Doc. No. 23. Abstract of the accounts of the Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Railroad Company. READ-JANUARY 26, 1847. Co., } OFFICE MINE HILL AND SCHUYLKILL HAVEN R. R. Co., Abstract of the accounts of the company for the year 1846, transmitted to the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in accordance with the twelfth section of the act of incorporation. The capital stock of the company consisted of 8,000 shares, as per certificates issued to the 1st of January, amounting at the par value of $50 each, to To which must be added 2,000 shares, ordered to be issued by resolution of August 4th, 1846, for the completion of the Swatara extension, at $50 each, Balance due on loan, secured by mortgage, $400,000 00 100,000 00 20,000 00 $520,000 00 The income of the year was derived from tolls upon a net tonnage of coal, 457,22815 tons, 8,67512 465,904,7 tons, yielding in tolls, $85,134 67 And rent of collector's dwelling at Schuylkill Haven, Total, The current charges have been: 150 00 $85,284 67 For current repairs and other charges on the road, (exclusive of $5,000 charged to the depreciation fund, for damages caused by the freshet of May 9, 1846,) For salaries of officers and expenses of the board, rent of office and incidental expenses, Interest on instalments received on account of new stock to be issued, A dividend of seven per cent. upon 8,000 shares, was declared on the 4th of August, 1846, $28,000 00 And another on the 5th of the present month of eight per cent., upon the same amount of capital issued, 32,000 00 Total, $85,284 67 On the 13th of January, 1847, the State tax upon these dividends was transmitted to James R. Snowden, Esq., State Treasurer, viz: Upon the dividend payable in August, 1846, And upon that declared January 5, 1847, Together, E. E. $1,400 00 1,600 00 $3,000 00 City of Philadelphia, ss: SAMUEL MASON, Secretary and Treasurer. Before me, the subscriber, one of the aldermen of said city, personally appeared Jas. Dundas, president of the Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven railroad company, who being duly sworn according to law, did declare the above and foregoing accounts of said company to be just and true, to the best of his knowledge and belief. JAMES DUNDAS, President. Sworn and subscribed before me, this 20th day of January, 1847. ARMON DAVIS, Alderman. Doc. No. 24. Fourteenth Annual Report of the Building Committee and Architect of the Girard College for Orphans, January, 1847. READ-JANUARY 27, 1847. To the Hon. CHARLES GIBBONS, Speaker of the Senate: SIR-In pursuance of an order of the councils of the city of Philadelphia, I herewith transmit a copy of the "fourteenth annual report of the building committee and architect of the Girard college for orphans," to be laid before the honorable body over which you preside. Very respectfully yours, THOS. BIRCH, Jr., PHILADELPHIA, January 25, 1847. REPORT OF THE BUILDING COMMITTEE. To the Select and Common Councils of the City of Philadelphia: The building committee, in presenting their fourteenth annual report, have much satisfaction in being able to announce to councils, that the hopes entertained in their last report of an early completion of the college, have a fair prospect of being realized. The work has been actively carried on during the past season, and no efforts have been spared to signalize the present year, by the final completion of an edifice unsurpassed in this country, whether we regard the chaste and beautiful character of its architecture, or the great strength and solidity of its construction-a temple of elegance, worthy the noble purpose for which it is to be dedicated, and an enduring memorial of the great "merchant and mariner," by whose munificent means it has been erected. The report of the architect herewith submitted, will give the details of what has been effected during the past season. More would have been accomplished, had there not been much vexatious delay in the delivery of materials. This, however, will not affect future operations, and the committee feel assured, that by the ensuing spring, there will be sufficient materials on hand to insure the completion of the marble and stone-work at an early period of the summer. The interior of the main edifice and of the out-buildings will, in all probability, be finished in April or May; and the regulation of the grounds and introduction of the water, will engage the attention of the committee as soon as the weather will permit. These, with the ceiling of the portico, and a few minor details, comprise all that remains to be done, before the buildings will be ready to receive the furniture. The committee have not thought it advisable to take any steps towards furnishing the buildings, deeming it better to wait until councils shall have decided on the plan for organizing the college, as this may materially modify the arrangements for the purpose. In pursuance of an act of the Legislature, which received the assent of councils, the committee have caused the wall for enclosing the college grounds, to recede thirty feet within the line. A similar cession of ground has been agreed to by the owners of the adjoining land, insuring the completion of an avenue sixty feet wide to surround the whole college area, which, when properly graded and improved, will form one of the most beautiful promenades in the country, and add much to the embellishment of the thriving district in which it is located. Among the pleasing incidents of the past year, may be mentioned the reception of the statue, executed by Mr. Gevelot. Competent judges declare it to be a faithful likeness of Mr. Girard, and accord to it great merit as a work of art. Thousands of our fellow citizens, as well as strangers, have been attracted to the college, anxious to behold this resemblance to the individual who had devoted the immense accumulation of a life of industry, to objects of benevolence, and for the promotion of the prosperity of his adopted city. The statue will occupy a position in the southern vestibule, immediately opposite the door of entrance. The committee again take occasion to express the satisfaction afforded them, by the competent manner in which the architect has fulfilled the duties of his appointment. His labors on this great work will soon be terminated, but the fruits of those labors will remain for ages, to confirm the justice of the tribute which the committee now offer to his merits. To the superintendent of marble work, and to others engaged on the works, the thanks of the committee are due, for the very efficient manner in which they have performed their respective duties. In conclusion, the committee would state, that owing to the liberal appropriation of last year, a large portion of which still remains unexpended, they do not consider it necessary to ask for any further appropriation at the present time. JANUARY 2, 1847. Respectfully submitted, JOHN RODMAN PAUL, Chairman. JAMES J. BOSWELL, JOHN C. DAVIS, ISAAC ELLIOTT, ALGERNON S. ROBERTS, JACOB AMOS, ROBERT HUTCHINSON. REPORT OF THE ARCHITECT. PHILADELPHIA, December 26, 1846. To the Building Committee of the Girard College: GENTLEMEN:- -The period having arrived when it devolves on me to lay before you an account of the progress of the work during the past year, I submit the following report: The entablature and pediment of the northern portico, which were left in an unfinished state at the close of the previous year, were commenced early in the spring, and on the 29th of August the stone forming the apex of the pediment was laid with appropriate ceremonies, thus completing the entire peristyle. The vaulting of the portico, and the marble roof were subsequently finished, and contracts entered into for the fluting of the northern columns. The contracts, referred to in my last report, for fluting the western columns, were all fulfilled in the month of April, so that nothing remains to complete the colonnade but the fluting of the six northern columns before alluded to, all of which will be finished by the first of February ensuing. The marble for the steps and floor of the porticoes of the main building, and the steps and yard walls of the western out-buildings, amounting in the aggregate to 17,062 cubic feet, was contracted for early in the spring, with a fair prospect of receiving it in sufficient quantities to have enabled us to complete these portions of the work before the close of the season, but I regret to say that unforseen and fortuitous circumstances have so interfered with the contractors as to have rendered it impossible for them to comply with their respective contracts; the quantity they have furnished amounts to 13,208 cubic feet, leaving a deficiency of 3,854 feet, which will, no doubt, all be on the ground in time to insure the prosecution of the work in the spring, without further interruption. The outside steps, and the portico floors on the northern front and the western flank, are done, and the corners returned an average distance of 60 feet on the southern front, and 70 feet on the eastern flank. These steps, together with the portico floors, have all been constructed so as to allow a free passage of air, from the cellar, to circulate under them as a preventive against the destructive action of the frost. The steps that are now finished, measure in the aggregate, 5,878 feet, and the lineal measure of those which remain to be done, amounts to 2,999 feet, of which about 1,060 feet are now on the ground, and the contractors are actively employed in delivering the remainder. The marble flooring of the interior of the main building, amounting to 37,790 superficial feet, has all been laid since the commencement of the season. The tiles used in the construction of these floors have all been prepared expressly for the work; they are sawed of uniform thickness, the edges are worked square, and they are well embedded in cement, so that it will be impossible for them ever to become loose, as is frequently the case with tiles in which the thickness is not uniform throughout. The window sash of the main building have all been made, glazed and hung, and the carpenters are now engaged in hanging the interior doors, and in making the large front doors, which will be ready to be put up in the ensuing spring. The window guards, and the iron railings for the stairways, are all under contract, and the greater portion of them ready to be put up. The western out-buildings, which were not under roof at the date of the last annual report, have been enclosed and plastered during the year, and are now nearly completed; the carpenters being engaged in hanging the doors and finishing the wood work, all of which will be accomplished in six or eight weeks. The marble stairways, ovens, and most of the other fixtures required in these buildings have been finished; so that, as it respects the interior, but little remains to be done. The outside steps and the yard walls between the buildings, have not yet been constructed, in consequence of the delay experienced in the delivery of the marble; they will, however, し be put in hands early in the spring, as a considerable quantity of the material is now on the ground, and a large portion of it has already been wrought. The wall for enclosing the college grounds was put under contract in June, with the expectation that it would have been completed before the close of the season; we have, however, been disappointed, in consequence of the contractors for furnishing stone, being unable to supply it as rapidly as they anticipated. The entire length of this wall will be 6,843 feet, of which 4,843 feet are completed, leaving 2,000 feet yet to construct, the most of the foundations of which are now laid. The expenditures during the past year are $135,814 90; the outstanding debts, including the retention on contracts, amount to $37,000, and the wrought and unwrought materials now on the ground, which have been paid for, have cost about $7,500. In conclusion, I have the satisfaction to say, that the work is now in such a state of forwardness as to leave no doubt that the whole establishment will be completed and ready for occupancy before the close of the ensuing season. SIR-The Board respectfully submit the following reply to the resolution of the Senate of the 16th instant, requesting the Canal Commissioners to furnish that body "with a tabular statement of all the proposals received by them, during the years 1845 and 1846, for furnishing ropes for the inclined planes on the Columbia and the Alle gheny Portage railroad, stating the names of the bidders, the quality of the ropes pro posed to be furnished, the prices bid per foot, pound or otherwise, and the prices & which ropes were allotted, and the names of the person or persons to whom allotted, together with the original proposals, or copies of the original proposals, for furnishing the ropes aforesaid. On the 22d October, 1844, the Board directed the superintendent of motive power, on the Allegheny Portage railroad, to advertise for proposals until the 22d of the ensuing November, for furnishing ropes for the inclined planes on that road. The follow ing is a copy of the bids received: |