(7)

This section evidently contemplates three distinct periods for freeing this bridge. The first is before the expiration of the twentyfive years, from the completion of the bridge, and depended upon the formation of a fund to be composed of the excess of tolls above fifteen per cent. nett annual profits, and of private donations for freeing the bridge. If this fund should be sufficient at a period less than twenty-five years, then it was to become free, on paying the stockholders the appraised value thereof, and of the profits thereof for the residue of the said term of twenty-five years.

No one of the events here contemplated has ever taken place, for the nett annual profits of tolls has never reached any thing like the fifteen per cent. specified, and no private donations have ever been received for freeing the bridge. Therefore, there never has been such a fund as was contemplated by this part of the tenth section, and the Legislature of 1798, was entirely mistaken as to the rate of profit to be derived from this work.

The second is at the expiration of the twenty-five years, when the Legislature has the power to declare it a free bridge, providing at the same time the means of keeping it in repair, and providing also for the payment of such sum of money as shall be allowed for the said bridge, on a fair appraisement by indifferent persons; that is, by disinterested persons mutually selected by the parties.

All these are to be contemporaneous, and the effect produced would be to make the Permanent bridge at Market street, a "free bridge," on which no toll could be levied, even for the purpose of keeping it in repair, which must be provided for from some other

source.

If, therefore, the Legislature deem it expedient to use this part of the tenth section, they must make it a free bridge, that is, one on which no toll, however small, can be exacted. They must pay its value, and they must provide a fund, or means for keeping it in repair.

The third is after the expiration of twenty-five years, when the sinking fund, (that is the fund formed by the excess above fifteen per cent. nett annual profit and by private donations,) is adequate to the redemption of the bridge and the establishment of a revenue, if a toll be not thought more eligible for keeping the bridge in repair.

Your committee are therefore of opinion, that the real question submitted to the Legislature under the provision of the act of 16th March 1798, is, whether the state of Pennsylvania will declare this bridge a free bridge at their own expense, providing out of the state treasury the sum required to pay for its appraised value, and also such annual sum as may be necessary for keeping it in repair forever.

The State of Pennsylvania, on the 30th Novem-
ber, 1824, owed
And on the 30th November, 1833, the same
state owed (including the remainder of the
loan per act of 16th February, 1833, not then
paid into the treasury,) the sum of

·

Showing an annual increase of debt, since 1824,

of And a total increase of debt, in the short space of nine years, of

$1,840,823 734

21,527,786 32

2,187,440 281

19,686,962 58

The completion and the necessary extension of the canals and rail roads of the state, the improvement of the interior by bridges and turnpikes, the support of colleges, academies, and other useful institutions, the improvement and enlargement of penitentiaries and prisons, and the establishment and maintenance of a general system of education, agreeably to the solemn injunction of the constitution, will necessarily cause a corresponding increase of the state debt for several years to come.

If the state were to free the Schuylkill Permanent bridge at Market street, it would be obliged, in common justice to the populous districts of the county, to purchase and make free the Gray's ferry and Upper ferry bridges, both of which present very advantageous modes of access at present from the country on the west of the Schuylkill.

Your committee cannot of course estimate with accuracy the sum that would be required to accomplish their object, but assuming for the purpose of argument the original cost of the Market street bridge at its present value, the cost of freeing the three bridges may be thus stated:

The Schuylkill Permanent Bridge will take to free it, at its original cost,

And the purchase of two other bridges, say

$300,000 00

300,000 00

$600,000 00

To be added to the debt of the state, besides ten thousand dollars or a greater sum annually to maintain and keep the three bridges in repair forever.

If these bridges are freed, then all the bridges and turnpike roads throughout the state are entitled to the same favour, and the state canals and rail roads, instead of affording a revenue for their support, and creating a fund finally for the redemption of the immense state debt necessarily contracted for their erection, must be maintained, repaired, and extended, and the interest of our debt paid, by an increased direct taxation of every descrip

tion of property, in order that those who use and profit by them may pass toll free.

Your committee therefore offer the following resolution.

Resolved, That the committee be discharged from the further consideration of the subject.

Statement of debts and taxation of the city and county of Philadelphia and districts.

THE COUNTY OF PHILADELPHIA.

The county of Philadelphia were indebted on the
1st of January, 1834, for loans,
And for outstanding orders, claims and damages
awarded,

Making a total debt of

$251,300 00

225,100 32

$476,400 32

The taxes of the county, including the state tax, were for 1833, sixty cents in the hundred dollars on real estate, being the maximum of taxation, which the inhabitants of the county would bear. This percentage produced the sum of

DISTRICTS.

- $267,439 66

The taxes are for 1833, and the debts are as they stood on the 1st of January, 1834.

TAXES.-Corporation, 80 cents; lamp and watch, 20 cents; county and state, 60 cents; poor, 34 cents. Total-$1 94 in the $100.

2

TAXES.-Corporation, 60 cents; county and state, 60 cents; poor, 34 cents. Total-$1 54 in the $100.

Debts about

DISTRICT OF KENSINGTON.

$70,000 00

TAXES.-Corporation, 75 cents; county and state, 60 cents; poor, 34 cents. Total-$1 69 in the $100.

INCORPORATED TOWNSHIP OF MOYAMENSING.

Loans, temporary and permanent,

$48,000 00

TAXES.-Poor, 40 cents; road, 40 cents; lamp and watch, 40 cents; pump, 25 cents; Schuylkill water, 20 cents; county and state, 60 cents. Total-$2 25 in the $100.

TAXES.-Corporation, 60 cents; county and state, 60 cents; poor, 34 cents. Total-$1 64 in the $100.

THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA.

The taxes for 1833 were, city, 75 cents; county and state, 60 cents; poor, 34 cents. Total-$1 69 in the $100, and these duced-City,

County and state,

Poor,

Making a total of

pro

$193,636 08

159,661 50

93,390 79

$446,688 37

Paid in direct taxation by the citizens of the city of Philadelphia, on their real estate—and the whole of this immense revenue (with the exception of the state tax, one mill in the dollar, amounting to $43,592 57,) was expended in the support of the government of the city and county, and of the corporation of the guardians of the poor.

The citizens of the city of Philadelphia have, however, besides this direct taxation, to contribute annually a very large sum, in addition, to the treasury of the State, from various sources. The following estimates are for 1833, and are taken either from the

books of the county treasurer, or the Auditor General's report, and when the accounts of the city are mixed in with the rest of the county, so as not to be capable of separation, it is assumed, that under each head the city contributes two thirds, and the rest of the county the remaining one third.

The city of Philadelphia, therefore, paid into the state treasury

for the year 1833,

For tavern licenses,

Tax on bank dividends,

Duties on dealers in foreign merchandise,

Collateral inheritances,

Tax on personal property,

Tax on offices,

Tax on writs, &c.,

3,574 62

$131,253 59

To which add the above amount of taxation,

And it gives the very large sum of

446,688 37

$577,941 96

Raised annually out of the city proper, which consists of a population of a little more than eighty thousand souls, and living within the narrow compass of two square miles.

If the auction commissions and duties, which are almost entirely paid in the city of Philadelphia, were added to this sum, it would make another item of at least $ 90,000.

But in addition to this immense load of taxation, the city suffers the pressure of a very heavy debt, which is composed of: 1. The debt of the city itself,

The annual interest of which is $110,231.

2. Its proportion of the county debt of $476,400 32

say,

3. Its proportion of the funded debt of the guardians of the poor, of $650,000, say,

Making a grand total of real city debt, of

If to the city taxes set forth as above, and amount

$2,110,600

284,000

438,043

$2,832,643

ing to (including the auction estimate of $90,000,) $ 667,941 96 We add the taxes of the incorporated districts which form the suburbs of the city, and may be taken at of the city, (exclusive of auction) $577,941 96 we have

192,589 32

$860,531 28

Making an annual disbursement of nearly nine hundred thousand dollars for taxes, by a population of about 170,000 souls.