The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-10-28
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
From Tie N. Y Courier and Enquirsr.


The completion OF the Chesapeake and Ohio Ca
nal TO Cumberland, which was celebrated in that
;ity last week with much exultation, ID among the
noteworthy events Of the day. The work is one of
he most stupendous enterprises ever undertaken
n our country, and had To surmount in its pro-
5fess unparalleled difficulties. Ii originally
designed, as It's name imports, TO connect the wa
ers OF the Chesapeake with the Ohio and active OPP
Hauons were nrst commenced upon il twenty -four
years ago. The undertaking was under the inn
Mediate patronage of the STATE of MARYLAND and
vas Tor time vigorously sustained by private en-
erprise and by liberal appropriations from the
General Government. II soon, however, became
apparent that the cost OF the work had been great
mscaiculated. continued train of financial
ADVERTISEMENTS ensued, and yet the company
trugged on against every difficulty until 1884,
when the total subscription TO the capital stock had
)ecome exhausted, and the General Government
md all the other parties to the original contract
tbandoned the work as promising nothing but
'uinous loss. But the State of Maryland deter
mined that the millions that had already been
)ended should not be Incidentally sacrificed, if
ler own civil resources could prevent, and she
parlngly contributed her means 10 the prosecution
the work SO long as she had means to contribute.
3ut her credit came 10 end, and all hope for the
nterprisc seemed to vanish
As last expedicnt an act was passed by the
Legislature IN lsl5, pledgng, to certain extent
md with certain conditions, the revenues of the
anal; and this measure, although distrustcd by
many at the time totally neliicacious, procured
unds that carried the enterprise through to its pre-
cent dehnitive stage. The work may, at least for
he present, now be considered as fully completed
Is true that Virginia has lately evncod great in
crest in the original project and has strengthened
he company ny guarantying its bonds to a certain
xent and 1t ID also true that hopes entertained
hat Congress may sooner later redeem its early
pledges IN behalf OF the enterprise but, in all pro-
ability, both the State OF Maryland and the
1any VIII for some time 10 come content them
elves with their present achievements The ca
lal now is one hundred and eighty FIVE miles in
length. 1t extends from tide water 10 Cumberland,
Hhch town Is the great cntrcpoot the magnificent
;oal region OF the Alicghanies The inexhaustible
supplies of this mineral and The agricultural
)lus OF western Maryland, and a large section Of
the two adj accnt States, will furnish bust
ness that will make the vast benefits OF this great
work realized as they have been before, and
viii do something, we trust, towards rembursing
he immense outlay it has involved. Maryland
mas exhibited in prosecuting this and other works
81 internal improvement, an energy and perseve
rance that command adfniratiUn--and infinitely
he more, because, through all her grievous fnan-
;la embarrassments she has kept public faith
nviolate. Her present debt, according to a recent
statement, is about ten millions of dollars; and this,
4 her present financial and revenue system is con-
nued, will be fully liquidated in twelve fifteen
years. The burdens brought upon her by her en-
Cerpriso will soon disappear; the benefits will re-
main for untold generations.