JOINT DOC. } (LEGISLATURE. 1845. ANNUAL REPORT of the Board of Internal. OFFICE OF INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT, To the Honorable, the Legislature of the State of Michigan: On the 9th day of April last, the official term of the Hon. Tho mas W. Wells, former President of the Board, having expired, and he having declined a re-appointment, the present incumbent was qualified as his successor and entered upon the duties of Acting Commissioner. The corps of Engineers in commission the previous year were continued in service, and Samuel Stone, the former Secretary of the Board was re-appointed, and his services are still rendered in this office. Immediate and untiring attention was given to the rapid completion of the Central Railroad between the villages of Jackson and Marshall, being some thirty-two miles. Early in June the cars made regular trips to Gidley's station, and within one month thereafter, the road was in tolerable running order to Albion, and early in August was completed to Marshall, a distance of one hundred and ten miles from Detroit. The extension of this road has increased its receipts to a very considerable extent, and fully justified the high expectations of the public, as will appear by the tables annexed. The experience of the past year has admonished the Board that some department of the government should be clothed with discretionary power for meeting contingencies which may be highly detrimental to the public interest, and for which some special legislation may be required. During the most of the past summer, the steamboat running from St. Joseph to Chicago, professedly in connexion with the Central Railroad, and which indirectly receives a bonus from the state of two thousand dollars per annum, connected herself with the steamboat association, by which the travelling public were subjected to im position and increased expense, and the public revenue essentially impaired. The stage company owning the line between Marshall and St. Joseph, are obnoxious to the same charge, and the public can have no guarantee that a similar fraud upon their rights will not again be perpetrated, unless the legislature in its wisdom shall provide a remedy. ! ! The grading of the road between Marshall and Kalamazoo was put under contract in October, 1843, and 99-100ths of the same was completed and accepted within one year thereafter. The contracts for timber on the road have been generally fulfilled, and the bridges are being built by thorough and competent mechanics, who will, undoubtedly, have them completed by the first day of June next, ensuing. The laying of superstructure was let at reasonable rates, and the work has rapidly progressed. About one fourth the whole distance, (36 miles,) is now ready for the iron, and the balance will be completed in July next. Notwithstanding the unexampled rapidity with which this road has advanced, the work has met the entire satisfaction of the engineers, and indeed, will be the best portion of the line; being constructed upon the most favorable soil, and of the best materials. Should there be no delay in the receipt of iron, the Board see no reason why the cars may not perform regular trips to Kalamazoo, by the first day of August next. The receipts of the Central Railroad for the year ending December 1st, compared with the receipts of the preceding year, exhibit a large increase of business, and it should be borne in mind, that this augmentation of business and receipts has been unattended with any considerable increase in the running expenses. One new engine has, indeed, been purchased; but it was put upon the road late in the season, and no extra number of men have been, or will be required for the present on that account. This engine is capable of performing one third more service per trip, than those heretofore used, and is so constructed, that in running over the road at the rate of ten miles an hour, the road actually sustains less damage than by the operation of smaller engines, which go with more velocity. The small number of engines on our roads, compared with the amount of business to be done upon them, has heretofore compelled the Board to allow them to be pushed to their utmost capacity, consistent with the safety of passengers and freight, notwithstanding their abiding conviction of its serious injury to the roads. This unfortunate necessity is now partially obviated, but can never be entirely remedied, until the roads are fully stocked with motive power. The expense of keeping the roads in good running order the past season, was very much enhanced by the unprecedented and continuous rains. The fall, however, having been extremely favorable, the Board are enabled at the present time, to report them in excellent condition. One item of expense, we beg particularly to mention, with the reasons which influenced us in making so large an outlay. Allusion is made to the erection of a warehouse in this city. The warehouse heretofore occupied, (belonging to the Farmer's and Mechanic's Bank) was too remote from the office of Internal Improvement to be, as is quite desirable, under the immediate observation of the acting Commissioner, was too small for the wants of our increasing business—— was at best a poor building, and in bad repair, and for the use of which, the State was paying an annual rent of three hundred and sixty dollars. Under the present arrangement it is believed that ample room is secured for the business of the road, for at least fivesixths of the year, and all other objections to the old warehouse entirely removed. We are also enabled to dispense with the services of the watchman, heretofore employed for the security of the old warehouse and public dock. The board have had under long and continued deliberation the extension of the railroads the ensuing summer, and the result of their deliberations is the solemn conviction that no new ground should be broken. The appropriation of land for the prosecution of our public works, heretofore made, and the large amount of outstanding warrants and interest bonds now by law receivable for those lands, constituting more than sufficient already, should they be so applied, to take up all the unsold portion of State lands available for purposes of internal improvement, would seem to have left no means, at present, at all adequate to a vigorous prosecution of either the central or southern road; objects which, if the State had the means, would be vastly desirable. Should the general government, however, make a further grant of land for purposes of internal improvement, the public would call for an immediate extension of our railroads; and with this aid the object could be attained without any augmentation of the public debt. The citizens of the western and southern counties of this State, will feel most severely and injuriously what we trust will be but a temporary suspension of construction. Nevertheless, from their known intelligence and patriotism, we doubt not they will most cheerfully acquiese in the policy recommended. In June last the Palmyra and Jacksonburg railroad was purchased for the sum of twenty-two thousand dollars, at a sale under the Act authorizing a loan of twenty thousand dollars to that company, and has thus passed under the supervision of this board. That portion of this road from its junction with the southern road to the village of Tecumseh, was, some two years ago, gratuitously fitted for the iron by the enterprising citizens of that place, under an agreement with the directors of the Erie and Kalamazoo railroad company, that it should be forthwith ironed and stocked. That company having failed to comply with their engagements, the road has been suffered to dilapidate, and would require, at the present time, the expenditure of some ten thousand acres of land before it would be in a suitable condition for ironing. The valley of the Raisin, and the contiguous country finding a market for their surplus wheat at the mills upon that river and its tributaries, is of the very best quality, and is under ›a high state of cultivation. If that portion of the road was completed, it would divert to the southern road and our own ports, the productions of our own soil, and thereby withdraw from a foreign corporation and a foreign port, their principal, if not their only means of subsistence. The freighting business alone, between Tecumseh and Monroe, may be safely set down at forty thousand dollars per annum. What proportion of this sum is paid to the Erie and Kalamazoo railroad company, cannot positively be known; but it is estimated by cautious business men, that at least one-half or two-thirds of this amount takes that direction. The true importance of the southern road can never be fully known until the entire business which legitimately belongs to it, shall be done by it. Nothing, in the opinion of this board, will so immediately and successfully accomplish this object as the completion of the small portion of road indicated above. The La Plaisance Bay 1oad, which was acquired by the State at an expense of thirty-two thousand five hundred dollars, produces no rev |