A. L. Bishop — The State WorJcs of Pennsylvania. 235 



the state brought to light some interesting information concerning 

 this point. The period examined extended from the middle of the 

 year 1839 to the end of 1840. The evidence taken, which, in the 

 opinion of the committee, unearthed only a small proportion of the 

 abuses actually existing, revealed, in the few cases examined, the 

 following : — * 



That the state lost through the superintendent of motive 

 power on the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad not - 

 less than $ 6,000 



That the construction of a certain division of railway 

 track cost the public more than it would have cost, had 

 the contracts been given out fairly to the lowest good 

 bidders, not less than 18,000 



Tliat through favoritism the supervisors of the Juniata 

 di%'1sion of the canal had exceeded the necessiary expendi- 

 tures not less than .' ■ 6,000 



That the allotment of the contract for the Eastern reservoir 

 was at a price above those tendered by good bidders, not 

 less than 20,000 



That the allotment of the contract for the Western reservoir 

 was at a price above those submitted by good contractors, 

 not less than 30,000 



That the price allowed for clearing 400 acres of land for 

 the latter was more than the work was worth, not less 

 than 10,000 



Tliat in the allotment of lock 13 on the Western division of 

 the canal there was allowed more than was necessary, 

 not less than 1,200 



Tliat in the case of two other locks specified there was 

 allowed more than was bid by good contractors, not less 

 than 10,000 



That in the allotmeiit of nine sections of canal on the Con- 

 neaut line of the Erie Extension there was more allowed 

 than the average bids of good contractoTS, not less than 35,000 



That in the allotment of contracts for 16 locks in 1839 a 

 loss was entailed to the state from failure to consider the 

 bids of political opponents, not less than 33,000 



Total $169,200 



Commenting upon their findings, of which the above is merely an 

 abstract, the committee stated: — "Our inquiries have been confined 

 to a small portion, when compared with the whole of the public 

 improvements of the state, and the result of those inquiries cannot 

 fail to startle and astonish. We find that within the period of a 

 single year, by the policy and practices which have prevailed, the 

 public money, to a large amount, has been squandered and improp- 

 erly paid away. We leave for further inquiry and development 

 many transactions of a character as suspicious as any that have been 

 examined, and it is not surprising that under such management, 



* See Report of Committee in J. H. Rep., 1841, II, p. 588. 



