The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-08-16

oh us way 10 'SdLnp Cnapel, Baltimore county,
day.
-
VERY LARGE MEETING OF THE
CITIZENS OF ALLEGANY COUNTY
IN REGARD TO THE AFFAIRS OF
THE CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO
CANAL.
We have received a slip containing the proceed.
ings OF large meeting of the people of Aleganv
at Cumberland, the 10th inst, to protest against
the proposed advance of the toll on COAL of twen-
ty-tive cents per ton. Col Charles NJ Thurston
was called to the chair Samuel NJ. Lemmes and John
Humbrd, Esqs., made Vice Presidents, and C. Slack
and Thomas F.White, Secretaries. A committee of
which George A. Pearre was chairman, reported
preamble and series of resolutions expressive of
the sense of the meeting, which was also addressed
by Messrs. Gordon, Pearre and Devecmon.
On motion, committee of ten, of which John n
Gordon, Esq, was chairman, was appointed to
prepare remonstrance, to be laid before the
President and Directors Of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal Company, and the Board of Commissioners
OF Public Works, which was signed by the officers
OF the meeting, and laced in charge of a commit
tee, consisting of Messrs. George A. Pearre chair
man; Alexander King, George w. Clabaupb J
H. Gordon, John Hunbird, Thomas Deyecmon, ". .
4. Sprigg, Henry Thomas Weld, John I. Edwards,
On motion, the President of This Convention u,os
added to the committee.
We regret that we have not space for full re-
port OF the proceedings of this meeting. All the
points OF interest in the resolutions are embodied
in the remonstrance-which we give below
In full. 1t will be by our letter in another
column, from Berkeley Springs that the remon-
STRANGE sra was presented to the Canal Board the
l4th, lnst which voted by five to two, against the
proposed advance. 1t was expected that tho
Commissioners of Public Works would Yesterday
take into consideration the propriety of making
such changes in the Canal Board as would affanf
their purpose of compelling advance in the canal
tolls OF twenty-five cents per ton on coal.
70 me commissioners Of Public Wors of the State of
MaTydnd, and the President and Directors of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal COrapanv
GENTLEMEN: The people of Allegany county having
understood that an effort making induce the Canal
Company to increase the tolls upon coal TRANSPORTED
on that work, and that the Commissioners of Public
Works conceived it to be their duty to require such an
increase to be made the purpose of prepenfino nm
curious competition bet,cee the Canal and the Bait;more
instructed respectfully to submit To vo WaS hsa @ az
the following reasons why such increase of tolls ought
not to be made.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was constructed at
cost amounting in 1857 to SO 00O which sum the
State had furnished in stock loans and interest about
O0O and the balance had been supplied by other
corporations and individuals, in the shape of
scriptions produce and labor. At early day in the
history of this work. the State had become the owner of
majority of its stock and has kept the control of its
affairs in the hands of its own agents continuously from
that to the present. Sometimes pursuing liberal and
IL, adopting
directly the reverse owing to the character of the
individuals who happened for the time represent the
State
This uncertain and vacillatng line of policy aided
greatly to the difficulties and embarrassments under
which the work was carried forward and increased very
much the cost of its construction and the repairs that
have been made upon it, In consequence of this policy
the Indebtedness of the Canal Company is now so
and the canal itself much out of repair and recurring
large amount of means to put in good navgable order
that there hope of its being able pay
| the treasury of the State. for many years to come
condition things ais dest
deuce which the shippers of coal ought to have in the
canal and has prevented them to great extent from
making for the delivery of coal and other
rangements necessary for securing increase of its
trade. Under these circumstances it found neces
say ago for the Company to reduce the tolls
coal to the present rate for the purpose of building up
trade that would develop the coal region of Allegany
establish market for its products and enable the Com
pany to put the work in good navgabe order enable
| State. "
This reduction had the desired effect The partes en-
gagged in the coal trade commenced active preparations
for an increased business and the the cana
indicated state OF rapid Improvement. But its pros
pect suddenly bghted by freshet which destroy
ed large portion of the work. had snf
hcenty increased to meet the demand again made fol
repairs This threw into condition than it was
in before and from which it has since recovered
These facts alone ought to satisfy any rejecting
mind that there be danger of injurious competition
between this Company and the Railroad Company in thu
transportation of COAL bankrupt company, whose work
is greatly out of order, and therefore liable to contnua
interruptions in its trade which necessarily DESTROY con
dence in its ability to furnish outlet COAL to sup
competition with other coal regions, is not likely be
injurious competitor with company like the Baltimor
and Ohio Railroad Company in the height of prosperity
| making large profits and declaring regular dividends
But do not rest the probabilities of the case; th
facts show that there is competition and tha
there can be
The history the coal trade shows that the railroad
has always had the largest and only profitable share
its transportation During the year 1859 the railroad car
ried $4,000 tons to market and the canal 297
ing the first half of the present the railroad has
red go 900 and the canal oOO showing that the ad
vantage decidedly with the railroad, and against the
canal 1t is alleged however that the canal has grea
advantage in the low price at which deliver Goa
in the Eastern market. But this is not the fact. Th
cost of transportation the canal is follows By canal
Freight from Cumberland 10 Alexandria,, 0S
| Wharfage and dumping at Cumberland ......,., O8
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Tolls. As
Alexandria Canal Tolls ..::....... ON
Average cost of transhipment at Aexandria..... 25
| Wharfage at Alexandria . M
| Superintendent and Commissions at Alexandria, O6
2O9>
Freight from Cumberland to Locust Point. 225
Wharfage at Baltimore. Observation-Disclosures. O6
Average cost of transhipment. O8
SuPerlntendence and commissions. O6
'O'' wa -'NS ''''' 245
making difference in favor of the canal Of thirty fou
and a half cents.
ket when it reaches Baltimore and Alexandria, and tn
cost of transportation from those points to Phladephi
New York Boston have to be added before hav
the cost of delivery follows:
To cost of delivery at Alexandria. ....-s -s2O9H
Add transportation to Philadelphia. 90
8.O41
And TO cost of delivery at Baltimore. .... S245
Add cost OF transportation to Philadelphia so
a.25
And it leaves only 19H cents difference
The difference between Baltimore and Alexandria
sending to New York is about the same 1t must be
membered tco that the Railroad Co. responsible fc
losses when the coal is route the
falls on the shipper when it by canal and
coal sent by Railroad is less liable to injury, and reac
es the market in bettor condition by railroad than b
canal, these advantages fully equal the I9I cen
, difference in the cost Transportation.
But assuming that the present OF tolls on the
nal, and the restoration of confidence in it among sh
pers and consumers of coal should some future da
make the preferable channel of transportation the
many why the State of Maryland should pr
fer reduction of tolls the Railroad, rather than
A increase on the canal.
committee the part of the city of Baltimore afte
after careful examination of the subject last year
ported that the cost to the Railroad Co., of carryn
coal from Cumberland to Baltimore, did not exceed
4100 per ton leaving net profit of 81 OIL 600 per
to the Railroad Co. and the Railroad Co. must there
fore have derived net revenue from this branch of il
trade alone of S26 000 while the whole of
Canal Co. amounted only to the of $l9S 1928 49, TT
State of Maryland has many other interests which it
the duty of the Commissioners of Public Works
in establishing the rate of tolls the public works
required by the constitution. The agricultural intere
is mentioned by way example, but Commissio ne
in acting for the State, should have respect to all its
terests.
The increased value of the real estate and other pro-
erty along the line of the canal and its terminus in Ali
gany county, resulting from the construction Of th
work, and the prospect of its in carrying coal
the Eastern market, would if it could be fairly esm
ted, amount to more than the whole investment whiC
the State has made in it, and there in Alegan
county alone, about II 600 persons who immedate
connected with the coal trade and entirely depende
upon 1t for their substance. In addition to these the
are about 200 boamen owning boats and other proper
to the value of about $3.50 000 all of whom depen
ing on the canal for support for themselves and the
A | families.