Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-04
CANAL OR NO CANAL.
The An-Engrossing Subject Of Discus
sion Among Georgetown Business Men.

There is "a diversity Of opinion in Georgetown
just now over the question Of canal or 10 canal.
The millers and some Of the business men insist
that the canal, or at least portion Of it, must
be rebuilt as soon as possible, or Georgetown
will be crippled.
Other business men do not hesitate to say
that Georgetown can get along all right withou,
the canal. A railroa d will supersede the old
waterway, they say, and it will be preferable
means of transportation.
The millers, it is said, have, in a quiet way,
discussed the change Of machinery which
would be consequent on the shutting off Of their
water supply, and the understanding is that il
would be far less expensive to make the canal
good throughout that short portion of it which
Is known as the Georgetown level"
Naturally the millers are the most interested
IN the affair for they draw their motive power
from the canal, but they claim that the other
business men Of Georgetown should put their
shoulders to the wheel and help the matter
along.
THE GEORGETOWN LEVEL MUST BE REPAIRED
MIR. G. W. Cissel, of the firm of g. W. Cissel
Il company, talked over the matter with STAR
reporter this morning. Mr.. Cissel was very
positive that the Georgetown level would
have to be repaired; all Georgetown and
Washington would suffer if the repairs were
not made at once. ''Some of US who are in
terested," said he, "are going up tomorrow in
company with delegation from the canal
management. We are going tomorrow with a
crowd OF canal men up the stream and if
the canal company will not do any repairing
why then well have to do the next best thing
repair it ourselves Come around in day or
two, then I'll let you know what we are going
to do"
Mr.. TENNEY DOES NOT THINK 1T AS BAD AS RE-
PORTED.
Mr.. Robert B. Tenney, of the firm of Tenney
d Sons, said that the canal was in much better
shape than most people supposed it was. Ru-
NOR had it that the entire length of the great
waterway was hopelessly wrecked. That that
was not true he was certain, for gentleman
had been in his office during the morn
the two-mile level from the mouth
OF the Monocacy and the mile level which ad-
joins 1t. The last end of the mile level is
only 40 miles from this CITY,
How much do you suppose 1t will cost to
make good the four miles Of the Georgetown
level?" asked the reporter.
COST OF REPAIRING THE GEORGETOWN LEVEL
Estimates for that" replied Mr.. Tenney,
wary considerably. They range from $4,000 to
$4,000 1t is absurd for the canal people to say
that this one level cannot be repaired for
=.
whole level for less than that. My opinion is
that the damage can be repaired for $500 or
$50 ,000"
pockets for that sum?'
Il don't think they will. don't see why
they should. There are lots of other interests
IN Georgetown which have as much, or about
as much, at stake as we have, and it
would be unfair to lay the whole burden
ON our shoulders. Every tradesman; yes, al
most every laboring man in Georgetown is
financially interested in having the mills con-
tinue to work. Without the mills Georgetown
would be
AS DEAD AS ALEXANDRIA.
The farmers who have found here a good
market for their wheat ought to be interested
and it would pay them to take a hand in
this matter. They may say now that it is none
OF their business, but when wheat cheapens
because the market is gone then they will
know more about it, As a matter of fact the
mlllers cannot and should not be expected to
repair the level, and 1 don't think they
will be called upon to do SO. 1 have sufficient
that they Will dip into their pockets
to aid us and themselves. Of
course the canal company will have
to waive its rights before one cent is placed on
the wreck could not guess as to how or
when or by whom the repairing will be done.
ouS an nuIe INA, tne citizehS OF ueorgetown
-'' "''o" '-'io ie'ei W oe "oanuoheu.
=, ANoihh" VIEW
rally with the millers. He says that neither his
business nor that of any other grocer will
be injured by the. closing of the
canal and the consequent stopping of the mills:
but. nevertheless. he wants The mills 70 nnm'
tinue to grind. He believes that, somehow or
other, the Georgetown level of the canal will
be put in thorough working order As
a means of traffic he thinks the canal ia nseIess
and he wants TO see a railroad ripping over tbe
canal property or Whereabouts as soon as posi-
tan 80 tho ,ana,I NE. o nolseHsicai 10
able to build ward of canal, Whv' If owes its
laborers seven or eight months pay It's paper is
no earthly good, either here or elsewhere. The
canal company IL dead. II that corporation
WIZ agree 10 forfeit It's rights to the George
Town ievei am satsneo that a STOCK company
70 repair ana operate II can be organized in
nan an hour.
THE MlLLERs HELD MEETING
TINS AFTERNOON at 3 O'Clock, and there discussed
the situation. Nothing definite. so far as could
be Learned, was determined upon, but it was
decided 10 accompany the canal officials to-
morrow on a Trip up alongside OF the George
town level.
OUT OF WORK.
The irreparable injury to the canal and its
is already showing its d;oootro,,o
effects in Georgetown nv the THROWING of
large number of peonle ont of emnIovment
JTpon MANY street corners tbera This ,,ornin,,