The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-11-09
LOCAL DEPARTMENT.

The WAsHisGToN CANAL.-Aa the subject |
source Of prolific discussion, we lay before our
readers this morning the views Of 4 well |
known member Of a mercantile firm, relating
60. EwA,saIsoIoS, E !. q .. 49,
tnsi fsisnd' Aidernsn LATHAM, 10 your ~ report
OF September II on the re-opening OF the wash.
inEton canal, which after careful study re.
~ saays,oa 80 The Ssrs great advantages.
the canal being made navisabic, there are |
importance 70 these two elites, that take the |
liberty Of reviewing them with you. Aside
from the sanitary and landed gains which will ,
let us CONSIDER 1t In 4 strictly business view, !
and see to what extent tho working citizens, I
the bones and sinews OF these two cities, viii |
be benefited by the execution OF this great |
In this climate, where SO large a portion OF !
the year the people require hIos both for /
necessary. Nowhere In the world Is desirablc |
fuel so eheapiy obtained as from the coal |,
aeids contiguous to the Chesapeake and Ohio ,
canal, and correspondingly cheap Is It fur. |
nished at the present terminus OF the canal In
Georgetown. As soon as you get away from
this i'm mediate vicinity OF the canal Ia George
town the same coal can be sold only at such
. figures as put II out Of tho reach OF the mass
OF the people until their necessities In mid:
imported anthracite forces market for the
CumberlAnd coal.
it's unfortunately true that, as at prcsen.
arranged, the carriage from and hauling at
GEORGETOWN to the centre and eastern por.
lions Of Warrington, adds to the Georgetown
coal about what 10 equal to the transportation
necessary tax upon our citizens, and what 40
unnatural condition Is this for about one hun
dred Thousand enterprising citizens such as
this Cumberland coal In quantities at George
town at tt7s per ton, and ~ is necessarily re.
tsn This canal VA. opened and kept o. op en-
so as to be practicable for canal boat naviga.
tlon this same coal would be delivered any
very heart OF washington, according to the
season Of the year, at from Ass TO ~ IS, and
could bc delivered in all parts OF the city with
Isl. sss sSd tbIS; thereby saving TO the o,ooo
or 10000 Woodworking consumers OF Washing
ton over q per ton. Washington, as tho ease
age Of two tons for each laboring person. Es-
innate these TALL sizes) at 90, 900, and you have
an annual consumption OF loo,o 900 tons, and II
O. per ton be saved on that we have 500 900 to
30 morally credited to the canal. Is this
amount so Insignificant that our authorities
must pass It oye,, just think Of 700 ,ooo dis.
ington! How many bitter, bitter privations
that smount would provide against, and how
many, many sufferers that amount would re.
Has Il ever occurred to you that the gro Attest
problem the poor people OF this city have to
solve IL 10 cOmDht buccethlulI tntlt winter
priystions and secure comfort Tor themselves
and familiesi Have you ever tried to dis.
cover how the mass Of our working people
week and iessi May God forbid that you
may ever have TO praotieallyi but z you do,
you will find that from week to week the solu.
Hon gets farther and farther from youj you
but overcome the bitter priyations Of ono
week 10 encounter greater the next, and SO,
from week to- week and from month to month,
until our few summer months bring temporary
Tslief and rest, IL we are good and true citI-
Iens our hearts cannot be silent to these
powerful appeals, nor can we blindly shut our
Our rulers should treat this matter in a
manly, vigorous way. Partial relief is within
our reach, II they are only made to appreciate
this subject and act at once, Does any person
think for moment that public charities, suoh
as are bestowed In this city every winter, and
Tolerated by the very recipients themselves Il
the avenues Of labor were furnished them aud
reach, so hat their savings Of the summer, to-
gether with their winter labors, would make
Them Independent Of all obsritiesi l tell you
this cure II the way Is only opened.
In addition to the coal above referred to, the
T. ss:s SSs u
coal annually, aud the present annual ship
ment OF coal from the mines would be In
creased to the extent OF the ability OF wash
inston to dispose OF by consumption and ship.
ma" Al present the burning of coal Is restrained
sahppins pnomasnt mnsT me-
last week that he could produce i've tons to
where he now does one II It could only be dis
duced fye tons to one he thought he could 80
augment his economy OF mining as to reduce
the expense fully twenty-five cents per ton
H t mi sS BE- viii VIII e not 1 true q All and
twenty-five cents per ton no consiieratloh
Ask our consumes here, II this s de,rso, ts.
might well pause in our respect for the rights
oI Others. But with these facilities every ton
shipped from Washington VIII be N sdditiona
sAid willie the Alexandria canal was In pro
sfess that q the interests Of Georgetown coal
n m.hi trade. and it would become worthless, u
would that II had made coal porhtsl SC
far from the coal interest having been afected
njurioIsiy both Seofse.o MANLY and attend 10
more than their facilities can accommodate
and every year has added to the capital eln
8uc,ion OF the price OF coal to within the mean
of the poor, and the welipaid labor necessary
to tho handling and shipping OF one hpndrst
interest to us and to those who will be 80 d.
rectly benefited byitl The labor necessary tt
handle and ship one HUNDRED ,hS a na, tons
our tailoring population would reject tina
great sum IL It were In their power to add e
shs ir s snh his daily bread viii answer tina
c"aytion Tor me, My word for 1t, that whe'
fhis canal shall be successfully opened
nsyiention It will not only not Interfere VIII
the Established coal trade OF Georgetown an
hiaxandria but within one year after Its open
Ing tho additional capital ana energy WING
viii be embarked In the coal trade wiz max
more business than all three can properly al
In addition, and OF equally great importanc
to our people, will this canal be when IN
bresdstuf daily consumed by our people, y
the extent that they are dependent upon IN
10 the canal, can be delivered by canal In tn
very heart OF the city. The difference In carl
.ge alone would be so enormous that deer
IPunueeesSaFy to review II, so apparent mus
IL be 10 every one. Having considered tn
haneat our people will derive from the opef
ing OF this canal, lot US now examine tne pro-
peots for support which the canal may nay
pwSsn in A navigable condition. First, on III
900 600 tons OF coal above referred 10 mere y.
be TOLLS, at say Ave cents per ton, elu as
SIOOOO; on breAdstuhs, estimated tlOOVOi o.
wood, estimated, o., 0Ooi on lumber ana Bel
zeal building material, lb,OOoi mlaeel,aneou'
si2,OOOJ total, $4,000. / cannot see how 70
yeecIpts can possibly be less than the above
The canal be properly managed, especially
view OF the great local traiiie which Will 81
tsbilsh itself along Its banks, once It Is SUI
sssaiuIly opened, The great objection ou
sWthorities will have to guard against In III
matter will be the natural tendency to enrle
ssVVseessiui object. Next to this canal In 10
noTtance to our people 10 the deepening Of u
Water on the bar between Alexandra AZ
GEORGETOWN, and am satisfied that when q
S,sdse-boAt shall complete the canal, " IL
multi properly, Congress will appropriate II
ington, deorgetown and Alexandria all nav