Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-05-27
CANAL MEN IN COUNCIL.


termine upon some plan Of action TO place
the corporation on a paying basis, and tolin-
crease its usefulness. Allen Bowie Davis,
Of this county, one of the trustees of the
company, presided.
Senator German, the president of the canal
company, speaking for the directors, made a
long argument in favor of lengthening the
locks of the canal, of which the following is
an abstract:
The question is, what must be done to
enable the canal to meet the close and ac-
tive competition Of other lines of transpor-
tation, and to make it profitable. When the
canal was opened in 1850 it was the largest
work of its kind on this continent, and this
made it possible TO reduce the cost Of trans
portation per ton per mile below that of any
other rival competing line. Unfortunately
the canal was not completed and equipped
as intended; the financial condition of the
company was such that when the canal was
opened for navigation from Cumberland to
Georgetown it could not be depended on as
channel of trade. Its dams were not con-
structed. 1t was impossible TO provide a
sufficient supply Of water for the transpor-
tation of boats. Therefore it languished-
aye, deteriorated-until18 1869 and 1870. In
all this time, and indeed until n recent
period, its terminal facilities were in the
hands OF others, and its only means of Sc
curing q coal trade was over the two lines of
road leading from Cumberland to the coal
measures. One of these lines was rival
whose interest il was to divert the trade
from the canal the other line was mo-
nopoly interested in charging the highest
rates from the mines to the canal. Under
these circumstances it is not surprising that
the canal company, instead of paying its
obligations became more and more involved
during each succeeding year,
Nothing whatever has been done since the
canal was opened to the present hour to in
crease its original capacity or to decrease the
cost of moving ton of freight over it. Boats
cannot be made large because of the small
locks. Important work, however, has been
accomplished in the past ten years. Termi-
nal facilities, both at Georgetown and Cum
berland, have been secured. The right to
construct new feeders from the coal measures
of Maryland and West Virginia, which en-
sure large and constantly increasing ton
mage, has been secured. If they will now
resolve TO put the work in such condition
from Cumberland to Georgetown that the
cost of moving ton Of freight between the
terminal points, including tolls, shall be as
low or lower than it can be done by any
competing line, the chances Of the prosperity
of the work will be greatly improved
Such an improvement is necessary 10 meet
competition. There are now three lines Of
transportation from the coal regions of West
ern Maryland TO tidewater-the Pennsylva-
mia Railroad Company and its connections,
the Baltimore and Ohio and the canal
While we do not underrate the resources of
the Pennsylvania road we know that the Bal
timore and Ohio is, to-day, the principal
competitor of the canal. The latter road has,
and is now making, many improvements,
and rs these Improvements progress reduc-
tons must be made in the charges TO the
general public 10 prevent competition from
other fields and other lines of transportation
IL is self-evident that unless the managers OF
hecanal pursue the same policy ofimproving
their work and decreasing the cost of trans
portation, the effect must be TO deprive it OF
all trade. With these facts plainly evident
will any one be bold enough to say that the
canal must remain in the same condition as
when it was opened to navigation in 1850
| We submit that there can be no room fol
questioning the propriety, indeed the abso
lutte necessity of doing now-and by now
we mean within one year-that which will
enable us TO enlarge the capacity of the
canal TO such an extent that it can carry
coal from Cumberland TO Georgetown at as
low rate, or lower rate, than the Baltimore
and Ohio with its improved means of trans
portation. To pay off the interest on the
bonded debt, and to keep the work in proper
repair, the tolls cannot be reduced, but as
there is a necessity of reducing the whole
cost of moving ton of coal from Cumber-
! land to Georgetown, it can only be done by
increasing the carrying capacity of the boats,
and thus reduce the expenses of transporta-
ton other than tolls.
What improvement will produce this re-
suit The canal must be placed in such a
condition that, with but slight of
the power now required TO move 100 tons,
we may be able to move 240 tons with no
more or but slightly increased cost for labor.
Other canals in this country have had the
same problem to solve, and they have solved
it in different ways. TO increase the depth
of our canal a foot would cost too much and
take much time. 10 increase the width of
our locks would also be too expensive a meas
ure. The only practical way is to lengthen
the locks 100 feet, so that two boats may pass
through together, being coupled and directed
at all times in their movements by patented
device which makes but single dspace-
ment of the water necessary, the two boats
carrying $40 tons, and both being propelled
by power which only exceeds by one
sixth that which is required to propel sin
gle boat carrying not more than 1870 tons
and manned by the same crew required for a
single boat. 1t is this improvement which is
recommended, and which, when made, would
place the canal in condition TO meet success
! fully competition by any existing line of
railway. The improvement is not an un.
tried experiment 1t is one which has been
thoroughly tried on the canals owned by the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and its
adaptabilty TO this work has been tested by
actual experiment
What will the frightening of these locks
cost TO lengthen all the locks between
Cumberland and Georgetown, seventy in
number, by making the composite locks, and
having the timber creosoted, together with
approved appliances for opening and closing
the gates so as to save the labor of one man
at each lock, would cost about $1,000 per
lock-$490,000. twill be observed that when
this improvement is made, five cents per ton
on tonnage of 100000 tons would pay the
interest upon the entire cost of the improve
ment.
IL these facts shall determine you to direct
that the Improvements be made, the ques-
ton arises how can they be paid for! In our
Judgment there is but one way, and that is
by the sale Of the repair bonds authorized to
be issued ,ly the Maryland act of 1873, in
favor of which bonds the State of MARYLAND
has. to the extent of 100000, waived her
liens on the corpus of the work We know
that the sale of these bonds has been objected
TO by some of the preferred bondholders be-
cause Of the lien which is created upon the
corpus of the work. Whatever force there
may be in that suggestion, we submit, can be
TO some extent obviated, If the holders of the
bonds of 1874 will subscribe for the 1878
bonds which we now suggest be sold. There
is no other way in which sufficient sum can
be raised, unless il be that the bondholders
can be induced TO advance the amount upon
either ordinary repair bonds, or upon toll
certificates TO be redeemed gradually.
Hon. Bradley johnson, speaking for him.
self and other bondholders, while he strongly
favored the proposed improvement, objected
to the plan suggested by the directory for
raising the required funds He was In favor
of securing legislative authority and issuing
improvement bonds TO the amount neces.
sary.
Henry Thomas Wells, Of Cumberland, was
strongly in favor of the plan suggested by
the directory.
All present decided in favor of increasing
the length Of the locks, but they were unable
M Gonna IN anv annaluaton 40 tko ha,t