Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-08
GEORGETOWN AND THE CANAL.
The Situation Talked Over at Meeting
of Citizens.

/
| COMMITTEES APPOINTED TO SEE THE CANAL OFF,
GALS AND THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD COM
PASY-A RAT OF HOPE IN THE PROPOSED LINE
ALONG THE OLD ALEXANDRIA CANAL
The members Of the Citizens association OF
Georgetown, at their meeting last night. de-
| voted most Of their time to talking over the
| situation OF affairs produced there by the
| recent floods, which practically destroyed in a
day the canal, on which the commerce as well
as the industries of Georgetown largely de-
pended.
Among those present were Messrs. Thomas
Bowling, Jos. G. Waters, John Leetch, r. B.
Tenney, F. L. Moore, DR.. Richie, VIM. H.
Manogue, Geo. W. King, Joseph Tanning, H. p.
Gilbert, Chas. Fickling, Archibald Greenless,
Benjamin Miller, Mayhem Platter, John T.
Mitchell, Jesse H. Wilson. Geo. Hill, jr., and
Prof. LOCKER. .
Mr.. John Leetch, as chairman of the commit
mittee on wharves and streets. said that by the
recent floods some Of the wharves have been
very nearly blotted out. They are almost i'm
passable. Water street, he said, is in deplor-
able condition. On account of the construc-
ton of the railroad now being laid there the
accumulated debris from the food and the
guano and other fertilizers that have been in
jured, Water street is in condition that might
breed sickness. The odor, he said. was almost
unbearable. Unless something was done, and
the Commissioners took prompt action, if the
weather becomes warm or moist there might
be serious results. Mr.. Leetch referred also to
the condition of the canal, which aggravated
the trouble.
motion to call the attention of the health
department to the unsanitary condition of
Water street and the canal was carried.
RAILROAD OR CANAL?
When the usual order Of business had been
gone over Mr.. Archibald Greenlees, the presi-
dent, referred to the destruction of the canal
There were those, he said, who hoped for a
canal for miles above Georgetown to keep I'D
the supply Of water for the mills. and he had
no doubt they would have it. The question of
a railroad was very pressing
Mr. Leetch, from the committee appointed
to talk with Pennsylvania railroad officials
with reference to the proposal to construct a
line along the old canal south Of the Potomac,
from Four-Mlle-Run to the south end Of the
Free bridge, said he had had several inter-
views with the officials, but had nothing def
mite to report. The only question with the
railroad was whether they could make it paw
III 1t was for the interest of the railroad COM
pany to come, if they could make it pay, they
would come. The railroad authorities wanted
to know If the citizens would guarantee a GER
tain amount Of freight.
nAklNo SURVEYS.
Mr.. Greenless said that the railroad company
asked as to the amount of freight business done
by the citizens Of Georgetown, and they were
informed that it amounted to $1,000 After
ward the company was furnished detailed
statement OF the character of the business
Since then they had sent surveyors over the
route from Four-NIie run to Georgetown
Since the recent flood the surveyor had re-
turned again. all of which indicated that the
railroad company was seriously considering it.
He did not understand that the railroad COM
pany required guarantee of a certain amount
OF business. They wanted to know how much
freight there was for them to win by coming
there.
Mr.. Tenney said that the survey had been
stopped by an injunction served on them by
the Dangerfield heirs and others who had
claimed that certain lands had been given only
for canal purposes.
Mr.. Greenlees said that this applied, as he
understood 1t, only to one or two pieces of
property which had been decided by the owners
for canal purposes, to revert to the original
owners IN case of the abandonment of the canal
Mr.. Tenney said that the survey now being
made was from Fort Runyon, and was made
with the view OF laying out a route that would
avoid the land that was in dispute
SITUATION OF THE MILLERs
Mr.. Tenney, speaking of the destruction Of
the canal and the present hopeless condition of
the mills said he would like to know the views
Of citizens and whether it was expected that
the millers alone would be expected to bear the
heavy burden OF repairing the level above
Georgetown. In response to questions as to
the cost of repairing this level Mr.. Tenney said
that President Gambrill estimated it at go, 900;
but statements OF contractors indicated that it
would be $4,000. The rentals for the use of
the water power paid annually BY the millers
amounted to $4,000. MIR. Gambrili thought it
null hn ed 90
pair the breaks and then release their rents for
sufficient number of years to make good the
amount thus expended. The difficulty was,
however. that they had no guarantee that the
bondholders would release their claim. II they
repaired the canal they would have to do it
their own risk.
Mr.. Tenney was asked as to the claims of Mr..
Dodge, and said this was separate contract
for surplus water. He had an arrangement
with the canal company for the surplus water
The surplus water was wiped out with the canal
1--WE are all wiped out" said Mr.. Tenney, with
a sad smile.
%ATER-PowER COMPANY SUGGESTED.
DIR. Richie suggested that it might be possi-
BILE to organize a company and build feeder
to supply the mills independent of the canal.
He asked if a trunk II feet wide and 6 feet deep
would be sufficient. Mr.. Tenney smiled at the
proposition. He said the whole body of water
III the canal was required When the water
went down foot it took off half the power
Mr.. Tenney said he did not suppose the canal
company would object to the people of George
town improving their property.
COMMITTEES APPOINTED.
Mr.. John t. Mitchell said that it was impos-
sible to do anything intelligently until after the
meeting Of the canal company ON the 18th inst.
He suggested committee to represent the
interests of Georgetown-not Of the mi Hers
only-at the meeting OF the canal company
This suggestion put in the form Of a motion
was adopted. and the following committee was
appointed: II. B. Tennev. Henry c. Winship
A. Greenlees. Jno. I. Mitchell, and Jos. e..
Waters.
Mr.. Tickling moved that a committee Of five
be appointed to confer with the Pennsylvania
railroad company with view to ascertaining
what that company might do towards providing
a railroad in place of a canal The motion was
carried. and a committee appointed composed
OF John Leetch, X. l.. Cropley, r. B. Tenney y,
Chas. Tickling, and II. P. Gilbert.
DISTRESS ALONG THE CANAL.
Mr.. Leetch called attention to the distress
along the canal caused by the food He said
there were from 1000 to $500 men, women,
and children whose homes were literally upon
the canal. A large majority Of them were to-
day utterly destitute He presumed that hun
dreds OF them were unable to say to-day where
they would get meal tomorrow They were
left along the canal all the way from George