Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-09-21
SEfc &, eS g., s':sYsaf.

Ar. J. {. Clarke, ey.rresident CT tie c. &
.. Canal, Eow resident Of lllinois anG ex-
teasively engaged in the railroad affairs CT
that State takes time to write s. long !e;tel
on the subject Of the canal referred to, in
which, among other things, he says
There arc about 200 TO go boats plying
on the canal now whose average capacity is
| about ll0 to l20 IONS per boat. III feet oil
water could be ensured, the present limited
number Of boats would transport 90 per
cent. more tonnage, at no greater cost to the
| carrier nor any more expense for policing
tho canal.
AZ low rates for tolls, for use Of canal,
the Increase would swell. tho receipts Of the
treasury. Thele ought to bo at least GOO boats
| carrying traffic on this canal during the
season of navigation.
It's management ought to he wholly in
dependent ut politics or political influence
from any quarter whatever.
The Stale should only select one director,
the preferred houdshoIders two directors,
the 100000 bondshoIdcrs one director and
The priraic stockholders one director, and
| these should be people living on the line
of the canal. These live tben elect :. pres-
dent aud such officers as may b. necessary
to manage tho property. lis general oliiCe
should DO located on the line Ct tho canal
| al tho most convenient point 70 deal with
all its interests. The president and officer
should DO practical men, who are competent
tc di5charge the duties they arc 10 pei form,
run and manage the work on business psiu-
cipes with due regard 10 proper economy
and to serve the public interest.
What would be still better would he
II Il can be done, lease The work for 8
term OF years 10 sone responsible individuals.
binding the lessees 10 maintain and keep up
the canal It's public channel aud highway
Tor use oil ail persons upon the payment of
| reasonable tolls. Make the iesseas give pro.
per bond and good security for faithful per.
| iorinance Of the terms ana conditions Of
lease and have clause that they shall
forfeit aud pay TO the cana! company, Sly
$4,000 if they fail to preserve and keep
the work in order for uss is a canal and
public highway for navigation purposes
Proper provisions cen be inserted 10 guard
against disaster from freshets aud causes be-.
yond tho control of the Inssees so as to re-
lieVe them from penalty when proper 10 do
so.
| do not well sec how you are to mako
it free canal without tolls unless YOU
can treble Its present business, and in that
way make it serve the general business
interest 30 such an extent that the tax
payers of the whole State would contribute
in taxation to pay the expense of maintain-
ing the canal in efficient condition for use.
If, however, you could devise some
plau to largely ncreaseits traffic and then
levy small toll, barely enough to pay
current expense OF maintaining the cana!
then the State should take up and assume
the mortgage bonded debt, at say so or 60 cents
on the dollar of the principal abating all overdue
interest. The State would then own the whole
canal, all its franchises, &C., and perhaps tho
great advantages the citizens Of the State would
derive IN developing its coal and iron fields the
products OF the field and forests, and increased
taxation to tho State would compensate in time to
make it a free canal, o. nearly So