Indiana American, Volume 4, Number 51, Brookville, Franklin County, 16 December 1836 — Page 1

IM1I1M1 AJStJE JO AN o OUR COUNTRY OCR COUXTItv's INTEREST AND OUR COUNTRY'S FRIENDS.

BVC F. CI.AKl4SO.-V. BROOKVILLE, FRAiItLL COlTl, IXDIAXA, FRIDAY, 1FX 17, I 830. VOL,. IV. Ho. 51. Sat"

"rfinof (he Senate

fi-y cj the. tinue. oj n prcscntniiie?. The duties imposed by our respective sitgUionsli ive s.unmoned us (o the capi(ol,at t!ie t:nv, ppoinf(l by Ian-, for (be transaction o' business connected with public interests; and ff have reason te rejoice that with the close 'ie seasons and of the year, our stale and oil Z-'iis are left in the enjoyment of all J Mossing attendant upon a tree govcrn--I nn i ii il ut rioii s nrndent nrtrih I r v i ,r and its products have born liberally -;rdcJ;t,,esoil h.-nyielded its fruit in pro-'j-ioii; enterprise of every description has b en f'uliv compensated; the addit ions to our n!iiiti.n have; been unequalled; capital has j,ea llnving in from every quarter, and in tlif rn'dst of an abundant prosperity. j.-jree of health hitherto unknown has perTid( J the Suite. For all lhec our grateful il..,l(f n!,!)! ifi d ii! In. m;i Mi fu oil Jlit"" -o - ft ,.,. Hivine I'ar.d. Tin: I aw changing the mode of obtaining Si;inliu fur the. Treasury postponed the time lor unking a report of tvi Assessments Utile Auditor to the month, of December, w'lic'i precludes (he (iovernor ahd Executive Oiicors from making you acquainted with its fjf.( a iipiv.t t!ie revenue, or of presenting you iriih a prospective view of the Mate of the T.vi-v;: ' It issuppoM d however, that there v,;;i lio a small increase of the ne't proceeds hit rear, and that the Treasury will Ie prepti'J to meet the ordinarv demands upon ;'.. ensuing year. The balance on hand at ;.,e date ol the lat report t ttie treasury, and the receipt of all wimos the piesent c ir amoiiiu to 123, 101,5'A The payments mule for tlie same time, (including about 5,0);l.(in accout of the State ilouso under the act ot last session.) amount to y 13.2,3(5 1,14, niiitli leaves a balance of $.'rty),5 beyond the avail able means of the Treasury. Tw rears ago the Treasurer w as authorized by Uir to make a small loan to meet tin? remaini'l'i-,- r . tn.j r -ii i p imiwiiics ot me Mate lor mnw-ng ai: 'arnisiiiiiii t ie Stale House. The claims - J tende I to be provided for the loan, were suh'Kiii!v paid by the application of other nJsiii the hands of the Treasurer without .1 I I . . . I resorting to me loan, and u is to miscau-e in pir!. that n)ay be ascribed the deficit, cxhihile.I sa I. ie report lie will soon make. hnicliatcly following your adjournment of ik nst session, the seventh ot the ensuing mmlii, M ircJi, was designated as the day fur first meet mtr of the Slate Board of Intcrmemhers. requisilts riill nprovement; at which time it? cjiiwiil-iI, complied with all t!tc ai l iiiniiaiHh s ot tae law in its organ iz itioti. mI catered upon the charjje of its nu.ii'Toas an! res'i.iai!ie dn'ies. l ullv sensible ol the iiii.iit ii!e of tii.; interests committed to its c'l-irje. and of the respjusibilitv incurred b I' liirsift a:i expenditure on obp-cts of deep interest to i!u- State, the Board. alWr a free int'Tc l i'ie of views, and mature deliberation, li tilvl i its plaits and determined up n tic mjasiires to be pursued fer t!i-ir t xecut"':i. 11 tvi i .K.igned In r.i S member th' di.'tvtioa a id uerin!erid?-:ice of a niiiin ot "a: !, ti'it" next .In v to be p"rfoMeei Teint.ii tu an eal ii iied so'iere of aettve service, ivn l.iit of pro iii-isi the reo-i'-ite iniitibcrnt B i jimvr-i. Before lite lode force reqi re.l ca.il 1 be orgmiz- I. it was found lie fCSMiv to seal to the Eiter! States: fu "ich n iqi.tse the Chief Engineer on Can..!-. M.- W'.ll i ... fi I....;.. ..." cl... ' 'i lll.illlli ail. I VI "II. V. It lllltjlllil u: Ijo ir.i. visited several of the States; hut ivtinie.l without enrj-igingati Engineer in Chiet lr oar roads and iiail-ways, and without the '1 si re, number of the subbordinalc stations. Tiis failure produc ed some delay in sending the necessary force to the field which inipos f l aa additional amount of labor upon the Ei,'ineer in Chief and upon several of the 'm:iiiss!oners. But, bv perseverance on heir p:r t nearly all the work was accomnlislifl' in CvMiforniitr with t!i direction of the 'jie Hoard. A "brief outline of the result cd eir labours I will now endeavor to lay be1 re you. lie operations of the Wabash and Erie Can'l have been steadily or energetically prcressing. The Navigation of the middle divisio horn Fort Wayne to Huntington, has teen uninterrupted, and the severe tests to hi'h it has been subjected by the frequent flicts of the summer and autumn, give sat 'factory evidence of the skill and faithfulness 0llc officers and contractors, entrusted with work. Of lh line between Huntington '"J Lifontine's Creek, sixteen miles have "Mn filled with water and made ready for r,"iga:ioi, and the remaining twenty miles "jc roaipleted with the exception of a portion ''the Locks which have beendelavcd by an "'looked for ditlieuhy in procuring stone of P'oved quality. From L ifonlines Creek 'o Georgetown and t Lafayette embracing a Stance of forty miles, aud it is supposed in years fioai tliis time the whole route from ti'ecaxt line of the stale to the latter point nnv he rea I y for n ivi' ation. if the progress of u"l.i:i tV r.iuini.'ii.ii nflirr nart of the part o me s!,o ,!J lu. sad, sl3 to ineot our just and Mo exudation, of which we have ' . il-ll i doubt. Olr. V III" I

MtJ TAi- I t - . .

""tour tJhief Engineer, has been uirccieu V -vr..mihle nrice-". and the ' B ,n 1 of Internal Improvement to con -j in to crnon at eJ;n. 'rvkii the proper authorilies of Ohio and work is, and will be dm .g ll c w P J'-t any n! itters necessarv oa the final loca- cuted with energy, l10 J"' f Hi line at the cro-su.g point betw ee n j in produce and arf.c e , o. e .p i lor 0 and la JUna, and whea" s'a.all have the back co,atry, and the I. rgc . unt o ' "Visaed the object, and w hen the pro- I travel m various points lh.ouSh Madison,

v.. ne pan oi Uliio shall warrant it, that part of the work from Fort Wavne to the Ohio hne w.l be placed under contract as contemplated by law. About thirty miles of (ho White Water Canal e xtending from Lawrence burgh th.o the fertile valley of White Water to Brookville, were placed under contract on the 13th .September l.tst at safe prices, and many of the contractors have already commenced operation. From the large amout of surplus

,...v-.., ... a.,uu nom uinclcnsdv populated district, the investment there will ield something for the Treasury so soon as the navigation is open. The joint reflation of Ohio, granting to tins stalethe privilege to construct that part of the line passing through her territory required of its such a location as would nlF.rd facilities (or extending a brant h to Cmrmn.t;. 1 Ins requirement ha, been regard d in the final location, and it U believed the whole matter is now satisf aclorially arranged in a manner mutuaUy beneficial to both" states. That Resolution I know lav before you. Twenty three miles of The Ce nral Cnnnl in the vicinity of, and passing through the -cat ofG veinmi..a,hr,ve been placed "under c ontract at a rate but httie beyond the estimate of the Engineer, and IheVork in a very spirited manner h is been commenced by the undertakers. The income to be derived Iroin the existemdve water power to be employed here, the opening of conveyance for bione and other materials and the active commerce centering at this point, will soon make ita productive investment for the state. In addition to the portion above named, about twenty miles ot the southern division extending (roni the town of Evansville into tho'intenor, have also been contracted for, and at prices varying but little from the sup posed cost, as reported by the Engineer. This part of the work terminating at Evans ville on the O.iio, that being the binding place and pomt ol saies and purchases lor the interior; will soon bring something in return. On the line of the Cross-cut Canal from Teire-IIoute to the intersection of the Central Canal near the mouth oi lel Ui ver, a commencement has also been made of all the heavy sections that will require the greatest length of time lor completion. Several considerations intluenced the Board in making beginning along this line. It is the most easy, short, and natural connexion to command the trade of the Wabash in low water, and make it subservient lo the Ccntr il Canal. Besides this, it opens an avenue to the fine quarries nnd coal mines along Eel and White rivers, and fumUhos a new field for enterprise in the rich mineral districts hithcrtounnoliccd in Clay, Owen, and Greene Counties. It has been ascertained from an exam'nalion made at the most de pressed stage of the stream, that Eel River will "H'ord an abun-j danl supply of w ater, and it is expected the expense of reservior'on that route, can now be obviated. Early last spring a party of Engineers w as organized and directed to examine into the rr-'cticabilitv f the contemplated Michigan and Erie Canal line. I. c uoss the several summits evels were run and thence to ac(he waroams relied unon to Mini Iv them with tor, undthe result of iho ix itninalion affords satisfactory e id. ju c foi the belied, that a canal may be constructed at a most reasonable cost, from Fort Wavne, keeping within our !enitor and ;assing through the vatiey oi r.l'Jiai i. the Bi" St. Joseph, anc Kankakee, terminating at Michigan city, and cllering ing fai ci.-.i i. ..!... ! jut distric t of country, the i ililifs l.ir I r.msliol tatlOll. WlilCIl Us i.f ........ richness in mineral, as well as agricuiturial products seem to require. And from the formation of the counti v around the south end of Lake Michigan,"it is supposed the Canal may be extended when the States interested may deem it proper, so as to unite with the Illinois and Michigan Canal, thus affording to the Illinois val'lev, the upper Mississippi, and the country bordering on Lake Michigan, a direct communication with Lake Erie, which will be found more safe and advantageous, than the present circuitous route through the u:..u l..ind.. of Lake Huron, rrom llljill IIUI 111 I I" .. -..I.:.,,, ;f vi!l In! s be seen that the Michigan and Erie Canal, besides its importance lo the Stale has strong claims to the character of a national wo,k. 1 rom the great supply of water at the summills it will be found easy for a company or tor the btate, at a future period, to connect with the Wabash canal at several points from the mouth ol Tippecanoe up. Soon after the meeting of the first session of the Board of Internal improvement, a party of Engineers was fitted out, and entered upon the field service, on the Madison and Lafavctte Rail Road. To evcrconiw the ascent of high ground bordering the Ohio river in the Rear of Madison, at anapproved grade, ddllculties w-re presented at the hrst view, labor lo obviate, but I. II . - ' " v. - - , I 1.1.3 1'IOIV it I lllf ?.Ill.ll..b 1 ... lll.il I' '"II- ' ... Ill i inflection ollhe line, hnally adopted, ... t.. -- . ln they were surmoun.eu " "J been determined upon lia , w. -Med COUUl '- uiiin." - I- f t. II lw. ... taltii . ;l IIIL' i-l.t-iii"- it ... .-. ll CXlCIIUIIlJi iiuiii iii.i j

I . r. ... . .. ... may conform to it (hat part of (he line not neretolore surveved, between the seat Government and Crawfordsville, ought soon

iw inquire such increased (acuities it. at the j it will oe tae part of wisdom to lake a prosBoard cf Internal Improvement, will no j pective view, and whilst all is prosperous, and doubt direct such progress as will be prudent, jour citizens are able, willing, and ready lo That the farms and other improvements 'contribute to commence the burthen with

to be established and a commencement should j leaving no one year to meet the entire debe made at the latter point, in lime to teim-lmands upon it The Mm to be delivered inate and meet the Canal at Lafavctte, which ! from an established policy of the kind, the will no doubt, receive the timely attention of annual interest that may be expected ficma the Board. lororcr disposition ot our dividend of the

Upon the New Albany and Vinrennesjsurpluj revenue, mid (hat por(ion of the road, the Commissioner was o forluna'e as to j three per cent, fund that you will be able to avail himself of the services of a competent set apart. ill throw into the treasury a sufFngineer in season for the examination re-! ticient supply for the demands upon it, leavquired on that line, and its permanent loca-jing a handsome ballance at the close of each tion was alFected in time for the letting tobe'vrar to be supplied to the increased demands made by order of the Board in October, atlof the next. which contrac ts for grading and bridingl With these resource, ard with the rxactwerc entered into, embracing the line fiom ion of a just accountability and an enlightenNew Albany to I'aoli, about forty mih s, the'. cd but rigid economy on the part of all encost wh ich is but l:ttle above the ccmpimt a"! (rusted with the construction of the work.

tion, of the Enginer. In the course of t the conuning year that par of the work will he

prepared (or the reception of the me tal crj To the Board, to its members severally covering of Stone, and in a fjw year., the en-land to the Engineers, the year has been one tire distance between New Albany and.ofgreat interest and labour; and from 'he Vinccnnes may be so improved as to a(Kid embarrassingdifikulties interfering, from tlie the facilities so needed by the heavy busi-j harmony aint concei t, to be observed in overncss in exports at those points. coming them, nnd the zeal and ability with

Owing to the previous professional engage mciils of Mr Fonte hoy. the resident Engineer, in surveying the Princeton and MountVcrnon road, the commissioner did not commence the re-survey ol the New-Albany and Crawfordsville line as directed by law, until the second weak in July. Between that time and the period of the meeting of (he Board on the first Monday in October, tht examinations were pushed lo the crossing of the west branch of While River; a report of w hich was laid before the Board. The examinations not having been carried through to Crawfordsville, the terminating point, it was deemed the most prudential

course lo give lime (or the (urlhcr progress; who were w illing to wait the; ensuing seaof tue suivey, and to a fiord the oportunity cfjson of the Legislature for their wages, had a joint examination and conference between ; not the means to p.sy their own expenses, the Resident and Mr. Pellet the principal i The necessary funds however, were volunfacngineers; and, therefore, the Board defer-Jrily tendered and furnished the Engineer Mr. red a decision whether it should be a rail ; Fauntleroy, by the Hon. Robert Dale Owen Way or M'Adamized road. In the mean j to w hom three hundred dollars have since time the Board directed that contracts fori been ptid from the contingent fund. For

grading and bridging the line, suited to the construction of either woik. should be marie,, including that pait from Jefiersonviiie j to New Albany, anil early next stasonj an additional and more liberal amount ol w ork w ill be put under contract. Upon the issue of the enterprise in w hie h we are now engaged, our stale has ttak-i ed her fortunes. JShe has assumed a great , responsibility, but one thai is full of hope

and of promise, and one that can secure lor 1 1 he aveiaie through which a large porticn ol us lasting and imperishable ble.-sing. It ' the emigration and trave l, e'csline d fc r the dishas not been fastened upon her by surprise,! tricts north of the scat of government, have

nor imposed upon the people as the hasty r-iT-r.rin ef ever zc.-ilcus public agents. It w as openly discussed for tw o years, made the turning point in our election?, ami as public se ntiment demanded it with full knowledge of ulterior conse quences, it must be emphatically called the measureof the people!. With the series of letting just closed on! the various, the initialoi v ste i s have all been;

been taken. Our great svslem may be said to the want o( an ad.ntienal sum to render u be fail Iv begun, and the State has embarked j available, ai d as it has, heretofore, e ost the in a course of policv, from w hich there is no ! people nothing, the assistance required, it is set rea t that would "he either safe or honora-j believed should not be will. eld. It is n state ble. But though it has commenced ii:-.dcr work, nnd should be oaned aud treated as the most favorable auspices, yet its friends sue h. The report required by law, detailmust not relax in their vigilance and cfTorlsjing the proceeding? of the Commissioner for its support. Fer those who are at xirus j for the last year will not be delayed, to render substantial service (o the slate, an In consequence of the frequent Hoods dniample fie ld is opened in studying he r true ling the past year, the pre gr.;ss r f the in prj' cinterests. With w ise and prudent councils.jments on the Wabash river under the joint some years of persevering exertion will beleontrol of Indiana and Illinois, have not required to bring our works to a favorable equaled the expectations of the Commisionei termination and insure speedy success, nor of the public. The operations have There must be foresight and stability in our been chiefly confined to thew oik projected lc"Mation. so as to continue and increase j and place! under contract prior to the repoi t

the confidence of the people at home, and m:tint:iin the iust credit of the state abroad Until our success is complete, our duties will not terminate, and whilst indulging our fancies with the prospect of a bright future, it should not be forgotten that during the progress of every public work like ours, (here has been a financial resouice from w hich w e can claim no exemption- An overflowing prosperity will follow profuse disbursments of the public funds; with its current w e w ill all be swept along and seduced by the times, we will live high, purchase freely, oontract debts and run into other extravagances, at which our present notions of econemy would revolt. And when these disbursments arcreduced, when the harvest demands arc made upon us for the support of the treasury, w e shall have parted w ith the moans placed in our hands. Such a state of things will hardly fail to bring upon us a presure, and when the dark period arrives, ttiere may be some so forgetful of its benefits as to complain ef the system. And it will not be surprising if you" find others seizing upon the moment to execute unfounded p.ejudiees for the sake of a short career, but it will be short, and when a clear sky returns when, imperishable blessings are to be seen all around, a grateful public will applaud and reward you, who have so firmly coupled your fortunes w ith the success of the undertaking. To palliate and if practicable to obviate the approach of the evils of such a period

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! (he beginning of our works, and the levies ol, to he made should be distributed in advance through the whole period of our opperalions. you will be prepared in a great measure fur ! anv crii. which each dise barged the share of arduous duty allotted '.o him, thev are entitled to the approbation of the legislature, and to the confidence of the public. The repoit of the board, embodving so muc h of detail as it ne cessarily must, may be dcley cd u short time, but you may expect it in time for deliberation. By nn art of tlie lact session of the legislature, the duty of procuring a survey and estimates for a road from Prim etc n to Mount Vernon was assigned (o the Governor, but no means were placed under his control lo carry it into execution. This omission was like 10 emoarrass me work, a laiiorirs . . . . i ii the balance due him, provision should be made by law. The repoi t ef lie Engineer will be in rcadincbs at an early day of the session. It being your province nd duty to point out the remedy of nnv evil j'.fl'ictir.g (o the r ul lie, I mcst e arnestly invite v our atte nticii to the condition cf the Michigan Ror tl..... w hie h there is no subic ct more worthy e l a share of the Legislature. That through tare is and must continue to pass; and through which we can y and receive r,o small share to exports and imports. It is therefore a work of much value lo the public. The preeecds of the lands granted for its improvement a tountir.g to about 230,000 have been exhausted with the exception of a small part, That is to large a sum to be lost, hould the road go to decay fir is it will, ,of the Commissioner, most ol which are now completed. Two additional contracts were offered for the removal of seme rock obstructions, but for the want of competition the bids were so high that the commissioner re,.i ai i . imn .J.!.. i C. I jecteu uicm. adoiiij i,ijU oi uie jomi iuiiu have been extended on tormer contracts, leaving in the hands of the commissioners for further application, about 11,800. This ballance can be profitably employed in extending (he w ork at the Grand Chain in removcing obstructions at the two most difficult points unprovided for, and in the removal of the snags aud logs that most endanger the navigation of the stream. Of the latter kind of abstructions, the snags and other depositcs of timber, no fair estimate or offer can be made, as they cannot be desig naled and are distrbuted throughout the stream. To these can be traced most of the disasters to our commerce, and as our law requires all the work to be done by contract it will be best to give our cammissioner such discretion as will enable him lo co-operate with the; one in Illinois in removing them under their own direction. The report re

quired by law of the commissioner you may of five years devolved on the Governor since expect within a day cr two. your last meeting. For that purpose notices It is to be regrett'eei that the great amount j were issued, inviting proposals from the pubof duty devolve d upon the Board of Inter-j lie, and. at the appointed lime the prison with nal Improvement, and'upon our Engineers in! its inmates and appendages were awarded to the commencement of our extended. system! Messrs. Taitcrson nnd llenslcy on (heir bid has picveiiled the making cf the minute' of eighteen thousand one hundred dollars to examination that should preclude the expen-jthe state, they to clothe nnd feed the conditure cf the impropriation of 50,000 oni t)6" see last page.

the W aoasa river. The Board deem it their duty to make a critical examination, and ever rxeition u as made to procure the pro fefioi.wl aid cf Engineers; but the demand of sin h ccric4 s was so great that they fail

ed in doing so, until the proper season for making ti. m had passed away. In the early pait of the month of November a personal t x KHinatti it of the river was made by two to fi,l. t f the- Board, accompanied by Mr. Williams, but the river at th it time was so higt ns to prevent a survey. They found, however, that the most serious obstruction to the navigation is presented by the Grand Rapids which would indicate the propriety of commencing at the place. Whither the improvement of this and the adjoining rapids can be best accnmpliihod by Dams nnd Locks forming slack water in the river, or by a canal nith Loc ks constructed separately fiom the stream, is a question which the Board will be competent to determine after full investigation. The river forms the i boundary line between the itates for soma distance, and what evermay be the character of the work, both Banks must be occupyed, and before we proceed, the assent of Illinois should be obtained, for which no provision was made bylaw of last sess-ion. The action of that state has heretofore been liberal, and she may claim concurrent jurisdiction and control, and n nvitual participation, as well in the use t nd profits of the w crk as in tho expense of construction. To prevent delay in a work of so much value to the countie s adjoining, and lo hasten the negew i.itions uecc-ary, it w ill be the better ceur-e to vest the Board oflnternal Improve incut, r se n.e other competent authority with ewer to net in conjunction with the jiutl.e-i i'ie s of Illinois making the nc e essarv con pact in relation to the construction and use of the improvements to be made. The Legislature of that state holds its sessions once in two years, and to guard against delays cf that time it may be well also, to prep e nn adjustment cf the matter on the plan named, or in some other way, during its present session. Of "the bonds of the State authorised by law for the benefit of the Law re nee burgh Rail Road Company, the Treasurer of Stale has caused to be; issued the sum of two hundred and tw nty-oiic- thcu-and dollars, the company having complied with the condition precedent by filing with him mortgages on real Estate to an equal mount. By a recent negotiation tie ceirpany by a loan in the city of New Ye ik have realized the amount of one hundred theusar.d dollars at par, nnd from the cnteipiize, business character, and .l..!.iw j-.r iff .-. Ife i !.. t r Vlllllll .llllldonee, we have e ve iv assurance that the proeeeds will be faithfully and promptly applied to the construe lion of toe woik. The liabilities and e -iigage-i. rnts ol the association for work received, nnd new contracts, exceed one hundred thousand dollars, and thev ex pect within three years to extend their operations to the seat of Government. The desire lo obtain property in the vicinity of oar public woik has maintained the usual activity in ti e sales of our canal lands. Since the last session of the Legislature, the er.tiies at private sale amount to 1()5.C-19 29, leaving on hands not more than half a dozen lots of H) acres. The usual re port will soon be submitted by (he Ce mmi.-sioner having charge of that branch of the public interest. With the outstanding claims of the previous year, the existirg u pre prialicns at the close "of the last tension of ti e legislature, swelled the liabilities and demands upon the three perce nt, fund, to the. amount of 1(31,81) 20. Our dividend since accruing from the sales of the Public Lands to the close of the third quarter of this year, amounting to 155,135 TO has been received at the Treasury, and apportioned among the counties, which leaves an unsatisfied balance of 5,T03 41 ngaiiist the fund. The sales at the Land Offices the present year have exceeded those of any former period. They amounted the first six months to upwards of two millions five hundred thousand dollars, and with (he expiration cf this month, will probably reach five millions; which will entitle us for the 4th quarter of (his year, to a further divikend of from thirty to forty thousand dollars. If the sales for the ensuing year should not be diminished mere than 1 third, which it is not probable, a further sum of one hundred thousand dollars will accrue, making from 130,000 to 140,CC0 lo be applied the coming year, as you mav direct. Entertaining the opinion I heretofore advanced, that there is no permanent benefit to be derived from our present mode of applying the fund, and believing it our imperious duly far as possible, to relieve the people from the b'irthen of taxation, 1 suggest the propriety of applying the major part of future receipts lo the extinguishment of the interest of the loans obtained to carry on our public works. The period of Mr. Keigwin's superintendance being about to expire, the duty of farming out the State Prison for another term

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