III.-TOLLS PAID ON FREIGHT AND UPON BOATS AND PASSENGERS. Statement of the total tonnage and value, ascending and descending the Canals; the tonnage and value coming to tide-water from the Erie and Champlain Canals; and the tonnage and value of Flour and Wheat which arrived at the Hudson River in the twelve years ending September 30, 1872 : The following table shows the progress of reduction in Tolls and Freightage on the Canals from 1830 to 1872 by quadrennial periods: The average toll on a barrel of flour from Buffalo to the Hudson River in 1830 was $0.55, and the freight charges $0.43, making a total charge of $0.98. In 1872, the average toll was $0.114, and the freight charge $0.214, making a total charge of $0.33. The reduction from 1830 to 1872 has therefore been on each barrel of 216 lbs. tolls, $0.434, and freight charge, $0.211, making a total of $0.65. The surplus revenues in 1870 amounted only to $569,974.61, while in 1871 it was $981,588.68, and in 1872 $1,202,571.55. THE GENERAL TRADE OF THE STATE, as illustrated by the tonnage (carried one mile) and the cost of tolls and freightage on the Canals and the two great railroads of the State, for the twelve years ending September 30, 1872, was as follows: II. FREIGHT AND TOLLS COLLEcted, and the average (CeNTS) PER TON PER MILE. Lieutenant-Governor.... Comptroller.. Treasurer.. Attorney-General.. CANAL BOARD. John C. Robinson. | State Engineer and Surveyor....William B. Taylor Nelson K. Hopkins. Canal Commissioners Thomas Raines. .Francis C. Barlow. John D. Fay. .Alexander Barkley. .Reuben W. Stroud. CONGRESSIONAL LAND-GRANTS FOR RAILROADS, ETC. In 1850, Congress established a precedent, in the case of the Illinois Central and Mobile and Ohio Railroads, of granting to States, in aid of construction of railroads, upon specified routes, six alternate sections of public lands, of 640 acres each, (and equalling 3,840 acres to the mile,) to be taken by the odd numbers within six miles of the line of the road proposed. In case such a number of sections of odd numbers of public lands could not be found within six miles of such line, (in consequence of the previous sale or reservation of the same by the government,) then the grant was to be enlarged so as to apply to the odd sections within fifteen miles of the line, on either side, so as to make up the full amount intended to be granted. Many of the grants were subsequently further enlarged, so as to apply to sections of odd numbers within 20 miles of the line. Upon the sections of public lands of even numbers within the limits of the grant, the price was raised from $1.25 to $2.50 per acre. Although the grants were made to the several States, they were in all cases, as speedily as possible, transferred to railroad companies, chartered by them to construct lines upon the general route specified in the act of Congress, and usually without any other conditions than those imposed in such act, the most important of which related to the time in which the roads should be built. The following shows the date at which the several grants were made; the companies to which they have been conveyed; the number of acres called for by each grant; and the number of acres certified to each company up to January 1, 1873: ever, *1,275,212.93 1,568,729.87 *37,583.29 183,153.99 353,211.70 610,880.00 719,193.75 967,840.00 * Grants that have expired according to the limitations of the statute; the lands have not, how been restored to the mass of public lands, Congress having taken no action to that end. 6 & 15.. 6 & 15. 6 & 15.... |