Article
citation information:
Rutkowski,
M. Leasing
of road tolls in the Kingdom of Poland in the early years after the fall of the
November uprising (1832-1836). Scientific
Journal of Silesian University of Technology. Series Transport. 2025, 129, 191-210. ISSN: 0209-3324. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20858/sjsutst.2025.129.11
Marek RUTKOWSKI[1]
LEASING OF ROAD
TOLLS IN THE KINGDOM OF POLAND IN THE EARLY YEARS AFTER THE FALL OF THE
NOVEMBER UPRISING (1832-1836)
Summary. The text focuses on
road toll collection in the Kingdom of Poland in the early 1830S. Indicating
that the law in force was initially from the pre-insurrectional period and new
premises were introduced only in late 1835, the article emphasizes the endeavors of the authorities to monitor and prevent any
possible extortions in the above-mentioned collection. The typical elements of
the tender and lease process included paying a deposit, conducting tenders
according to the “in plus” formula, and submitting bids by competitors in
sealed envelopes. The numerous examples of the government proposals of tender
conditions in the span of years 1832-1836 have been presented. The
conclusion states that the entire bidding system seems to have proved
inadequate for financing the maintenance of the road network of the Kingdom of
Poland.
Keywords: road toll collection, tenders, Kingdom of Poland, 19th century
1. THE LAW
CONDITIONS OF LEASING THE ROAD TOLL IN THE KINGDOM OF POLAND IN THE BEGINNING
OF THE PASKIEVICH PERIOD
In the early 1830s, the
collection of road tolls in the Kingdom of Poland was still governed by the law
established on November 20, 1821[2], after numerous modifications
during the constitutional period.
After the suppression of the
November Uprising, the occupying Russian authorities considered this situation
to remain in effect. Based on this, in early January 1832, the Chief of Staff
of the Russian occupying First Active Army informed about the restrictions
imposed by the conqueror of Warsaw - Field Marshal Paskevich
– on the Russian military regarding their "interference in the regulations
concerning the collection of road tolls and similar matters." On February
3, 1832, the Provisional Government of the Kingdom introduced a clear ban
prohibiting Russian military intervention in these matters. Minor changes
appeared in May 1832[3].
Minor changes appeared in May of
1832, when quite clear rules were introduced regarding tenders, including those
for road construction, maintenance and supervision. On May 9, 1832, the
Government Committee for Internal, Spiritual and Public Enlightenment Affairs (KRSWDiOSP) issued rescript no. 1461/2192, which stated
explicitly that no declaration submitted after the applicable deadline, i.e.,
after the conclusion of the auction in both Warsaw’s ministry and in the
respective provincial commission[s], “/.../ even if it ensured the greatest
benefit for the Treasury,” could be accepted for further processing or even
review. At the same time, the ministry firmly assured that only those bids
would win the tenders that “/.../ submit a legal declaration that is most
advantageous for the Treasury during the auction /.../.” Next, the indicated
decree of the KRSWDiOSP was printed for private
“usage” in the voivodeships throughout the country, as it was, for example,
done by the order of the Mazovian Voivodeship Commission, dated May 23, 1832,
no. 3 1 202 / 3 873, where it was published in the local Voivodeship Journal
no. 37/1832[4].
However, in the year 1835, the
Government Committee for Internal, Spiritual and Public Enlightenment Affairs
recognized the need to amend certain provisions of the existing law regarding
the collection of road tolls. This application was positively reviewed by Tzar
Nicholas I, as it was reported in a letter from the residing in Petersburg
Minister Secretary of State for the Kingdom of Poland, dated March 26/April 7,
1835, number 467[5]. Consequently, the
Administrative Council adopted new regulations regarding the collection of road
tolls on June 4/16, 1835. This law, was formally dated July 16/28, 1835, and
published in the Journal of Laws of the Kingdom of Poland. By its authority, from
July 20/August 1, 1835, new regulations regarding the “increased toll fee on
paved roads throughout the Kingdom” came into effect[6].
As a
rule, at the beginning of the post-uprising period, leasing of road tolls most
often took place through auctions, and of a rather specific nature. Namely, it
was typically an auction conducted through the submission of so-called “sealed
declarations”, which meant that the bids were usually no longer subject to
further tenders. To the submitted offers, which were most often made at the
office of the relevant Voivodeship Commission within a specified date and hour
time, a deposit had to be attached. The deposit amount usually equaled the toll amount collected over a two-month period
(what was counted as “/.../in relation to the offered prices balancing”).
Customary the auctions took place at the request of the Warsaw’s ministry - the
Government Commission for Internal, Spiritual and Public Enlightenment Affairs.
Such a tender was organized for the purpose of leasing tolls both on roads that
have already been built and - at times - on those that were yet to be
completed. The tender concerned a toll referred to as established “in addition
to the annual prices in /.../ included in the list”, meaning that bids were
made upwards from the price set by the government administration for collecting
tolls on a given stretch of road or while crossing the bridge for a one-year
period[7].
The
offers had to be filled out according to the provided template. The declaration
could include a request for the leasing of even several road stations, where
tolls could be collected through winning a tender process. The toll buyout
price could, of course, vary for each station. As it was stated above, the
selection of offers took place “in terms of benefits” for the public budget.
All declarations prepared in a manner inconsistent with the model provided by
the state administration, or submitted after the specified deadline, were
automatically deemed invalid and, as such, were not subject to consideration.
What was very important was the fact that announcements for tenders were often
published in the Provincial Journals about two weeks before the anticipated
auction date, and thus within a not-too-distant timeframe[8].
From the rescript of the Masovian
Voivodeship Commission dated as of September 4, 1833, one could also learn more
details. For example, it indicates that the bids submitted by entrepreneurs had
to be written “clearly” and distinctly; they could not contain any crossings
out or, possibly, “scribbles”. The entrepreneur applying for the lease of the
toll had no right to include any reservations or conditions in the declaration.
Moreover, all numbers had to be written out in words (“letters”), and they had to
be written by hand of the entrepreneur himself. It was understood that the
provided amount generally indicated the “highest sum that the entrepreneur
declares to pay”. However, it was not allowed to provide so-called lump sums
calculated for the payment for several road stations together, which meant that
“/.../ no declaration would be considered valid if it did not include the
amount of the offer for each station”[9].
2. GOVERNMENT
REACTION TO POSSIBLE ABUSES IN THE PRACTICE OF LEASING OF ROAD TOLLS IN THE
EARLY POST-INSURRECTION PERIOD
Some problems with implementing
this new law officially emerged a few years after introducing new provisions
concerning toll leasing. Despite the fact that the toll tariff was supposed to
be displayed in a publicly accessible location outside each toll booth., the
Government Committee for Internal, Spiritual and Public Enlightenment Affairs
reported at the end of 1835 the emergence of a significant number of reports
regarding serious abuses committed by toll collectors. Acting in place of the
main director presiding over the ministry, the Director of the Department of
Arts, Industry, and Trade – Mateusz Lubowidzki, in a letter dated December
12/24, 1835, directly informed about the abuses committed by the lessees in the
collection of road tolls, “/.../ demanding a higher fee than what the law and
tariff allow.”
Lubowidzki simultaneously raised the issue
of the inability to impose appropriate penalties on dishonest tenants in cases
where similar violations were not reported to the higher authorities, in
practice: to any "nearest authority," or even directly to the offices
of the ministry in Warsaw. The director of the KRSWDiOSP
Department thus reminded in December of 1835 about the possibility of quick and
hassle-free consideration of such complaints, pointing out that they were based
on a law from the time of the Duchy of Warsaw, specifically from the year 1811.
At that time, the legislation exempted from the necessity of paying the stamp
fee for applications submitted by private individuals to the administrative
authorities that had "the aim of serving the public interest." Lubowidzki apparently counted all comments regarding abuses
in the collection of the road toll in this category. In this way - as it was
claimed by the Director of the Department of Arts, Industry, and Trade,
"travellers have every opportunity to shield themselves from the
arbitrariness of tax collectors, as long as they are willing to report the
experienced inconveniences and deviations from the tariff regulations to the
local or central administrative authorities"[10].
The
occupying regime authorities, headed by Field Marshal Paskevich,
sometimes intervened in specific cases regarding a particular toll collection
station. For example, such a situation happened when the Municipal Office of
the Capital City of Warsaw issued a special announcement on May 2/14, 1836,
regarding the upcoming Pentecost and the church feast celebrated at the same
time in the locality of Bielany. This decree, signed
by the president of the municipality of Warsaw, the state referendary
Łaszczyński, was actually issued “/.../ to prevent
and address the abuses noticed in the collection of road tolls at the paved
road station [covering the distance] from the Marymont gates to Łomianki.” On this occasion, the Warsaw Municipal Office
deemed it necessary to reiterate in public documents issued by the state
administration the regulations concerning the collection of road tolls in the
area of the Warsaw city gates near Marymont. According to Łaszczyński, they
were primarily mandates requiring that individuals leaving Warsaw (for a
leisure tour) through those very gates would pay the road toll only once, while
continuing on the two-mile route to Łomianki.
Returning back to the capital on the same day, upon presenting the previously
paid ticket, issued when leaving the city, travellers on the Łomianki - Marymont route no longer had to pay any
additional road tolls. On the other hand, residents of houses and mills located
outside the city limits, as well as those employed at the Marymont Institute of
Rural Economy (along with all the livestock driven by them), were not subject to
any transportation fees when traveling to and from Warsaw. Finally, Łaszczyński pointed out that during the two days of
Pentecost, no one had the right to collect any transport duties in the area of
the Marymont gates[11].
Apparently, in the mid-1830s, numerous abuses occurred in the collection of
transport tolls on this route.
Similarly,
on June 11/23, 1836, the Municipal Office of the Capital City of Warsaw (in
addition to the issued rescript of ministry – KRSWDiOSP
on the same matter) decided to intervene in the process - as it was described -
of “constant misunderstandings and disputes” that arose between the residents
of Warsaw going for (mostly of leisure type) trips outside the city gates and
the local toll collectors. By issuing a special announcement, it was decided
not only to publish it in the public writings circulating in the whole of the
Kingdom of Poland but also, and most of all, to distribute printed copies for
public viewing at all city gates of Warsaw. It was ordered to display this
announcement at all customs booths in Warsaw, next to the appropriate road toll
tariff. In addition, each of the gate inspectors and road toll collectors also
received one copy of the aforementioned announcement.
As for
the content of the municipal rescript itself, the President of Warsaw and state
referendary Łaszczyński,
who signed the municipal rescript, drew the attention of all interested parties
to a whole series of legal and factual circumstances. First and foremost, it
was indicated in the discussed document that a toll rate for road tolls had
already been established having based on the resolution of the Administrative
Council dated of June 1/13, 1835, which was subsequently announced by the
Government Commission for Internal, Spiritual and Public Enlightenment and
Affairs on July 3/15, 1835. Additionally, it was reminded that the Municipal
Office of the City of Warsaw had already ordered its republication in various
magazines. Additionally, Łaszczyński pointed out that
at each customs booth where a transport fee was collected was equipped with a
displayed price list of fees, so everyone could easily ensure that “/…/ the
road toll demanded is not higher than it should be”.
Secondly, the President of Warsaw
noted in June 1836 that in the event of a demand from a traveller for a fee
higher than that stipulated in the official transport tariff, there was no
necessary reason to engage in disputes with the toll collector on that account.
Instead, the proposed solution here was to call upon the police inspector
permanently stationed at the gates. His duties included - among other things -
identifying any potential fiscal abuses “under strict liability”. Subsequently,
the police officer adjusted the amount of the fee demanded to the level
actually stipulated by the provisions, as was also obliged to report the guilty
party the road collector, directly to the (Capital) Municipal Office.
As a result of the confirmed
report of irregularities, the toll operator was subsequently held responsible
within the scope defined by the toll tariff regulations, specifically in
relation to its points: e) and f). If the police inspector involved in the
entire event of confusion did not properly fulfill
his imposed duties, or if the concerned traveller - despite the inspector's
call and having received the appropriate “explanation” from him - still had any
doubts regarding his potential compensation, he should have gone, avoiding any
further disputes, directly to the Municipal Office. On his side, the President
of the City of Warsaw assured that there “it may be possible to measure
satisfaction according to certain regulations”. As it follows from Łaszczyński's clear declaration, the authorities' intention
was for all individuals from the toll service not to avoid responsibility for
the offenses they had eventually committed. This idea was the source of the
declaration of the desire to call upon all individuals passing through the toll
gates to report as many fiscal and transport abuses as possible, thereby
contributing to the “eradication of extortion”.
Furthermore, regarding the most
common type of abuses related to the collection of the transport fee at the
Marymont gate, the President of Warsaw reminded on June 23, 1836, that
individuals passing through this city entrance point were only required to pay
the requested transport fee once. The paid toll road covered the distance of a
two-mile stretch of paved road from Marymont to Łomianki,
with the stipulation – mentioned earlier in this same section of this monograph
– that if travellers returned from their trip on the same day, they could not
be asked for additional payment, provided they presented the previously paid
“ticket” upon their return. Although, at the same time, the Municipal Office of
the Capital City of Warsaw clearly indicated that such a solution applies only
at the Marymont toll gates. In other places of formal entry and exit to and
from Warsaw, individuals passing through had the obligation to pay regular road
tolls, in accordance with the provisions of the so-called general transport tariff
regulations (under letter a), which meant the necessity of paying the toll both
when leaving and entering the city.
Finally, in the fourth part of
its regulation, the Municipal Office of Warsaw recommended that all
policemen-gate inspectors that, in accordance with the content of the
magistrate's noticer from June of 1836, had to place particular emphasis on the
proper enforcement of fiscal and transport regulations, and that they were
obliged to “rectify” any observed abuses, either automatically by virtue of the
provisions of the tariff law itself, or upon receiving reports from affected
travellers. As a rule, the police were to carry out these actions in a manner
that ensured public peace, trying to prevent conflicts and disputes. It was
also stated that the law enforcement officers stationed at the gates had to
quickly deliver those guilty of abuses, etc., to the Municipal Office in the
Capital (or at least report the illegal acts committed by the offenders) under
strict personal responsibility. Moreover, the toll inspectors had to constantly
monitor the proper display of the toll rates in such a location at the customs
booth so that it could be easily seen and read. Upon noticing the lack of
readability in the transport tariff text, it was the duty of the inspectors to
instruct the toll road lessees to make every effort to obtain new copies of the
fee schedule plate as quickly as possible. In the event of a delay in executing
such an order, these police officers were forced to notify the Municipal Office[12].
3.
LEASING OF ROAD TOLLS IN THE YEAR 1832 AND 1833-1835
Some examples of road toll
leasing in the Kingdom of Poland during 1832 may be referenced. For instance,
one can describe the conditions for leasing of road and the bridge tolls in the
Augustów Voivodeship on the strategic Petersburg
(Kaunas) route, as well as for the bridge on the Narew River in Złotoria on the Białystok route
(passing through this voivodeship) for the year 1832 on a twelve-month basis.
The decree of the Government Committee for Internal, Spiritual and Public
Enlightenment Affairs was signed on August 9, 1832[13], meaning the actual possibility
of leasing tolls would be limited to a few months of that year only. The costs
of that lease in the Augustów Voivodeship for the
entire year of 1832 were as follows.
Tab. 1[14]
Proposal of the KRSWDiOSP for leasing road and bridge tolls on
the Petersburg (Kaunas) route, and the Białystok
route, passing thorough
the Augustów Voivodeship, for the year 1832 on a
twelve-month basis
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road station |
The annual lease price of road
tolls in Zloties |
|
Miastkowo Łomża Stawiski Szczuczyn Grajewo Rajgród Augustów Szczepki Suwałki Szypliszki Kalwaria Mariampol Budki Wejwery Łomża – vicinity Mariampol-vicinity Złotoria- vicinity |
Łomża Stawiski Szczuczyn Grajewo Rajgród Augustów Szczepki Suwałki Szypliszki Kalwaria Mariampol Budki Wejwery Aleksota bridge bridge bridge |
1 400 1 500 1 805 1 530 3 065 1 025 1 540 830 1 875 1 200 1 205 1 570 1 120 1 800 3 630 1 510 450 |
Simultaneously, on the same date
- August 9, 1832 - the Government Commission for Internal Affairs, Clergy, and
Public Enlightenment issued rescript no. 4,277 (which was also referenced
above), ordering a tender for the lease of road and bridge tolls in the Augustów province for a period of three years, from January
1, 1833, to December 31, 1835. As a result, the Augustów
Voivodeship Commission scheduled two auctions for the lease of tolls on the
same sections of roads and the same bridges for the rest of 1832 as well as for
the mandated period of 36 following months. The auction was set for three
instalments on October 1, 2, and 3, 1832, at the office of the Augustów provincial commission. Entrepreneurs had to submit
sealed envelopes with their proposed lease amount declaration before the
tender. The deposit was set at two-months’ worth of the current lease sum for the given section
of the road or bridge. Each declaration could only pertain to one section of
the road or bridge tolls [15].
Tab.
2[16]
Proposal of the KRSWDiOSP to lease the road and bridge tolls on
the Petersburg (Kaunas) route and the Białystok route, passing thorough
the Augustów Voivodeship, for the period from January
1, 1833, to December 31, 1835
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road station |
The annual lease price of road
tolls in Zloties. |
|
Miastkowo Łomża Stawiski Szczuczyn Grajewo Rajgród Augustów Szczepki Suwałki Szypliszki Kalwaria Mariampol Budki Wejwery Łomża –vicinity Mariampol-vicinity Złotoria-vicinity |
Łomża Stawiski Szczuczyn Grajewo Rajgród Augustów Szczepki Suwałki Szypliszki Kalwaria Mariampol Budki Wejwery Aleksota bridge bridge bridge |
4 200 4 500 5 415 4 590 9 195 3 075 4 620 2 490 5 625 3 600 3 615 4 710 3 360 5 400 10 890 3 530 1 350 |
On August 9, 1832, the Government
Commission for Internal, Spiritual and Public Enlightenment Affairs announced a
tender for the lease of road and bridge tolls on other selected routes of the
Kingdom. This was done by the aforementioned decree no. 4 277. Based on these
regulations, the Mazovian Voivodeship Commission announced the tenders for a
three-year lease of road and bridge tolls at the end of August 1832. The lease
would run from January 1, 1833, to December 31, 1835. The Commission presented
the boundary conditions that potential contractors had to meet for their offers
to be considered. First and foremost, there was an emphasis put on the need for
entrepreneurs to personally appear at the tenders and when submitting bid
bonds. Altogether with delivering the entry fee, each entrepreneur had to hand
over to an authorized person a sealed envelope, in which he had specified
-without any visible or traceable writing corrections – the “final and maximum
annual amount” for which they would undertake to redeem the given transport
toll lease. The Mazovian Voivodeship Commission stipulated that any declaration
not meeting these criteria could not be considered in principle. Similarly, any offer including
additional requirements or conditions set by the entrepreneur was rejected.
The tender itself was divided
into two parts, the first part took place at the office of the Mazovian
Voivodeship Commission (in the government palace at Przejazd
Street No. 646/647) on October 2 and 3, 1832. The person responsible for
conducting the auction was the provincial commissioner of the Administrative
Department. The tender was conducted separately for each toll station or “road
space”, starting from the previously paid lease amounts. The announced auction
concerned the following transport leases.
Tab. 3[17]
Proposal
of the KRSWDiOSP for leasing road tolls at the
stations of the Petersburg, Lublin, and Krakow routes, as well as bridge tolls
on the Lublin route for the period from
January 1, 1833, to December 31, 1835, with the auction scheduled for October
1, 1832
|
Beginning of the road station |
End of the road station |
Route |
The annual lease price of road
tolls in Zloties |
|
Praga Warsaw Warsaw Konary |
Serock Piaseczno Janki 7 bridges |
Petersburg route Lublin route Krakow route Lublin route |
20 660 11 000 15 000 1 001 |
Tab. 4[18]
The
proposal of the KRSWDiOSP to lease road tolls at the
stations of the Kalisz-Poznań, Lublin, and Krakow
routes, as well as bridge tolls on the Petersburg route for the period from
January 1, 1833, to December 31, 1835, with the tender scheduled for October 2,
1832
|
Beginning of the road station |
End of the road station |
Route |
The annual lease price of road
tolls in Zloties |
|
Łowicz Łowicz - vicinity Zgierz
- vicinity |
Koło bridge bridge/ferry |
Kalisz-Poznań route Kalisz-Poznań route Petersburg route |
14 210 2 680 15 020 |
The
description of the conditions of these tenders sheds light on the early leasing
of tolls on paved roads and bridges in the Kingdom of Poland, shortly after the
crushing of the anti-Russian uprising of 1831.
4. LEASING OF ROAD TOLLS IN THE
YEAR 1833 (FOR 1833-1836)
As before, the ministry commenced
its activity in the field of establishing the conditions for tenders concerning
road/bridge tolls in the mid-summer. On August 19, 1833, the Government
Commission for Internal, Spiritual and Public Enlightenment Affairs issued
rescript no. 3 536 / 12 627, stating the necessity of conducting a tender for
the collection of road tolls on parts of the Kalisz-Poznań
and Brześć Litewski routes,
as well as bridge tolls. The reason was the expiration on December 31, 1833, of
the existing contracts previously concluded with the lessees of those tolls. On
this basis, the Masovian Voivodeship Commission issued a public note on
September 4, 1833, informing that sealed declarations for the leasing of income
from the collection of bridge and road tolls on the Kalisz-Poznań
and Brześć Litewski routes
were being accepted at its office (located at Nalewki
Street No. 561). The specified declarations had to be filled out separately for
each station or bridge. The deadline for submitting bidding offers was October
10, 1833, at 12 noon, and the scope of the submitted offer was to cover a
period of 36 months, starting from January 1, 1834, and ending on December 31,
1836. Since the auction was conducted on the basis of recognizing the most
financially advantageous offer as the winning one (in plus), the annual sums of
the lease amounts previously paid were considered as the starting point of
bidding. It was, of course, necessary to also deposit in cash or in bonds a
security fee, amounting to 1/10 of the indicated "praetium
fisci" (fiscal value) of the transaction[19].
Tab. 5[20]
Proposal
of the KRSWDiOSP to lease the road tolls for part of
the Poznań-Kalisz route
and the Brześć Litewski
route, as well as the bridge tolls, for the period from January 1, 1833, to
December 31, 1836
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road station |
Route |
The annual lease price of road
tolls in Zloties |
|
Warszawa Ołtarzew Błonie Paprotnia Sochaczew Kozłów Szlachecki Praga Miłosna Mińsk Kałuszyn Sochaczew - vicinity Zegrze - vicinity |
Ołtarzew Błonie Paprotnia Sochaczew Kozłów Szlachecki Łowicz Miłosna Mińsk Mingosy bridge bridg |
Kalisz Poznań route Kalisz Poznań route Kalisz Poznań route Kalisz Poznań route Kalisz Poznań route Kalisz Poznań route Brześć Litewski route Brześć Litewski route Brześć Litewski route Brześć Litewski route No data No data |
17 500 12 500 7 800 5 200 3 800 3 200 23 000 23 000 9 000 6 000 4 000 19 500 |
5. LEASING OF ROAD TOLLS IN THE YEAR 1834 (FOR 1835)
As
a result of the Government Committee for Internal, Spiritual and Public
Enlightenment Affairs decree no. 17 499/51 507, dated as of November 18, 1834,
the Masovian Voivodeship Commission announced on November 22 of the same year
that a public tender was to take place in early December 1834. The tender would
be conducted by submitting financial proposals in sealed envelopes, for the
leasing of a specific road tolls. The tender concerned the leasing of tolls at
specifically designated stations and covered the period of time starting from
January 1, 1835. Planned by the Director of Land and Water Communications of KRSWDiOSP Charini on October 28, 1834, the auction included
a number of paved routes, including the newly opened Białystok
route[21].
The
auction included the following road stations for leasing tolls on the highways
and paved roads of the Kingdom of Poland at that time:
Tab. 6[22]
Proposal of
the KRSWDiOSP to lease road tolls on the stations on
the Factory route for the year 1835
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
Length of
station in miles |
District |
Voivodeship |
The annual
lease price of road tolls in Zloties |
|
Łowicz Domaniewice Stryków Zgierz Łódka (Łódź) Pabianice Łask Zduńska Wola Sieradz Błaszków |
Domaniewice Stryków Zgierz Łódka (Łódź) Pabianice Łask Zduńska Wola Sieradz Błaszków Opatówek |
2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 3 No data |
Sochaczew Rawa Rawa Łęczyca Sieradz Sieradz Sieradz Sieradz Kalisz Kalisz |
Masovian Masovian Masovian Masovian Kalisz Kalisz Kalisz Kalisz Kalisz Kalisz |
2 000 1 800 1 800 1 500 2 500 2 000 1 500 1 800 2 000 2 500 |
Tab. 7[23]
|
Proposal of
the KRSWDiOSP to lease the road tolls at |
|||||
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
Length of
station in miles |
District |
Voivodeship |
The annual
lease price of road tolls in Zloties |
|
Pomiechów Orzechów Serock Słomianka Wyszków Budydypki Ostrów Wyszomierz Zambrów Mężenin Jeżew |
Orzechów Serock Słomianka Wyszków Budydypki Ostrów Wyszomierz Zambrów Mężenin Jeżew Złotoryja |
2 No data 2 2 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 |
Płock Płock Płock Pułtusk Pułtusk Ostrołęka Ostrołęka Łomża Łomża Łomża Łomża |
Płock Płock Płock Płock Płock Płock Płock Augustów Augustów Augustów Augustów |
2 000 2 000 1 500 1 500 2 000 1 500 1 500 1 500 2 000 1 500 1 500 |
Tab. 8[24]
|
Proposal of
the KRSWDiOSP to lease the road tolls at |
|||||
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
Length of
station in miles |
District |
Voivodeship |
The annual
lease price of road tolls in Zloties |
|
Grójec Białobrzegi Jedlińsk Radom Krogulcza Sucha Szydłowiec Berezowo Kielce Chęciny Jędrzejów Wodzisław |
Białobrzegi Jedlińsk Radom Krogulcza Sucha Szydłowiec Berezowo Kielce Chęciny Jędrzejów Wodzisław Miechów |
3 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 |
Warsaw Radom Radom Radom Radom Opoczno Opoczno Kielce Kielce Kielce Miechów Miechów |
Masovian Sandomierz Sandomierz Sandomierz Sandomierz Sandomierz Sandomierz Kraków Kraków Kraków Kraków Kraków |
4 000 2 500 3 000 3 000 2 500 3 500 5 000 4 000 3 000 2 500 3 500 3 500 |
Tab. 9[25]
|
Proposal of
the KRSWDiOSP to lease the road tolls at |
|||||
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
Length of
station in miles |
District |
Voivodeship |
The annual
lease price of road tolls in Zloties |
|
Piaseczno Góra |
Góra Mniszew |
2 2 |
Warsaw Warsaw |
Masovian Masovian |
3 000 2 000 |
Tab. 10[26]
|
Proposal of
the KRSWDiOSP to lease the road tolls at |
|||||
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
Length of
station in miles |
District |
Voivodeship |
The annual
lease price of road tolls in Zloties |
|
Jabłonna |
Nowy Dwór |
2 |
Warsaw |
Masovian |
4 000 |
Tab. 11[27]
|
Proposal of
the KRSWDiOSP to lease the road tolls at |
|||||
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
Length of
station in miles |
District |
Voivodeship |
The annual
lease price of road tolls in Zloties |
|
Warsaw |
Łomna |
4 |
Warsaw |
Masovian |
15 000 |
Tab. 12[28]
|
Proposal of
the KRSWDiOSP to lease the road tolls at |
|||||
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
Length of
station in miles |
District |
Voivodeship |
The annual
lease price of road tolls in Zloties |
|
Praga |
Radzymin |
3 |
Warsaw |
Masovian |
20 000 |
As
can be observed, the starting auction price for leasing road tolls at the road
stations of the Białystok route and the Factory route
was relatively low. However, there was a clear increase in the anticipated toll
price on certain sections of the Kraków route, particularly around Kielce. One
of the highest starting auction bids was for a section in the vicinity of
Warsaw itself, from the capital to Łomna, where for
the lease of 4 miles of the route one had to pay at least 15,000 Zloties to the state treasury. The most expensive lease in
the Kingdom turned out to be the one for the so-called Radzymin
road, from Prague to the locality of Radzymin, where
one had to pay at least 20,000 Zloties for the annual
lease to receive tolls on this paved track, which was 3 miles long. It is
obvious that the anticipated minimum lease amount had to significantly reflect
the actual intensity of local traffic and the rental profits derived from it.
6. LEASING OF ROAD TOLLS IN 1835 (FOR THE WHOLE OF 1836)
Altogether with the issuance of the
Government Committee for Internal, Spiritual and Public Enlightenment Affairs rescript dated September 25 / October 7,
1835 (reference number 15 584 / 48 705), “a public auction in plus
for the leasing of road and bridge tolls” on the paved roads of the Kingdom for
the 12-month period from January 1 to December 31, 1836, was scheduled for the
days: November 10, 11, 12, and 15, 1835. This auction was valid for those
chosen sections of main roads where the term of the previous toll lease was
destined to end on December 31, 1835. All interested entrepreneurs were
requested to attend the auction with a deposit receipt from the Main Cash
Office of the Masovian Voivodeship. In the announcements from 1835, the amount
of the deposit (standardly set at theequivalent of two months' minimum fee for leasing the toll on a given
stretch of the road) was considered a very significant factor in the bidding
process, worth a very clear, detailed advancement. As emphasized, the deposit
was introduced “to ensure the bids during the auction”. Entrepreneurs winning
individual auctions for the lease of road tolls for the year 1836 were obliged
to promptly “/…/ add the missing amount in relation to the offered quantity /…/
as a supplement to the already paid two-month deposit”. The losing parties,
after returning the certified receipt, were entitled to collect the submitted
deposit from the Cash Office of the Masovian Voivodeship[29]. The auction bases included, among others, the
following..
Tab. 13[30]
Proposal of the KRSWDiOSP to lease the road
tolls at
the stations along the Kalisz-Poznań route for the year 1836
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
The annual
lease price of road tolls in Zloties |
Bid deposit
in Zloties |
|
Warszawa Ołtarzew Błonie Paprotnia (Serok) Sochaczew Kozłów Szlachecki Łowicz Plecka Dąbrowa Kutno Krośniewice Kłodawa |
Ołtarzew Błonie Paprotnia (Serok) Sochaczew Kozłów Szlachecki Łowicz Plecka Dąbrowa Kutno Krośniewice Kłodawa Koło |
28 950 19 260 10 260 9 900 7 800 7 440 6 860 5 200 7 500 2 000 2 500 |
4 825 3 210 1 700 1 650 1 300 1 240 1 143 866 416 338 416 |
Tab. 14[31]
Proposal of the KRSWDiOSP to lease road tolls
at
the stations of the Breść Litewski route for the year 1836
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
The annual
lease price of road tolls in Zloties |
Bid deposit
in Zloties |
|
Praga Miłosna Mińsk Kałuszyn |
Miłosna Mińsk Kałuszyn Mingos |
54 034 38 070 17 400 15 940 |
9 005 6 345 2 900 2 656 |
Tab. 15 [32]
Proposal of the KRSWDiOSP for leasing road
tolls at
the stations of the Grodno route for the year 1836
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
The annual
lease price of road tolls in Zloties |
Bid deposit
in Zloties |
|
Praga Marki |
Marki Radzymin |
15 500 13 000 |
2 583 2 166 |
It is worth noting here that the Radzymin route was
practically included in the announcements for the year 1836 as part of the
Białystok route, and both connected roads could also interchangeably be
referred to as the “Grodno route”.
Tab. 16[33]
Proposal of the KRSWDiOSP to lease the road
tolls at
the stations along the Kaunas – Petersburg route for the year 1836
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
The annual
lease price of road tolls in Zloties |
Bid deposit
in Zloties |
|
Praga Jabłonna |
Jabłonna Serock |
23 542 12 000 |
3 923 2 166 |
Tab. 17[34]
Proposal of the KRSWDiOSP to lease the road
tolls at
the stations along the Gdańsk route on the right bank of the Vistula for
the year 1836
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
The annual
lease price of road tolls in Zloties |
Bid deposit
in Zloties |
|
Jabłonna |
Nowy Dwór |
8 028 |
1 338 |
Tab. 18[35]
Proposal of the KRSWDiOSP to lease the road
tolls at
the stations along the Gdańsk route on the left bank of the Vistula for
the year 1836
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
The annual
lease price of road tolls in Zloties |
Bid deposit
in Zloties |
|
Marymont
Gate Vesrt
13 of road |
Verst 13 of road Karczew |
18 000 6 825 |
3 000 1 137 |
Surprisingly,
the auction for the lease of road tolls on selected sections of the paved
tracks of the Kingdom for the year 1836 primarily highlighted the occurrence of
dual nomenclature of the routes leading northeast. The Kaunas Road was then
referred to as the “Kaunas-Petersburg”, while the Białystok route (including
the Radzymin route) was interchangeably referred to as the “Grodno” track.
7. LEASING OF ROAD TOLLS FOR PART OF
THE YEAR 1836
(TENDERS ANNOUCED IN THE SAME YEAR)
As in the
year of 1832, some tenders for the lease of road tolls concerned not full
one-year periods (i.e., 12 months). On January 19, 1836, the Government
Committee for Internal, Spiritual and Public Enlightenment Affairs issued
rescript no. 485 / 1 678, announcing an auction to be held on February 14,
1836, at 9 a.m. (“/.../ and if time would be insufficient, on the following
day”) for the leasing of revenue from the collection of road tolls on selected
sections of paved roads for the period from April 1 to December 31, 1836. As
always in such cases, the auction held was of a public nature, in addition to
being held “in plus” for bids[36].
Tab. 21[37]
Proposal
of the KRSWDiOSP for leasing road tolls at the stations of the Vistula-Lublin
route for the period from April 1, 1836, to December 31, 1836
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
The annual
lease price of road toll in Zloties |
Bid deposit
in Zloties |
|
Miłosna Wólka Mlędzka Stara Wieś Garwolin Gączyce Ryki Zyszyń |
Wólka Mlędzka Stara Wieś Garwolin Gączyce Ryki Zyszyń Kurów |
5 000 5 000 8 000 4 000 5 000 5 000 4 000 |
? ? ? ? 833 833 666 |
Tab. 22[38]
Proposal
of KRSWDiOSP to lease the road tolls at the stations along the Volhynian route
for the period from April 1, 1836, to December 31, 1836
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
The annual
lease price of road toll in Zloties |
Bid deposit
in Zloties |
|
Markuszew Lublin |
Lublin Wierzchowiska |
13 000? 10 000 |
2 500 1 666 |
Tab. 23[39]
Proposal
of the KRSWDiOSP to lease the road tolls at
the stations along the Krakow route for the period from April 1, 1836,
to December 31, 1836
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
The annual
lease price of road toll in Zloties |
Bid deposit
in Zloties |
|
Grójec Miechów |
Białobrzegi Słomniki |
20 000 6 000 |
3 333 1 000 |
Tab. 24[40]
Proposal
of the KRSWDiOSP to lease the road tolls at
the stations along the Białystok route for the period from April 1,
1836, to December 31, 1836
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
The annual
lease price of road toll in Zloties |
Bid deposit
in Zloties |
|
Pomiechów Orzechów Serock Słomianki |
Orzechów Serock Słomianki Wyszków |
3 000 3 000 2 000 1 000 |
500 500 333 333 |
As shown in
the above table, by the mid-1830s, the road leading northeast from Warsaw
towards Białystok and then Grodno) had become known as the Białystok route,
just as it was decided during the meeting of the Administrative Council on
November 19, 1832. Initially, it was referred to in its parts as the Radzymin,
Grodno, and finally the Białystok routes.
8. AUCTION OF THE ROAD TOLL “AT THE
RISK (RISCO) OF THE CURRENT TENANT” FROM THE YEAR OF 1836
In 1836, a
specific case occurred in the Kingdom of Poland, involving a public auction for
the lease of a toll road “at the risk of the current lessee”. Such a decision
was made by the Masovian Voivodeship Commission, which in a rescript dated
January 25 / February 8, 1836, (no. 8 573 / 1 196) announced the holding
of a tender for leasing the toll on parts of the Lublin Route, specifically in
the area of the road station extending from Piaseczno to Góra Kalwaria. The
auction was to take place on of February 7/19, 1836 (at 10 a.m.) at the office
of the Commission. The deposit, equivalent to the amount of a two-month lease
payment, amounted to 1328 Zloties[41].
Tab. 25[42]
Proposal
of the Masovian Voivodeship Commission to lease the toll on
the Lublin Route station for the period from March 1, 1836, to December
31, 1836
(action scheduled for February 19, 1836)
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
The lease
price of road toll for the period of March 1 – December 31 1836 in Zloties |
Bid deposit
in Zloties |
|
Piaseczno |
Góra Kalwaria |
6 641 |
1 328 |
Nevertheless,
on February 7/19, 1836, the Masovian Voivodeship Commission issued a decree (no
12 113 / 1 645) stating that the auction described above, scheduled to
take place that same day at the risk of the current tenant, “did not achieve
the appropriate effect”. Under these circumstances, the provincial authorities
simultaneously announced the conduct of a new tender in this regard, which was
to take place at the office of the commission on February 17/29, 1836, at 10
a.m. The announced “loud auction” (conducted personally by entrepreneurs
showing up in situ) was to start at an amount of 1 810 Zloties, and the bid
deposit needed to be submitted for the auction was calculated in this case at
362 Zloties[43].
Tab. 26[44]
Renewed
proposal of the Masovian Voivodeship Commission to
lease the toll on the Lublin Route station for the period from March 1,
1836, to
December 31, 1836 (consecutive action scheduled for February 19, 1836)
|
Beginning of road station |
End of road
station |
The lease
price of road toll for period of March 1 – December 31 1836 in Zloties |
Bid deposit
in Zloties |
|
Piaseczno |
Górak Kalwaria |
1 810 |
362 |
The
unoccupied road station on the Lublin Route needed to be leased, which
necessitated a significant reduction in the lease amount for the collection of
road tolls on this section of the paved route in February of 1836.
9.
CONCLUSIONS
The
maintenance by the Russian occupying authorities of the toll collection law
from 1821 after the fall of the November Uprising of 1831, the prohibition of
intervention by the tsarist army in this process, (and even the later amendment
of the “collection” law from 1835) did not fundamentally change the auction
system of road toll collection leases in the Kingdom of Poland. A peculiar
confirmation of the constant oversight by local authorities over this practice
was the numerous cases of monitoring and preventing extortion, which
particularly intensified in the mid-1830s.
The
tender and lease process has been illustrated in this article for the years
1832-1836, highlighting a number of phenomena characteristic of that period.
Firstly, under the constant assumption of entering the tender only after paying
a two-month deposit, the typical proposed lease period was not clearly
established, oscillating between: a) several months; b) one year; c) two, or
even three years. Secondly, as a rule, the tenders were conducted according to
the “in plus” formula, meaning that simply the one who had submitted the
highest bid above the minimum amount won. Thirdly, a typical improvement in the
auction process was the submission of bids by competitors in sealed envelopes.
Such a solution was only deviated from in exceptional situations, such as when
a tender was repeated or when it was necessary to replace the current tenant
with a new person. Finally, the evident differences in the presented tender
information became visible.
Ultimately,
regardless of the efficiency of the entire bidding system, it proved inadequate
for financing the maintenance of the road network of the Kingdom of Poland in
the first half of 30s of the 19th century. A clear confirmation of this was the
justification for introducing new legal solutions in 1835, which explicitly
referred to the financial inefficiency of the road maintenance process -
originally funded through toll collection. This phenomenon could have been
influenced by both the underestimation of financial needs for road repairs and
maintenance, as well as corruption-inducing factors in the bidding process. The
last factor could be considered to the extent that the increasing efforts of
the authorities trying to counteract such illegal practices confirmed its
growing significance.
References
1.
Archiwum
Główne Akt Dawnych w Warszawie, Rada
Administracyjna Królestwa Polskiego:. [In Polish:
Central Archives of Historical Record in Warsaw, The Administrative Council of Kingdom of Poland], 1832. Signature:
21.
2.
Dziennik Praw Królestwa Polskiego [In Polish: Digest of Lows of
Kingdom of Poland],1836, T. 17. Warsaw: Drukarnia Rządowa.
3.
Dziennik Powszechny [In Polish: Universal Journal], Septemner 7, 1832, No
242. Warsaw: F. Bernatowicz, A. Geysztoft.
4.
Dziennik Powszechny [In Polish: Universal Journal], Septemner 7, 1833, No
244. Warsaw: F. Bernatowicz, A. Geysztoft.
5.
Dziennik Powszechny [In Polish: Universal Journal], January 8, 1836, No 7. Warsaw: F. Bernatowicz, A. Geysztoft.
6.
Dziennik Powszechny
[In Polish: Universal Journal],
January 25, 1836, No 24. Warsaw: F. Bernatowicz, A. Geysztoft.
7.
Dziennik Powszechny
[In Polish: Universal Journal],
February 12, 1836, No 41. Warsaw: F. Bernatowicz, A. Geysztoft.
8.
Dziennik Powszechny [In Polish: Universal Journal], February 24, 1836, No 58. Warsaw: F. Bernatowicz, A. Geysztoft.
9.
Dziennik Powszechny [In Polish: Universal Journal], May 16, 1836, No 133. Warsaw: F. Bernatowicz, A. Geysztoft.
10.
Dziennik Urzędowy Województwa
Mazowieckiego, [In Polish: Official Journal of Mazovian Voivodeship]. January 7, 1822, No
306.Warsaw: Government Commission of the Masovian Voivodeship.
11.
Dziennik Urzędowy Województwa
Mazowieckiego, [In Polish: Official Journal of Masovian Voivodeship]. January 24, 1834, No
166/2. Warsaw: Government Commission of the Masovian Voivodeship.
12.
Dziennik Urzędowy Województwa Mazowieckiego, [In Polish: Official Journal of Masovian Voivodeship].
July 27, 1835, No 201/2. Warsaw: Government Commission of the Masovian
Voivodeship.
13. Dziennik Urzędowy Województwa Mazowieckiego,
[In Polish: Official Journal of Masovian
Voivodeship]. October 26, 1835, No 214/4. Warsaw: Government
Commission of the Masovian Voivodeship.
14.
Dziennik Urzędowy Województwa Mazowieckiego, [In Polish: Official Journal of Masovian Voivodeship].
February 18, 1836, No 229:144. Warsaw: Government Commission of the Masovian
Voivodeship.
Received 09.06.2025; accepted in revised form 18.09.2025
Scientific Journal of Silesian
University of Technology. Series Transport is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution 4.0 International License