The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-04-01
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.

Al the late session Of the Legislature of Maryland
petition was presented by Messrs. Hunter and
Harris, contractors, asking that body " 10 author
ize the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company 70
issue additional bonds to such amount as would Sc
cure them from loss, in consequence Of increased
expenses from various causes, particularly from the
delay Of the work for two years by which they lost
several valuable contracts for portions Of the work.
and were subjected 10 damages on others, from the
impractcablity Of obtaining materials Of suitable
description without bringing them from greater
distance than was anticipated, and from the diff
Guilty in raising the necessary funds in consequence
Of the insufciency Of the amount Of money realized
from the monthly payments in bonds under the
contract"
As ia well known, this application TO the Legisa-
ture not successful.
In justice 10 Messrs. Hunter & Harris, VIC pub
lish the following extract from a memorial of
Messrs. Nathan Hale, Horatio Allen, and John Da-
Wis, trustees, which presented to the Legisla-
ture along with their petitions
"In conclusion, the undersigned take pleasure in
expressing their conviction that the work has been
conducted by the petitioners with uncommon en-
ergy, perseverance, and good judgment Their
duties have been laborious, and often embarrass-
ing; and their devotion 10 the work. since our fret
knowledge Of their agency in IL, in the spring
OF 1871, has been constant, and their crerons indc
faugablc. They were unfortunate, and the resump-
ton Of the work, in losing much time several
important contracts from the causes above stated,
and in not having at command sufficient means
TO carry on the work Immediately with ade-
quatc force, their accounts and from the consc-
quences Of this unavoidable delay they found II diff
fcult fully 70 recover. We Of opinion that few
persons, with the same means, could have carried
forward the work with equal success; and but for
their perseverance in making arrangements for
the disposition Of the bonds and their Judgment in
the most economical manner practicable, under
the circumstances, the canal could not have been
completed on the strength Of the pccunary means
provided under the contract. II our Judgment in
this particular s correct, they entitled 10 the
credit Of having averted by the vRor Of their per-
If her ncfo Of
the work, and Of having been instrumental in
bringing this magnificent enterprise TO completion,
earlier than il would probably have been done by
{. b. Fisk csq., chief engineer Of the canal com
pany, being invited by the trustees 10 give his
opinion az 70 the manner in which The contractors
performed their duties, and as TO what time Il may
be assumed the navigation may be opened 70 Cum
berland, thus replies in a letter dated "Cumber-
land, 18th Feb, 1850"
II would say, In reply, that do not think there
was ever, in the United States, ne large an amount
Of similar work undertaken in one contract by in
dviduals, the prosecution OF which, at every step,
was attended by and surrounded with more and
greater difficulties and endorsements In raising
means for its accomplishment, than that under
taken and now nearly completed by Mcssrs. Hun
ter 4 Co.
There are, in my opinion, but few IL any persons
who, under IKE circumstances, would have effected
az much as those gentlemen have, and brought the
canal 10 point as near 10 completion II Is at
present. To their untiring zeal and perseverance
in the prosecution OF their contract, all interested
in the success Of the work are under many and
great obligations
GAS regards the time when Il may safely be ss.
stunned that the navigation can be opened TO Cum
berland. would say, that there IL no reason why
Il should not be by the first Of May next
There must however, matter what efforts may
be made, remain some work TO be done after that
time, but which may be postponed until after the
admission Of water into the canal with but little in
convenience 10 the navigation The postponemcnt
Of the work referred 20 permitted by the COM
pany several months ago, Il s Of character that
can be done with much more economy after the
water IL admitted into the canal than before.
Very respectfully,
CHkRLEs n. FISK. Chief Engineer"
We understand that the Canal Board, at their