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



which crippled many individuals and firms engaged in manufactur- 

 ing and other industi'ial pursuits. Hence the demand for those 

 commodities which constituted the bulk of the traffic on the lateral 

 canals, viz. — coal, iron, and lumber, was now materially dimin- 

 ished.* While the public mind was in a morose state due to the 

 above conditions, the time seemed ripe for the party wliich was 

 anxious to sell the remainder of the improvements to precipitate 

 the movement already in progress. Naturally enough, the advan- 

 tages that would thus accrue to the state from the financial stand- 

 point were emphasized. Governor Pollock, in pointing out the 

 desirability of a sale from every point of view, stated: "In connec- 

 tion with the payment of the public debt and the reduction of state 

 taxation the question is one of more than ordinary interest." Con- 

 sequently, he urged the legislature to eifect a sale "at the earliest 

 practicable period, for a fair consideration, upon terms just and 

 liberal to the purchasers, and at the same time amply protective 

 of the rights and interests of the people." 



On the 25th of February, 1858, the house committee on ways and 

 means reported a bill which provided for the sale of all the trans- 

 portation improvements still owned by the state ; also for the com- 

 pletion of the Sunbury and Erie railroad. Though stoutly opposed 

 by a respectable minority, the bill was finally passed and received 

 the governor's approval on April 21st, 1858."{" It authorized the 

 Sunbury and Erie Railroad Company to purchase all of the lateral 

 works for $3,500,000. Furthermore, this company was to issue 

 bonds to the amount of $7,000,000, bearing interest at 5 per cent, 

 per annum and secured by mortgage upon the whole line between 

 Sunbury and Erie. These to the amount of the purchase money 

 were to be given to the state. The rest were to be deposited with 

 the state treasurer and ultimately were to be surrendered to the 

 company under certain specified conditions which, as already 

 intimated, had in view the speedy completion of the road.$ 



have been suspended or abandoned and thousands of workmen are out of 

 emphjyment." — Extract from Governor Pollock's special message to the extra 

 session of the legislature, Oct. 6th, 1857, in Exec. Docs., 1857. 



* See paore 3 of -Report of the State Engineer in Exec. Docs., 1857. 



f Laws of Pennsylvania, 1858, p. 414. 



i Sunbury, situated at the conduonce of the north and west branches of 

 the Susquehanna, was conaiectcd with Philadelphia by the state improve- 

 ments. With a view to regain the trade and commercial position lost by 



