The four elected Commissioners of Public Works were established by the Constitution of 1851 to manage the state's investments in railroad and canal companies and to make those investments as profitable as possible. This charge was undertaken with mixed results, and by 1861, the commissioners had become factious, a situation that was further complicated by the outbreak of the Civil War. The Constitution of 1864 sought to remedy this situation by abolishing the commissioners and creating a new board composed of the Governor, the Treasurer, and the Comptroller. The new Board of Public Works has many of the duties of its predecessor agency, but was authorized to begin disposing of the state's interests in the railroad and canal companies.
From the description of Agency history record, 1851-1865. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122470364
