Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-06-26
THE CANALS WRECRED.

The canal system through the
State was SO badly damaged by the
flood that it viii not be restored to
Its original condition. About 15O
miles of the Pennsylvania canal viii
probably be abandoned, and 1t is
considered quite likely that the Sus-
qushanns canal will never again be
4 water way.
The old Juniats Division of the
Pennsylvania canal extending west
from Harrisburg, which was once q
link IN the canal and railroad route
from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, has
been completely washed out The
banks were washed away in many
places. the locks damaged, bridges
destroyed and the whole line gener-
ally wrecked. At present the West
srn terminus of the Division is at
Huntingdon, ninety miles west of
Harrisburg and the, destruction along
tho whole line has been 50 great that
a. Vet no attempt has been made TO
repair damages. Traffic upon this
branch of the canal has been declin-
ing for several wears, and while the
property Is not injured to such an
extent that repairs could not be
made, Vet it Is not thought the mon
cv put IN would ever be taken out
again. the belief is that more money
could be made out of the property
by selling the canal proper to the
Pennsylvania Railroad, and dispos-
g.rx- 81
to best advantage.
the northern division from Sun
bury to Lock Haven, distance of
sixty miles, Is also badly damaged
The ShsInokin dam, near Sunbury
will have TO be repaired at q large
expense. There Is little traffic Oh
this part of the canal and what there
Is could readily be handled by the
Philadelphia and Erie Railroad. Tc
repair the canal, replace the bridges
washed away and put the works IL
shape would cost, III the opinion OF
engineers, more than the cana
would be worth as a transportation
line after the money had been expend
ed. No attempt has been made b,
the company as yet to repair these
branches. \ large force of men has
| been put at work on the north anC
( west branch canal and ii is expected
traffic viii be opened from Wilkes
; barre to Mhddletown IN about thre,
weeks. The coal business ON thi
/ branch is quite large and it is be
lieved that the line can be made t,
pay. Most Of the revenue in recen
years has come from this division
/ The capital stock of the Pennsylvania
Canal Company is 81, sol 200 and it
bonded debt consists of $4,000, ,00'
/ 6 per cent. bonds, maturing III 1910
interest upon which Is guaranteed
bv the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad. Th
railroad owns S3,517, $50 of the stocl
and S469. coo OF the bonds. Tn,
earnings are insufficient to meet tn
interest charges there having been
deficit of S54 ,14l last wear and o
500, PAS in 1887.
The Reading officials are seriousl,
considering whether to repair tn
Susquehanna canal or not 1t run
from Columbia about Is miles beloy
Middletown. TO Chesapeake Bay
At Columbia the Reading Railroad
delivers coal to the canal. Its traf
fic, however, is small, and its earn
ings insignificant, the receipts las
wear amounting to only S45, ,41O
while the expenses were S41 500
Great damage was done TO the cana
property, but until accurate estimate
of the cost of repairs .hall have beel
made it viii not be decided to aban
don Philadelphia Inquirer.