Remarks of John M. Read

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Excerpt from Remarks of John M. Read: One of the Deputation From the General Town Meeting of the Citizens of the City of Philadelphia, Held January 16, 1830, Relative to the Termination of the Columbia and Philadelphia Rail Road, Before the Committee on Inland Navigation and Internal Improvem Mr. Read, said, That the subject was dry and uninteresting in its details to an individual, who was not an engineer, but as it was one of deep interest to the City of Philadelphia, and to the State at large, he felt confident that the views and sentiments of those whom he represented, would be heard with attention and indulgence by the Committee. Before proceeding to discuss the relative merits of the different plans proposed for the termination of the Columbia and Philadelphia Rail Road, Mr. R. said he would call the attention of the Committee to a brief history of the proceedings relating to it, down to the present period. On the 25th February, 1826, was passed an act, entitled "An act to provide for the commencement of a Canal, to be constructed at the expense of the State, and to be styled the Pennsylvania Canal." By the 7th section of this act, it is enacted, "That the location and dimensions of the said canals and locks shall be determined by a majority of the Board" (of Canal Commissioners) "with the approbation of a skilful engineer, and with the consent of the Governor." On the 24th March, 1828, was passed an act, entitled "An act relative to the Pennsylvania Canal, and to provide for the commencement of a Rail Road, to be constructed at the expense of the State, and to be styled the Pennsylvania Rail Road." By the 5th section, this Rail Road, from Columbia to Philadelphia, was authorized to be constructed, and by the 17th section, it is enacted, "That all the provisions of the acts relative to the Pennsylvania Canal, as are not inconsistent with this act, shall be in force so far as they are applicable to the subject matter of this act." It is therefore necessary, before any Canal or Rail Road can be located, that the three requisites of the law should be complied with. 1. That a majority of the Board of Canal Commissioners should so determine. 2. That a skilful engineer, in the service of the State, should give his approbation. And, 3. That the Governor should consent to it. A system admirably calculated to secure a deliberate, wise, and dispassionate decision of such important questions, and which it has been the uniform policy of the Legislature to uphold and sustain. Under the provisions of these acts. Major John Wilson, an engineer of established reputation, was employed by the Board of Canal Commissioners, to survey and locate the Pennsylvania Rail Road, which he successfully completed, and reported the result near the close of 1828. The line located by him had the great advantage of requiring stationary steam power at two points only, one on the Susquehanna, and the other on the Schuylkill, at Judge Peters's, near the place of crossing that river. Such a result could scarcely have been anticipated by those acquainted with the broken and hilly nature of the ground between the two rivers, and is the most undeniable proof of the skill and industry of the engineer. This line passed through Judge Peters's farm, "thence descending by an inclined plane of about 180 feet, crossed, at a favourable place, the Schuylkill river, and entered the bed of the old Union Canal." Following the bed of that Canal, it curved southwardly and entered Broad street, and proceeding down the centre of that street, crossed Vine street, and terminated within the limits of Philadelphia. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com