Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1889-06-14
100000 10 81 OoO,O to fully restore the

|
canal. This looks as if it was the end o.
the canal question. AS to whether a rail
road will be built along its bed from Cum
berland to Georgetown remains to be seen
To persons looking at the river when the
water was at its highest, the idea of Il rail
road being built on the line of the canal
seemed preposterous, but am informed that
Col. Richard Randolph, civil engineer oil
fine reputation and much experience, says
it is perfectly practicable, and that he can
build railroad along the line of the canal
and will guarantee its safety. II he Is cor.
rect and railroad should take the place of
the canal the flood will have proved a bless.
ing in disguise to our county. New and
varied industries will spring up along its
line, giving employment to many more than
were formerly employed and ut more re-
munerative wages. The value of land will
be greatly enhanced, and the territory Dor
dering on the Potomac will be surpassed by
no portion of the country in wealth AMI
prosperity"
DELEGATE LAIRDs OPINION.
1.-The Chesapeake and Ohio canal was of
immense Importance and benefit to the PEG.
| Pile of Montgomery county, and its destruc-
ton will cause shrinkage OF at least 90
| per cent. in the value of the lands which
are dependent upon ii for II market. What
| u
RAISING question. The result Of legislation
and Management is that the canal question is
surrounded by legal rs well rs practical
| questions The status of the creditors of
| the canal, except that OF the State, cannot
| be altered by legislation, and | have no
doubt that the State would freely relinquish
her claims in favor of any scheme which
gave reasonable promise OF line of traffic
over the route of the canal Practically
| indeed, the attitude OF the State is less that
of u stakeholder and creditor than that OF
trustee for that portion OF her people who
are dependent, directly or indirectly, upon
the canal, and whatever is done should be
with view to preserve, as far as possible,
| the Investments which the establishment OF
| the canal induced. The route of the canal
cannot be used fora railroad until a company
| is chartered, or the charter of the canal com
pany is amended so as to embrace the pow.
| err to construct railroad over its route. An
| independent. company could not employ this
route until there was actual abandonment
and non user Of it by the canal company
| Either scheme requires legislation by tue
State of Maryland before it can be even be
gun. AS to repairs, two difficulties stand in
the way: l. The bankruptcy OF the canal
company. 1t is absolutely without credit,
and the legal questions are SO numerous and
| perplexing that IL is unreasonable to expect
| private capital TO come to the rescue. 3. BY
| the provisions OF the constitution, the legis
| la;urc is prohibited from involving the State
| in the construction of works of internal i'm
provement, or granting any aid thereto I,
which shall involve the faith or ere lit of the
Stae, and from making any Appropriation
therefor. 50 there is no hope OF assistance
| from the pubic treasury. Thcre are two
things the legislature can do |. Amend the
| nj 90 m DtcnDSn
| of the States interest in the canal. The
latter could not be accomplished in time to
be of service without an extra session of the
| legislature, The board of publ works is
authorized by the constitution to sell the
| States interest, Subject to such regulations
and conditions as the general assembly may
from time to time prescribe, but such sale
shall not go into effect until the same shall
be ratified by the ensuing general assembly"
am not aware that the general assembly
has ever prescribed any regulations and con
ditons Tor the guidance OF the board OF pub
lie works in the premises. An extra session, ,
called to meet early in July, could make
! them, and sale made hereunder could be
ratified by the regular session in January,
| 1890. An extra session at the time named
might also formulate amendments to the
constitution, to be voted for ut the general
election in November, which would get rid
of some OF the legal perplexitics which sur
round the case. 1t is worth while TO CON
slider whether the large material interests Of
Western Maryland, which are involved in
the canal problem, do not justify an extra
session. | simply make the suggestion with,
out committing myself to it. Further re-
| Election might show that it would be use
less. Undoubtedly the franchises of the Gu
| nal are valuable. | do nor think that the
| Spirit or modern enterprise will allow tnfm
to be forfeited, but do not believe that lIff'
vate capital will embark in it SO long as thc
State owns u controlling interest The SO
| luton Of the matter will come through the
sale or donati N Of the states interest, and
the enlargement Of the powers Of the cor
| peration
COSTS OF REPAIRS.
Reports received by President Gambrll
of the damage to the canal by the recent
| ireshet enable him TO estimate that il will
require at least $500 900 to restore the canal
10 the condition it was in before the 3lst OF
| May though the cana could be made navi-
| gable for less. From Georgetown To the
Great Falls the damage cannst be repaired
for less than $lS0,000. Of which $50 600
would be required To restore the George
town water power. From the Falls TO Har-
per's Ferry dam $50, 900 would have to be
spent, and thence to Cumberland about 500.
| 900 more These estimates are made on
careful surveys and are considered rather
under than above the mark. 1t is one of the
| pecularities OF the freshet of 1889 that the
stonework Of walls, &c, is more generally
| involved than on any previous occasion Of
the kind. The telephone wires have been
swept away, so that communication from
point to point by electricity is cut off, and
every bridge for which the canal company
is responsible is down. 70 get at iniorma.
ton Of the condition of the work the divis
ion superintendent had 10 tramp or ride on