The State Board of Public Works.

COST OF CONSTRUCTION.

The entire cost of construction of the canals, including reservoirs and feeders, was $14,340,572.59, besides material aid from private individuals and corporations in donations of land, right of way, and moneys. The state has received by the sale of the lands granted by the general Government for canal purposes, $2,257,487.32. The expenditures for the maintenance of the Ohio Canals in repairs and cost of collections up to and including the year 1900, has amounted to $17,447,551.06. The receipts from actual earnings for the same time have amounted to $16,671,229.81, leaving a net credit to the canal of receipts over expenditures for maintenance account of $5,223,678.75.

The Public Works at present comprises 581 82-100 miles of navigable canals, about 30,000 acres of reservoir area, besides their feeders, and the navigable rivers of the state.

ABANDONMENT.

In 1894 the General Assembly ordered the abandonment of that part of the eastern system which was known as the Hocking Canal, 56 miles, and in 1896, 19 miles of the "Walhonding" Canal.

THE LEASE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS.

On the second day of June, 1861, the Public Works of Ohio were leased by the act of the Legislature, passed May 9, 1861, for twenty thousand and seventy-five dollars ($20,075) per annum. Said lease continued in force until December 1, 1877, at which time the lessees abandoned the Public Works and by appointment of the Superior Court of Montgomery county they were placed in the hands of a receiver until May 15, 1878, at which time the State Board again took possession of the Public Works of Ohio.

Amount received from lessees, 16 1-2 years, at $20,075 ......$331,237 50 Amount received from December 1, 1877, to May 15, 1878.... 69,765 59

Total amount received and included in above table....$401,003 09

The expenditures by the Board of Public Works for superintendence and repairs ceased with the transfer of the canals to the lessees. All expenditures during that time were for the settlement of prior claims, awards of damages, expenses of the office of the Board, expenses incurred in the appraisement of personal property sold to the lessees, and the payment of outstanding indebtedness provided for by the act "making appropriations for the maintenance of the Public Works," passed May 13, 1861.

The State Board of Public Works.

Under the law authorizing the lease of the Public Works of the State, C. S. Hamilton was appointed by the Governor, Paul Weatherby, by the Board of Public Works, and John G. Isham by the lessees, to appraise the personal property of the State, which the lessees were required by said act to purchase. The value of the property appraised by them and transferred to the lessees amounted to fourteen thousand one hundred and seventy-three and 64-100 dollars ($14,173.64).

MEMBERS AND OFFICERS OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS, 1902.

The State Board of Public Works.

FORMER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS-Concluded.

THE BOARD OF VETERINARY EXAMINERS.

T

HE law creating the State Board of Veterinary Examiners was passed by the General Assembly May 21, 1894. The Board consists of five members; the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture and the Secretary of the State Board of Health are made ex officio members by the law, while the Governor has the appointment of the other members. A list of the officers, from the organization of the board to date, is given below:

C

OMMISSIONER of Labor Statistics Michael D. Ratchford, the subject of this sketch, was born in Clare, Ireland, in 1860. Migrating with his parents to Stark county, Ohio, some ten years later, he attended the public schools there until he reached his twelfth year, at which age he entered the mines where he labored for more than twenty consecutive years. His education, however, was principally acquired by attending evening school, and by careful home study during the earlier years of his occupation in mining.

Mr. Ratchford, although mainly conservative in his views upon the labor question, was an active trade unionist, and as such he realized the growing needs of a thorough organization of mine workers, and labored unceasingly to that end. He was elected to and served in the office of President of the Massillon, Ohio, miners, 1890-92; General Organizer, 1893-94; President Ohio Miners, 1895-96; President of the United Mine Workers of America, 1897-98. It was while serving in the chief executive office that he established and put into practice a working-day of eight hours; instituted mutual relations and an annual wage contract between mine workers and operators through which strikes have since been averted; and made uniform the conditions of mining throughout the bituminous coal fields.