USA > Pennsylvania > The Register of Pennsylvania : devoted to the preservation of facts and documents and every other kind of useful information respecting the state of Pennsylvania, Vol. III > Part 10
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BANKS.
Shares Jeach]
Capital.
Time and Rate.
Dividend.
BRANCH BANK OF U. STATES-Estimated Capital,
20,000
100 2,000,000|Jan. 3-July
3
130,000
NORTH AMERICA,
2,000
400
800,000 Jan. 2-July
21
32,000
PENNSYLVANIA,
6,150
400 2,500,000 Jan. 3 -- July
3
150,000
PHILADELPHIA,
18,000
100 1,800,000 May 23-Nov.
2
81,000
COMMERCIAL,
20,000
50|1,000,000 May 3 -- Nov. 3
60,000
MECHANICS,
11,420
35 400,000 May 43-Nov. 4}
36,000
FARMERS' & MECHANICS',
25,000
50|1,250,000 May 3-Nov. 3
75,000
SCHUYLKILL,
20,000
25
500,000 May 5-Nov. 3}
32,000
NORTHERN LIBERTIES,
10,000
20 200,000 May 5-Nov. 5
20,000
SOUTHWARK,
2,500
100
250,000 May 43-Nov. 5
23,550
KENSINGTON,
3,700
25
92,000 May 43-Nov. 5
8,787 50
CAMDEN,
5,000
50
250,000
April 0-Oct. 2}
6,250
PENN TOWNSHIP .- This bank is chartered for $250- 000 at 50 dollars per share, of which $25 on a share has been paid in, on which the dividend is now made,
5,000
50
250,000 May 0 -- Nov. 2
2,500
Shares,
148770
11292500
657,787 50
RECAPITULATION.
$11,292,500
Making an interest on the dollar of 5.833.
By the foregoing rule, paper must have been discounted during the year to the amount of
65,787,751
MARINE COMPANIES.
Shares Jeach
Capital.
Time and Rate.
Dividend ..
NORTH AMERICA,
60,000
10
600,000 Jan. 23-July 4
27,000
PENNSYLVANIA,
1,250
400
500,000 Feb. 23 -Aug. 5
37,500
DELAWARE,
.5,000
40
200,000 June 24-Dec. 3
11,000
UNITED STATES,
8,000
25
200,000 June 6-Dec. 6
24,000
ATLANTIC,
7,500
40
300,000|Jan. 0 -- July 0
PHILADELPHIA, .
4,000
100
400,000 June 4 --- Dec. 5
36,000
MARINE,
5,000
601
300,000 Jan. 2
S July
40,000
UNION, PHENIX,
6,000
80
480,000 June 3 -- Dec. 5
38,400
Shares,.
101750
-
Amount of Capital, Amount of Dividend,
3,280,000
228,900
RECAPITULATION.
There are in this city 9 Marine Insurance Companies, whose capitals amount to And these have made Dividends for
$3,280,000 228,900
Making an interest on the Dollar of 6.798.
FIRE COMPANIES.
Shares |each!
Capital.
Time and Rate.
Dividend.
5,000
100
500,000 April -4-Dec. 4,
40,000
4,000
50
400,000|March 5-Sept. 3
23,000
PENNSYLVANIA LIFE & FIRE,
5,000
100
500,000 Jan ...
0 -- July
3
15,000
14,000
1,400,000
83,000
RECAPITULATION.
There are in this city 3 Fire Insurance Companies, whose capitals amount to And these have made Dividends for Making an interest on the Dollar of 5.928.
$1,400,000 83,000
1
Shares, Amount of Capital, Amount of Dividend,
$4 Sh. S
2 $4Sh
5,000
60
. 300,000 |Jan. 0 -- July 5
15,000
AMERICAN, PENNSYLVANIA,
Amount of Capital, Amount of Dividend,
There are in this city 13 banks, whose capital is And these have made dividends for
657,787 50
1829.]
CAPITAL OF NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA & BOSTON.
29
GRAND RECAPITULATION.
Entire Ca- pital.
Capital Unpro- ductive.
Capital paying Dividend.
Amount of Dividend declared.
Amount of paper Discounted.
CITY OF NEW YORK.
15 Banks, Marine Insurance, Fire Insurance, Miscellaneous,
18,330,000
500,000
17,830,000 2,100,000
1,039,200 301,500 467,000
129.120,196
4,100,000| 2,000,000
3,100,000
7,000,000
2,373,750
1,250,000
1,123,750
103,323
PHILADELPHIA. -
13 Banks, Marine Insurance, Fire Insurance,
11,292,500
125,000
11,167,500
657,787 228,900
65,787,751-
3,280,000
1,400,000
3,280,000 1,400,000
83,000
BOSTON.
15,050,000
- 15,050,000
900,000
900,000
Fire and Marine,
4,600,000
4,600,000
Entire Stock. Capital of the 3 citics,
71,426,250
Unproductive,
6,975,000
Productive Capital in 3 cities,
64,451,250
Whole dividend in 3 cities,
4,178,235
Paper discounted in 3 cities,
280,270,934
' .S. Girard's Bank in Philadelphia, is one of great credit and usefulness, but being a private concern, is not no- ticed.
From an official statement published Dec. 6th, in Boston, the Banks in that city, have an aggregate specie ca- pital of 712,000 dollars.
Any corporate body making an uniform semi-annual dividend of 2} per cent. will return its capital to the stock- holders in dividends in 20 years-and if the dividends should be again invested in the same manner, will double it- self in 13 years and 15 days.
A similar Dividend of 43 per cent. will also double itself in 11 years 43 days-and if again invested will double in 7 years, 10 months and 19 days.
We are not personally acquainted with the facts set ; tunity of seeing it-as the number printed is generally forth in the following memorial, but presuming them small, and the documents themselves are seldom pub- to have existence, and believing that the suggestions | lished in the papers. It is a singular fact, that so far as made, are well worthy of attention, we publish the document. It is certainly proper that the people should have the means of ascertaining that the funds derived from themselves are faithfully and correctly applied to the objects for which they were destined.
A knowledge of the fact, that but little attention has been paid to the statistics of this state, was one power- ful argument with us when we commenced this work, and in the prosecution of it we have paid particular attention to presenting as much of that kind of infor- mation as we could obtain,-and it will always be a primary object with us to do so. We have numer- ous tables in progress connected with these matters, but it is frequently so difficult to.obtain the desired in- formation, that much time is consumed in ascertaining a fact with which almost every one would be supposed familiar. We have frequently been gratified in ob- serving the information imparted by the public docu- ments published by our neighbour, New York, and have often wondered why the same plan has not been at- tempted to be pursued in this state, Most of the sta- tistical information respecting this state is locked up in the journals of the Legislature, and few persons, not immediately connected with that body, have an oppor-
we have had opportunity of examining, there is not more than one complete copy of the journals of the Legislature from the commencement of the govern- ment to the present time, to be found in any public li- brary in the city-whereas every public library through- out the state ought to be in possession of one, at least --- and it is also a singular fact, that so far as we have in- quired, we cannot now recollect a single public insti- tution that has a complete set of its own printed re- ports and accounts. We have taken some pains to collect them, and have been surprised to find so little attention paid by the individuals of such bodies to the preservation of documents, in which they themselves have had an active share. Of the Journals of Con- gress we believe there is not more than one or two complete sets in the city, and we are not certain that there are so many. There ought certainly to be more attention paid to this subject by the directors of our public libraries-they could no doubt be furnished with them, as they are printed by the different bodies for the future, and in many cases, with some of the past. We anticipate, that at some future period, the Register will be resorted to for information by indi- viduals of societies, which they themselves had ne- glected to preserve.
853,625 45,000 398,900
85,362,996
16 Banks, Marine Insurance,
10,100,000
30
MEMORIALA:
[JANUARY
To the Honourable the Senate and House of Representa- tives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The memorial of your petitioners respectfully show- eth:
That vast sums of money are annually raised in the Commonwealth by road taxes.
That the said taxes are laid in each township by the Supervisors of roads and highways of the township, and are collected by the said Supervisors, or by persons appointed by them, and the amounts received are ap- plied and expended by the same Supervisors.
That there is no appeal (except in particular cases,) from the determinations of these officers, and no au- thority whereby their proceedings may be controlled, after an order for. opening a road is obtained from the Court; nor is there in fact any limitation to the amount they may raise, because the limitation of the rate or per centage for the road taxes may be evaded by rais- ing the assessed value of property affected by them.
That the said supervisors do not account for the mo- ney received or paid away by them, except by unob- served and desultory statements or settlements, made to and with the township settlers or Auditors; who, by reason of the disregard into which the office has fallen, are usually men not familiar with accounts; and there- fore, however upright their intentions may be, settle- ments of the road accounts are generally confused, and in no wise such as ought to be made of so heavy a burthen on the people.
That the said accounts are not returned to the Coun- ty Commissioners, nor are they published; and-in con- sequence the people are ignorant of the amount paid in road taxes.
That the Legislature is, for the same reason, igno- rant of the said amount,
That the aggregate amount of the road taxes through- out the state, is believed, from the best information. which can be gathered, to be not less than a million of dollars annually; and that this enormous sum has been collected during many consecutive years, while neither the people nor their constituted authorities have been at all aware of its magnitude :- it is further believed, that since the year 1800, the sums collected by road taxes alone, have amounted to no less than twenty millions of dollars, and have probably exceeded this extravagant total; in addition to which, it is estimated that sixteen millions of dollars have been expended by the state and by corporations on turnpike roads, bridges, and canals; even this estimate does not include the expenditure on the magnificent system of internal improvement, re- cently undertaken by the commonwealth, nor the ex- penses on county bridges.
That a judicious and economical application of such an amount of money, would have rendered the means of communication in this State the best in the world.
That, nevertheless, road making in this State appears to be in the infancy of the art, and many roads are models of bad engineering.
That in many instances the most improper and the worst location seem to have been sought out for the- routes of roads.
That the waste of labour and of money on said roads, is to be estimated by hundreds of thousands of dollars annually;
That these evils are necessary consequences of com- mitting the highways to the exclusive and uninstructed management of men who, however well disposed, :. 1'e' not informed, by profession or practice, nor by rules dictated by the Legislature, upon a subject which in- volves the convenience, the prosperity, the safety, and even the lives of the citizens.
That the evils are equally prejudicial to the common welfare, whether they arise from defects in the laws, or from general neglect of their enactments, and in either case remedy is urgently necessary.
Your memorialists would not however be understood to reproach the supervisors, most of whom are no doubt valuable citizens; it is the system of our laws on this subject which is herein complained of: no man would employ a mechanic, or a professional person, on a matter to which he had never attended; and yet persons are employed by the public to spend on a, mechanical art, sums of the public money in each township, manifold the income of any individual, without previous instruc- tion or experience, and without general rules being pre- scribed for the manner in which their duties are to be performed.
Nor would your memorialists be understood to com- plain of paying taxes for roads and highways; they fully concede that few items of public expenditure contribute . more directly than money judiciously and economically employed in facilitating intercourse and transportation. But your memorialists do complain that the large amount raised from the people is applied, under the present system, so as not to produce an equivalent to the sums drawn from them.
Your memorialists further represent,
That labour on roads is hired by some supervisors at rates far exceeding the wages paid by individuals in the same vicinity, and is often paid by what are called 'road orders,' which are frequently bought "ip by speculators at large discounts, and that supervisors themselves buy these orders from the labourers; and, in consequence, where this practice prevails, the wages-for a day's la- - bour on the roads is nominally much higher than else- where ; but many of the labourers do not actually re- ceive more wages (and often they receive less) than those paid by individuals ; the citizens at large pay the difference between it and the real value of labour, or what hands can be hired for, and often much more than .~ that difference is the profit of speculation.
Your memorialists further represent,
That the amount is also enormous of money raised in this Commonwealth for county rates and levies, poor taxes, city and borough taxes; and, that the amount so raised is equally unknown to the Legislature and to the people.
,: That a practice of borrowing has become unfortu- nately prevalent, in consequence of which most of the corporations, and even many of the counties, are in debt, some to a large amount, the aggregate of which, throughout the State, forins a total of alarming magni- tude.
That the consciousness that the accounts are to be ' laid before the eyes of the Legislature and the people, whose approbation or censure will attend the exhibits of economy or profusion, would be a powerful incentive to attention and good conduct in the officers who are. charged with the management of the public funds. . ..
That there is no system pursued in laying out, nor in making, nor in repairing roads: they are often carried over precipitous hills, when they ought to have gone round them-they are often destitute of side drains of ditches-they are often pretended to be repaired by- throwing loose earth upon them, to be washed off by rains, unless it is converted by the water into sloughis- bridges are often constructed on them of green, un- That a knowledge of the amount of taxes raised from the people is highly necessary to the community, and would be serviceable to the Legislature; as without it the wants and conditions of the different sections of the State cannot be correctly understood, nor can instances of local oppression be avoided. barked timber, and sometimes these fabrics are even covered with earth, as if to insure their most speedy destruction-water courses 'or springs in the roads are frequently filled up with brush wood, covered with earth, forming dangerous quagmires-and, in a word, every thing which art abhors, and which experience . "That it is also essential that the people, and almost .should be correctly informed of the actual state of the teaches-to avoid, is practised on roads made under the | indispensable to correct, legislation, that the Legislature. direction of the township supervisors.
31
CARRIERS' ADDRESS.
1829.
Commonwealth in all its sections, of the number of its inhabitants, of its resources, and generally of its statis- tics, and of the changes which take place in these par- ticulars.
That at present the people and the Legislature have no means of being informed of the expenses, or of the statistics, of the different sections of the Common- wealth, but from the general acquaintance therewith of the several Representatives, who themselves cannot be possessed of certain knowledge on these subjects, be- cause no enumeration is made of the inhabitants, and other statistical information is not collected: nor can the accounts of several items of public expense be as- certained; they are scattered over the face of the coun- try, in the hands of numerous individuals, who are not obliged to communicate them, and many would prob- ably decline furnishing them to an unauthorised person, to avoid trouble if for no other reason ..
Your memorialists therefore petition the Legislature to provide by law,
That the supervisors of the highway shall annually submit to the County Commissioners of their respec- tive counties an estimate of the amount which will be required for road purposes, in their respective town- ships, during the ensuing year, and a statement of any unavoidable expenses incurred in the preceding year beyond the provision made for the same; and that the County Commissioners shall deliberate thereon, and fix the amount to be collected in each township; that the road tax, thus fixed, shall be collected under the orders of the County Commissioners, and by persons appoint- ed by them, as county rates and levies are now. by law collected, and shall be paid into the County Treasury, where a separate account shall be opened with each township; and that the road expenses shall be paid by the County Treasurer out of the amount of road tax paid in from each township, on warrants drawn by the Supervisor of the proper township, the said warrants to be received as cash by collectors of road taxes.
That similar provisions be enacted in relation to Poor Taxes and Overseers of the Poor.
That the office of Settler or Auditor be forthwith a- belished throughout the State, except that of County Auditor, and of Auditor General.
That all persons without exception (unless in cases within cognizance of the Auditor General) who receive or pay, away money raised by taxes of any kind whatev- er, shall account with the Auditor of the County, with- in which their duties are 'exercised, in the same manner as the accounts of County Commissioners are now at- dited; and that all accounts audited by the County Au -. ditors, shall be exhibited to the Court of Common Pleas as the said accounts of the County Commissioners are now by law required to be; and that the accounts shall be made out according to forms to be prescribed by law; and that the several accounts audited shall be publisli- ed in each county.
That the Auditors cf each county shall annually re- turn a copy of all the accounts thus published, to the Auditor General; and shall likewise annually make out, and return, to the Auditor General, an abstract or sum- mary, according to a form prescribed, of every account passed upon by them, together with a statement of any debts incurred, or money borrowed, by the officers or corporations within the county; which summary and statement, the Auditor General shall annually lay before the Legislature.
That the County Commissioners shall annually return to the Auditor General an account of all taxes laid with- in the county for any purpose whatever, the amount col- Jected, and the amount lost by bad debts, which returns shall be laid before the Legislature.
The Supervisors of the highways be prohibited from purchasing road orders or warrants.
Your Memorialists further petition the Legislature to create a corps of Engineers, the chief officer's of which shall form a central board at the seat of government,
and shall be charged with the general care and super- intendance of the State Works, with examination and superintendance on behalf of the commonwealth of all works to which state funds are appropriated, and with digesting rules and systems to be pursued in making and repairing all, roads and bridges; and that a competent officer or officers of the corps be appointed to reside in each county, who shall be the artist or artists employed in surveying and laying out all roads ordered to be view- ed or opened.
Your Memorialists further petition the Legislature to enact,
That, in the year 1829, and afterwards at every trien- nial assessment, a full census shall be taken by the As- sessors, of the inhabitants of the State, designating the sexes, and their ages, by a classification in periods of ten years; and an enumeration of domestic animals, of hous- es, and every sort of manufactories; with an account of the quantity and value of manufactures annually made; and that such other details shall be collected as will ex- hibit a full view of the statistics of the district of each Assessor: all of which shall be arranged when returned by the County Commissioners, and, with a full copy of the assessments, shall be forwarded to the Auditor Ge- neral to be laid before the Legislature. .
And your Memorialists further petition for such relief on the grievances herein complained of, as shall to the Legislature seem expedieut. .. ..
CARRIERS' ADDRESS.
Health to my PATRONS! May the seasons bless Those who support the light-diffusing Press! Heav'ń greets your homes with annual joy once more; Again the wand'ring News-boy seeks your door, And hopes your lib'ral aid those toils to cheer That bore you knowledge through the lengthen'd year. No common page; but one that warms the soul, And stirs the ling'ring pulses as they roll. 'Tis to the PATRIOT that our sheets appeal- Souls that for Kindred and for Country feel. Stern Dalecarlia's iron race in vain, Or hardy Belgium, plough'd the liquid plain, Or Peim arose, who bent his lofty mind To suffer wrong and aid his thankless kind; The patient German, prodigal of gore, Or burning Erin, sought the western shore; If in their sons no glowing thoughts be found To consecrate the lov'd, the hallow'd ground.
In various climes, as soon as arts and laws, Or hostile force produc'd a common cause, When from the starving chase men first retire To pause for converse round the friendly fire, In Lapland's waste's or Afric's burning zone, Triumphant then the Love of Country shone. Though sterile be the forest and the mere, The gen'rous savage ever held them dear. If then the wild, ferocious furms that roam T'h' inclement desert, learn to love their home, Far rather they whom happier regions bless, And crown their prouder views with just success; Far rather they whose countless blessings stand The anxious hope of many a distant land, 'That sees, surpris'd, of useful policy
This newborn State maintain the model free, And prove to realms where storms of conquest low'r, That TRUTH and VIRTUE are the paths to pow'r.
Of various race the tribes that hither fly, But all renown'd for native energy; And, when their rising commonwealth had birth The tale re-echoed through the spacious earth, Applauding nations hail'd the new design, And bless'd the land where Peace and Justice shine. Enough of crimes had our grave fathers known; To peace they consecrate one favour'd zone.
32
MISCELLANEOUS.
[JANUARY
Laws after laws, in barb'rous custom's spite, Evince the Saxon reverence for right. To sons and grandsons spread the holy flame; And with surprise they found their product fame .: 'Twas in these climes, which endless woods surround, Strangers, not foes, th' astonish'd savage found; The sway paternal pleas'd his simple mind; To our calm towns his humble home, he join'd; And, proof to barb'rous force or vile intrigue, Ages of peace attest th' UNBROKEN LEAGUE.
Since then what num'rous and successful schemes Fulfil on earth the virtuous statesman's dreams! What various tasks the gen'rous heart employ!, The people's service and the private joy! The lofty Works that Wealth and Science gave; Th' unslaughter'd convict; the protected slave. On the proud canvass West and Leslie shine; And death-snatch'd Cliffton in the glowing line; Say, Horsefield, Muhlenberg in Nature's page, And Rittenhouse, whom circling stars engage, Rush, Barton, Wistar at Apollo's shrine; The laws their Tilghman and their Wilson join- And worth by its own numbers made too long, Swells the proud list and crowds the lengthen'd song. Such are our names for art's enthusiast toil; Nor wants defence when foes invade the soil. No laurels theirs from this heav'n-shielded plain; But small their conquest o'er the peaceful reign. And those who lost Wyoming sunk in fire, A poet brands-the horror of the lyre.
To make these deeds more known our columns stand; And can ye choose but honour such a land? Preserve the lofty records of the past,
And bid by equal deeds, the stainless glory last? January 1, 1829.
MISCELLANEOUS.
HARRISBURG, Jan. 5.
- THE WEATHER .- On Saturday morning the mer- cury was down to 12 degrees of Fahrenheit, and the weather continues inclement. We had a very slight fall of Snow on Friday. The drought and the cold are severe upon the fall crops, and many mills are unable to move on account of the scarcity of water.
Weather .- On the 4th, there was in this city another fall of snow, during the former part of the day-the ground being well covered, the sleighing continued fine for several days. Much floating ice in the Delaware, prevented the arrival or departure of vessels for several days. Yesterday, there was a general thaw and heavy rain, as also during last night-this morning (9th, ) a slight fall of snow-navigation uninterrupted, and snow entire- ly disappeared.
Appointments by the Governor.
Col. John Snider, of Guilford Township, to be a Jus- tice of the Peace. . .
William Bratton, of Green Castle, to be a Justice of the Peace .- Franklin Repub.
Appointments of Justices of the Peace, have recently been conferred upon the following gentlemen residing in this county, by the Governor.
Michael. Porst, Esq. Bernville; John H. Laucks, Esq. : Oley; George Schall, Esq. Pike, and Michael K. Boyer, Colebrookdale .- Reading Journal.
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