INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF TURNPIKES 17 



place was literally hemmed in like a fortified city, 

 not even an outlet to exercise a horse without 

 paying a toll. There were seven different turnpike 

 trusts to maintain in relation to the town. The 

 funds collected from the g^tes were paid into the 

 treasurer's hands of each trust, and the roads were 

 repaired from them. It will be observed that a 

 large amount was absorbed in paying lawyers, who 

 were generally appointed to the posts of treasurers 

 and clerks to the trustees, and also to surveyors. 

 There were seven sets of officials for all these 

 trusts, whereas one would have been sufficient. In 

 many instances the interests on the loans had been 

 unpaid for many years. I myself knew of several 

 trusts where the interest had been in arrear for more 

 than twenty-five years. After those leeches of 

 officials had sucked in their salaries, there was but 

 little over 50 per cent, of the takings left for the 

 actual repair and maintenance of the roads. The 

 lessees also expected to get a fair profit on their 

 outlay, and the collectors received from 20s. to 2 5^. 

 per week, which made a great inroad into the receipts 

 from the tolls. At last, owing to the introduction 

 of railways, the funds for which the gates were let 

 were so crippled, that by degrees one trust after 

 the other expired, in most instances considerable 

 loss being experienced by the original bondholders, 

 who had found the money for the construction of 

 the roads. In many cases already printed as above, 

 the holders were glad to get anything back ; and 

 I have heard that the average amount repaid to the 



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