176 A. L. Bishop — The State Works of Pennsylvania. 



model of a locomotive engine of the best type tlien kno-mi, having 

 a two-man power. His report,* which was soon published, con- 

 tained a collection of useful information concerning the various 

 purposes of his mission. He described conditions as he found them, 

 and made numerous drawings of various parts of railways, canals, 

 etc. He did not apply the information received to American con- 

 ditions, nor did he recommend the adoption of either railways or 

 canals in Pennsylvania. In all points of public policy he was 

 entirely non-committal. 



Meanwhile vigorous efforts were being put forth to spread the 

 popular movement. At a meeting of the Improvement Society held 

 in February, 1825, a committee was appointedf to prepare an 

 address^ to the citizens of the state concerning the urgent need of 

 a direct line of communication to the West. Within a week it was 

 ready and soon it was widely circulated.§ Its framers disclaimed at 

 the outset any prejudice for or against any particular route. The 

 same attitude was announced regarding the adoption of a railway 

 or a canal. Not until accurate explorations and surveys had been 

 made, and fuller information obtained by disinterested parties, 

 could these questions be properly determined. Waiving these minor 

 considerations for the time being, it was earnestly hoped that there 

 would be a united effort on the part of all the people of the state 

 to bring about a transportation line to the West. Three principal 

 arguments were brought forward to justify the present appeal to 

 the people — the financial benefit ; the need of the proposed work 

 to preserve the commercial life of Philadelphia; and the effect it 



* Reports on canals, railways, roads, etc., made to "The Pennsylvania 

 Society for the Promotion of Internal Improvement," by William Strickland, 

 Architect and Engineer. Philadelphia, 1826. 



f The committee consisted of Messrs. Samuel Archer, Stephen Girard, 

 Nicholas Biddle, John Connelly, Paul Beck, John Moss, E. S. Burd, Nathan 

 Sellers, Samuel Wetherill, Thomas Leiper, John Sergeant, Nathaniel Chap- 

 man, Samuel D. Ingham, Thomas Cadvvallader, and Mathew Carey. — United 

 States Gazette, March 1st, 182.5. 



$A brief address had been published in the United States Gazette, etc., on 

 January 25th, 1825. It occupied one column and was concerned mainly with 

 showing the relative decline of Philadelphia's trade as compared with New 

 York and Baltimore. 



§ "An address to the Citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by a 

 Committee of the Permsylvania Society for the Promotion of Internal 

 . Improvements in the Commonwealth." It was issued in the form of a pam- 

 phlet of ten pages. '.Fhe newspapers of the state were requested to copy it. 



