Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1877-03-30
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.

|
Mr.. Editor: When Mr. George Peter was
defeated as candidate for the last House Of
Delegates, in giving in his adhesion to the
nomination Of his successful rivals, Messrs,
Griffith, Jones and Candy, he uttered this i'm
portant admonition: "Take care of the Ches-
apeake and Ohio Canal Important as that
admonition was then, in TIE light of recent
events it is doubly so now.
BY report made few days ago to the
stockholders, and also addressed 10 the bond
! holders of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
| the revelation is made that the trade and traffic
of the canal is placed in great peril and dan
ger, by being placed completely at the mercy
of its rival, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
The trade Of the Chesapeake and Ohio Ca
nal since its completion has mainly been sup
| plien from the coal mines in the neighborhood
of Frostburg through the Cumberland and
| Pennsylvania and other short railroads lead
ing from the mines in the neighborhood OF
Frostburg TO Cumberland, giving the owners
Of these mines the opportunity to send their
coal to market either by canal or railroad the
| choice being controlled by the element OF
| cheapness of transportation.
| Here tofore the railroad has been able to
| maintain pretty successful competition by
"A system Of cutting under and rebatemen,s
on the transportation of coal to Baltimore.
The canal being only highway and not a
transporter, and not having control of its ter
ninal facilities Mt either end, has all The time
| been at a disadvantage, and been obliged to
assume its undue share of reductions in toll
to meet the active competition of the railroad.
Since the present Board of Trustees and Di-
rectors have come into power they appear to
have taken an intelligent and comprehensive
| view of the situation, and by quietly intro
ducing steam dredges, lengthening of locks,
and acquiring control Of terminal facilities
both al Georgetown and Cumberland, to have
considerably improved the condition and
ability OF the canal TO maintain its trade and
successfully to meet and ccunteract the ac-
tons Of the railroad TO win from it its egiti-
mate trade, and ultimately to destroy the
work
Seeing the probable effect OF this wise and
conservative policy on the part of the canal
company, the railroad or its friends under
took 10 undermine it by going into the market
as a purchaser of the stock Of the Consolida-
ted Coal Company which was heretofore held
or controlled by New York capitalists, and
which had bought up all the lesser coal mines,
rolling stock, and roads heretofore construct
ed to connect the mines with the canal at
Cumberland; and at Il recent election an
nounced themselves as masters of the siiua-
ton; have purchased more than half the
stock Of the company and elected themselves
(several members being also directors of the
Baltimore and Ohio road directors of the
| Consoliia dated Company and removed its office
and business to Baltimore. The object OF
this movement is too obvious to doubt
"Who is so gross
| That cannot see this palpable device2'
| 1t is first to take from the canal the coal trade
which is the life blood, and means Of exis-
tence, and in this way ultimately destroy the
canal itself. Considering the past history and
| Legislation of the State toward these two
great works, this course Of hostility and ri
valship on the part of the railroad is the more
remarkable if anything is remarkable from
tina, remarkable work.
The canal il is known was chartered to de-
velop and bring to market the rich coal and
iron deposits of Allogany county. The rail.
road was subsequently, chartered for no such
object, but to regain and bring to Baltimore
the western trade and travel lost to that city
Ivy the construction Of the Pennsylvania and
New York canals The State subscribed
$500, 900 10 each work, not to run ill
against each other, and the one to destro,
the other; but to aid each in reaching Tho
separate and legitimate object of their crea.
ton. Both went to work with a will The
canal having acquired the right to the lief
bank of the Potomac, the first point of ex
tension was the Point of Rocks Here thu
engineers thought there was not sufficient
space between the foot of the mountain and
the river for both works. controversy AROSE
as to priority of right Of way. This arrested
the progress OF the canal and involved both
works in long, expensive and vexatious law.
suit, which finally Terminated in favor of the
canal.
Thus the railroad was brought 10 the feet
lsNff In. al aol
being able eli Their TO cross it, or to run by its
side. The canal not looking upon the rail.
road as a rival, and not wishing to impede lis
progress or 10 prevent the ctr of Baltimore
| from receiving is western trade and travel
generously consen led so to contract its dmen-
sions at those difficult points, as to leave room
for the railroad AID actually offered to con-
struct the railroad the latter company to pay
the additional cost of such joint construction
The railroad, of course, gladly agreed to this
| proposition at once so generous and magnani-
nous on the part of the canal; and further
agreed not to attempt its further progress west
up the valley of the Potomac, beyond Har-
.. pers Ferry, until the canal should first reach
Cumberland.
By this time, however, so much valuable
time having been lost pending the litigation
for the right Of way at the Point of Rocks J
labor, provisions and material had so increas-
ed in price as 10 add very materially to the
cost of the canal and it soon found its resources
exhausted and further progress without the
aid of the State impossible. The 81, 900, 900
loan bill was passed. the railroad and public
meetings Of Baltimore recommending its pas
sage ''as measure of great public utility TO
! the city OF Baltimore as well as the rest of the
! State" Public excitement on the question OF
internal improvements was still on the in
/ 4 y. a.. 4
piled for and obtained authority TO locate and
extend its road from Harpers Ferry on the
right side of the Potomac through the terrific
~ of Virginia, but with condition that it
should extend branch to the canal basin at
Cumberland and grant proper facilities for
receiving and unloading freight from the
canal. This was confirmed by special agree
ment with the railroad in 1851 This grant,
of course, was accepted The RAILROAD was
thus free 10 extend its work towards the west,
and the canal on the left bank Of the Potomac
| to Cumberland
The railroad felt the effect Of DELAY and loss
of time as well as the canal, and both works
found themselves without means to reach the
ultimate goal Of their respective destinations.
The State of Maryland, The common parent
and fosler-moiher of bolh was the only source
from which the necessary aid could come
So. 900, 900 by each was wanted Great OPP
position manifested itself to an increase OF
the public debt. The canal and railroad struck
hands, and never were two Irish brothers
more loving and united than were these two
great corporations in pressing the So, 900, 900
bill. "They were in no sense rivals says
the railroad, "but mutual aids aud assistants
to each other" The canal for the heavy
coal, grain and lumber trade of Allegany
county, and the railroad Baltimore and Ohio
as its name indcates) for travel and trans
portation to and from the vest With such