Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1880-02-14
down by the. floods of the Susque-

Q. The money expended in opening
and improving this Ship Channel i
so much toward lessening the cost o
the Ferry Creek route.
8. The open River Navigation, ma
lures highway, and the mild climate
as compared with the other routes
for daily records kept for 80 year.
show that the Choptank River is OBJ
structed By ice for period of from
20 to 30 days less than the Queens
town route, and from 80 to 40 day
less than the Sassafras route; all dan
ger of obstruction by ice on the Fer
ny Creek route, could very easily b.
removed by opening the tide gate'
at the Break Water on high tides and
letting in salt water, making its in
huence felt very perceptibly through
the Canal to the Chortank River.
4. II is more national in all its fea.
lures and bearings. affording a more
rapid communication with the Nation.
al Capital by rail from Annapolis
Harbor and Naval Academy, extend.
ing its benefits. to the coasting trade
of the Nanticoke, Potomac, Kappa
hammock and James Rivers, and
through Norfolk to the Chesapeake
and Albemarle Canal, also to the
Chesapeake and Ohio Rail Road by a
short branch road to the Rappahan-
mock and via it to the Nanticoke to
the Ship Canal.
5. BY the construction Of short
Underwater Canal from Herring Bay
on the Chesapeake, opposite the mouth
of the Choptank, to the eastern branch
of the Potomac, not exceeding &c
miles in length, anil only two short
SUBMITS to cross via Lyons Creek,
Patuxent River, to Western Branch
and Beaver Dams Creek, direct com
munication can be had with the
Washington Navy Yard and the Ches-
areake and Ohio Canal at George
town. This would not only be an
eminent benefit to the commercial
prosperity of the District, but 'ooettd
open a future to Tie coal and mineral
lands of Maryland, West Virginia
and Pennsylvania. Then, by extend
ing the locks on the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal to twice their present
length, so as to double the carrying
capacity OF the boats, (requiring for
their movement only one-ilth more
power than is now required Cum
berland, Pennsylvania and Virginia
coal could be placed at Herring Bay,
and at Lewes at the Break Water, at
such prices as to defy competition
from any other coal field. Coal de-
pots at the last named points would
command the entire coasting trade.
The effect would be the employment
of an immense capital in the active
development of the coal and mineral
lands of Maryland, West Virginia
and Pennsylvania, requiring addi-
ticnal Branch Roads to the B. & 0. R.
r., and Canal for transportation; a
very large increase of mining popu-
lation, rendered necessary to bring
into active commerce several millions
of dollars now lying idle under the
surface ofthe mountains, thereby very
largely increasing the basis of taxa
ton in the above State, and extend
ing its influence to the National Gov
erument. The commercial advanta-
yes to the cities of Baltimore, New
York, Philadelphia, Boston and Rich
mond, would be immense, and appa-
rent to the most casual observer; be-
sides the vast advantage to TIE entire
country in commercial point Of
view, the great saving of life ard
property from wrecks along the coast
from the Capos of the Delaware to
those of the Chesapeake which would
be thus attained ought to command
the close attention of Con- ress.
The above views as to the import
ance of maintaining the present Ship
Channel to Baltimore, are fully en-
dorsed by the U. S. Engineers il
charge of the Harbor defences after
careful study of q years, as is very
clearly stated by Col. Craighill in his
report of 1867, and endorsed again il
his final report on The Ship Canal sur
veys to the Chief of Engineers.
The Commission beg leave respect
fully to submit the above report.
W, Fl. SMITH,
@. III. HAM1LL,
JOHN RYAN,
Frostburg, Md, Jan. 9, 1880.