No. 27.

[ No. 27. ]

STATEMENT of Amounts expended under the act of 27th March, 1737, for the, enlargement of the State Library.

STATEMENT of amounts expended under the act of March 21, 1837, for the "enlargement of the State Library," which have been charged against the "Library Fund," so called; and of amounts expended for the same purpose, which have not been charged against the "Library Fund," as appears from the books in this office, viz:

Dorr & Webb,.
Collins, Keen & Co.,.
Adna Phillips,

AMOUNT.

$876 10

500 00

438 46

752

2.75

922 04

2 78

120 00

7 95

961 01

9.00

taken into Spring wells-before the annexation of the new wards-while within its ancient limits, those pipes have not, probably, been extended over one-half, perhaps not over one-fourth part of the city. The principle by which the Board, in this respect, has hitherto been governed, as all its printed reports will show, is never to lay down those pipes except when the expense of doing it will, in their judgment, prove a profitable, at least a remunerative investment. If there be a few cases in which this rule has been deviated from, it has only been when extraordinary but adequate reasons for it have existed. The supposition that this hydraulic water is gratuitously distributed, would be a great mistake. Every family that takes it pays for it, and pays at a high rate, too. It is a fact abundantly estab lished by a great number of instances, that the lowest rate at which any family in the ninth ward-and it is that ward I speak of more particularly-pays by the year for that water, is from one-half to four times greater than the legal interest would be on the cost of a securely-walled well, with all the apparatus necessary for its convenient use. It is only along the crowded streets of the city, therefore, where most of the owners of dwelling houses and stores take and pay for it, that this water is in general carried, and there the investment is sufficiently remunerative. The yearly income of the Board, from these works, is supposed to be about $39,000. Influenced by this same motive of pecuniary profit, the Board extended their pipes through a greater part of the ninth ward, down to the cattle and hog yards of the Central Railroad Co., during this last year; for doing which, that wealthy and powerful corporation is said to have paid, and stipulated yearly to pay a large and most ample compensation. Thus influenced, by the most exact calculations of "profit and loss," that Board has extended their pipes (of the cheapest kind) into some other parts of the ninth ward; to an extent, in the whole, it is believed, of not more than one-half of the length

mentioned, taking care, in every instance, not to expend there to the amount of a dollar, except in cases where, in their judgment, "the investment" promised at least to be profitable, or fully remunerative.

As for a fire engine house, which the memorial most strangely represents as having been constructed in the ninth ward by the city, there is no apology for the statement. It is utterly untrue. No engine house has been constructed by the city in that ward, nor does the city own a lot there, on which to build one. Offers have been made gratuitously to convey to the city two very convenient lots for that purpose. Those offers have not been accepted, and no lot has been obtained by the city, in the ninth ward, (and it is believed they own none in the tenth ward,) on which to construct such engine house.

As regards a fire engine, it is equally disingenuous for the council to pretend that any such has been granted to the ninth ward. The fire engine, now, for the time being, in the custody of fire company number twelve, is undoubt edly the property of the city, and may be taken possession of and otherwise disposed of at any moment by the au thorities of the corporation. A culvert, they say, has been constructed over the ravine called "May's Creek." This is true; and the materials and the mason work of it are believed to be good. But it is placed in a hole, full two feet or three lower than it ought to have been, for there is not sufficient fall from it to carry off to the river, the water which accumulates there; on the contrary, it is seriously apprehended that the waters setting back from the Detroit River will, in the summer time, become stagnant and become noxious.

As to the supposed debt of $250,000, which the council pretend has been incurred for the benefit of the ninth and tenth wards, what has come of it? Where is there any evidence of its existence? It is confidently believed that