Page:Journal of the Sixth Legislative Council of the Territory of Michigan.djvu/160

148 upon the inhabitants in the vicinity of said road, and upon travellers: the high rate of tolls at said bridges greatly obstructs the intercourse between the different points on said road, and between Detroit, the capital of the territory, and the state of Ohio, and to a great extent defeats the benevolent and liberal intentions of Congress in constructing this great and important work. That the amount of tolls levied upon a single carriage, with one horse, from Monroe to Detroit, a distance of thirty-six miles, is two dollars, and with two horses, four dollars, and for other conveyances, in the same ratio. That difficulties have continually existed in relation to the transportation of the United States mail upon said road in consequence of such toll bridges; and suits are now pending on that subject between the mail contractors and the proprietors of some of said bridges.

That in the charter for the bridge over the Raisin, the right to vacate the charter by the purchase of the bridge at its actual value is expressly reserved.

That the proprietors of two of the other bridges are ready to relinquish their charters, at a discount of 20 per cent, upon the balance remaining of the cost of the bridges, after deducting all receipts for tolls. It is believed by your committee that all said charters could be now extinguished, and said road made free, according to the intentions of Congress, by an appropriation of dollars, to be applied to that purpose, under the direction of such agent as the government may appoint.

Your Committee recommend the adoption of the following resolution:

Resolved, That a copy of the foregoing report be forwarded by the Governor of this territory, to the Hon. Lucius Lyon, delegate in Congress: and that he be requested to take such measures as he may deem proper, to procure an appropriation to extinguish the charters of said companies, and to render the said United States road from Monroe to Detroit free, according to the intentions of Congress in constructing said road.

On motion of Mr. Martin, the Council again proceeded to the consideration of the bill to amend the "act concerning costs and fees."

Mr. Hascall moved to amend the bill by adding to it the following as a new section:

"That any petit juror hereafter summoned to attend any circuit or county court in this territory, who shall prove his attendance, shall be entitled to receive a per diem allowance of and  for every mile's travel to the place of holding said court, exclusive of such fees as are now allowed by law."

The question on this motion being taken by yeas and nays, it was decided in the negative.