Frostburg mining journal., 1883-05-12

and some of which exist entirely in
Imagination.
If this is all there is in expectancy
for our people, many of them, es-
pecially readers Of the JOURNAL, had
better emigrate to more favored re
gion at once.
But it occurs to me that though the
prospect is gloomy enough it has not
yet come to that pass when an appro.
pirate sign to be affixed over the por-
tails of Allegany would be Leave
hope behind, all ye who enter here.
In my estimation the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal, which is the natural
transportation route to the seaboard
for our coal, has the key to the situa-
ton, and upon its management the
welfare Of our people largely depends.
There is no good reason why our coal
cannot compete successfully in market
with that mined in any other region.
1t is as near, if not nearer the sea-
board. 1t is as easily, if not more
easily mined. 1t is as god, if not
better than any other coal used for
the same purposes. The price per
ton pal d the miner is about the came
as that prevailing in other mining
regions.
The difficulty is said to be in the
cost of transportation. Just here is
where, l contend, the management Of
the canal can and should step in and
control the situation. 1t has been
announced that the coal trade of the
county has been badly affected if not
ruined for this season by alleged per-
fidy on the part of the Pennsylvania
company in not keeping its compact
in regard to rates with the Baltimore
and Ohio. Has it come to this that
the interests of this whole community,
SO largely dependent upon that of our
coal trade, is to be placed in the
hands and depend upon the caprice
or selfish designs Of one or other Of
two rival railroad companies? No
railroad company or other private
corporation or interest should be al.
lowed to dictate transportation rates
when the great water way OF the
Chesapeake and Ohio is at our doors
to control, in the interest Of the pub
lie who built it, all such questions as
they arise. The Baltimore end Ohio,
or any other railroad, should never be
recognized by the canal as competi-
tor in the coal. carrying trade Of AL
legany. That road is not dependent
upon that trade, but would flourish
and continue it's handsome dividends
if not ton of coal were ever carried
over its rout te. On the contrary, the
very existence of the canal depends
upon this trade, and the welfare
and prosperity of our county nos
and in the future will be immeasur'
ably affected by the good or i'll for
tune of this great and, TO us, invalu'
able work. Except in developing the
buried treasures of the coal and iron
in an otherwise barren section Of tht
State, and thus adding to the poruls'
tion, general wealth and resources, il
was never expected that the cana,
would pay for the cost of its construc
tion.
Therefore it is that the policy o.
the management, acting in the public
interest, should be to place its tolls al
such figure as would make it to the
interest Of every coal company in
Allegany to ship its product over the
canal in preference to the railroad
and break down all general competi'
tion in that quarter. They should
see that the miner, the boatman and
all other toilsrs in the trade received
fair compensation for their arduou,
services, and then so manage the tolls
as to secure the trade and allow the
mining companies to compete with
those of all rival sections in the east
ern markets, and derive from theil
investments fair and reasonable
profits. AS there is no absolute
necessity that the tolls upon the ca.
nal should more than pay current OK
penses and needed repairs, and as
about one.6fth part of the present
rate would suffice for those purposes
what a considerable margin there il
to work upon in carrying out that pol
icy can easily be seen.
In my humble judgment the coal
trade Of Allegany, the prosperity moi
only of her people and those Of al