A supplement to the act, entitled, an act to authorize the Governor to incorporate a company to erect a toll bridge over Big Beaver creek, at or near Wolf lane in the county of Beaver,' was read the second time, Section 1. was considered and agreed to. Section 2. being under consideration, A motion was made by Mr. Frailey and Mr. Ewing, To postpone the further consideration of said section, together with the bill for the present, which was agreed to. Adjourned until 10 o'clock to-morrow morning. FRIDAY, January 26, 1816. Mr. Morgan presented a petition from James Ph. Puglia, health officer of the city, port, and county of Philadelphia, praying for an increase of his salary; and The same was read and referred to Mr. Morgan, Mr. Shearer and Mr. G. Weaver. Mr. Reed presented a petition from sundry inhabitants of Indiana, Westmoreland and Allegheny counties, praying that commissioners may be appointed to review that part of the state road leading from the town of Indiana to Pittsburg, from where it crosses Kiskaminitas river to the town of Pittsburg; and Said petition was read and referred to Mr. Reed, Mr. Shannon, Mr. Lowrie, Mr. M'Farland and Mr. Beale. On motion of Mr. Reed and Mr. M'Sherry, Ordered, That an item of unfinished business relative to the road mentioned in the above petition, be referred to the last named committee. The Speaker laid before the Senate a letter from the Auditor General, which was read as follows, to wit. Auditor General's Office, January 25th, 1816. SIR-Agreeably to their resolution of yesterday, I respectfully submit to the honorable the Senate, the following statements and observations, viz. Estimate of the probable receipts and expenditures at the state treasury in 1816, founded upon acts of the legislature passed prior to the present session. Lands Bank dividends Tax on new banks Tavern licences Tax on offices Court fines Miscellaneous RECEIPTS. To which add the balance in the treasury 1st $ 100,000 200,000 80,000 30,000 30,000 8,000 • 2,000 10,000 460,000 78,979 40 $538,979 40 Estimate of the probable annual receipts and expenditures founded upon provisions existing prior to the present session of the legislature. To these statements I respectfully add the following remarks in explanation of the grounds on which they rest, viz. If our future receipts from banks and auction duties can be estimated from what have heretofore accrued from those sources, any view will prove short of the actual receipts. In the estimate of receipts for 1816 the amount assumed for bank dividends is about the usual annual sum-the receipts, however, may be more than I state, because the half year's dividend from the Pennsylvania Bank lately received is $90,000; in respect to auction duties my estimate is less than two-thirds of last year's receipts therefrom, and on a view of the three year's preceding 1815, (when the difference in the state of trade is taken into consideration) it will not, I conceive, be deemed overrated. In respect to the probable expenditures in 1816, I have assumed the sum of $ 140,000 to meet the calls from the western turnpikes, more from a belief that that sum can be conveniently spared, than from a knowledge of the actual progress of these roads; but I have understood that the demands in 1816 cannot reach that sum. With respect to the estimate of the probable annual receipts, founded on provisions existing prior to the present session of the legislature, it will be seen that the auction duties are stated at $60,000, being less than the average of three year's previous to 1815; the revenues arising from tavern licences heretofore charged with certain militia payments, under the provisions of the militia act of 29th March 1813, and being now free therefrom, will yield, in all probability, the full extent of the estimate. And in respect to the expenditures under the same estimate, I have purposely kept out the probable payments on account of the appropriations for turnpikes and other improvements, in order to shew the clear surplus annual revenue over what are considered the ordinary expenditures. This surplus revenue will, besides leaving a handsome balance in the treasury to meet contingencies (say 30,000 dollars) admit of an expenditure of more than $180,000 per annum in discharge of existing pledges, and as a provision for future appropriations; these pledges will on the 1st December 1816, (that is after deducting $ 150,000 provided therefor in my estimate) amount to about $720,000. Independently of the foregoing statements and views, our claims on the United States may yield $ 300,000, as I have already furnished an account exceeding in amount $ 280,000. A further account is in preparation and will probably be transmitted to Washington in the course of the ensuing spring. If the treasury of the United States shall not be prepared to meet our demand I am authorized to accept of stock. I beg leave to remark that the appropriation to the Philadelphia prison, as stated in my annual report, may be considered nominal, because the inspectors have not complied with the terms upon which the appropriation had been made, and I understand do not mean to comply therewith, and, consequently cannot take it up; and that the balance of monies remaining in the treasury arising from tonnage duties, as noticed in my annual report of 1814, has by law become a fund for the payment of the salary and contingencies of the office of the wardens of the port, and can be drawn out of the treasury at a rate not exceeding $1,600 per annum; and although this provision will expire on the 1st of April next, it will, in all probability, be continued until some other fund shall be established for that institution. I have the honor to be, sir, Very respectfully, Your most obedient servant, The hon. Speaker of the Senate GEO. BRYAN. of Pennsylvania. On motion of Mr. Lowrie and Mr. Rogers, Ordered, That the usual number of copies of said letter be printed for the use of the members. Mr. Reed from the committee appointed for the purpose yesterday, reported a bill, entitled An act vesting the use of two salt wells in the Connemaugh river in Samuel M. Reed and company,' which was read the first time. The bill, entitled A supplement to the act, entitled, an act to authorize the Governor to incorporate a company to make a lock navigation in the river Schuylkill,' was read the third time, and Resolved, That this bill pass. Ordered, That the clerk present the said bill to the House of Representatives for concurrence. On motion of Mr. Frailey and Mr. Reed, The following resolution was twice read, considered and adopted, to wit. Resolved, That the Secretary of the Commonwealth be requested to lay before Senate, all the title deeds and papers in his office, relating to the State House and lot adjacent, in the city of Philadelphia, and that the clerk be and he is hereby directed to furnish the secretary with a copy of this resolution, On motion of Mr. I. Weaver and Mr. Baily, The resolution read yesterday relative to the purchase of certain books, was again read, and being under consideration, On motion, One copy of each of the following books were added thereto, to wit. Olive Branch, last edition. Davy's Agricultural Chemistry. Sarazen's wars in Spain and Portugal. Humboldt's Personal Narrative. Bonaparte's Charlemagne. Edinburg Review for 1816, and continuation. Mungo Park's last Narrative. Daniel Clark's Travels. M'Leod's five Discourses. Breckenridge's Sketches of Louisiana. Whereupon, A motion was made by Mr. Lowrie and Mr. Frailey, That said resolution be referred to the committee already appointed relative to an union of the libraries of the two houses of the legislature, which was agreed to. Agreeably to order, The Senate resolved itself into a committee of the whole, Mr. Poe in the chair, on the bill, entitled • An act to enable Charles Maus and John Solomon of the town of New Berlin in the county of Union, to dig establish and support a mill race on the south side of Penn's creek opposite said town.' And after some time, The committee rose, reported progress and asked leave to sit again; leave was not granted. Whereupon, A motion was made by Mr. Reed and Mr. M'Sherry, That said bill be referred to a special committee, which was agreed to, and Ordered, That Mr. Murray, Mr. Morgan and Mr. Reed be the committee. The clerk of the House of Representatives being introduced, presented for concurrence two bills, entitled as follow, viz. A further supplement to an act, entitled, an act to erect the town of Somerset in Somerset county, into a borough.' A supplement to the act authorizing Andrew Bozorth and Doctor Phineas Jenks, executors of the last will and testament of Hannah Dyer, deceased, to sell and convey a certain tract of land therein mentioned.' He presented for signature, the bills, entitled as follow, viz. An act enabling the Governor to incorporate a company for making an artificial road from the state line, near the town of Emmetsburg, in the state of Maryland, through Waynesburg, Greencastle and Mercersburg, to intersect the Chambersburg and Bedford turnpike road, at or near the east end of M'Connelsburg." |
