A. L. Bishop — The State Worlds of Pennsylvania. 171 



navigable water communication to the West was so urgent* that, 

 if necessary, she ought to build it alone. The views thus set forth, 

 and the arguments used, were indicative of a feeling shared by 

 many, especially in Philadelphia. 



The movement spread gradually, and soon it began to be reflected 

 in speeches and resolutions in the legislature. On January 3d, 

 1823, Dr. William Lehmanf proposed the following resolution in 

 the house, which was adopted : — 



"Resolved, That the Committee on Roads and Inland N'aviga- 

 tion be instructed to consider the expediency of appointing commis- 

 sioners, whose duty it shall be to furnish annually to the Legislature 

 in the early part of the sessions a properly digested view of the 

 state of the roads, bridges and watercourses of the state ; and also 

 to cause to be explored the route between the Schuylkill and Sus- 

 quehanna through the great valley of Chester and Lancaster 

 counties and also the most suitable routes between the waters of the 

 Susquehanna, the Allegheny, and Lake Erie, for the purpose of 

 ascertaining the practicability and the j^robable expense of connect- 

 ing these streams by a water communication.''^ 



On February 24th, the committee reported a bill entitled "An 

 Act providing for the appointment of a board of commissioners for 

 the purpose of promoting the internal improvement of the state." 

 ]^o immediate action was taken. On the 5th of December of the 

 same year, however, it was referred to a special committee§ and 

 two weeks later this committee reported || that examinations and 

 surveys ought to be made at once for a main route of water com- 

 munication between the Susquehanna and the Allegheny rivers. 

 This opinion was formed only after a careful consideration of the 

 favorable geographical and material endowments possessed by Penn- 



. * The movement even in its commencement was first to build a main line 

 of communication to the West. — "To counter-act these threatened evils, we 

 must furnish a, cheaper water intercourse by some of the routes hinted 

 at. . . . We must work our way to the Susqiiehanna, and thence to the 

 Allegheny first and Ave must go about it soon too." — <Breck, Sketch of Inter- 

 nal Improvements already made by Peimsylvania, p. 70. 



f Dr. Lehman was one of the most earnest advocates that could be found 

 in the state for the adoption of a system of internal improvement. At this 

 time he was chairman of the committee of roads and inland navigation. 



$J. H. Eep., 1822-23, p. 186. 



§ Messrs. Lehman, E. Lewis, Reynolds, Hummell, Diven, Maclay, Ogle, 

 Clarke and Everhart.— J. H. Rep., 1823-24, p. 82. 



II Full text of Report in J. H. Rep., 1823-24, pp. 163-170. 



