Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-08-14
THE CHESAPEAkE d OHIO CANAL.
Good Reasons Why Ii should BE Main.
taiued as q Water Way.
,m the Baltimore Sun, August 18th.

From the Baltimore Sun, August 18TH
The object had in view by the members of the
convention called TO meet yesterday in Cum
berland was to insure the perpetuity of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal as a waterway
an object in which every consumer, shipper
and exporter OF cheap bituminous coal i'm
Maryland and the Atlantic coast cities has a
practical interest AS long as the canal is
open a public highway upon which any
one that chooses may transport COAL with or
without the payment OF toll, competition will
operate to prevent its rival, the baltimore and
Ohio from putting freight rates on coal too high
and from acquiring, in conjunction with the
Pennsylvania company and the btuminous
coal pool, absolute control of the coal supply.
The advantage of cheap fuel Tor steam en-
gines is one that every industrial interest of
the state will appreciate. This advan-
tage our manufacturers and ship-owners
enjoy at present without caring per.
haps, to trace its history. Few of them prob
ably are aware that il is to the disposition OF
the Baltimore and Ohio to take business from
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal company aud
deprive il of revenues that they owe the exist
ing rates. The rapidity with which the exist
ing railroad rate would double or treble itself if
the canal should ever be closed or tall under
railroad control would reveal to the indifferent
shipper, when too late, its present value 10 his
business and the object OF the railroad in max
ing rates SO low. The canal, though much
abused and little employed operates by its
presence. Since its facilities cannot be mouop-
OliZed, il is a continual obstacle while il lasts
to the establishment OF excessive tariffs.
OH coal the canal would get business and pros
Der. That it does not at present prosper is due
to the fact that it is conferring that factor OF
prosperity competitive rates, others. And
thfs IL does, though 1t should not carry
ounce of coal, by its menace OF competition, in
case its rivals should put up prices. In the alb
sence of effective railroad laws prohibiting eN-
cessive charges and determinations, immunity
from such disadvantages is secured to the pub
lie only by the law OF competition. What the
CANALS services 10 the public worth is not
therefore adequately Indicated by the profit
and loss item OF its annual reports Ia 1ssa;
the canal carried 7O7, ,i66 tons OF coal; in 1854
but ). 8, ,;SJ2 tons.
But it would be superficial view of the situ-
alton to suppose the utility of the canal To the
general public was measured in either year by
the number OF tons carried. Stock and bond
holders have right, no doubt, 10 ieei disguised
when net earnings vanish, but the manufacture
ing, shipping and exporting interests of the
state are benefited all the same by the con-
stant threat OF competition which the canal
doGrisheS in the face of the railroads. So con-
WINGED were the people OF New York city and
stale of the value of the Erie canal 10 them a
regulator of railroad charges that they made the
canal Tree. They collect tolls and pay the
expenses of keeping the canal in repair not
caring whether a bushel OF grain per year is
carried through ii, but looking 10 the vast
saving on railroad freight bills that the exist
ence of the canal secures to them.
The Cumberland convention has been inn
pressed with this example, and will send dele
gates to the national canal convention to be
held at Syracuse on the 25th of the present
month 'to find out how the New Workers did
it," This is a very proper subject for investiga-
tion. They are probably aware, however, that
the position and claims of the Chesapeake and
Ohio and Erie canals respectively upon public
support are not precisely identical. Whether
they are sufficiently alike to demand like treat
ment is question that must remain tor a long
time open TO discussion. Ii is not, at any rate,
a question to be decided off-hand. The public
interest in preserving the Independent exist
ence OF the canal AS an active passive COM
petitor OF the railroads is undeniably very
great. Whether it is sufficiently great TO jus
tify shoulderiIg its bonded debt and operating
expenses is question which is Yet 10 be
threshed out. The items OF advantage and dis
advantage on either side must be colated and
thoroughly studied before even q tentative
opinion On the matter can be formed.