Affirmed to and subscribed before me, the subscriber, an alderman and ex officio a justice of the peace for the city of Wheeling, by George Ca- ruthers, this 12th day of February, A. D. 1838. L FRANCIS R. ARMSTRONG, Alderman. - State of Virginia, city of Wheeling, to wit : I, Moses W. Chapline, Mayor of the city of Wheeling, in the State of Virginia, do hereby certify that Francis R. Armstrong, before whom the foregoing deposition of George Caruthers appears to have been taken, is now, aod was at the time of taking the same, an alderman and ex officio a jus- tice of the peace in and for said city, duly appointed and qualified, to all whose official acts, as such, full faith and credit is and ought to be given, as well in courts of justice as thereout. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the [L. S.] seal of said city of Wheeling, this 20th day of February, A. D. 1838. L MOSES W. CHAPLINE, Mayor. ره Deposition of James H. Forsyth. The deposition of James H. Forsyth, taken before Francis R. Armstrong, an alderman and ex officio a justice of the peace in and for the city of Wheeling, in the State of Virginia. The said James H. Forsyth, having been first duly sworn, deposeth and - saith that he, the deponent, is the senior partner of the House of Forsyth & Atterbury, (and lately of the firms of Forsyth & Dobbin and Forsyth, Dobbin & Co.,) commission and forwarding merchants in the city of Wheeling; that he, the deponent, has been engaged in business in Wheeling as a commission and forwarding merchant for nearly twenty years, and is intimately acquainted with the navigation of the upper part of the Ohio river, and also with a great many of the masters and pilots of steamboats engaged in the transportation of merchandise and passengers on said river; he, this deponent, is well acquainted with David Blashford, James H. Louderback, Edward G. Bladen, Samuel Mason, Samuel Clark, Edward Booth, Wm. H. Cecil, Henry Mason, Lewis Bradshaw, Samuel Barnett, William Clark, William Leonard, and Jeremiah Mason, who have testified in relation to the navigation of the Ohio river, and other matters connected therewith, and knows them to be experienced pilots and men of good standing in society, and entitled to full and ample credit on oath. This deponent knows that a large majority of all the passengers ascending the Ohio river land at Wheeling instead of proceeding on by boats to Pittsburg, and that, during the low stages of water, two or three daily lines of stage-coaches find constant and profitable employment in conveying passengers between the city of Wheeling and the city of Pittsburg, and that this mode of travelling is frequently adopted in consequence of an entire suspension of steamboat navigation between Wheeling and Pittsburg, and particularly during the summer and fall months in consequence of low water. This deponent knows that, in the prosecution of his business as a forwarding and commission merchant, he has shipped to Pitts burg, on board of keelboats and by other conveyances, thousands of tons of freight which had been landed at this port from steamboats bound to Pittsburg, but which were unable to ascend the river higher than this place in consequence of low water and the difficulty of navigation between Wheeling and Pittsburg: that he has frequently known said steamboats, on discharging their Pittsburg freight at this port, in consequence of low water as above stated, return from this port to Cincinnati or Louisville without attempting to proceed higher up, and that many of these boats were owned in and bound for Pittsburg. This deponent knows that very frequently, when the river is at a medium stage, steamboats arriving from Pittsburg take on board at Wheeling additional freight, and then proceed on their voyage without difficulty; and that said steamboats did not take on board the additional freight at Wheeling because they were unable to procure full freight at Pittsburg, but because they could not navigate the river between Pittsburg and Wheeling with more freight than they had on board. This deponent knows that the superiority of the navigation of the Ohio river below Wheeling over that part of the river between Wheeling and Pittsburg, has influenced, and continues to influence, many of the oldest and most experienced merchants and traders in the West and South to forward their goods to Wheeling for shipment, to the amount of some thousands of tons annually, notwithstanding the cost of transportation from the Eastern cities is often greater to Wheeling than to Pittsburgh by five to ten dollars per ton. This deponent feels assured and believes that, with the exception of Cincinnati, a much greater number of boatmen and others employed in the river trade arrive at and depart from the port of Wheeling every year than from any other place on the Ohio river above the city of Louisville. Deponent is well acquainted with the country around Pittsburg and Wheeling, and has no hesitation in saying, and verily believes, that the country around Wheeling is far superior to that around Pittsburg in richness of soil, and much more productive; and that a great many of the Pittsburg boats bound down the river obtain their supplies of provisions for the voyage at the port of Wheeling, in consequence of their being cheaper and more abundant. This deponent knows and verily believes that in point of health the city of Wheeling is at least equal if not superior to Pittsburg, and that there is not a more healthy place on the Ohio river than Wheeling. Deponent is also acquainted with the coal land in the vicinity of Wheeling and Pittsburg, and knows that coal is in much greater abundance and much easier of access around Wheeling than around Pittsburg, and that the price of that article is at least fifty per cent. less at Wheeling than at Pittsburg. JAMES H. FORSYTH. Sworn to and subscribed before me the subscriber, an alderman and ex officio justice of the peace in and for the city of Wheeling, by the abovenamed James H. Forsyth, this 22d day of February, 1838. FRANCIS R. ARMSTRONG, Alderman. State of Virginia, city of Wheeling, to wit : I, Moses W. Chapline, Mayor of the city of Wheeling, in the State of Virginia, do hereby certify that Francis R. Armstrong, before whom the foregoing deposition of James H. Forsyth appears to have been taken, is now, and was at the time of taking the same, an alderman and ex officio a justice of the peace in and for the city aforesaid, duly appointed and qualified, to all whose official acts, as such, full faith and credit is and ought to be given, as well in courts of justice as thereout. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal [L. S.] of said city, this 22d day of February, A. D. 1838. MOSES W. CHAPLINE, Mayor. 1st Session. NAVY PENSION FUND. JUNE 29, 1841. Read, and, with the bill, H. R. No. 6, "To provide for the payment of Navy pensiums," com. mitted to a Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. Mr. WILLIAM B. CALHOUN, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, submitted the following REPORT: The Committee on Naval Affairs, on that part of the President's Message, referred to them, which relates to Navy pensions, report: Under the operation of the act entitled "An act for the more equitable administration of the navy pension fund," that fund has been exhausted. On the first of July the sum of $88,706 06 will be required for the payment of navy pensioners; and on the 1st of January next the further sum of $69,000. These sums, with $6,000 for arrears of pensions, which will probably be allowed before January next, make in the whole $163,706 06. Deducting $28,040, now within the control of the Navy Departinent, the deficiency amounts to $139,666 06. On the 3d of March, 1837, the principal of the navy pension fund was $1,115,329 53. This fund dates its origin from the act of April 23, 1800, which set apart all money accruing, or which has already accrued to the United States from the sale of prizes, " as a fund forever for the payment of pensions and half-pay, to such officers and seamen as should be entitled to receive the same: and the public faith was pledged to make up any deficiency in the fund. By numerous subsequent acts, pensions have been granted to widows and children of officers, seamen, and marines, killed or dying of wounds received in the line of their duty, and also to the widows and children of officers, seamen, and marines, who died in the naval service during the late war.” The act of the 3d March, 1817, granted pensions to the widows and children of officers, seamen, and marines, dying, or who have died since June, 1812, of disease contracted, or of casualties or injuries received while in the line of duty. This act was repealed in 1824 because of its drawing too largely upon the fund. The act of 3d March, 1837, grants pensions to widowsand el ildren of all officers, seamen, and marines, who "have died or may hereafter die in the naval service," without discrimination or limitation. Under the operation of this act, in connexion with the depreciation of some of the stocks conGales & Seaton, print. |
