Talk:Henry Taylor (swimmer) and Indiana Mammoth Internal Improvement Act: Difference between pages
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The '''Mammoth Internal Improvement Act''' was a law passed by the [[Indiana General Assembly]] in 1836 that greatly expanded the state of [[Indiana]]'s internal improvement program. It added an additional $10 million ([[USD]]) to spending and funded several projects, including turnpikes, canals, and railroads. The overall project ended in a near total disaster for the state, and state went nearly bankrupt from the debt. By 1841, the the government could not longer make even the interest payment, and all the projects, except one canal, were handed over to the state's London creditors in exchange for a 50% reduction in debt. Again in 1846, the last project was handed over for another 50% in debt. Of the eleven projects in the measure, only three were ever completed. |
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{{ArticleHistory |
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|action1date=21:11, 5 September 2008 |
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|action1link=Talk:Henry Taylor (swimmer)/GA1 |
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|action1oldid=236507827 |
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|dykdate=2 September 2008 |
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|currentstatus=GA |
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|topic=sports |
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}} |
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{{WPBiography|class=GA|sports-work-group=yes}} |
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{{WP Swimming|class=GA|importance=high}} |
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{{WPGM|class=GA|importance=mid}} |
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==Background== |
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I know the source says that [[HMS St Vincent (1908)|HMS ''St Vincent'']] was sunk at Jutland, but as the ship's own article makes categorically clear, ''St Vincent'' was not sunk at this battle nor anywhere else. I strongly suggest that this information is modified to indicate that the story is untrue.--[[User:Jackyd101|Jackyd101]] ([[User talk:Jackyd101|talk]]) 05:09, 3 September 2008 (UTC) |
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When the state of Indiana was formed in 1816, it was still pracitly a wilderness, and settlment was limited to the southern periphery where easy access to the Ohio River provided a convient means to export produce. The only significant road in the region was the [[Buffalo Trace (road)|Buffalo Trace]], an old dirt bison trail that crossed the southern part of the state. After statehood several plans had been made to improve the transportation situation, like the creation of small local roads, the larger [[Michigan Road]], and a failed attempted by the [[Indiana Canal Company]] to build a canal around the [[Falls of the Ohio]]. The national economy entered a recession following the [[Panic of 1819]], and the states only two banks collapsed in the years that followed, ending the states improvement programs with having achieved little success. |
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:I understand what you mean. I thought perhaps it was the wrong ship, but it took part in the Battle of Jutland. We have a source saying the ship was sunk but [http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/st_vincent_class.htm other sources] saying it didn't. I thought it was possible the writers who said his ship was sunk were confused between other St Vincent class ships, but none were sunk at Jutland according to battleships-cruisers.co.uk (don't know if it's a reliable source, but it seems ok). It seems possible that the crew had to abandon ship but it was later retrieved. I'm not happy with that much conjecture, but instead of saying the ship was sunk, I've changed it to the crew abandoned ship. Will this be enough? [[User:Nev1|Nev1]] ([[User talk:Nev1|talk]]) 11:23, 3 September 2008 (UTC) |
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::I'm not intending any action personally so I don't know about ''enough'', but I can categorically state, based on a dozen book sources, that HMS ''St Vincent'' was '''not''' sunk during the battle. I also have not ever heard of the crew abandoning ship and can honestly see no reason why they should have done so during the battle (''St Vincent'' was not seriously damaged). I can only conclude that the event is either entirely invented by a journalist, Taylor was on another ship that sank at the battle, or Taylor went swimming on his own, out of choice, during the battle (which would be very unusual but not entirely beyond the realm of probability). I'm afraid I really have no idea what the origin of the story is, I can only tell you that as represented in the sources it is definately not true.--[[User:Jackyd101|Jackyd101]] ([[User talk:Jackyd101|talk]]) 01:20, 6 September 2008 (UTC) |
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:::My personal favourite is he took a dip in the middle of the battle, perhaps because of a strict training regime ;-) It's looking like a <s>urban</s> nautical legend which is a shame because it's a nice story. I wonder what the real reason is for his change of ships, assuming that bit's true. I haven't got any sources saying the ship didn't sink but do you? With a source saying the ship wasn't sunk or the crew forced to abandon ship we can say that the story is probably a myth. Now seems as good a time as any to set the record straight. |
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:::I'm glad I didn't use the bit about Taylor in the war for the DYK hook. [[User:Nev1|Nev1]] ([[User talk:Nev1|talk]]) 01:36, 6 September 2008 (UTC) |
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::::Don't feel bad about it, I was pretty surprised to see that the BBC had made a mistake like that. Although I do have sources stating categorically that HMS ''St Vincent'' was not sunk at Jutland, they are still boxed up after I moved house last year and are inaccessible at the moment. I do however have |
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*{{cite book |
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| last = Bennett |
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| first = Geoffrey |
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| authorlink = Geoffrey Bennett |
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| year = 1968 |
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| chapter = |
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| title = Naval Battles of the First World War |
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| publisher = Penguin |
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| location = |
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| id = ISBN 0-141390-87-5 |
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}} |
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Which lists HMS ''St Vincent'' as present at the battle on p. 195 but makes no mention of her being sunk (as is the case with [[HMS Queen Mary]] for example). Hope this is good enough for the time being. It is a shame, because that is a really nice story and I'd be fascinated to get to the bottom of it. Regards--[[User:Jackyd101|Jackyd101]] ([[User talk:Jackyd101|talk]]) 12:06, 6 September 2008 (UTC) |
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The 1820s were spent repairing the state's finances and by 1831 the state had began to restart the internal improvement projects using land grants from teh federal government.<ref>Shaw, p. 135</ref> The [[Wabash and Erie Canal]] was started with local funds, but was taken over by the state that year, who continued to expand it. To fund the project, and in responce to the closure of the [[Second Bank of the United States]], the state established the [[Bank of Indiana]]. Bonds were issued through the bank to fund the early stages of the project, but it soon became apparent that it would take far more funds than could be obtained by bonds alone. |
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:::::[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Henry_Taylor_(swimmer)&diff=236650166&oldid=236531389 Change made], well this article is now probably the most accurate online account of Henry Taylor. Thanks for your help. [[User:Nev1|Nev1]] ([[User talk:Nev1|talk]]) 13:27, 6 September 2008 (UTC) |
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==Passage of the law== |
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{{Talk:Henry Taylor (swimmer)/GA1}} |
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In 1836, legislation was created by the [[Indiana General Assembly]] to dramaticly expand the scope of the internal improvements. Over $2 million had already been burrowed, and the new bill proposed borrowing another $10 million. Seeing the success of canals in the [[eastern United States]], it was believed that the projects would be very profitable for the state and that their revenue would quickly pay back the loans, and provide the funds to complete the projects. |
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For canals, the project called for the creation of a canal from [[Indianapolis]] to [[Evansville, Indiana|Evansville]], called the [[Indiana Central Canal]]. It was intended to connect the Wabash and Erie Canal to the [[Ohio River]]. Funding was included for another canal to connect Indianapolis to the [[Wabash River]] in [[Lafayette, Indiana|Lafayette]]. Additional funding was granted to the Wabash and Erie Canal for expansion to [[Terre Haute, Indiana|Terre Haute]]. The canals recieved the majority of the funds from the bill, because it was believed that the canals could be constructed from local materials which would help boost the local ecnomy.<ref>Shaw, p. 137</ref> |
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The bill also funded, but to a much lesser degree, a railroad connecting [[Madison, Indiana|Madison]] to Indianapolis, the paving of the [[Buffalo Trace (road)|Buffalo Trace]] and renaming it the Vincennes Trace, the pavement of the remainder of the Michigan Road. |
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The bill passed the General Assembly with overwhelming support, but was opposed by several prominent legislators including [[Dennis Pennington]], [[James Whitcomb]], Calvin Flethcer and John Durmont. Pennington believed the canals were a waste of money and would soon be made obsolete by the railroads.<ref>Dunn, p. 408</ref> Whitcomb outright rejected the idea of spending such a large sum of money, saying it would be impossible to pay back.<ref>Woollen, p. 82</ref> |
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The bill created a Board of Improvement and a Board of Funds Commissioners to oversee the projects. Two thirds of the funds were spent on the canals, with the Central Canal getting the most money.<ref>Shaw, p. 138</ref> |
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==See also== |
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{{portal|Indiana|Indiana state flag detail.jpg||150px|break=no|left=no}} |
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*[[History of Indiana]] |
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==Notes== |
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{{reflist|2}} |
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==Sources== |
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*{{cite book|author= Dunn, Jacob Piatt|title=Indiana and Indianans| year=©1919|publisher=The American Historical Society|location=Chicago & New York|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=GmcPryCCxFIC&|volume=V.I}} |
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*{{cite book|title=Canals for the Nation|author=Shaw, Ronald E.|year=1993|isbn= 0813108152|pubsliher=University Press of Kentucky}} |
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*{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=PCbZ8rS-84gC|title=Biographical and Historical Sketches of Early Indiana|author=Woollen, William Wesley|publisher=Ayer Publishing|year=1975|isbn=0405068964}} |
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{{-}} |
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{{Indiana history}} |
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[[Category:Law in Indiana]] |
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Revision as of 13:51, 10 October 2008
The Mammoth Internal Improvement Act was a law passed by the Indiana General Assembly in 1836 that greatly expanded the state of Indiana's internal improvement program. It added an additional $10 million (USD) to spending and funded several projects, including turnpikes, canals, and railroads. The overall project ended in a near total disaster for the state, and state went nearly bankrupt from the debt. By 1841, the the government could not longer make even the interest payment, and all the projects, except one canal, were handed over to the state's London creditors in exchange for a 50% reduction in debt. Again in 1846, the last project was handed over for another 50% in debt. Of the eleven projects in the measure, only three were ever completed.
Background
When the state of Indiana was formed in 1816, it was still pracitly a wilderness, and settlment was limited to the southern periphery where easy access to the Ohio River provided a convient means to export produce. The only significant road in the region was the Buffalo Trace, an old dirt bison trail that crossed the southern part of the state. After statehood several plans had been made to improve the transportation situation, like the creation of small local roads, the larger Michigan Road, and a failed attempted by the Indiana Canal Company to build a canal around the Falls of the Ohio. The national economy entered a recession following the Panic of 1819, and the states only two banks collapsed in the years that followed, ending the states improvement programs with having achieved little success.
The 1820s were spent repairing the state's finances and by 1831 the state had began to restart the internal improvement projects using land grants from teh federal government.[1] The Wabash and Erie Canal was started with local funds, but was taken over by the state that year, who continued to expand it. To fund the project, and in responce to the closure of the Second Bank of the United States, the state established the Bank of Indiana. Bonds were issued through the bank to fund the early stages of the project, but it soon became apparent that it would take far more funds than could be obtained by bonds alone.
Passage of the law
In 1836, legislation was created by the Indiana General Assembly to dramaticly expand the scope of the internal improvements. Over $2 million had already been burrowed, and the new bill proposed borrowing another $10 million. Seeing the success of canals in the eastern United States, it was believed that the projects would be very profitable for the state and that their revenue would quickly pay back the loans, and provide the funds to complete the projects.
For canals, the project called for the creation of a canal from Indianapolis to Evansville, called the Indiana Central Canal. It was intended to connect the Wabash and Erie Canal to the Ohio River. Funding was included for another canal to connect Indianapolis to the Wabash River in Lafayette. Additional funding was granted to the Wabash and Erie Canal for expansion to Terre Haute. The canals recieved the majority of the funds from the bill, because it was believed that the canals could be constructed from local materials which would help boost the local ecnomy.[2]
The bill also funded, but to a much lesser degree, a railroad connecting Madison to Indianapolis, the paving of the Buffalo Trace and renaming it the Vincennes Trace, the pavement of the remainder of the Michigan Road.
The bill passed the General Assembly with overwhelming support, but was opposed by several prominent legislators including Dennis Pennington, James Whitcomb, Calvin Flethcer and John Durmont. Pennington believed the canals were a waste of money and would soon be made obsolete by the railroads.[3] Whitcomb outright rejected the idea of spending such a large sum of money, saying it would be impossible to pay back.[4]
The bill created a Board of Improvement and a Board of Funds Commissioners to oversee the projects. Two thirds of the funds were spent on the canals, with the Central Canal getting the most money.[5]
See also
Notes
Sources
- Dunn, Jacob Piatt (©1919). Indiana and Indianans. Vol. V.I. Chicago & New York: The American Historical Society.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|year=(help) - Shaw, Ronald E. (1993). Canals for the Nation. ISBN 0813108152.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|pubsliher=ignored (|publisher=suggested) (help) - Woollen, William Wesley (1975). Biographical and Historical Sketches of Early Indiana. Ayer Publishing. ISBN 0405068964.
