being in any MEASURE self-sustain-
cite these figures In order that you and the
public NAV obtain good understanding OF our
nnancsa. operao%nS n % IN connecCn hsa ~ se ,oa sne
revenues received from sources other than the
state treasury, from 20 70 81 per cent accrues
cent through tolls. In fact. the canals are
being used for thei- wuter rights and land rent
purposes, rathe than for the purpose for
which they W re- designed. Nevertheless the
state Il maintaining mn expensive systcai II
control, as though the canal system were in
the fuN OF it's original success 1t seems to
me Lhat under ali the circu instances. the con-
sideralion D! tae whole mat .er can but present
the view Of IL very poor business Proposition
for the state. Iftnc !uttre is so uncertain and
unpromisins asIo inspr caution in the matter
of rehahi .,.tui% sac cinnl system by al ey-
pendiu ure VI .reat ii, al OF money. why is it
necessary TO cuHtinuc such an eXp.uSe Of
maintcl nee. ". Q as guod = suits coud be
acconp' ,sneu ai,n a moie III ,dest method OF
control an inspection AS /, isLow. / e cX-
penditurts T. snch control aud iEspecti,n
absurdly out OF proportion 10 tie r, 81 Is ac-
comnlisheo tini ncially and otherwise.
II Lans u IA o. u can 4 sou d probably
be made mas better paying invest nent IL
generous repair, upon "a liberal scale were in
sttuted and II some no4er method OF motive
power under proper conditions could be inaug
urated Toe nor .hern division OF the Ohio Gu
nal. fr III Dresden to I, .eveiand, could be util-
lied better If improvements were made The
southern division in it's present condition or
ut least TIL t part from Trinway to Lockbournc.
Is practically useless to the state for n1viga-
tir,. No boats have used that part for several
years and unless there is large expenditure.
noic will 20 over it for years to come Tha
have investigated the question. is that there
is not sufficient water supply 10 make this
portion OF the canal an endur NJ WORK. The
reservoir. now known Buckeye Lake, is
barely sufficient to supply the canal from Mill
ersport to Lockbourne, and there is no sur
plus which can be devoted well to the portion
10 the northeast running to Trinway The
Columbus feeder and the southern division Of
the Ohio canal from Loekbourne to Ports
mouth. may be susceptible 10 a brighter future.
but only under the condition which applies
with less force to the other navigable parts of
the whole system.
At the present time there is agitation Of the
question OF utilizing the canal system as it OBJ
tains throughout the whole country. New York
state has prepared to thoroughly investigate
pairs upon her canal system and especially the
great Erie canal 1 would advise that your
honorable body authorize u commission, to be
composed Of entirely unprejudiced and compe-
tent engineers to study the question for this
state. During any time this problem. for such
would recommend that economy, wherever pos
sible and consistent. having always In view the
preservation Of the features Of the public
works, be instituted 1t is my belief that in
the future it will be found expedient to change
the method OF supervision OF the canal sy ystem,
seem most nearly to meet that which consider
to he our future need IL is my opinion that
there is by such reform opportunity for the
saving OF great deal OF money to the state
NEW STATE BUILDING.
In compliance with the act or April 49, 1898,
providing for the erection of u new state build
Ing and making ing an app S5
pointed Charles A. Bauer, OF Clark county;
Andrew ID. Rodgers, OF Franklin county, and
Lewis p. Schaus. of Licking county who, to-
governor general
constituted the state building commission. BY
the death OF Mr.. Bauer, which occurred on June
IL, 1899. the commission lost o valuable mem
ber The varancy thus caused has been filled
by the appointment 70 OF =. l., 30 Ly6arger. OF Co
shoe shoeton county; on May ss 1888, the commits
ernor as chairman and A. d. Rodgers, vice
chairman. The matter of choosing q site for
the building being the first thing for the deter
mination OF the commission, advertisement
was made in Columbus papers asking for pro-
posals for the sale Of real estate to be sub
Ga that date the commission held meeting
and considered II such offers, but after care
availability, convenience and price, and OF all
questions bearing upon the subject OF site, the
commission deemed 1t wise to reject all pro-
selecting "a portion Of the state house grounds
~ such distance from the state house and ON
the east side thereof and entirely detached
therefrom, ~ seemed most convenient and 80
allowing the construction Of . building srehi-
tecturallS harmonious with the present capt.
VOL Inc knOWlou80 JnSt no oQeQuot9 or pro-
per building could be constructed II such an
amount Is the cost Of an available site should
bo deducted from the appropriation, and the
explicit instructionssOf the law directing loca.
tion upon the state capitol grounds ~ an al
ternative 10 the site question, were the deter
mining factors In this decision. Al this meet
ing the commission caused advertisement 70 be
made asking architects to submit plans, speci-
0cations and estimates Of cost for such 6uih-
ing, to be approxlma tely o. feet Dy 2i1 feet In
size, OF the Same general style Of architsctuYe
- the present state house, such plans, ETC., 70
b submitted on June 20.
The commisston carefully considered aA Of
the plans. and adopted the plans and sketchss
| submitted BY Samuel Hannaford q Sons, -
being deomed most suitable. On August .
the srchiteets submitted complete detail plans
etc., which wero approved BY the commission,
the GoveSnor. secretary of state and suditor
Of stAte ss required by law. and adWertso-
ments ssking FOR bids Tor eonStrue,ion we're
ordered made. On September ~ the commits
sion met and publicly opened the bids received,
| and September % contrasts were awarded 10 u
bidders. smountAg 70 ox7o. .b6H el. covering the
| construction Of the building entire. exclusive
| Of elevators, furnishing. decorations, httiAgs
and rsstorstton Of the grounds. Al this time
| al oontTsess have been made for all the work
4 70 Be performed and materials TO be furnished
necessary 10 hnish the work and equip the
building resdy for occupancy, sll within the
| appropriation made by the legislature.
Immediately aftor awarding the nrst con-
| tracts work was commenced and progressed
so rapidly that on February is, 1899, the corner
stone was laid with due ceremony. Work