Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-03-25
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1876.
chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
A communication in the Baltimore Sun OF
this morning says:

to be- lost on the board of directors Of that work
The pressure on them is no weaker than on MN;
AT late meeting of the chesapeake and
Ohio cana board y policy vas adopted whereby
the coal companies may avail themselves OF
reduction of nine cents per ton ON the molned
expe lse of toll and shipment 1t Cumberland, II
they will accept the condition of shipping their
coal solely at the canal companyS newly estab-
Ashed wharves. Should it prove, as it must,
that these wharves have neither the capacity
nor conven ence requisite to ACCOMMODATE Inc
whole trade, then for 80 much trade AS does Not
pass through the canal company's handS no
concession and no reduction is granted. That
such policy was adopted must be cause Tor
regret 1t would have been much better to put
any reduction OF tolls to be made on its own IN,
dividual footing quite uneompicated with Gil
concern of coal shipments. The present age
and time is not favorable to the spirit OF mo-
nopo!y. n,
nal tolls are offeotually reduced the coal COM
panies of Allegheny will abandon the canal,
Cumberland whsrves and ali and will resort To-
railroad shipments entirely With rebate Of
twenty five cents. per ton by the road, and with
other misunderstood advantages on that route,
the volume of the Cumberland cosl trade will
centre in Baltimore. If the canal board persists
how can it be otherwise"
To which the Sun adds editorIally:
Should the old project, the idea of which is
now revived to some extent, OF cross.cut Ca
and Ohio canal ever be carried OUT the Cum
berland coal trade by that route as we'll as by
abroad; will almost inevtsbly centre here
Unfortunately. Georgetown, the easterL outlet OF
able to getitself ceded back to Msrylrnd, and
the channel of the Potomac river reaching upto
it i. confessedly, under Washington city policy,
growing more difficult of navigation, so that the
larger class of vessels, such IS come to Baltl-
more for coal c4rgoes, cannot be we'll accommo-
otod o. Yat
of vessels which engage in the trade will no
doubt continue to take cargoes from that point
indefinitely Nearly all the coal companies of
the Cum berland region have wharves and ship
ping facilities at that point which are OF an ex-
tensive and admirable character.
The Sun also says:
"The Cumberland, Md, papers indicate that
there is considerable feeling just now IN that re-
gion in regard to the management Of the Chesa.
peake and Ohio canal as it affects the prospects
of the coal trade and resumption of business on
the canal. The railroads have reduced the
fregcs on coal Is cents per ton and 1t ap-.
pears the canal managers propose reduction of
eight cents on tolls and wharfage which is not
regarded IS sufficient and the prospect is not
deemed good for the coming season. a public
meeting has been called for Friday afternoon at
Cumberland to take action on the subject. l he
News of that city says:
1.-The cleaning out and necessary repairs of
the canal having been completed, water was let
in all the levels on Saturday last, and 1t Is an
nouDced that the canal will be ready for naVl-
cation on Thursday, on which day also collec-
tor Weber, OF this port, has been directed to be
prepared to issue way bills. We are informed,
however, that the Cumberland division will not
have been tiled with water before Monday
next 1t is doubtful If even at that date any
shipments will be made.
"A News reporter visited number OF agents
of the different coal companies At this city for
the purpose of sscertaining what arrangements
had Jeen made for the opening Of the shipping
season. The reporter was informed that moth
ing had been done owing to the unsettled state
Of affairs but that no shipments would be made
this month ut least
The representatives of company which is
now shipping about three hundred tons per day
by the Baltimore and Ohio railroad said that
unless some relief was afforded by the canal
company, other than that OF the reductlen OF
eight cents onstol and wharfage. proposed, no
shipments of coal could be made by canal His
company have been shipping from the basin
wharf of Walsh & Mckaig, but he did not
know if they had contract with the wharf
owners Tor q term of years
ION Tuesday, the New Central Coal Company
commenced the shipment of four hundred tons
Of coal per day by the Pennsylvania railroad TO
New York, and are shipping in addition about
five hundred tons per day by the Baltimore and
Ohio to Locust Point The agent of the New
Central Company IS not in town ut present, and
our reporter could not learn the terms of their
contract with the Pennsylvania railroad but we
think 1t is for year.
Another coal company is now shipping four
hund cd tons per day by the Baltimore and
shipping to fill contract for coal which was to
have been delivered at Alexandria, The agent
for this company could not give any definite
information rs to the resumption of shipments,
but WAS of opinion that q greater reduction IN
canal tolls thai that already announced, would
have to be made.
1.-The gloomy prospects of the canal trade are
exciting considerable comment here, and num-
Der of persons.in,erested in the business of the
canal as affecting community have issued
the following call:
HDUBLIC MEETING OF CITIZENS
i The citizens of Cumberland and allie
ghany county who feel an interest in the pros.
Ierity of the Chesapeake aud Ohio Canal are
invited to. meet. in mass meeting in front of Bel
videre Hall, in this city, at o'clock, on Fri
dsy afternoon, March rs, 1875, to take such &C.
ton rs the necessities of the hour may demand
to ensure such reduction in the toll on coal
shipped over the line Of the canal rs may enable
tina, work TO maintain its business and trade in
competition with other great works. Let there
- s'Ne' MANY CITIZENS"
rhe Cumberland Times also has 40 article
on the subject giving it strong political bear
ing, and pitching" into "Gorman and Ban,
uOU TSSluSut aUu DiISCtot va Aho S1uoa Ao.
spectively) for "tnfing with the best Interests
of the people. ..... .-.
No matter what may be the condition OF
the Potomac river, above this city, at this
pointthe water is deep enough and the dock
facilities ample for the transhipment of all the
coal from the Cumberland mines, and with a
proper reduction Of canal freights both on the
Chesapeake and Ohio, and the Alexandria
Canals, the larger portion of the coal trade
would doubtless soon centre here-a depot
adapted to it by nature and art-and the de.
crease in the revenue by the diminution 10 the
t Ills be compensated for by the receipts that
wall accrue from the increased amount OF trans
portation..