254 A. L. Bishop — TJip State Worls of Pennsylvania. 



The movement continued apace and successive governors, in their 

 annual messages, discussed the various phases of the question in 

 a manner which was largely non-committal. At length a select 

 committee of the senate was appointed early in 1854 to review the 

 whole matter. Their report of February 4th strongly insisted that 

 public opinion, correct policy and sound morals justified and 

 demanded a sale. "A total and complete emancipation from all 

 the works" was urged.* 



In accordance with the above suggestion, an Act of April 27th, 

 1854, provided for the sale of the trunk line from Philadelphia to 

 Pittsburg.f To this end sealed tenders were asked for. ISTo bid 

 less than $10,000,000 would be considered. This figure, it will be 

 remembered, was just one-half of the minimum price that was fixed 

 for the same works ten years earlier. Although the advertisement 

 for tenders was continued for several months, no bids were received. 

 The canal commissioners in their report for 1854 did not discuss at 

 all the quesfion of making the sale, but they merely suggested that 

 some decisive action should be taken so as to put an end to the sus- 

 pense which was impairing the revenue derived from the works. ij: 



A persistent determination on the part of the legislature to effect 

 a sale was shown by an Act of May 8th, of the following year.§ It 

 was now provided that the main line should be offered at public 

 auction in Philadelphia for not less than $7,500,000. It was also 

 arranged that, in case no sale should then be made, "the governor 

 should invite proposals for the pui'chase or lease of said works." 

 However, w^hen the auction was held in July, 1855, they were not 

 sold because "the logical purchaser, the Pennsylvania Railroad 

 Company, would not bid under the terms and conditions of the 

 sale." 1 1 A few months later, however, the president of that com- 



* See Leg. Docs., 1854, p. 328. 



•j- Laws of Pennsylvania, 1854, p. 520. 



J Exec. Docs., 1855, R,eport of Canal Commissioners, p. 22. 



§ Laws of Pennsylvania, 1855, p. 521. 



II Wilson, History of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, I, p. 46. 



'I'ho Act of May 8th, 1855, provided that the purchise money should be paid 

 in yearly instalments of $1,000,000 each. It seems reasonable to believe that 

 the sale miglit have been made at this time had the conditions governing pay- 

 ment been more liberal. See Exec. Docs., 1855, p. 8 of Governor's message. 



